It is a great privilege to be taking on the role of Headteacher at Buntingford First School and leading the exciting establishment of a brand-new school.
I passionately believe in knowing the children in our school as individuals and always ensuring that they are at the heart of everything we do. I have no doubt that Buntingford First School provides a stimulating and transformational education as this is the very least that children in our education deserve. I am excited to be on our journey together as Buntingford First School establishes itself in the local community and we see children and families flourish as they join the Scholars’ Education Trust.
The curriculum at Buntingford First School is innovative and tailored to the children’s needs, built upon first-hand learning experiences. I believe in preparing our children to be well-rounded citizens of whom we can all be proud of; enabling our children to flourish in an ever-changing world. Buntingford First School has a nurturing ethos and a child-centred approach which will enable all children to achieve high attainment and progress. Our key drivers for the curriculum will be around new technologies, well-being and of course, sustainability. Sustainability is inter-woven throughout the curriculum and the site lends itself to many key learning opportunities.
I am delighted that Buntingford First School will be the first net carbon zero school in Hertfordshire, as this is both a professional and personal passion of mine. Having led a successful project to build the profile of sustainability across Scholars’ Education Trust, I know that this is a key focus for all our schools. I take my own responsibility to reduce my carbon footprint seriously, driving an electric car and following the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. If you are interested in seeing our up-to-date learning then please do follow us on Twitter @buntingfordfs and Facebook @BuntingfordFirstSchool where we will report regularly on class and school news.
Vikki Johnston, Headteacher
I am delighted to welcome you to the website for Buntingford First School – Hertfordshire’s only carbon net zero school and one of the first in the country.
Central to the vision of Buntingford First School (BFS) is the shared belief that all children have the right to a transformational educational experience, that will enable them, no matter what their starting point, to fulfil their potential and realise their ambitions.
I believe in providing high quality education, preparing our children with skills for life and encouraging them to be well-rounded individuals who are respectful, kind and tolerant of others. BFS will exemplify outstanding early years and primary practice, evidenced by outstanding attainment and progress for all children, with a strong nurturing relationship between children and staff. We will constantly strive to make school a happy, secure place for children to enjoy success at every level.
Within the framework of the national curriculum our school will develop an inclusive and personalised school curriculum that is designed around each child, with lots of opportunities for practical, hands-on activities. This curriculum will be based upon the traditional academic values and best practice of the Trust’s schools. This wealth of expertise will be shared and built upon to provide the best possible inclusive education for each child. It will be a curriculum that will enable them to attain and progress through the school.
BFS will also prepare children to move onto the next stages of their education with the skills to thrive. Our strapline is “Education for a Changing World” and we will make full use of the benefits of technology within the classroom and beyond. Similarly, children with strong views about important issues such as sustainability will be encouraged to help bring about change for the better in the school and local community.
We expect our school be at the heart of its community working closely with its neighbours to improve the educational outcomes for all Buntingford children. It will work in partnership with local Buntingford schools as well as the other schools in the Scholars’ Education Trust. We are extremely excited about moving into our brand-new, purpose-built, innovative buildings in 2023.
Our school will set the highest standards and expectations for behaviour for children. We will not compromise on a fundamental belief that good behaviour is essential for productive learning and in developing children to become responsible and valued members of the local and wider community. The school will focus on developing positive learner dispositions to support achievement. A key component of this will be a traditional primary school uniform that children will wear with pride as it will identify them as part of our new school. All staff will work tirelessly to help our children become well-rounded, positive and responsible members of society.
I hope the information provided on the website is helpful and captures what is important to us and our values. Should you require more information please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Matt Gauthier, Executive Headteachr
