Dear Parents / Carers,

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website as it introduces you to life at Pilsley C of E Primary School.

This website aims to give you a taster of the school, as well as providing regular updated information for both parents and pupils alike.

The school was opened in 1849 and was built by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire to provide an education for the children of the estate’s workers. Since that time, the school has undergone many building projects including the building of a new classroom in 2012.

We are a rural, village school with strong links to our local church and community. We endeavour to create a purposeful and welcoming environment in which everyone is assured of individual care and attention.

At the heart of Pilsley’s ethos lies a very genuine concern for the happiness and success of every child entrusted into our care. We pride ourselves that whilst being large enough to be able to offer excellent and constantly improving facilities, we are small enough to ensure that we know each of our pupils individually and this produces the secure and trusting environment which is vital for a child’s development.

At Pilsley we believe in the importance of the individual, and aim to develop the whole child. As Headteacher, I am passionate in giving each child an education which is well rounded and rooted in the teachings of Christ. We teach children about acceptance and tolerance and expect them to behave well with compassion and consideration for others. We place great emphasis upon discovering and nurturing the special talents of each pupil. Thus we provide a comprehensive range of opportunities which allows every boy and girl to find some area in which he or she will shine. Success in any endeavour raises confidence and self-esteem and this in turn leads to success in other areas, not least academic.

Underpinning all that we do is the Christian ethos of the school which emphasises the value and sanctity of the individual and the importance of the community and world around us. This ensures that we produce young people who have a strong sense of right and wrong and the courage to follow their convictions.

We aim to provide excellent education at all levels so that every child’s academic potential is achieved. The staff are highly dedicated, caring and well qualified and we operate a policy of continuing professional development which ensure that all teachers are abreast of current methods and techniques.

Education is a partnership between home and school and communication is vital if this partnership is to work. We hold regular parent’s evenings, and you will receive frequent reports. You, as well as your child, are member of the Pilsley family and we encourage our parents to see the staff and myself as trusted friends, and therefore you are very welcome to drop in at a mutually convenient time for a chat.

This website can only give a very general and fleeting impression, and cannot convey the happy, relaxed yet purposeful atmosphere which characterises the school. To experience this you need to visit us. I look forward to meeting you, to showing you around the school and to introducing you to the staff and children so that you feel at first hand the unique family atmosphere that is Pilsley Church of England Primary School and can discover for yourselves just why I am so proud to be its Headteacher.

Mrs Emma Bond

Headteacher