Hartford Heroes

Aim High Hippo	Involved Iguana	Perseverance Parrot	Problem Solving Snake	Reflective Rex	Teamwork Tiger

At Hartford Infant School, we believe that encouraging the children to be the very best version of themselves can be supported by effective characteristics of learning. We believe they are fundamental in supporting the children’s learning not only in the infant school but throughout their life.

Our six fundamental areas are:

• aiming high
• involvement
• perseverance
• problem solving
• reflection
• team work

We have introduced the children to six cartoon characters to support these characteristics and they are known as the Hartford Heroes.

Throughout the day, children are encouraged to be like the Hartford Heroes in general or more specifically, depending on the learning activity involved.

Each week, children who are ‘caught’ following a Hartford Hero are rewarded with a certificate and this is celebrated in a special assembly attended by their parents/carers in school. This assembly runs throughout the academic year to ensure all children have the opportunity to receive the reward. We believe that these children then become good role models for the other children, especially as we are specific to how they have impersonated the particular hero.

We believe that this initiative, which is well embedded in our school, is excellent practice as the children talk enthusiastically about the characteristics and continue to practise them in all they do.

The children learn about these characteristics in EYFS  and they are embedded throughout Years 1 and 2 in Key Stage One. Staff support the children by modelling the characteristics in their work, using the names of

Bringing out the Best in Everyone