Ash St, Great Harwood, Blackburn, BB6 7QA

St Bartholomew’s C.EParishPrimary School

Ash St, Great Harwood, Blackburn, BB6 7QA

Tel: 01254 884534Fax: 01254 887527

Email:

Chairman of Governors:Mrs. S. Hope(Contacted through the Headteacher)

Headteacher:Mr.M. Mackley

Deputy Headteacher:Mr. R. Cope

School Session Times:

Nursery 8:55am to 11:25am(Morning Session)

12:55pm to 3:25pm(Afternoon session)

School 9:00am to 3:30pm

Pupils are expected to arrive between 8.45am to 9.00am

Mission Statement

The School Aims

1. To provide an experience of worship that is distinctly Christian and based upon the Anglican ethos and yet is a true educational experience that helps to develop the faith of children both in the school and in the community.

1. To create sound relationships whereby the school, the parish and pupils’

homes encourage children to grow up to a play a full part in the life of the wider community.

1. To encourage a growth together, following the example of Christ, of teaching and non-teaching staff, of parents and of pupils.

1. To provide a curriculum with an Anglican and Christian ethos which will equip children through the acquisition of skills, attitudes and values for a mature adult life.

1. To ensure that a child’s experience of school will be both formative and positive in helping them to understand personal relationships and the world in which they live.

The school therefore commits itself to:

1. Teaching the National Curriculum and providing religious Education that reflects the School’s Anglican and Christian heritage. Within this setting the school will seek to educate the pupils intellectually, socially, morally, ethically, physically and spiritually and thus enable children to grow to fullness of life through discovering and developing their talents.

2.The school will seek to develop a community in which appropriate pastoral care and discipline are fostered to enable the personal development of pupils. It will have an admission policy that reflects its Church heritage while holding in balance the need to serve the wider community and the limitations of the existing building. Through its staffing policy the school will seek to provide care, management and individual support for all teaching and non-teaching staff. It will seek to provide suitable working conditions and adequate staffing to enable the school to flourish. For its teaching staff the school will provide support for professional development and appraisal, and a policy concerning payment and conditions of service that reflects national agreements.

1. The school will seek to acknowledge its place in the wider community by promoting good relationships with parents and children, with the parishChurch and with statutory and voluntary organisations within the community. It will maintain good relationships with the LEA, the Diocese and the National Society.

4.The school will be mindful of the limitations and opportunities of its building and thus seek to maximise its potential. It will be mindful of the need not to overcrowd the school and to provide an attractive caring atmosphere in which pupils and staff can work together. It will therefore have a special care in maintaining its buildings and looking for opportunities by which they might be improved. It will maintain its statutory obligation of keeping careful financial controls.

Ethos Statement

Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church at Parish and Diocesan level.

The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils.

Admissions 2012

Information about applications for reception 2012 is available from school along with the Local Authority Common Application Form and the Diocese’s supplementary application form. ThisCommon Application Form is to be returned to the Area Education Office– both forms mustbe completed. The application to the local authority may be made on-line.Parents who apply on-line should inform school. Parents will be made an offer of a school by the LEA in April2012. Parents stating that they attend Church must have the school’s form signed by their Vicar/Minister to verify attendance. Please make an appointment with the vicar if you attend St Bartholomew’s Church.

The Governors have agreed that the admission number shall be 30 or less. When the number of applications for places is 30 or less, the Governors will accept all. However if the number exceeds 30 the admissions criteria will be applied. Parents of children not offered places have aright to make an appeal against the decision. Details of this procedure will be given at the time.

Parents who know or believe their child has any kind of medical or special needs are asked to discuss this with the Headteacher at the time of completing the application form.

Attendance- School Year 2010/11

1. The total number of pupils registered in May 2010 was 160 (Y1-6)
2. The total number of authorised absences as a % was 2.97%
3. The total number of unauthorised absences as a % was0.14%

School is obliged to publish figures on attendance which includes both authorised and unauthorised absences. Parents are requested to telephone school about a child’s absence and then confirm this in writing on the child’s return.

Curriculum

School offers all areas of the National Curriculum, which are required by law, plus cross-curricular themes and certain other activities.

National Curriculum subjects are: - English, Mathematics, Geography, History, Music, Technology, Art, Science and Religious Education.

Additional support groups are in place for Literacy and Numeracy.

This is a school of seven classes plus a nursery class. Each of the classes corresponds to the year groups Reception to Year 6. In addition to class teachers other staff are employed in school to help with the delivery of the curriculum – Nursery Nurses and Non-teaching Assistants.

Nursery and Reception form the Foundation Stage

Year 1 to Year 2 form Key Stage 1(KS1)

Year 3 to Year 6 form Key Stage 2(KS2)

The Foundation Stage has a curriculum based on the Early Learning Goals, and Desirable Outcomes

In KS1 pupils are taught the various components of English and Maths separately

and other areas on a topic basis.

In KS2 the subject areas are more individually taught with relevant integration where necessary.

Classes have currently around 30 pupils each.

Parents are invited to two evening meetings with class teachers and are provided with a written report in July.

A more detailed coverage of the National Curriculum subjects can be obtained from the Headteacher. In all Years, work is teacher led and given at a rate and level of achievement suitable to the needs of each child. Pupils are expected to work to the best of their ability at all times.

Charges for school activities

The Governors of the school have considered the question of charges with the Headteacher. There is a statement of policy which will be kept under review. Parents will be informed of any changes.

For full details of the policy please see appendix 1.

Discipline

Discipline is exercised via members of staff and consists of a balance of rewards and sanctions. Weekly merit badges are awarded and pupils can gain team-points for producing good work and for demonstrating good behaviour.

Class teachers also reward individual work and behaviour. At lunchtime pupils are under the care of welfare assistants directed by the a lunchtime supervisor who reports to the Headteacher.

A full discipline policy may be obtained from school.

If staff become aware of, or have a need to become involved in, situations where a child may be at risk of hurting themselves or others, or if the behaviour of a child seriously disrupts good order in the school or causes damage to property, staff may need to take steps to intervene physically. In such circumstances staff will follow the school’s policy for dealing with such situations. Any parent wishing to view this policy may do so on request.

Ethos

The school prides itself on good discipline, its pupil-staff relationships, and its liaison with other parents, the Church and the wider community.

School seeks the active support of parents both in the process of Education for their children and as a wider community in school.

Our aim is to develop the child as a whole, and to this end pupils are involved in a wide range of extra curricular activities, fund raising for charities and links with other groups.

Pupils have opportunities to participate in:

1. Sports Events – football, netball, athletics and swimming.
2. Judo
3. Library activities
4. Music activities
5. Dance
6. Cheerleading
7. Cookery
8. Choir
9. Science clubs
10. School Council
11. Eco Council
12. Woodland Classroom (Infants)

Healthy Eating

It is the Governors’ Policy to encourage healthy eating and therefore at mid-morning break KS2 pupils may bring fresh fruit, vegetables, or dried fruit brought in a non-disposable bag. Foundation Stage and KS1 are provided with fruit from the Government’s Healthy Eating Campaign. There is a ‘Healthy Tuck shop’ on Fridays.

In each class we also have water filters fitted. The idea being that each child has access to drinking water throughout the day, even in class, as and when required.

“Hearts of St Bart’s”

We are pleased to inform you that we have a thriving PTA – “Hearts of St Barts”. The annual meeting is held in March with a monthly meeting (except August) throughout the year. A copy of the aims and constitution is available from school. All are welcome to attend meetings. This group raises much needed funds to enable us to provide the ‘extras’ which the main school budget is not able to fund.

Holidays

Holidays in term time are not a ‘right’.This school believes that it would be better for your child’seducation if holidays were takenduring normal holiday periods.However, we understand that there may be occasionswhere this is not possible.

All requestsfor holidays in term time must bemade in advanceof making a firm booking andmaybe granted at the Headteacher’sdiscretion, dependanton the circumstances. The Headteacher has discretion to authorise up to 10 days absence during any one academic year. School work is not set for children missing school for a holiday.

A list of the holiday dates is at the back of this brochure.

Home Circumstances

Parents are asked to inform school of any changes to home circumstances which are relevant to school.

Homework

School has a homework policy, a letter is sent at the start of the year to advise parents of the range of activities and the timetable in class.

Work is sent home with pupils and parents are asked to supervise its completion.

Medical Matters

Parents are requested to inform school of any relevant medical condition. This information is kept in confidential files. Staff are not permitted to offer any medical attention to pupils beyond First Aid.

Should an accident occur where staff cannot reasonably act, it is the schools policy to contact the parent or other appointed adult.

The Headteacher reserves the right, in an emergency, to contact medical sources before the arrival of parents at school.

No medicines are to be brought into school.

Parents are asked to contact the Headteacher about any long-term medical condition.

Religious Education and Worship

This is an aided Church of England School and as such follows the rites and practices of that denomination.

Parents do have a right to withdraw their children from Acts of Worship and Religious Education. However, the Governors expect that having chosen to send their children to St Bartholomew’s, parents would wish their children to play a full part in the life of the school.

Acts of Christian worship are carried out daily either as a whole school or in separate departments. It is our practice for pupils to attend Church services at various times in the Church’s year. Acts of worship are led by members of staff, the Vicar and on occasions by invited guests.

Religious Education, which is taught to all age groups, has a Christian content. The Governors’ syllabus is agreed and its inspiration is the work produced by the Board of Education of the Diocese of Blackburn with some input from the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus. During the course, other faiths are acknowledged, particularly Judaism and Islam.

School Meals

During the lunch break parents may arrange for pupils to leave the school premises. In this case Governors request that pupils are escorted to and from school. Please note that there is no school crossing patrol on duty on Church Street at lunchtime. You MUST sign your child in/out in the register provided in the main entrance.

Alternatively pupils may eat in school, having a packed lunch or a school meal. For administrative purposes the choice of type of meal is made on a weekly basis. Parents are asked to comply with the following when providing a packed lunch:

Drinks are to be provided by parents and are to be cold, not carbonated and carried to school in a container with no element of glass.

School meals are currently priced at £1.90 per day, although this can be changed in the annual review of pricing.

Milk is provided in a morning to all KS1 pupils, if you do not wish your child to have milk or your child is allergic to milk, please can you inform the teacher and they will be offered a drink of water instead. Milk currently costs £6.00 per term but again this can be changed in the annual price review.

Security

In order to maintain good security in school, parents are asked to wait for children outside the building and not to ask children to open doors to enable them to enter the school building.

All visitors must report to the Office.

Sex Education

As part of the Health Education policy Governors have agreed a Sex Education Policy. This includes at Years 5 and 6 work on puberty and reproduction.

Parents are given details of the work in advance and may want to discuss this with staff first.

Special Needs

The school has a Special Needs Policy, which follows the National requirements and guidelines. The policy seeks to identify the needs of both able and less able pupils and to provide them with the relevant resources. The policy has various stages, parents are informed of action at all levels.

Sport in School

Sport plays a large part of school life. The school complies with all existing requirements for P.E/games lessons. These cover: gymnastics, netball, football, outdoor pursuits, swimming and athletics. Various other team games are included in our programme.

Our school takes part in a variety of sporting competitions against other schools in the town, district and surrounding region.

The school has a large playground and two halls but no other sporting facilities. However, the swimming baths are quite near and we are adjacent to a park. School also uses the nearby playing fields. Our school has a proud tradition of sporting achievement, which we seek to continue.

Transport of Pupils

Hire of Coaches

To comply with present legislation this school only hires coaches which are equipped with lap seat belts. All pupils sit one to each seat.

Educational Visits

All visits outside school are co-ordinated by staff with support from the Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC) who is the Headteacher. All visits are reported at the termly full meetings of the Governing Body.

The Governors have agreed that local visits such as traffic survey, visits to the town centre, walks around the park and visits to Church may be organised by staff under the guidance provided in the policy document.

Visits of a longer duration (half day or full day) which usually involve travel will be organised in advance. Parents will be informed and may be required to complete a medical form. All adults accompanying the visit will have clearance through the Criminal Records Bureau. All transport hired for visits complies with the regulations. Where charges are made this will be stated in the information to parents’ - please see Charging Policy.

Swimming – In years 3 and 5 pupils are taken swimming at Mercer Hall. There is no transport and pupils walk to the baths. At the end of the lesson pupils are brought back to school. Where this is the last lesson in the day pupils may arrive at school later than 3.30pm. Parents will be informed of such arrangements.

Sports and other events – Pupils take part in a number of events after school and in the evening. Where pupils are taken to the event in staff vehicles there is a check on the appropriate insurance arrangements. Information is sent to parents in advance of each event.

School Uniform

The wearing of school uniform is compulsory and checks are made that children are wearing the correct uniform. If you experience a problem in being able to provide the correct uniform at any stage, please do contact the Headteacher who will be happy to discuss this with you. We do also ask that correct PE kit is also worn.

Please ensure all clothing is named

Boys-Grey trousers (long or short)

White or yellow Polo Shirt

Green jumper or Sweatshirt (Sweatshirts may be bought through school)

Grey Socks

Black Shoes (No trainers/pumps)

Girls-Green/Grey Skirt

Grey/Black school type trousers

White or yellow Polo Shirt

Green Sweatshirt/cardigan

White Socks