Throughout this academic year we have embarked on a project to improve positive attitudes within the school for our children, staff and parents. The project has enabled us to build on the good work already going on here at Newtown and to gain the status of being an ‘Outstandingly happy school’.  This has involved further embedding the language of our ethos values and learning behaviours so they become an integral part of all that we do.  

We have also looked at having a positive mind set, where anything is possible and our children can achieve anything if they put their minds to.  This has been built around the analogy of being a ‘2%er’.  This involves being in the top 2% of people who are consistently upbeat and positive.  This can at times be hard work and take practice however, a ‘2%er’ is someone who is solution focussed, energetic and have a can do attitude, raising the level of optimism and energy in those around them. The analogy of a mood hover has also been introduced which involves someone who is stuck in a cycle of negativity, who like to moan, and suck out the energy of others around them. 

Throughout the happiness project we have also developed our community links with the church, introduced our family worship, Head and Deputy lunch, developed links between the children across the school and improved the presentation of the school by introducing the ‘Golden Broom’.  A huge part of the project is to develop the well-being curriculum for all our children and staff which we intend to create a ripple of positivity throughout the community.

The project will continue to evolve.  We are looking to further develop links with the Church by introducing
pen-pals with year 5 and elderly members of the congregation, introduce a buddy system for new children and further develop pupil voice through their various roles and responsibilities.

On Wednesday 16th May, Andy Cope the author of the book ‘Art of Being Brilliant’ returned to Newtown where the children presented our project and how far the school had come.  We are delighted that we were accredited with being an ‘Outstandingly Happy school’.  We are the first school in Hampshire to work with Andy Cope and are very happy to achieve this award.