Useful information - Extracts from our prospectus

The School Vision Statement:

General Background

The Classes and Curriculum.

The School Day

Lunch/Food

Illness, medication, accidents and absence

Discipline

School Uniform

Homework

Finding out how your child is doing

The School Vision Statement:

We believe that the education of our children is a team effort and that you as a parent are an important member of that team. We all share the same aims for our children. We want them to retain their individuality, to feel valued members of the community, to develop their confidence and to achieve their full potential. We are very concerned about standards and progress and do all that we can to ensure that the children are making as much personal progress as possible.

School Aims:
The achievement of the highest possible standards by the children and staff.

High expectations and provision of the best possible education for all, based on high quality teaching and learning.

Provision of a secure, warm and welcoming environment which promotes confidence and high self esteem.

A partnership between children, parents and school which promotes good behaviour and self discipline founded on respect, responsibility and good friendships.

The formation of a school community team where there is genuine collaboration and a common understanding of the aims of the school.

Parental involvement in the children's education. Back to top

General Background

Our school is a brick building dating from 1958 with a new extension built in 2004. It comprises of ten classrooms, each equipped with an interactive whiteboard connected to the internet, an ICT suite, tutor rooms and cloakrooms. We have a large hall which is used for assemblies, collective worship, PE lessons and lunches. We have a large tarmac playground and a large playing field. We also have a wild area, a butterfly garden and a willow garden.

At the heart of the school is the philosophy which states that children learn best from direct, first hand exerperiences. A lot of our work centres around visits, visitors, close observation, discussion and experience of the real thing, rather than repetitive exercises from text books.

We highly value ICT and the motiviation it offers. Each class is equipped with three computers and the ICT suite has 16 PCs. All computers are linked to the internet and children have access to a wide range of software. Each class has a digital camera and access to digital camcorders and movie making and animation software.

Teaching styles vary from lesson to lesson, depending on what the children are doing. Sometimes the teacher will work with the whole class, whilst at other times they may work with small groups or individuals. We all try very hard to create a caring atmosphere which is exciting, attractive and stimulating.

We hope that you, as a parent, will feel able to contact the school when necessary, knowing that we will do what we can to help you and your child. It is your school as well as ours and we hope that you will find pleasure and satisfaction from playing your part in the education of the children. Back to top

The Classes and Curriculum.

In September 2006 the school will be organised into 10 classes, with most year groups split into 2 classes. Year 4 has been split into 3 classes. Teachers work in teams under the co-ordination Deputy and Head teacher and alongside the teaching assistants. Each subject in school is the overall responsibility of a subject co-ordinator, although your class teacher is responsible for ensuring the planning and delivery of lesson content.

Our philosophy is such that we recognise children as individuals and they are treated as such. At all times work is designed to be commensurate with each child's ability, so that they can give their best. We aim to challenge all of our children, regardless of their ability, and we recognise that there are differences with children having different strengths and weaknesses. All we ask is that children try their best.

Children experiencing difficulties will be given help of a special nature. Where possible children receive individual help, but often it is more beneficial to work in small groups. In these cases parents will be kept fully informed about their child's progress and needs. For more detail about the curriculum your child will follow please refer to the school prospectus or ask your child's teacher who will be pleased to give you more information. Back to top

The School Day

Children should not arrive in school before 8:50am. Before that time there may not be an adult on yard duty - if there is an accident before 8:50 the children are not insured. Children should be seated in their classroom, ready for a prompt start, at 9:00 am. The day begins with registration and there are short breaks at mid morning and mid afternoon. The children are always supervised during break times. The school day ends at 3:20pm. Back to top

Lunch/Food

Our school dinners are cooked on site in our own school kitchen. Dinner money should always be brought in on Monday morning in a sealed envelope marked with the child's name, class and amount. We also accommodate pupils who bring sandwiches. If you are in receipt of income support you may be entitled to free meals; please come to the school office to collect an application form. This is in strict confidence.

If you wish to pay for dinners by cheque then please make your cheque payable to Rotherham Borough Council. Should you wish to change your child's meals from sandwiches to dinners, or vice versa, please give us a weeks notice in writing.

Milk is available every morning break. Money for this should be brought, in a separate envelope to dinner money, at the end of each half term ready for the next term.

FOOD AT BREAK TIME:
We allow children to have only fresh or dried fruit at morning and afternoon breaks. This rule is to encourage the children to eat a healthy lunch and to protect their teeth from sweets. It also helps to prevent litter around school.

Children are allowed to bring a drink to school for consumption with their lunch in the dining hall. Children who wish to have a drink at other times during the day should bring water to school in a non-spill container. We also have a number of water fountains, providing fresh water around school. We encourage children to drink water through the day as we believe it helps them to concentrate. ONLY WATER should be used for this purpose. Children's water bottles are stored centrally in each classroom for easy access during lesson times. Back to top

Illness, medication, accidents and absence

Pupils should only be absent from school in the case of illness. Please inform the school by telephone (01909 550779) on the first day of absence.

If, in exceptional cirumstances, pupils need to be absent for other reasons a note must be brought in advance asking permission from the headteacher. As far as possible medical and dental appointments should be made outside school hours, however we understand that this is not always possible.

If you need to take holidays during term time a form must be obtained from the office for completion. The school will inform you whether or not the absence can be authorised. This decision rests solely with the school.

If it is necessary for your child to take any kind of medication during school hours we will require a note, giving full details of dosage etc. All containers must be clearly marked with the child's name and the necessary instructions. Please make sure your child knows what to do with it. The medication must be taken in the school office and handed to either of the office staff for safe keeping. It must not be left in the classroom or cloakroom. Your child will then be responsible for taking the medication at the prescribed time.

Unless a note is sent with the medication, staff cannot administer it and parents will be contacted immediately. Only medication prescribed by a doctor will be administered in school - non prescribed drugs should not be sent to school. If at all possible please arrange for your child to take their medication before or after school hours.

In the event of a serious accident parents will be contacted immediately. Please ensure that we always have up to date contact numbers.

Anston Park school has a duty to refer to Social Services and/or the police, any actual or suspected concerns of child abuse. The school has a teacher designated with responsibility for Child Protection Liaison. There is a policy which outlines the steps which must be taken should abuse be suspected or alleged. The policy follows the procedures approved by the Rotherham Area Child Protection Committee. A copy of these procedures is held in school and is available on request. Back to top

Discipline

The governors are aware that there is policy of no corporal punishment in schools. Punishment, when necessary, takes a variety of forms depending on the degree of misbehaviour. It could be a quiet word from the class teacher, a senior teacher or the head teacher. If poor behaviour persists a firmer reprimand will be given and may lead to the withdrawal of certain privileges e.g. playtime and other activities.

When necessary parents will be informed and invited into school to discuss the problem. This happens rarely and we are pleased to say that parents have always been very supportive of the school. More detailed information on our behaviour policy is available from the school. Should you have any concerns contact your child's teacher as soon as possible.

Please note that we take bullying very seriously. Children are encouraged to tell an adult, secure in the knowledge that it will be dealt with promptly and firmly. Parents of any children involved will be informed. If you require any more information on our anti bullying policy or you have any concerns contact the school as soon as possible. Back to top

School Uniform

Please ensure that all items of clothing are marked with your child's name. Our school uniform consists of:

LOWER GARMENTS:
Navy blue trousers/skirts/shorts. No jeans.

UPPER GARMENTS:
Outer: navy sweatshirts/jumpers/cardigans
Inner: White, navy or green polo shirts/T-Shirts.
These may be plain or with the school logo.

For PE children should wear navy shorts with a white t-shirt. For outdoor games a track suit may be worn in cold weather. It is imporatant that children bring a change of clothing for PE. Please also make sure that your child has appropriate footwear. When outdoors children should wear socks and trainers or pumps.

The school has a uniform and we expect to see all children wearing it. The uniform helps to create a sense of belonging. Children are expected to come to school sensibly and smartly dressed at all times. Please note that flip flop sandals, high heels and sling backed shoes are not considered appropriate.

Watches may be worn in school, although we accept no responsibility if they are lost or damaged. Other items of jewellery may be work within the limits of safety and sensibility. Only one of each item may be worn at any one time, and only one earring per ear. Children with pierced ears should only wear studs when attending school. It is essential that they should be able to remove them themselves for PE and games lessons. NO other forms of body piercing are allowed.

Most items of uniform are available from all major department stores. Items with the school logo are only available from School. An order form is available from the school office. Please note that you are able to order sweatshirts (£8), polo shirts (£7), fleece jacets (£13) and showerproof jackets (£14) with the school logo. Back to top

Homework

Our belief is that work done at home with parental help and encouragement is very beneficial to a child's overall educational progress. If a child is experiencing difficulty with homework they should seek help from their teacher before the due date.

Homework is set in a range of subjects, usually maths and English. Children are expected to bring their homework back on time, done to the best of their ability. Teachers can offer guidance to parents on ways in which parents can help their child at home. A timetable for homework will be sent home at the beginning of each term and children should make a note of what they are expected to do in their organisers. You will also find their spellings in the organisers!

As part of our homework policy we expect children to read three times a week at home. There is no doubt that children benefit enormously from parents who actively encourage the love of books. Sharing storybooks, discussion of words and pictures and a willingness to talk with children about their experiences greatly enhances a child's reading readiness and provides the best possible role model. Remember, children have access to a wide range of reading material, not just books! Children can enjoy reading magazines, comics and even newspapers.

If a child regularly fails to finish work set in class, their teacher may ask the child to take the work home to finish. This avoids the child falling behind. In these cases a note may be sent to parents, especially if this is a regular occurence. Back to top

Finding out how your child is doing

Teachers assess the children's progress regularly. Annual reports are sent to all parents, and there are three parents evenings throughout the year. These provide an excellent opportunity to discuss your child's progress with the class teacher. We also welcome enquiries at any other time, these can be made to the class teacher or the head teacher. It is far better to sort out a problem immediately and not let it wait until the next parents evening. This is particularly true if you feel that your child is under achieveing or experiencing difficulties. We will arrange for special reports to be made available at other times if necessary.

At the end of year 6 we take our children through the Standard Assessment Tests (SATs.) Parents of Y6 children will be invited to a meeting nearer this time to explain the process. The results will be reported to parents alongside the child's school report in the summer term.

We record children's attainments as they move through the National Curriculum and these records are kept throughout the child's Junior education. These records are passed on to the Comprehensive school at the end the child's time with us. Back to top