School Values and Ethos

Central Foundation aims to be one of the top schools for the education of boys in the country. In pursuing this aim, we care about exam results, but our fundamental purpose is the growth of our students to enable every single one of them to live joyful, purposeful and socially responsible lives. At the heart of our mission is the belief that every young person is entitled to an exceptional education and can successfully access the benefits of such an education; our education is for all young people whatever their background or current educational attainment.

We focus on delivering a rich and varied curriculum, and an extensive programme of co-curricular activities that provides what our students need to flourish. We aim to achieve character development and offer rich opportunities for growth both within and beyond the classroom. It is our belief that by building integrity and providing opportunities for service, we will encourage our pupils to lead purposeful and socially responsible lives.

We actively focus on three key character traits:

Be your best: be respectful and kind; be brave; be a learner.

Being kind and respectful: to have the ability to accurately and sensitively respond to the needs and feelings of others. Kindness often requires us to be mindful of the impact we are having on those around us, to listen actively and carefully to them about their needs. Respect is the ability to appropriately respond to the inherent dignity of others as well as their achievements, experiences and value within a community. Respect may be driven by our personal appreciation and admiration, but it is also sometimes used to set what we minimally expect of each other’s behaviour regardless of how we feel. This is why respect is linked to a range of things from everyday politeness and gratitude to individual rights and social justice.

Being brave – we link bravery to being resilient: the ability to adapt and keep on trying when success is not immediate and to respond to failure with perspective and resolve. The best forms of resilience are often supported by a considered sense of purpose, meaning or value, and resilience may require us to be patient, flexible and to know when to seek the support of others.

Being a learner – a recognition that as a school we have a respect of scholarship and learning at our core. The community’s focus must be on the development of knowledge and the learning that is required to develop the character and social, and emotional growth of the students.

As a community we are all committed to:

Being respectful and kind to others, ourselves and our environment;
Challenging and speaking out against discrimination, bullying or abuse of any kind;
Being active and thoughtful contributors to our community;
Being humble, empathetic and understanding in all our interactions;
Acting honestly and with integrity;
Using the education we have received in the service of others.