“ Share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them, clean up your own mess, don’t take things that are not yours, say sorry when you hurt someone…live a balanced life – learn some and think some, draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some…” Robert Fulgham 1995.
In the Reception class we see education for the under-fives as part of the continuum, which links the home, non-statutory provision and compulsory schooling. Using the six “Early Learning Goals.”
-
Communication, Language and Literacy – explore the concept that words and pictures carry meaning and that print is read left to right.
-
Mathematics – use mathematical language such as circle, in front of, bigger than and one more, in every day events.
-
Knowledge and Understanding of the World- find out about where they live, their environment and talk about their families.
-
Physical Development – be confident to move with imagination and improved control.
-
Creative Development- experiment with sound, colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions
-
Personal, Social and Emotional Development – talk about the awe and wonder of the world around them. Start to learn about customs and beliefs.
We aim to provide developmentally appropriate activities to support children’s differing needs and to ensure there is continuity and progression. Building on experiences in the nursery we recognise the active nature of the learning process and therefore provide a balance of explorative and structured play.
“Play is child’s work…” Bruner
Through a variety of practical activities we encourage the development of oral language, literacy and numeracy skills, problem solving and vital social skills.
For children to become confident, responsible achievers we must encourage positive attitudes towards learning. We give children opportunities to verbalise their ideas and to collaborate with friends and adults to develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding.
During the first half of the autumn term, we will perform a baseline assessment based on classroom observations and tasks. The results of these are shared with the parents during the second half of the autumn term.
We aim for each child to achieve its potential. This means we try to identify each child’s needs and lay the educational foundations for building confident achieving individuals.
The school recognises that all children are on a continuum of Educational Need and that some children have specific educational needs with significantly greater learning difficulties than others do in their age group. Equally, there are some children in each year group who are particularly able and their needs are met individually and in group extension.
The school recognises that all children are entitled to full access to National Curriculum and aims to give children that entitlement. The class teachers take responsibility within their class for each child’s educational needs Mrs Jefferies, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, having overall responsibility.
We aim to identify children’s special educational needs early so that we can plan appropriate provision. During each year in school the children with special education needs are identified. Those needs are assessed and an action plan is drawn up with the SEN Co-ordinator, class teacher and parents and reviewed regularly. We aim to develop a partnership with parents, actively involving you in the process.
When necessary we seek advice and support from outside agencies e.g. The Educational Psychologist, Mr Humprhries – regularly visits the school during the school year to give advice and support to both teachers and parents. The School Nurse- Mrs Lawrence and the School Doctor-Dr Rodgeman also visit regularly to examine the child’s medical need and give advice and support to both teachers and parents. The Education Welfare Officer supports children and parents when appropriate.
The school aims to provide adequate staffing and resources for the needs of all the children to be met within the school. We try to have small class sizes and a learning support assistant and/or special needs support in each class. We have been able to release class teachers to work closely with small groups of children on action plans to develop basic literacy and numeracy skills.
This year we have an EAZ funded Reading Recovery Teacher Mrs Glass who is working with individual children in Year 1 on a specific reading catch up programme.
In addition we can offer Phonographics individual work with children in Key Stage 2.
Mr Mike Godfrey is the SEN Governor.
8.30 8.40 8.55
12.00pm-12.55pm 12.05pm- 1.05pm
3.10pm 3.15pm |
Breakfast Club banana Children and Parents are encouraged to go into class or play outside. Bell rings and the school day starts
Lunch Break, Key Stage 1 (Reception, year 1 and year 2) Lunch Break, Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5, and 6)
School day ends, Key Stage 1 School day ends, Key Stage 2 |
At the end of the day, in order to avoid congestion, and for health and safety reasons, parents and carers are asked to wait outside the classrooms or in the play areas and not in the building and to leave pushchairs wherever possible, outside. Children will leave through the fire exits in each classroom.
Please:
-
Ensure that your child attends regularly.
-
Ensure that your child is punctual and is collected promptly.
-
Telephone or write to explain your child’s absence from school, or if you need to take your child out of school for any reason.
-
If your child is unwell and unable to attend school, the secretary needs to be notified by 9.30am on the first day of absence.
-
Let us know if anything has happened at home which may affect your child’s behaviour. (If it is a delicate matter, we aim for strict confidence).
-
Tell us of any change of address, telephone number or emergency contact.
There are three entrances to the school premises. The main entrance is on James Street via the pedestrian entrance, not the car park, with rear access from Warminster Road. Please refer to plan of school on inside cover.
As with all schools, vandalism is occasionally an issue. Outside of school hours, all unauthorised users of the premises will be prosecuted.
In the interests of road safety:
-
We must not park in the areas marked by zigzag lines near to the school. These lines are for the protection of your child.
-
Parents and carers should not drive onto the school premises when dropping off or collecting children.
-
Please be sensible and courteous road users. Careless drivers put our children at risk.
-
Please always use the pedestrian entrance and encourage your child to use it independently.
Please note that the main car park can only accommodate vehicles belonging to staff and the occasional visitors.
SWAT will be campaigning, with support from Active Communities Together, to have a Crossing outside the main school entrance on James Street.
In order to maximise your child’s achievement and comply with the Law, could you please observe the following procedures:
Known Absences (e.g. Doctor/Dental Appointments) If your child has to attend an appointment of any kind during school hours, a note to that effect must be seen in advance giving details, including arrangements for collecting the child or their siblings and the time they should leave school. Please note that verbal requests from children to leave school will not be accepted.
Holidays We do not encourage parents to remove pupils during term as this has an effect on their educational learning. However, if you wish to apply for up to 10 school days holiday, a Bristol LEA Holiday Form must be completed and returned to the school at least one week before the holiday starts. This can be obtained from the secretary and will be considered by the Headteacher on an individual basis.
Other Absences Most other absences will be due to illness. We would like to receive a telephone call explaining the absence before 9.30am on the first day of absence. We would also expect an absence note when your child returns. Unexplained absences will be followed up by the school and if necessary by the Education Welfare Officer to ensure that all absences are genuine. Schools are now required by law to report all unauthorised absences on each child’s annual report, which you will receive in July.
Rates of authorised and unauthorised absence during school year 2002/2003
-
The total number of registered pupils of compulsory school age on roll for at least one session during the reporting period to Friday the before last Monday in May 2003: 171
-
The percentage of half days (sessions) missed through authorised absence: 7.9%
-
The percentage of half days (sessions) missed through unauthorised absence: 0.5%
We view language as the means by which all learning takes place, and it is, therefore, at the heart of our curriculum. Children’s ability to communicate effectively is the key to their success. We aim to provide a stimulating and secure environment for children, which will encourage the development of these skills. We want all children to speak with clarity and confidence, and provide a range of opportunities by through which this can happen. Alongside the development of English language and speech, we recognise and value the importance of a range of different languages within our school.
The development of literacy skills – reading and writing –is another key platform for achievement. Above all, we aim to instil in children a lifelong love of books, alongside skills of comprehension and decoding of the text. We provide children with the opportunities to write effectively for a wide range of purposes and audiences. We guide them through the skills of planning and presenting their work, using a wide range of vocabulary, exploring ideas creatively, and developing good skills in spelling and handwriting.
We believe all children should learn in a literate environment where there is a range of teaching and learning styles from creative arts performance to the literacy hour to collaborative work. We will focus on developing writing skills this year and have put in a bid to the Education Action Zone to work with local writers.
Children will become confident, enthusiastic, independent readers and writers.
The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy in September 1999 has begun to raise the profile of mathematics in primary schools. All children from year one onwards experience a daily lesson of maths. This lesson is divided into three main sections; a mental/oral session with the class working together, group activities, and finally a plenary session. In this last session, children have an opportunity to talk about their group activities, discuss any problems they encountered, and share ideas about the strategies they have used. It is important that children feel confident about sharing their ideas. In order to learn about maths children need to be able to talk about what they are learning.
From Reception to year 6, maths is presented in a variety of interesting and enjoyable ways so pupils can feel confident and competent. All children, including those who have English as an additional language, those with special educational needs, and more able pupils, will have their needs met. Tasks and activities are carefully matched to each child’s ability. The implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy will enable us to work towards achieving the goal.
Children have confidence, motivation and skills to take up mathematical challenges.
We aim to facilitate practical exploration and investigation, thus developing the children’s skills of observing, questioning and predicting. They are encouraged to share their work and to discuss it, moving towards an ability to interpret their findings and to draw conclusions. Children are taught how to use, and to select the appropriate scientific equipment to support their work and different ways of recording results.
Through a topic based approach we aim to develop the children’s scientific knowledge and understanding. In teaching about life and living processes we look at living things, growth and change. The children examine a wide range of materials and their properties. We introduce them to the physical processes, including work on forces, light, sound and electricity.
In gaining such skills and knowledge the children enjoy lively and stimulating workshops as well as working in small groups and as a whole class.
Children will experience achievement through a broad and balanced curriculum.
We aim to show the inter relationships between History, Geography and the Environment. We start from the children’s experiences in the local community working out towards the wider community using educational visits to broaden experiences. We aim to develop knowledge and respect for a range of cultures, significant events, people and the environment. We encourage children to use what they have learnt to influence decisions about personal choices, attitudes and values.
Design Technology develops in children the capacity to become creative problem solvers as individuals and members of a team. Through a variety of activities children will have the opportunities to design and make practical solutions to every day problems.
We aim to give children the opportunity to explore a range of information technologies and to develop the knowledge and skills to use them. They are encouraged to create texts and images, numbers and graphs on the computer, looking towards handling and processing such information. Children are taught how to access, use and maintain all electronic equipment.
Information technology forms an ever-increasing part of our children’s lives. It is therefore a feature of all areas of the curriculum. Through a variety of activities children develop the confidence and skills in using a PC. We also encourage in children an understanding of how and when to use IT in their daily lives.
We expect to install 15 networked computers in a central group room during the current academic year. All children will be able to access this system alongside current classrooms based PCs. Training for staff using National Opportunities Funding alongside curriculum planning will enable children to use these facilities to work towards our goal.
Children will use ICT effectively to support their learning.
Music and art are powerful forms of communicating what we see, feel and think. The arts are an integral part of culture, past and present, and we aim to use the arts to develop skills for pupils to understand themselves and relate to others.
“Music is our daily medicine which aids for better communication with others and ourselves.”
Evelyn Glennie OBE, Percussionist
Music plays a central role in our school. We aim to provide experiences and resources which promote knowledge, skills, and understanding in music in relation to both the children’s own and other musical traditions.
Children have the opportunities to make music in class, as a whole school and to join clubs such as choir, recorders and guitars.
We place great emphasis on providing opportunities for children to ‘perform’ their music within the classroom and/or to a wider audience.
We invite artists, dance, theatre, and music groups into school and take up opportunities to include cultural visits to museums, theatres etc. as part of our educational visits programme.
Whilst the arts are taught throughout the year we usually have a musically focused performance to celebrate Christmas and a summer term arts focus to develop our school.
Multi A supports the school with a trained dancer to work with children in Key Stage 2. We seek opportunities to involve performers and artists in our learning and have put in a bid to the Education Action Zone to support this work.
The children are encouraged to participate in the wide variety of physical activity that the school provides. From swimming to dance workshops, we aim for enjoyment and a real sense of achievement. Through gymnastics, games and dance/creative movement, the children develop their skills and learn to use these confidently and imaginatively. We encourage children to be aware of the importance of physical activity for good health.
Key stage 2 children learn swimming at Easton Leisure Centre on Friday afternoons
We are working towards the Healthy Schools National Award this year
These are taught as part of the wider Personal, Social and Health Education programme. This is an integral part of school life and children will be taught the relevant part of that programme in each year group. We aim, in partnership with parents, to teach children to develop healthy and well-informed attitudes to their bodies and growing up. We also aim to help children share their concerns and worries they sometimes feel as a result of the often-confusing messages given by the world outside school and home. Each year we let parents know when specific programmes are being taught. Parents can withdraw their children, if they wish, from those parts of sex education not part of the statutory National Curriculum for Science requirement.
The school has recently started the ‘You Can Do It!’ learning skills programme, which aims to support children’s attitudes to learning by teaching learning skills. These include:
-
Confidence
-
Persistence
-
Organisation
-
Getting along
The programme is taught throughout the school, and is adapted to meet the needs of each year group. We feel that children’s attitudes to learning are extremely important, and that armed with these skills, children’s achievement and motivation will improve significantly. This is one of the many ways in which we aim to make our vision really meaningful to our children
We will be developing a programme of knowledge and skills to understand citizenship through a School Council and a Peer Mediation Programme.
The school council has been set up and has been very active in setting up the Tuck Shop, organising an annual talent show, showing visitors around the school, starting a paper re-cycling and sharing ideas about quality school lunches.
The teaching of RE follows the Bristol Agreed Syllabus and the approach is one that reflects the faiths of the local and wider community.
Children participate in collective worship on a daily basis where we follow a themed approach eg. Creation, stories, our relationships, and ourselves.
Children are encouraged to take part by:
We include a period of stillness, reflection and contemplation. We encourage an inclusive approach to collective worship, however a parent’s right to withdraw a child from the act of collective worship, in accordance with the 1988 Act, will be respected.
During Ramadan those children who request it will have a dedicated opportunity for prayers.
We believe that the process of assessment is essential to the whole learning process. Assessment is a tool for learning, providing a means not only of charting children’s progress, but also to be used to fully inform planning appropriate learning opportunities. We employ a range of assessment techniques from day-to-day teacher’s observations to more formal judgements. At all stages of the process we aim to fully involve both parents/carers and children, celebrating achievement in its fullest sense, and plan for further development.
We aim to hold workshops / meetings about the curriculum for parents during the school year. In addition parents meet each term with the class teacher to discuss progress of individual children. We also aim to start a parents’ computer club this year.
We hope that any concerns will be resolved by formal discussion with the Headteacher. If the situation requires a formal complaint about the curriculum, religious education or worship, a copy of the full complaints procedure is available as requested under arrangements pursuant to Section 23 of the Education Reform Act 1988. A copy can be obtained from the following places:
-
The school office
-
Area Education Welfare Office, Carlton House, Russell Town Avenue, Bristol
-
Bristol City Council Education Department
We welcome parent support and involvement in your child’s learning. From the early years onwards we will be asking you to daily share books with your child and join in ‘finding out’ activities connected to mathematical or class targets. As children reach Key Stage 2 homework will become more formalised and set tasks will be given weekly. The homework club has been available for a limited number of Key Stage 2 pupils.
Our school has a whole school Behaviour Policy so that children can have the best opportunity to learn to work and play together. Within this policy we follow the aims of the school (see page 2). Whilst having a set of whole school rules agreed by the children, we also encourage positive behaviour by acknowledging it and recording a merit as well as by sending positive certificates home.
Parents are requested to read the behaviour policy, share it with their child and agree to work in partnership with the school.
We recognise that bullying can happen in any situation and institution to any person. We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our pupils and staff so they can learn and teach in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.
Bullying of any kind is unacceptable in our school. If bullying does occur, all pupils and staff should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. We are a TELLING school. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell the staff.
All parents/carers are welcome to see the following curriculum documents:
-
Curriculum Statements, Topic Plans and Policies
-
Schemes of Work
-
Bristol Education Authority syllabus for RE
-
Any OFSTED report on the school (currently only for Willow Green Infants and Cutlers Brook Juniors)
-
The Governors annual report
-
Education circulars
The Governors encourage use of the school by the local community. For more information, please speak to Mr Hill, the Lettings Governor.
During the school year teachers arrange visits to places of interest to support and extend children’s learning. The governing body have agreed the following policy for charging and remissions. There are no charges to be made towards the costs of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment for use in connection with National Curriculum education provided during school hours. Parents may wish to provide their children voluntarily with particular items, or voluntary contributions towards the cost of items.
Contributions from parents/carers towards the cost of travel, entrance fees, tickets etc. can only be requested on a voluntary basis. Pupils will not be treated differently according to whether their parents have made a contribution. If sufficient parents do not make voluntary contributions then the activity will not take place. There is no limit to the level of voluntary contributions that parents may wish to make.
Governors set a budget figure annually for support towards the cost of educational visits with particular reference to visits to school where parents are rarely asked to contribute.
Parents may expect to pay for the cost of ingredients or materials required for cookery, sewing, design, woodwork etc. If parents have indicated in advance that they wish to own the finished product they will be requested to pay for it.
Charges may be made to parents towards the costs of activities organised to take place wholly or mainly outside school hours; and also for activities not provided to fulfil statutory duties related to either the National Curriculum or to religious education. These charges can be made providing parents with agree to the optional activity and the charges incurred. Sums paid and not used in these instances are recoverable.
Charges may be made to parents for the cost of replacing a broken window or a defaced, damaged or lost book or piece of equipment where this is the result of pupil behaviour or lack of responsibility.
The Governors reserve the right to review the Charging and Remissions Policy as necessary. Information on future changes will be made available.
At St. Werburgh’s Primary School our expectations of pupils should not be affected in any way by gender, colour, race, disability or religion. We value and respect all children. We look towards all children having the opportunity to reach their full potential.
All remarks of a racist and sexist nature and any incidents of this type should be dealt with immediately and noted if necessary.
When children with a statement of educational needs attend our school, we make appropriate arrangements to meet those needs.
St. Werburgh’s Primary School is part of the Central Bristol Cluster of Schools and we aim to work closely together in the best interests of all children in this area.
“School Governors in the area, including those of this school, believe that a school is part of a community and does not stand alone. This means that this school, and neighbouring schools, want to work together and to make sure that children in all schools have the opportunity to benefit equally from educational provision.
There are growing professional teaching links between schools in the area: teaching staff, Headteachers and Governors are working together more and more to sort out problems, share in joint training, learn from each other, work together with the Local Education Authority and eventually share resources. This, we believe, is the way to make sure there is equality of opportunity for all children.
All our best efforts to achieve the best possible education provision in the area for all children are being undermined by the drift from some schools causing overcrowding of others. In the past the LEA was responsible for planning education provision and ensuring this did not happen. However the law removes this power from the LEA, and leaves market forces to rule. Surely our children’s education is not a commodity.
It is for these reasons that all of us – Governors and Teachers – want to encourage you to consider carefully what each of our schools has to offer as you think about a school for your child. We need your help to make sure that some schools don’t grow (i.e. bigger class sizes) to the point that they cause others to shrink. Everyone loses out that way.”
The Central Bristol Cluster of Schools worked to put forward a bid to become an EAZ (Education Action Zone). This bid was successful and we are now part of the Central Bristol EAZ “Achievement Partnership of Central Bristol”.
The Director of the EAZ is Ms Sarah Gornall, Unit 45, Easton Business Centre, Felix Road, Bristol BS5 9TY
Bristol Education Action Zone (BrEAZ):
aims to improve attainment and raise aspirations for young people in Central Bristol. The Zone is a partnership of 23 schools, the local community and business organisations. It is a charitable body.
is working with the Local Education Authority and with the Arts Council of England. This partnership is almost unique and offers the potential for exciting developments in the Arts.
had three years to make a difference. Programmes started in September 2000. The Zone has recently been extended to 2005.
Central Bristol is an area with outstanding potential for creative and cultural development. Despite a high degree of deprivation, lower than average attainment and higher than average unemployment, the area has an array of active community groups and organisations. There is a lot of good practice in the schools and powerful energy in the community to build on.
The main aims of the Zone are to:
-
Raise attainment
-
Develop new ways of teaching and learning
-
Engage and involve pupils
-
Involve parents more closely
-
Focus on minority ethnic pupils
-
Develop information technology
-
Celebrate cultures and creativity
-
Extend the range of out of school hours activities
-
St Werburgh’s Primary School has already benefited from several EAZ projects. These include:
-
Playground Peacemakers with year 5 and year 6 children learning the to be peer mediators.
-
Black writers in school to increase motivation and writing outcomes.
-
Artists in school and opportunities to visit exhibitions resulting in our pupils presenting work at Explore, @Bristol, and the Museum.
-
ICT Teacher to work with all teachers and pupils to develop skills and confidence in using computers. We also aim to extend links with local businesses.
The following dates have been agreed for the 2004/05 school year:
Term 1 Wednesday 1 September to Wed 20 October 2004
Term 2 Monday 1 November to Tuesday 21 December 2004
Term 3 Wednesday 5 January to Friday 11 February 2005
Term 4 Monday 21 February to Thursday 24 March 2005
Term 5 Monday 11 April to Friday 27 May 2005
Term 6 Monday 6 June to Friday 22 July 2005 |