Our Culture
Dream. Rise. ASPIRE.
At Goldsmith, it is our mission to ensure all pupils dream big, rise academically and 'ASPIRE' to their next chapter in life. It is intrinsic to everything we do. From dreaming big in future career aspirations to dreaming big on the sports field, our pupils will unlock their personal and academic potential.
Are you ready to dream, rise and ASPIRE?
ASPIRE Character Virtues and Learner Skills
Our ASPIRE framework develops both students’ character virtues and learner skills, supporting every child to achieve their academic and personal potential.
In partnership with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, we ensure our six core virtues — respect, responsibility, resilience, compassion, creativity, and courage — are taught, caught, and sought throughout school life. These virtues underpin how pupils learn, behave, and interact with others.
Through ASPIRE, pupils also develop the learner skills that help them say “I can” — to be organised, become unstuck, collaborate effectively, and communicate clearly.
At the heart of our curriculum sits knowledge, framed around carefully planned threshold concepts that help pupils say “I know”. These key ideas represent the building blocks of deep understanding, enabling children to connect learning across subjects and make sense of the world.
Across our family of schools, students ASPIRE in every lesson, every day — growing as confident learners and compassionate individuals ready to make a positive difference in their communities and beyond.
Do it the right way...Do it the GPA Way!
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, The GPA Way is our code of conduct – a shared set of social expectations that guide how we treat one another and how we contribute to our community.
The GPA Way helps our pupils succeed by ensuring that boundaries are clear, expectations are consistent, and our school culture is built on mutual respect and tolerance.
Each letter of GPA WAY represents an essential principle of how we behave and learn together:
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G – Good Manners: saying please, thank you, and showing politeness to everyone.
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P – Patient: waiting for your turn to speak, ask questions, or play.
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A – Act with Kindness: kind hands, kind feet, kind words.
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W – Wear the Correct Uniform: every day, including your PE kit.
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A – Attention to Our Environment: keeping our school tidy and cared for.
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Y – You Should Only Be Asked Once: showing responsibility and self-discipline.
The GPA Way empowers our pupils to express their individual liberty while learning to be considerate, responsible, and active citizens of tomorrow. It underpins a culture where doing the right thing is something to be proud of — every day, in every way.
Show your S.T.A.R.S at Goldsmith!
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, our S.T.A.R.S. expectations help pupils focus, engage, and thrive in their learning. Just as our social behaviours are built on respect, our learning behaviours are founded on showing respect to the speaker and actively participating in every lesson.
Our pupils are S.T.A.R.S. every day — demonstrating the habits and attitudes that lead to success:
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⭐ Sit Up Straight – show you’re ready to learn.
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⭐ Track the Speaker – give your full attention.
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⭐ Active Listening – listen carefully to understand and think.
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⭐ Respect and Respond – value others’ ideas and share your own respectfully.
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⭐ Speak Loudly and Proudly – communicate with confidence and clarity.
The S.T.A.R.S. framework reinforces our belief that learning behaviour is as important as academic learning. It ensures that every pupil contributes positively to our classroom culture, maintains high standards, and embodies the Goldsmith spirit of pride, participation, and purpose.
British Values
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, we actively promote and uphold the fundamental British Values of Democracy, Rule of Law, Liberty, Respect, and Acceptance through everything we do. These values are woven into the fabric of school life and underpin our mission for every child to Dream. Rise. ASPIRE.
Our commitment to British Values is evident in our assemblies, whole-school ethos, and both our social and learning rules. Pupils are explicitly taught about the importance of these values through our broad and balanced curriculum, which fosters understanding, empathy, and respect for all.
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Democracy is modelled through pupil voice and leadership opportunities, where pupils are elected by their peers to represent their classes and contribute to school improvement.
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Rule of Law is embedded in our behaviour expectations and ‘GPA Way’, helping pupils understand the importance of fairness, boundaries, and shared responsibility.
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Liberty is celebrated through our encouragement of independence, choice, and self-expression, empowering pupils to take ownership of their learning and behaviour.
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Respect is modelled and reinforced daily through our ASPIRE virtues, assemblies, and classroom culture, ensuring pupils value others and their environment.
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Acceptance of different faiths, beliefs, and cultures is taught through our Religious Education and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curricula, enabling pupils to understand, appreciate, and celebrate diversity in all its forms.
Through this holistic approach, British Values are not just taught but lived — guiding pupils to become respectful, responsible, and compassionate citizens of tomorrow.
Our Community Commitment
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, we believe that our community is the key to unlocking academic and personal potential.
We are proud to serve and work in partnership with our families, local organisations, and wider community to create opportunities that enrich learning, raise aspirations, and strengthen social cohesion.
Through collaboration, care, and shared purpose, we ensure that every child is supported not only by the school but by a united network of people who believe in their potential. Our community commitment sits at the heart of our vision — empowering pupils to Dream. Rise. ASPIRE.
The WAT 11 before 11 Pledge
At Goldsmith Primary Academy, every child is encouraged to Dream. Rise. ASPIRE, as part of the Windsor Academy Trust family. The WAT Pledge was created by our Student Senate as a promise to all pupils — a commitment that every child will have the opportunity to experience and accomplish key milestones before they leave primary school.
The pledge includes 11 memorable experiences before the age of 11, with a further 12 experiences in secondary school. These opportunities are designed to broaden horizons, build cultural capital, and develop the character and confidence pupils need to thrive in life.
From camping under the stars, visiting London, and learning to swim, to raising money for charity and representing the school — each experience helps pupils to grow academically, socially, and personally.
Alongside our wide range of extracurricular activities, the WAT Pledge ensures that every child leaves Goldsmith with a sense of achievement, belonging, and purpose. It reflects our belief that education should be transformative — unlocking academic and personal potential, and preparing pupils to become curious, courageous, and compassionate citizens of the future.
