Dear Parents/Guardians,

I hope you find the information on our web page both useful and informative.  Please visit us to see for yourselves what we are about.

Here at Downs Barn First School we endeavour to create a safe, welcoming and loving community in which children may grow and develop to their full potential.

Our school promotes and secures good teaching, effective learning and high standards of behaviour and discipline.  We believe that self-esteem underpins effective learning and helps children become confident and self-reliant young people. We seek to help children make the most of their educational experiences at this school whilst also preparing them for the world of the future.

At Downs Barn School we have an attached Nursery facility offering free education for children from the age of three.
Children join the Nursery from a wide area of Milton Keynes. Many children continue to be educated by us until they reach the age of eight. Others leave us at the end of their Nursery education to join their local school.

A committed and fully trained team of people with an adult/pupil ratio of one to thirteen runs the Nursery. Our facilities are large and airy enabling children to experience a full range of activities. Children also have access to their own playground where they can use the outdoor equipment.

We are proud to have achieved recognised Arts Mark Status and are currently awaiting the outcome of our Arts Mark Silver award.  We are a named partner of the Stantonbury Arts College with whom we have a close working relationship.
We believe that the opportunity to be creative is central to children's' experience at this school.  We have introduced the concept of 'Arts Friday' when children focus on a themed topic using a range of media.  

We are registered as a member of the Healthy Schools Initiative and have already achieved our award for Healthy Eating.  We are currently working towards our Physical Activity award.

We are the only first school in Milton Keynes working with the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency on a project to investigate the potential of digital video content to enhance teaching and learning in schools.  This is an exciting opportunity for staff and children to extend the general curriculum.

UNIFORM

Our school colours are red and gold.  We encourage all children to wear uniform and this can be purchased from our school secretary.  Uniform helps give pupils a sense of belonging and signifies the change between home and school.

DISCIPLINE

We encourage our children to develop responsibility for their own behaviour and to foster positive values.  We give children the opportunity of solving their own problems through meaningful discussions in the knowledge that learning may not be effective until problems are resolv