Since long before Lincolnshire was graced with airfields, in fact since before aeroplanes, Ingham Primary School has been in the business of educating children. The school has kept consistently, doggedly, doing what it does best for almost a century and a half. Local people felt so strongly that the school should stand at the heart of a community that our address is simply The Green, Ingham.

At the heart of the community, with community at its heart.

 Ingham Primary School

These days, this idyllic little hideaway is easily reachable by road, especially since the A46 roundabout improvements on Lincoln’s ring-road, it’s now a quick commute. Here, that will be accompanied by the opportunity to take in the restorative views of our gorgeous village, which has won the Best Kept Village award on numerous occasions, huge skies and wide-open panoramas across counties to the Trent, fresh air, and the chance to take a moment and breathe it. There’s even a newly developed and well-kept play park next door for lingering and bonding on those long summer evenings. It’s devoid of hassle, competition for parking spaces, noise and pollution.

When you come into school you will be surprised at how much space we have, it’s like a tardis! You will see our new Library and the ingenious use of space, spanning purpose-built newer extensions to our Listed original school premises. You’ll see we use every inch to inspire and nourish, intent on making everyone feel at home, part of the family, relaxed and ready to soak up every opportunity. Even a brief chat with our staff will seal your impression that we are more than just a team; every single member of our staff and Governing Body is determined to foster our determination that we are a family and we pull together as one. In these times of stretched budgets, we all keep our eye on the prize, focus our attention on what really matters. Mrs Hutchinson is the tenth Headteacher of the school; it’s interesting how long Headteachers stay at this school. We believe it’s because they love it so much, they don’t want to leave!

Whilst we are proud of our heritage and there is some element of ‘tradition’ (such as the annual May Dances), we also believe that we are innovative. We strive to keep on top of what the latest research shows and implement changes and innovative practice early on. Examples include, Peer Review – Ingham was in the second tranche of schools nationally to adopt Peer Review as a regular practice (way before the vast majority of schools in Lincolnshire) and at the very forefront of its implementation in Lincolnshire. A different example is that of adopting online learning (via MS Teams) extremely early during Lockdown 1. We intend to keep pushing ahead with how technology can support children’s learning both at home and in the classroom. This has led to the numerous ‘virtual visits’ that have happened throughout lockdown.

We are always seeking to improve our practice. We expect and look for the very best from the children, whether this is how they move around school, how they respond to each other and care for each other and the effort they put into their learning. Children know and can describe what excellence looks like in our school and they know the high expectations we have of them. We are constantly looking for this in children in their learning, in their behaviour and attitude to others and themselves.

Our timeless values are both a hint back to our history and heritage but also a measure of those things that we value the most. We are values-driven; all children can name the school’s six values and these are explored in turn in detail each half-term. Here’s a little more of what they mean to us:

• Community: We act as a community, we value each and every person who is part of that school community and we recognise that other communities may be different to ours but just as valuable. We know that the bonds that tie us together are so important and therefore friendship, caring for each other (and for others) is an enormous part of this.
• Love: Every child is known and valued. They are our school family and new members are always welcomed. We show our love for each other through acts of kindness, welcoming, and care. When a child or a family struggles through tragedy, financial hardship, separation or the countless other challenges that life brings, we are there to offer practical support and love. We also believe that everyone makes mistakes and that it is only through making those mistakes that we can learn, therefore forgiveness is also an important attribute that we value and celebrate.
• Hope: We believe that every child can achieve. We do not seek to limit learning based on any kind of label but rather we teach children that their only limit is the one they place on themselves; in other words, we teach them to keep on challenging themselves, to dream big and to set themselves goals. Growth mindset is a big part of this – ‘I can’t do it yet’; we also seek to bring hope to others, whether this is through supporting local foodbanks or the numerous charities we fundraise for.
• Endurance: Perseverance is a key skill for us all; we need to have stickability and to be able to work through challenges and push ourselves to achieve our goals. This takes courage and patience. Some things take time for different learners and dogged determination leads to success.
• Fairness: Whether it is sharing with our friends, being truthful in all things or seeking peace in all things, we believe that we all have the power to change lives. Children quickly understand that there are differences between equity and equality and as they grow older they explore issues of social justice and so become citizens who think of others, not just themselves.
• Respect: We are aware that growing up in beautiful rural Lincolnshire does not bring the same diversity as others may experience in a city, so we seek to actively promote an understanding of different experiences and perspectives. We believe that children will become confident citizens if they understand and respect a range of beliefs and views. We actively seek to promote diversity and respect for all other people. This also is true of respect for the world around us; understanding that we are responsible for our own actions and that those actions have an impact on others and the world around us.

We are known to be a very caring school who will always go the extra mile for the children in our school. Parents will often thank us for going above and beyond and for not giving up on their children. Parents of those who have transitioned to secondary school describe their children as “flourishing” and “ready for the next step”. It is testament to the longevity and journey of the school that at any time there always seem to be children in our school whose parents were once pupils here, and often grandparents too. Quite often they have moved away with university or work, but something draws them back here and when they have children of their own they want them to have the same kind of experience that they themselves enjoyed.

We’d love to show you around and introduce you to our family. You’d be most welcome. Take a look at our admissions page for further details.