‘It takes a whole community to educate a child’
Jesus said, “I have come that all may have life and have it in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd”. John 10:10
We are a very small Church of England school set in rural Northumberland. We have one of the largest catchment areas in England. Children also come to us from out of catchment, meaning that our intake includes children from towns, villages and the outlying farming areas. This can lead to long journeys, often including school transport. A significant portion of our children not only struggle with internet access, they do not have mains electricity.
We aim to deliver a curriculum that gives our children learning and experiences to equip them to face their next challenges and choices in life, exposing them to the amazing variety of opportunities available to them in our area, our country, and the world. Whilst appreciating the wonders of this special part of the world in which they live, we aim to teach them about the wider world and where they are in it; to enjoy the diversity around them and in our country as a whole.
We use our small mixed age classes to acknowledge each child’s individual needs in their learning journey, allowing them to support each other and celebrate their different strengths and needs. We strive to play an integral part in the Harbottle community, being involved in community events, using the local human, geographical, and historical resources within our curriculum. As very few parents have the opportunity to come to school regularly with their children we seek to involve parents in as many school events as possible, and have developed strong electronic communication links with them, often training them in how to utilise it first.
We want every child to leave HFS with self-confidence, to enjoy who they are, with a real sense of community, respecting and enjoying differences, understanding that everyone has a place and a part to play. We want them to be ready to face their next challenges with a love of life and learning, a curiosity about the world around them, and a set of values to help guide them on their way.
If parents or other members of the public wish to find out more about the curriculum on offer then please do not hesitate to get in touch with the school by either contacting us via phone or via our email address [email protected]
