Headteachers Welcome
Dear Parents, Carers, and Visitors,
Welcome to Watton at Stone Primary School! I'm delighted you're taking the time to explore our website and discover what makes our school such a special place for children to learn and grow. Whether you're a prospective parent considering us for your child's educational journey, a current family looking for information, or simply curious about our school, we're thrilled to share our vibrant environment with you.
We understand that choosing the right school is a significant decision, and we've designed our website to give you a comprehensive insight into daily life at Watton at Stone. Here you'll find a wealth of information, from our exciting curriculum to important updates for our school community.
At Watton at Stone, we are wholeheartedly committed to providing the very best learning opportunities for every child in a safe, secure, and friendly environment. We have the highest expectations for all our children, encouraging them to aim high and achieve their full potential. My staff and I are passionate about nurturing well-rounded individuals who excel both in their learning and in their personal development.
We're incredibly proud to deliver a bespoke curriculum that is both rich and engaging, while fully aligning with the statutory National Curriculum. Our commitment to providing diverse experiences means that all pupils at Watton at Stone will have the opportunity to:
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Learn a new language
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Learn to play a musical instrument
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Learn to swim
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Visit many places of interest, including class trips, off-site sporting events, the local farm, and Forest School.
Our dedication to excellence has been formally recognised. We are incredibly proud to have achieved the EYQS Gold award for our Early Years provision, highlighting the exceptional start our youngest learners receive. Furthermore, our school was rated 'Good' by OFSTED in March 2023, a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community.
Preparing our pupils for life in modern Britain and the demands of the 21st Century is a key focus. This means we place a strong emphasis on integrating technology as a learning tool. We've invested significantly in our IT equipment and devices, ensuring children from pre-school to Year 6 have ample opportunities to use technology across the curriculum. We also prioritise educating our children on crucial topics such as diversity and online safety, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need for the world beyond our school gates.
Beyond academic achievement, we place great importance on developing excellent personal and social skills. Our established behaviour system, 'Good to be Green,' is very embedded in the school culture, and all children understand our high expectations for their behaviour around the school. Furthermore, our 'Great to be Gold' standards celebrate exceptional behaviour and learning, with children being recognised and rewarded in our weekly celebration assembly.
We also dedicate significant effort to teaching, modelling, and promoting excellent behaviour for learning. These are the crucial skills and attributes children will need to become independent and successful learners across all subjects. They include:
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Resilience
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Respect
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Collaborative teamwork
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Empathy and kindness
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High aspirations
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Having pride in their achievements
We are particularly proud of our strong focus on sports and music. As part of the Hertford and Ware consortium, all classes have the opportunity to represent the school at off-site sporting events throughout the year, fostering teamwork and healthy competition. Our music program encourages every child to explore their creativity and develop a love for the arts. We also actively encourage our children to share their talents and achievements from outside school in our weekly assemblies, celebrating their diverse interests and accomplishments.
At Watton at Stone, we believe in empowering our pupils. All classes actively participate in termly Pupil Parliament meetings, providing a vital platform for them to express their views and opinions about the school. We also offer significant leadership opportunities: all Year 5 classes take part in a Young Leaders programme, and every Year 6 child takes on a leadership role in their final year, with Year 6 pupils even leading the Pupil Parliament meetings. This ensures our students leave us as confident, articulate, and responsible young citizens.
Visitors often comment on the warm, friendly, and inclusive atmosphere at Watton at Stone. We truly pride ourselves on creating a strong sense of belonging where every child feels valued, supported, and happy to come to school each day. We firmly believe that a child's education is a partnership between home and school, and we actively encourage parental involvement. The teaching staff communicate regularly with parents through Marvellous Me and value the incredible support we receive from our parent community.
Our dedicated team of passionate and experienced staff are at the heart of everything we do. They go above and beyond to create a nurturing and stimulating environment where every child is challenged and supported to flourish.
We hope our website provides you with a clear sense of our school's ethos and vibrant community. If you are a prospective parent, we would love to personally show you around our school – a place of which we are incredibly proud.
Thank you for visiting our website. We hope you find it informative and helpful. If you have any questions or would like to arrange a visit, please don't hesitate to contact our main office.
Warmly,
Mrs. Nikki Etienne
Headteacher