*The is a text version only as the School Prospectus is presently being updated
Hello and welcome to Burnley Brow School,
In our school children learn together whilst being respected as individuals. We provide a school environment in which all children are encouraged to work and to live together in a multi ethnic and multi faith community. We strive to maintain high standards to promote self esteem and respect for others.
This prospectus will tell you all about our school. If you wish
to visit the school to see us ‘in action’, you are most welcome to do so, at a mutually agreed time.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. H. Atkinson-Smith Mr. J. M. T. Sutcliffe
Acting Headteacher Chair of Governors
Safeguarding
Burnley Brow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. We expect all our staff to share this commitment.
General information about our school
Burnley Brow Community School
Burnley Brow Community School was opened in September 2001 and occupies the site of the demolished Kent Mill which was once on of Oldham’s many cotton mills.
We have 480 children on roll aged 3 to 11 years, including 60 part-time Nursery places.
We have a large purpose built modern school with a fully equipped and well resourced ICT Suite and shared Resource Areas. The school hall is used for Assemblies, Physical Education and is also the Dining Room where staff and children eat their mid-day meal.
There is a soft play area for our Foundation Stage children where they experience learning outdoors and a Trim Trail and other outdoor equipment for the children in key stages one and two.
School Aims
At Burnley Brow, we value each school member as an individual who can make a positive contribution to our community. We strive to ensure our learners develop their full potential. We recognise the importance of developing the whole child, therefore, we promote the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, moral, cultural and spiritual development of every child.
We realise we can only begin to anticipate the possibilities of our children’s future, therefore, we strive to inspire cooperation, enquiry, critical thinking, communication, reflection and empathy in our learners, developing a thirst for knowledge and an awareness of themselves as learners.
Our School Aims are based on the five areas of Every Child Matters and our School Development Priorities focus on these areas:
· Stay safe
· Be healthy
· Enjoy and achieve
· Have Economic understanding
· Make a positive contribution
All our school policies and practice reflect these aims. Copies of school policies are available from the school office and online at:
www.burnleybrow.co.uk
National Support School
In March 2007 and January 2010 we attained Outstanding School status as a result of our Ofsted inspection.
Other accreditation
The school has also worked to attain the following awards:
· Healthy Schools status
· Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS)
· Investors in People
· Eco Schools Silver status
· Active Mark
· Tooth Friendly Gold Status
The School Day
Nursery
Morning Session 8:50 am – 11:20 pm
Afternoon Session 12:40 pm – 3:10 pm
Foundation Stage & Key Stage One (Nursery & Reception – Yr 1 & Yr 2)
School Opens: 8:50 am
School Starts: 9:00 am
Morning Break: 10:15 am – 10:30 am
Lunch Time: 11:30 pm – 12:25 pm
Afternoon Break: 2:25 pm – 2:45 pm
School finishes: 3:10 pm
Key Stage Two – Middle School (Years 3 & 4)
School Opens: 8:50 am
School Starts 9:00 am
Morning Break 10:35 am – 10:50 am
Lunch Time 12:00 pm – 12:55 pm
School Finishes 3:15 pm
Key Stage Two – Upper School (Years 5 & 6)
Schools Opens: 8:50 am
School Starts 9:00 am
Morning Break 11:00 am – 11:15 am
Lunch Time 12:30 pm – 1:25 pm
School Finishes 3:20 pm
Learning & Teaching
We believe that in our school, learning should be exciting, stimulating, challenging and enjoyable. We present children with a wide range of learning opportunities based on first hand experiences and observations.
We teach our children the key skills of Literacy, Numeracy, Communication, Problem Solving, ICT and Cooperation. We aim for our children to be self confident and independent learners. See appendix 1 for further information.
At Burnley Brow our carefully planned curriculum is innovative and creative. We believe that learning is an active process in which the learner, building on previous experience, is engaged in their own learning and that of others.
In line with the National Curriculum, our school offers a broad and balanced range of learning experiences to all its children through: Numeracy, Literacy, Art & DT , PE, Science, History, Geography, Music, RE and ICT. We use SEAL materials to enhance our PSHCE curriculum. Our children begin learning basic French in Nursery, this progresses to spoken French in Key Stage 2.
Class teachers are individually responsible for the learning and teaching of their
own class. We recognise the importance of flexibility of organisation and teaching methods. In all classes there will be team work, paired work, individual work and sometimes teaching the whole class when appropriate. Individual special needs are also catered for.
Teachers encourage children to work together and model this in their own work. Classrooms are organised to foster independence in all children. Classes are kept to 30 pupils.
In September 2008, we introduced Cooperative Learning structures into our teaching and learning. Based on the work of Dr Spencer Kagan, the structures focus on developing children’s ability to join in, be accountable to themselves and others and to work together. In addition to our previous work on Building Learning Power, our teachers use many strategies to enhance the learning opportunities at Burnley Brow.
Religious Education and Worship
The school works within the Oldham Agreed Syllabus for R.E. The centre of our
religious / moral education is Assembly time. We aim to prepare all our children for
the multi-ethnic society in which we live. All children take part in a daily act of
worship of a broadly Christian nature. Assemblies also develop PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education) which help learning and reinforce the ‘Respect Charter’.
We will make arrangements for parents to exercise their right of withdrawal of their children from Religious Education under Section 25 of the 1944 Education Act.
Educational Visits
We use the surrounding environment and local places of interest to enhance our curriculum whenever possible. We take children out of school to educate them using first hand experience and extend learning. We visit parks, museums, activity centres and other schools. Our Year 6 children are encouraged to join us on a residential to a local outdoor centre where they have some fantastic experiences.
We ask all parents to sign a Local Visits Consent letter at the beginning of each academic year. We also make sure that before the trip you are informed. We stick to the agreed ratio for staffing for trips and always take a registered First Aider with us. For more information on educational visits please see our ‘Educational Visits and Activities Policy’ which can be viewed on our school web site.
Respect Charter
The staff and pupils at Burnley Brow all sign up to an agreement to respect themselves, others, learning, property and the environment. We call this our ‘Respect Charter’
The children learn how to become part of the wider community and about what it means to be a citizen.
The ‘Respect Charter’ also forms the rules which must be followed in our school. All teachers and children, from Year 1 upwards, following these rules will wear a ‘Respect Badge’ to show others that they are respectful.
RESPECT myself
RESPECT others
RESCEPT learning
RESPECT property
RESPECT environment
At Burnley Brow we praise pupils in public and reprimand in private.
Provision for Additional Educational Needs (A.E.N)
All children are entitled to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. We aim to include all pupils regardless of ability by removing or alleviating any possible barriers to learning and providing a range of teaching and learning styles. Children are valued by all members of staff for the individual contribution they make to our school.
Work is set to provide a challenging yet achievable goal for all of the children in class either through differentiation or through an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for all those children identified as having Additional Educational Needs. This means that all children experience success and feel positive about themselves.
If your child is raised as having an A.E.N, our Special Needs Co-ordinator will speak to you. We also employ a number of Teaching Assistants to support children with Additional Educational Needs.
School Meals
Our school kitchen provides hot and healthy meals every day. All meals are prepared on the school premises. Lunchtimes are a supervised play and social time for children. Children can bring a healthy packed lunch if they wish. School meal prices are available at our office. School dinners should be paid for on Monday mornings in the school office.
If you think you may be entitled to free school meals for your child, you should contact Metropolitan House, Hobson Street, Oldham, Telephone : 0161 770 6688 and arrange to complete the necessary forms.
Looking after your child
Protecting Children from Abuse
Parents should be aware that the school will take any reasonable action to ensure the safety of pupils. Where the school is concerned that a child may be the subject of ill treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, staff must follow Oldham Authority’s child protection procedures, and they must report their concerns to Oldham Social Services Department. For more information on our Child Protection Policy, please see our school website or ask in the office.
Confidentiality
We put the child at the heart of our learning in a safe and secure environment. Whilst developing creative and positive ways for the child’s voice to be heard, we recognise the responsibility to use, hold and safeguard information received. Sharing information unnecessarily is an evasion of trust. The school is mindful that, it is placed in a position of trust by all stakeholders and there is a general expectation that a professional approach will be used in all matters of confidentiality. For more information.
Bullying
Our aim is to ensure that pupils learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment without fear of being bullied. Bullying is anti-social behaviour and affects everyone; it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated
Bullying is defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour, repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves. The teachers are trained to us a No Blame Approach to bullying and the school follows the agreed guidelines.
Equal Opportunities
We believe that equal opportunities and racial equality are central to the development of an enjoyable and inclusive environment in which all members of the school community can thrive, learn and develop. We emphasise the importance of personal identity whilst teaching empathy for others and understanding of cultural diversity. Together the staff are able to remove or alleviate barriers to learning to ensure equal access to the curriculum amongst all pupils.
Home School Agreement
We ask all children, teachers, parents and governors to sign up to a ‘contract’ detailing all responsibilities in learning and teaching at our school. The agreement was written in consultation with children, staff and parents and is reviewed annually at the beginning of the school year.
Health and Safety
School has a comprehensive Health and Safety Policy to ensure control at any health and safety risks arising from activities in school and whilst on school trips. The policy and practice is managed by a Health & Safety team. For further information please visit the school web site or call into school.
Managing Behaviour in School
School has a proactive approach to behaviour management. All staff and children sign up to the respect charter. As well as positive discipline, we have a series of sanctions which all staff and children understand. When children challenge the Respect Charter in school, the teacher will use a range of sanctions suitable to the behaviour, e.g. lost playtime, a phone call home. This will then be recorded in a behaviour log.
Exclusions from School
Occasionally, all other behaviour management strategies may fail to help the child make the right decisions. In this case we would use more formal procedures.
1) Internal Exclusion
A short, sharp punishment of a time out in another class. This is an internal exclusion aimed at helping the child to see the consequence of their choices and hopefully have an effect on changing behaviour.
2) Fixed Term Exclusion
Fixed term exclusion from school will happen when the school needs to investigate serious incidents that occur in school. They are aimed at helping the child see the serious consequences of behaviour decisions made.
3) Permanent Exclusion
Fixed term exclusions may lead to permanent exclusion depending on the results of the investigation of the incident. These exclusions will be agreed by the Head teacher and the governing body, where it has been found that the child has broken school rules for more serious incidents. Parents will be kept informed and offered advice throughout this process. Leaflets about Exclusions are available in school.
Complaints Procedure
The Local Education Authority has established a complaints procedure for dealing with complaints concerning the school curriculum and related matters and / or the Governing Body of the school. The areas covered by the complaints procedure include matters relating to the implementation and delivery of the National Curriculum; the temporary withdrawal of pupils from part or all of the National Curriculum.
When a parent has a complaint which is covered by the Complaints Procedure, the matter should be discussed informally with the Headteacher, if the matter is not resolved, the parent should make a formal complaint in writing to the Governing Body of the school and / or a written complaint to the Local Education Authority.
The school keeps a copy of the LEA Complaints Procedure for inspection by parents.
Access to Documents and Information
The documents indicated below are available in school for inspection by parents;
1) Statutory instruments, circulars and administrative memoranda issued by the Department of Education and Science concerning the curriculum relating to the 1988 Act.
2) Schemes of work used in school.
3) Local Authority’s Complaints Procedures.
Any parents wishing to inspect any of the above documents are asked to contact the Headteacher, who will arrange a mutually convenient date and time for documents to be made available. Documents may not be taken off school premises.