Welcome

We are a small primary school with a big heart set in beautiful surroundings close to the sea. Together we believe, grow and achieve.

Hello and welcome to St Mary's Clymping Church of England (CE) Primary School. St Mary’s is a fully inclusive school and we pride ourselves on knowing our children very well. We focus on the growth of the whole child – academically, culturally and spiritually – supporting them to develop as well-rounded individuals who are independent in their thinking, confident and excited by learning. Together we dream big and aim high.

 

Our values

Our core values of Respect, Service and Courage reflect our Christian distinctiveness and are evident in our approach to all aspects of school life. We fully embrace the Church of England’s Vision for Education, whereby education is ‘deeply Christian … serving the common good of the whole community’, focusing on each child as ‘a unique individual of inherent worth’. We aim for our children and members of the wider school community to flourish in all they do and to enjoy ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10).

Our strong links with St Mary's Church in Clymping have been well established over our 150-year history. Richard, Rector of St Mary's, is one of our governors and he visits the school regularly to lead worship. We also attend St Mary's Church for end-of-term services and other events throughout the year. 

Our Approach

We believe learning should be 'joined up', so we teach through topics and real-life situations that are relevant to children. Our pupils benefit from the fantastic school grounds and the local environment, as we encourage pupils to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors. This includes much-loved Forest School lessons, which take place on site throughout the year for each of the classes.

A unique feature of St Mary's is an approach to learning that we call 'Freeflow'. In essence, this is a way to support pupils to be independent in their learning, take responsibility for tasks and take pride in their achievements. It also allows them to make and learn from mistakes in a safe environment – something which is crucial for the development of confidence and self-esteem. We also encourage pupils to take responsibility as they move through the school as team captains, sports leaders, buddies to younger children, Eco Leaders or School Council Members.

Part of our community

As a school we work in partnership with our families and the wider community. We believe that we can only achieve the best for your child through close co-operation between home and school. We encourage all parents and carers to share in their child's education and we are always pleased to talk with you about any aspect of your child's development. We hope that you will want to share with us in making this a very happy and successful period in your child's life.

Visit us to learn more

Do please come and look around our school. If you would like to learn more, please contact the Office to make an appointment to be shown around. This will give you an opportunity to see the school in action, and have all your questions answered.

Mr Justin Murray
Head Teacher.