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Ethos and Values

Making Learning Irresistible

We strive to make all learning irresistible and transform life chances by:

  • Thinking about our Thinking – Providing an educational framework that promotes the development of effective habits and cognitive structures.
  • Being our Best – Challenging everyone to aspire to and strive for personal excellence.
  • Designing our Destiny – Enabling each individual to realise their potential and become the master of their own destiny.
Advanced Thinking School

The five Cedar attributes:

Considerate

Respectful of others, thoughtful, empathetic and tolerant.

Enthusiastic

Motivated, excited to learn, willing to try, positive and curious.

Determined

Know they can do it, be a problem solver, be resourceful and show ambition.

Assured

Happy to be in school, confident, brave, not over reliant on adults and willing to take risks.

Resilient

Not willing to give up, wanting to have another go, overcoming barrier and setbacks.

Cedar Attributes

Considerate · Enthusiastic · Determined · Assured · Resilient

What makes a Cedar Learner?

A Cedar learner is a thinker. They have well developed habits of mind and use thinking tools to make connections in their learning. Staff know that new learning is fragile and sequence learning to ensure plenty of opportunities for retrieval of knowledge and skills learnt through their time at school.

A Cedar learner has a love of learning. They value education and realise every second counts.  Throughout pupils’ time at Cedar, staff create engaging and challenging learning opportunities, making the most of the school grounds and the local area. Staff are committed to ensuring pupils have the knowledge they need to be educated, global citizens. Pupils recognise what they have learnt and feel proud of their achievements. This love of learning will enable them to pursue careers and opportunities, which have yet to be created.

A Cedar learner is courageous. They are empowered to take risks and know they have a key role in their learning. The choices they make allow them to choose their own future path rather than one that has been pre-determined. Pupils and staff strive to make a difference and have a wider impact in their local community and seek to understand, respect and celebrate the differences of our world.

Cedar Children’s Academy is ambitious in our standards and learners and staff strive for accuracy and precision in all that they do. This leads to educational excellence. We are highly respected in the local community and pupils, parents and staff are proud to be part of Cedar.

At Cedar, we have a set of attributes that we want all children to have mastered as they move through the school with us. 

6 Seeds of Cedar

The 6 Seeds of Cedar was produced to support the development of the Habits of Mind at Cedar Children's Academy. They were designed to promote the characteristics of what intelligent students do when they are confronted with problems, to which the resolutions are not immediately known. The seeds represent 6 Habits of Mind, which have been carefully selected for the students at Cedar to grow efficient and effective thinkers. 

The design of the seeds was developed through collaborative working between the students of The Victory Academy and Cedar. The Victory Academy students supported the Cedar students' development of literacy and drawing techniques.

Thinking interdependently, the students created characters and storylines to represent each disposition. To support the students' imagination and character development they took inspiration from the famous children's author Dr. Seuss. Students researched the language and bold illustrations of Dr. Seuss' books, which inspired them to transform the Habits of Mind into an engaging and accessible teaching book.

We hope you enjoy learning about the 6 Seeds of Cedar as much as the students enjoyed its creation ... and remember, "Sowing the seeds grows strong Cedar minds." 

1. Persistence

  • Sticking to tasks at hand;
  • Follow through to completion;
  • Can and do remain focused.

Designed by Aiza Ashfag and Ela Rimkute from Cedar Children's Academy and Caitlin Hope from The Victory Academy

2. Managing Impulsivity

  • Take time to consider options;
  • Think before speaking or acting;
  • Remain calm when stressed or challenged;
  • Thoughtful and considerate of others;
  • Proceed carefully. 

Designed by Courtney Irwin and Rebecca Daynes from Cedar Children's Academy and Rigona Gjimovci from The Victory Academy

3. Listening with Understanding

  • Pay attention to and do not dismiss another person's thoughts, feelings, and ideas;
  • Seek to put myself in the other person's shoes;
  • Tell others when I can relate to what they are expressing;
  • Hold thoughts at a distance in order to respect another person's point of view or feelings. 

Designed by Laura Tidmarch and Grace Fowle from Cedar Children's Academy and Lucy Martin from The Victory Academy

4. Questioning and Posing Problems

  • Ask myself, "How do I know?";
  • Develop a questioning attitude;
  • Consider what information is needed, choose strategies to get that information;
  • Consider the obstacles needed to resolve. 


Designed by Christian Longworth and George Beckwith from Cedar Children's Academy and Jaznin Lewis from The Victory Academy

5. Applying Past Knowledge

  • Use what is learned;
  • Consider prior knowledge and experience;
  • Apply knowledge beyond the situation in which it was learned. 

Designed by Blake Burnige and Reef Wilkinson from Cedar Children's Academy and Saira Ali from The Victory Academy

6. Taking Responsible Risks

  • Willing to try something new and different;
  • Consider doing things that are safe and sane even though new to me;
  • Face fear of making mistakes or coming up short and don't let this stop me. 

Designed by Jaidon Collinson and Charlie Hewison from Cedar Children's Academy and Jamie-Leigh Box from The Victory Academy