Welcome to our website

Dear All,

Welcome to our website. I hope that you find all the information that you need here.

St Peter’s is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled School in the heart of the village of Burnham. We aim to play a central role in the life of the community.

Our purpose is to provide a safe and empowering environment which enables all members of our community to feel valued and to reach their fullest potential, educationally, spiritually, emotionally and physically, within a caring community which reflects our Christian ethos.

We intend that this website will develop over time and as such, some areas are not 'polished' yet. Please visit regularly to ensure you have the most up to date information

Elizabeth King

What will your child be learning?

Our Curriculum

The specific curriculum aims of the school are those stated in the 1988 Education Reform Act. Children are assessed continually using optional SATs (Standardised Attainment Tests) and school tests. There will be formal assessments in line with National Guidelines during the Foundation Stage in Early Years and at the end of Year Two and Year Six. Numeracy is assessed using RM Snapshot and reading and spelling tests are carried out in November and June.

The National Curriculum

While your child attends St Peter’s they will pass through three Key Stages:

• Foundation Stage: Nursery and Reception
• Key Stage One: Years 1 and 2
• Key Stage Two: Years 3 to 6

Both the Early Years and Key Stage One classes have full time teaching assistants to support pupils’ learning.

All classes in Key Stage Two are mixed ability and benefit from having a full time teaching assistant, which enables groups of children to have extra support. During Year Six pupils take the 11+ secondary selection tests and the end of Key Stage SATs.

The Core and Foundation subjects apply to both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two.

Organisation

Core Subjects: Maths, English, Science, I.C.T.

Foundation Subjects: History, Geography, Design Technology, Art, Music, P.E. and R.E.

English

We believe that language is the basis of all other learning. We place great importance on the development of listening skills and the ability to express thoughts and emotions clearly. “Through language we learn to think and add constantly to the sum of human knowledge.”

Reading

The love of reading opens up a universe of imagination and unlocks the mysteries of all the knowledge in the world. We aim to encourage confident readers who “enjoy reading for entertainment, for interest and for information and to appreciate the necessity of reading for learning in most areas of the curriculum and for their personal lives.”

Writing

We encourage children to write for a variety of purposes and for a variety of audiences, using poetry, prose, fact and fiction. We aim to foster writing as an enjoyable way of recording thoughts and ideas. Following the structure of the Literacy Hour we endeavour to develop the ability to produce written communication that is accurately spelt, well presented and appropriate to its purpose.

Mathematics

Mathematics is a key area of the curriculum and we place great emphasis on its teaching. We ensure that children have the basic skills and encourage the learning of tables.

Mathematics enters our lives on numerous occasions each day; using money, telling the time, estimating quantities and measuring in all its forms.

It is important that our children learn to apply mathematics to everyday situations with confidence, ease and precision.

Mathematics is also a very important tool in many other areas of the curriculum. Children should learn to use their mathematical skills in Technology, Art and Craft, Geography and Science with the same confidence, ease and precision.

Children are fascinated by the pattern and properties of numbers and shape. Mathematics provides an exciting way to investigate these properties.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

We believe that ICT is going to continue to affect all our lives in a major way in future years. There has been a dramatic expansion in the use of computers in all walks of life. Our school has a well-equipped computer suite which is used by all children. We also have computers available within classrooms, which can be used to practise skills and reinforce areas that need development.
In Mathematics children have an individual daily programme of maths reinforcement, and computers are used to extend the skills of our special needs children in literacy and reading.

St Peter’s School is committed to expand the use of computers to raise standards in all areas of the curriculum.

Science

Science in the National Curriculum enables children to develop skills of observation, recording, problem solving, predicting, testing, hypothesising, experimenting and measuring. We endeavour to make children feel like scientists, with practical experiences which involve applying scientific ideas to a variety of tasks relating to every day life.

Investigating Dissolving

Design and Technology

We set out to train the children in the development of design and technology skills to operate effectively and creatively in the world. Design and Technology units are developed with a cross curricular approach to ensure that learning is linked and reinforced.

Religious Education

Our Christian ethos is at the centre of the life of the school. We aim to help pupils recognise the unique specialness of each person and to be aware of those around them. Compassion, tolerance, sensitivity and the well-being of each individual are values that we endeavour to teach our children. We do not limit these values to assemblies or RE lessons but try to ensure that they permeate the whole life of the school.
As part of this philosophy our RE lessons aim to help pupils understand the religious beliefs, practices and insights of other faiths so that they may form their own beliefs and judgements, and we seek to establish theses aims in a positive and practical way.
Parents have the right to withdraw children from these lessons if they wish. A written request is required by the Headteacher.

History and Geography

Through history and geography children begin to develop some understanding of chronology, cause and effect, of how people lived in former times and how they live in other places. They gain increasingly complex insights into our threatened planet and what must be done to protect it. We take every opportunity to develop good conservation practice.
In Keystage One children are introduced to the concept of the past by studying things with which they are familiar, e.g. families, toys, the school, houses and homes.
In Keystage Two children study different periods in British and World history.
The local area is used as the basis for geographical study. Comparisons are then made with other parts of Great Britain, Europe and the World.

Being Tudors!

Physical Education

In order to help the physical and social development of our children it is our aim that every child should participate in at least one session of Gymnastics or Movement and Games each week. Through a progressive development of skills we provide a basis for developing good health habits which the child may take into later life. We try to ensure that all children are able to swim by the end of Keystage Two in compliance with the National Curriculum guidelines.

The Arts

The arts have a major contribution to make in the quality of children’s learning, enabling them to develop intuitively as well as logically, and encouraging sensitivity and aesthetic appreciation.
We offer our children a range of experiences and opportunities to express themselves in a variety of media. Art activities are incorporated in many areas of the curriculum.

Sex Education

From a very early age we try to teach our children to value one another and behave in a caring way towards others. We define sex education as learning centred on our attitudes and feelings about ourselves and our relationships.
In Keystage 1 we answer questions as we feel appropriate at the time. We discuss the caring aspects of the birth of a new baby in the context of the family. We talk about new life in Spring and the life cycles of animals, birds and insects.
In Keystage 2 sex education is taught in the context of Health Education. We discuss with the children “My Body”, initially measuring, comparing and statistically recording. We then discuss ways in which the body works – bones, muscles, sense, digestive system. We look at how the body has grown since birth and in stature and intellect.
Sex Education is a spiral curriculum and so the oldest children in the school study in more detail the systems of the body – digestive, excretory and nervous. In the last year, in addition, we look at the pubertal changes which are taking place in children of their age. The study of conception, development and birth of a baby is set in the context of married life and a loving, lasting relationship.
We believe that Sex Education should be dealt with in such a way that pupils are encouraged to have a due regard for moral considerations and the value of family life. Parents are always welcome to discuss any concerns about this work with the Headteacher or teaching staff. While there is no right of withdrawal from those aspects of the work that are part of the National Curriculum Science Orders, parents may withdraw a pupil from other aspects of sex education lessons and should discuss this with school staff, if they wish to do so.

We are very proud of our school and encourage our pupils to take a pride in their school land their appearance. Our school uniform is inexpensive and items with the school logo can be easily obtained from the PTA, who run a uniform shop on Tuesday morning. The PTA do not sell trousers/skirts.

In the summer girls may wear check dresses and the boys may wear short grey trousers

P.E. Kit

White tee shirt (available with school logo)
Black shorts
White socks
Plimsolls or trainers
P.E. bag

Indoor P.E. is always done in bare feet for safety reasons.

Games Kit

In colder weather children may require warm, suitable clothing for outdoor P.E., such as joggers and sweatshirts, which are available from the PTA.

Older children may also need football kit or its equivalent, with suitable footwear for playing football

We also make certain recommendations to comply with Health and Safety Regulations

• Fashion shoes are not suitable for wear at school. Heels should not be higher than 1” (measured at the back of the heel) and should not be narrow based. Sling backs are not permitted and pupils are not allowed to wear trainers to school.
• Boots may be worn to school, but indoor shoes should be provided for children to change into.
• Jewellery, including rings, should not be worn in school. It is also inadvisable for expensive watches to be worn as these are removed for P.E. and can easily be mislaid.
• If your child’s ears have been pierced, your co-operation is asked to make sure your child wears only one pair of studs in school. Earrings are particularly dangerous for P.E. and Games and need to be removed for these lessons.

We ask that P.E. kit is brought to school at the beginning of each term, kept in school, and taken home at half-term for washing.

Art and Craft

an old shirt (adult size)

WE ASK PARENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILD’S NAME IS CLEARLY MARKED ON THEIR SCHOOL UNIFORM AND COAT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCHOOL SWEATSHIRTS OF THE SAME SIZE!!

We believe that every child should be valued as an individual person with unique talents, needs, problems and dreams, and that each student can make their individual contribution to the life of the school.

In practice this means that we endeavour to provide each child with learning experiences matched to their needs. For example, selecting challenging activities that extend our more academic children, or enabling children to learn at a slower pace, with a carefully designed programme to meet their special needs.

We are convinced that early intervention enables children to make better progress and we make good use of a variety of professional support agencies to help our children. Experience shows that children with very special needs at St Peter’s, and those with physical disabilities, give the whole community the opportunity to understand both the difficulties these children experience and also the important contribution that they make to all our lives.

While we celebrate the unique nature of all our students, we actively oppose racism and sexism in any circumstances, and we are committed through the education we offer to foster attitudes that reflect racial and sexual equality. Our pupils, the citizens of tomorrow, are encouraged to have an understanding and tolerance for cultures and societies other than their own.

We believe that we can only provide the best education for our children if we work in partnership with parents. The staff and the head teacher have a corporate responsibility to work together to ensure that children are happy and have a caring, responsible attitude at home and at school.

Parents are always welcomed into the school and we provide many opportunities for parents to be involved in the life of our community. We run occasional courses to help parents support their child’s literacy and numeracy, and to help parents when their child begins the Foundation Stage. Our PTA welcomes new members and is also happy to have the support of parents for their fund-raising and social activities.

We know that parents can bring a vast range of skills into the school and we always need help with reading, cooking, sewing costumes for school productions and assisting in many ways. If you have a particular interest or expertise, why not let the school benefit?

Parents receive a weekly newsletter to keep them informed of events and activities and we have parent representatives on our Community Working Party, whose job is to make sure that the voice of the parent is heard in the decisions made about their children, for example, our behaviour policy, the home-school agreement and in the preparation of the prospectus.

Your child’s well-being is at the forefront of all our procedures and the following are ways in which you can support us:

Homework

Throughout your child’s school career homework will be expected, starting with the beginning of reading in Early Years to the tasks that will prepare our Year Six children for secondary school. We expect parents to help their children, with regular reading, and the supervision of homework, so that all children make the best progress they can. We are committed to regular homework, on the same day each week. If your child does not appear to receive homework, please let us know immediately by writing in the homework diary – the probability is that it has not come home!

Illness

Qualified First Aiders are responsible for the treatment of minor ailments, cut and bruises, but for anything more serious contact is always made with parents. If hospital treatment is required we always try to inform parents and obtain their consent before taking the child to Wexham Park Hospital. Only if delay would be dangerous do we take a child to hospital without a parent of guardian being present. This emphasises the need for a method of contacting parents in an emergency.

We update parental contact numbers on an annual basis, but if any changes should take place, it is essential that an up-to-date telephone contact number is given to the school secretary. If there is no home number it is vital to have a number which can be used to make contact in an emergency.

If children take medication, i.e. prescribed by your doctor, it is essential that this should be given to the secretary (or first aider) with written instructions (a form is provided). It will be kept in a cabinet in the medical room and administered as necessary. We do not permit children to take medicine unsupervised.

Medical and Dental Health

Routine vision, hearing and dental health checks are carried out regularly during your child’s primary education. You may be contacted if further action is advised. In addition, any concerns that you may have can be discussed with our School Nurse by prior arrangement through the school secretary.

Absence from School

A child should not be sent to school if unfit to take part in school activities. We do not have facilities for looking after children who are sick and small children in particular are very unhappy if they are feeling ill. Please keep your child at home until he or she is able to join in with the rest of the class.

We ask parents to let the school know the reason for a child’s absence on the first day. This is particularly important with young children, as staff can be alerted to look out for communicable diseases among classmates. On a child’s return to school after absence a written note of explanation is required by the school for our records. A record of a telephone message or verbal explanation is also acceptable. All unexplained absences are recorded and followed up in accordance with DfES regulations.

Because the safety of your children is of paramount importance, we cannot allow children to leave school unaccompanied by an adult in order to attend medical or dental appointments. Parents should arrange to collect their child in school.

It is very important to the education of all children that family holidays should take place during school closures. It is only in very exceptional circumstances that holidays should be taken during term time. In these very rare circumstances, a holiday form must be completed at least a month before the holiday, and the child’s educational progress discussed with the class teacher. It should be understood that the maximum ten days of term time holiday is not an entitlement. Holidays should never take place during times when children are preparing for or taking part in assessment, i.e. in Year 6 during the first half of the autumn term and the first half of the summer term, and in Year 2 during the first half of the summer term.

School Closures

School holiday dates and INSET (Staff training days) are notified to parents well in advance. Apart from these occasions school does not close unless there is an emergency. Any early closure or emergency closure will be notified to parents or the emergency contact, and no child will ever be sent home early without reference to parents.

Cars and Parking

When bringing your child to school, or collecting them, please walk if you can. Minniecroft Road gets very congested at the beginning and end of the school day and you can help to lessen the danger to our children. If you have to bring your car, please do not drive into school, block the vehicle entrance or park on pavements or in other people’s driveways.