Head Teacher's Welcome
Welcome to Graven Hill Primary and Preschool
Welcome to Graven Hill Primary and Preschool — a truly distinctive school at the heart of a unique and rapidly growing community. From the moment you step through our doors, you will notice that Graven Hill is a school with purpose, ambition and a clear sense of who we are and what we stand for.
At the centre of our work are our core values, the principles that shape our culture, guide our decisions and define how we treat one another. These values are not simply words on a page; they influence every interaction, every lesson and every moment of school life. You can read more about them here, but you will see them most clearly in the way our children behave, how our staff work together and how we approach continuous improvement.
Our Values in Action
Everyone in our school community — pupils, staff, parents and governors — understands that improvement is a continual journey. We believe in humility: the understanding that our work is never finished, and that success is built through countless small actions, repeated consistently over time. We celebrate our achievements with pride, but never complacency, and we meet setbacks with resilience and determination.
We know that fulfilling our potential requires sustained effort and perseverance. There will always be challenges along the way, but the mark of our character is how we respond to them — calmly, purposefully and with belief in our capacity to improve. As we often remind ourselves, “champions do extra.” That mindset shapes how we learn, how we grow and how we support one another.
Underlying all of this is belief — belief in ourselves, in each other and in the difference we can make. The New Zealand All Blacks capture this ethos perfectly:
“The challenge is to ALWAYS improve, to ALWAYS get better even when you are the best.”
This commitment to growth sits at the heart of our school. It is what drives us as educators, what inspires our pupils and what distinguishes Graven Hill as a vibrant, aspirational and forward‑looking school.
A Community With Purpose
As a Headteacher, these values are deeply important to me. I hope that as you explore our website — and, more importantly, as you visit us in person — you will see how they shape the culture of our school and the experiences of our children.
We aspire to have a positive impact on everyone we work with. As Edward Griffiths reminds us:
“Too much of sport operates under the tyranny of the result… the core principle here is that we gather talented people together, treat them unbelievably well and in return they try unbelievably hard. That is it. Everything else – winning or losing matches, winning or losing Cups – are just outcomes. They are not the primary aim. We exist to have a positive impact on as many people as possible.”
This belief underpins our work at Graven Hill. Academic outcomes matter deeply, but our purpose extends far beyond them. We exist to nurture character, build confidence, inspire curiosity and support every child to become the very best version of themselves.
Join Us
I warmly invite you to visit us, meet our exceptional children and staff, and experience for yourself what makes Graven Hill such a special place to learn, grow and belong. If you would like to find out more, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Matt Green
Headteacher