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When you make your first visit to The Coombes Church of England Primary School you immediately get a sense that it is more than just a school. Our beautiful setting and warm welcome see to that, as does the palpable sense of friendship among every child and member of staff you meet.
The education at The Coombes is transformational. Based on our Christian vision of 'A farmer went to sow his seeds' (Mark 4 3-8) our new broad, inclusive and ambitious curriculum enables a love of learning to grow. We offer opportunities for all, while unique facilities, including a swimming pool and woodlands, and an array of community partnerships provide an abundance of extra-curricular opportunities – we provide a truly holistic education.
The central pillars of The Coombes are our core values: Compassion, Perseverance, Wisdom, Responsibility, Forgiveness and Respect. This is our DNA and gives us direction, provides cohesion, and fosters a genuine sense of mission. We are a family and look after each other, the wellbeing of both pupils and staff is paramount. Every person matters.
Our wider community, including colleagues in The Keys Academy Trust, Arborfield and Newland Parish, Arborfield village, PTA, alumni, partners, suppliers and friends, as well as our bespoke wrap-around care offer, makes the school quite unique and further enhances the opportunities and a sense of belonging for our children.
This is a school in which the little things matter and where children understand that great things can be achieved.
I very much look forward to welcoming you to our school.
Some of our children will spend just a short time here as they transfer from other schools; for many others, 8 years at The Coombes will be the longest single period of their school education. In that time, they may have arrived as toddlers and will leave well prepared for their secondary school, both academically and as a responsible person with an appetite for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.
My colleagues and the children understand the importance of learning and we are ambitious for our children to reach their full potential so that they are well placed to achieve in their next school. In many ways, their primary education at The Coombes is a foundation for the independence they will need at 11 years of age. Our aim is to nurture the whole child so we will work to develop their spiritual, artistic and musical as well as academic potential.
We are a school that is mindful of the natural development of children; whilst we are clear we have a duty to prepare children for the time they leave at age 11, we recognise it is important to embrace and enjoy everything at its right time. Children have a natural compulsion to find out and investigate for themselves; our curriculum will meet this need by providing a practical, hands-on approach to learning.
There is no such thing as other people's children.
Our relationship with families is strong and parents come into school every day to work with our team. We see this as a partnership and we are committed to this principle. I would like to invite you to come and meet us here at The Coombes to see all of this for yourself. You are likely to be struck by the calmness and sense of purpose that pervades all that we do.
I look forward to meeting you.
Best wishes,
Mr Henderson
