WELCOME!!!

Recognising its historic foundation, the School will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at Parish and Diocesan level. The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils. Our church is just across the road and provides us with spiritual guidance in an up-to-date child friendly manner through the sensitivity of the clergy.

We maintain good results, behaviour and a happy secure community for everyone. We wholeheartedly believe in our ethos statement of learning and growing together. We find out together, have fun together and provide a ‘richer curriculum’ beyond what is statutory. The school has recently been recognised as a Health Promoting School.

We genuinely care for one another another and take a global attitude of respect and understanding for all the people of the world. We take on our role as caretakers of our planet and the importance of our behaviour and attitudes, sensitive to the needs of our natural world. Our wildlife garden enhances this.

We work hard and enjoy our achievements – self esteem is high on our agenda we all need to believe in ourselves. Circle time enables us to come to terms with feelings and events in our lives, always acknowledging how others are feeling.

Out of school hours we love our dance club, ball skills and recorder club.

Parents are always welcome and many work regularly each week throughout the school, along with community volunteers. We train B Ed students from the University of Derby, PGCE students from Sheffield, Hallam university and students from childcare courses, HNDs etc. from Buxton and Mackworth colleges.

Secondary school students from QEGS (Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Ashbourne) come to us for work experience, many remaining long after their official work experience period has expired.

Our buildings are old but spacious and we are committed to continually maintaining and up grading them. In the last four years we have restructured the play ground, built a ramp at the entrance, installed new toilets and library and created a wonderful wildlife garden. In a nutshell, we want our children to have a zest for living and learning that will last long after their school days are over.

Well thanks for sparing the time to meet us on the internet. We hope you will want to come and meet us – after all this can only ever be a taster.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Rebecca Wood Headteacher

St. Oswald’s is a happy place to be where children can pride themselves in their own achievements.

We have:

• A caring and committed staff who put the needs of the children first

• High quality teaching and learning 

• A family atmosphere based on co-operation and team work

• An active partnership with parents, Church and community

• A dedicated Governing Body giving time and energy to continuous improvement

• A secure and stimulating environment where everyone feels valued as an individual and has opportunities to develop their potential.

It is our central purpose to deliver a relevant and challenging curriculum where each child is motivated with an energy and excitement in their own learning that will continue long after school days are over. We aim to enable our children to have a positive approach to the future and the wider world with confidence in themselves as people and their own abilities.

We strive to maintain a well ordered, well mannered School society of equal opportunity that actively encourages the development of personal responsibility and concern for others in the School community. We foster the moral attitudes of honesty and tolerance. We see spiritual growth and awareness as a crucial need for the well-being of all. We encourage active parental involvement in the life of the School both educationally and socially. St. Oswald's is committed to the ABC along with other local schools – this is the Anti Bullying Campaign throughout Derbyshire. Staff, governors, parents and children feel safe at St. Oswald's.  We have zero tolerance of bullying of any description.

We work continuously to improve every aspect of school life. We are proud of our children and our school and have received for 2 consecutive years the DFES School Achievement Award for our standards. In July 2002, we were awarded the Basic Skills Quality Award.

Assembly is held each day for 15 minutes as collective worship and we follow the R. E. curriculum which is based on Christianity. However is it important for all of us to appreciate the differing beliefs and cultures that exist in our world and to understand other points of view. Dealing with feelings or anxiety, jealousy, temper and sadness are often difficult for all of us at particular times and not least for young children, hence our format for assembly is often to come to terms with, express, share and deal with life’s difficulties and celebrations.

We welcome visitors regularly who enjoy contributing to our assemblies – Alec Prail from Elim Pentecostal, The Bishop of Derby and of course our own Jo White who has lots of ideas and input from which we can benefit.   

Early Learning Goals

The stage from 3 years to Year 1 is vitally important and is aptly referred to now as the Foundation Stage.

You as parents have already provided precious input with your child at home. Our Early Years curriculum builds on all this previous experience and achievement and is organised in areas of learning.

A brief summary of these:

Personal and Social Development – Opportunity to work, play and co-operate with others and function in a group beyond the family. Personal, social, moral and spiritual development of personal values and an understanding of self and others.

Language and Literacy (Communication) – This includes speaking and listening, early reading and writing experiences.

Mathematics – Learning about number, shape and position, pattern, relationships, measurement and developing mathematical language.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World – This focuses on children’s developing knowledge and understanding of themselves, their environment, other people, and features of the natural and man made world. They provide a foundation for historical, geographical, scientific and technological learning.

Physical Development – Developing physical control, mobility, awareness of space as well as manipulative skills in indoor and outdoor environments. Fostering positive attitudes towards a healthy and active way of life.

Creative Development – Developing imagination together with the ability to communicate and express ideas and feeling in creative ways.

Please remember that PLAY is a child’s WORK, especially when planned and structured to promote learning.

All children progress at different rates and individual achievement will vary. The curriculum we put into practice extends naturally into the first level of the National Curriculum. No child will be held back or propelled forward before they are ready.

Our entire curriculum for the School is one of progression and continuity. Where and when appropriate, children are taught in ability groups as well as whole class, mixed ability/random groups, in pairs, working collectively and of course working independently.