Nothing Should Stand in Your Way!

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NOTHING SHOULD STAND IN YOUR WAY!

2017-2018

Ysgol Beca

Efailwen

Clunderwen

Sir Gaerfyrddin

SA66 7UX

Ffôn/Tel:01994 419 423

E-bost/E-mail:

Gwefan/ Website:

Pennaeth/Head Teacher: Mr. Eirwyn J Griffiths

Cadeirydd y Llywodraethwyr/Chair of Governors: Dr Ffion John

Welcome to Ysgol Beca

Dear Parents,

It gives us pleasure to present you with the details, which are in this booklet. Our aim at Ysgol Beca is to create a safe, kind and happy world for the pupils. Our hope is to provide relevant and memorable experiences for the children so that they will enjoy the present and, at the same time, develop to be independent and balanced individuals becoming kind, caring and responsible citizens.

Naturally, the details in this booklet are subject to change, and change may influence arrangements during the school year.

Mission Statement for Ysgol Beca

We will work together to establish a lively, nurturing, supportive and traditionally Welsh environment which encourages each individual to reach their full potential educationally, creatively, physically and emotionally.

We prepare every child to be a valuable member of the modern society and will ensure education of the highest standard through varied experiences, in order to enhance the life choices of all who are members of the school community.

General Aims and Objectives of our School

The main aim of our school is to ensure that every child is happy here and that all pupils fulfil their potential intellectually, physically, emotionally and socially.
To help the pupils to develop lively, enquiring minds, with the ability to question and debate logically.
To develop the pupils interest, knowledge and skills in Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Information Technology and in the world around them.
To teach the pupils to work together and to create a tolerance in each child towards others irrespective of background, colour and creed.
Create an awareness and appreciation of environment, language, culture and locality in the pupil and to ensure that Welsh inheritance is introduced to each child.
To give children an idea about moral values.
To create in the child an awareness of the need of personal hygiene, politeness and courtesy and try to instil self respect for others and develop strong attitudes and values.
To teach the pupils about the Bible and the Christian beliefs.
To work closely with the parents and community for the benefit of the child.
To ensure that all pupils take part in a variety of Physical and Aesthetic Activities in order to develop individual talents and skills.

THE GOVERNING BODY

Chairperson - Dr Ffion John

Vice chairperson - Mr Michael Fussell

a). Representing the Authority

Cllr D. J. R. Llewellyn

Mr M Fussell

b). Parent Governor

Dr. Ffion John

Mrs. Sian Davies

Mr Daniel Esteve

c). Community Governor

Mr J Williams

Mr Gary Brame

Mrs Meinir Eynon

d). Teacher Governor

Miss Carys Evans

f). Headteacher Governor

Mr. Eirwyn J. Griffiths

Meet the Staff

Headteacher

Mr. Eirwyn J Griffiths (Shared with Ysgol Llys Hywel)

Teaching Staff

Mr Marc Bowen –Teaches years 5 and 6

Miss Carys Evans –Teaches years 3 and 4

Mrs Helen Thomas –Teaches nursery, reception year 1and 2

Support Assistants

Mrs. Elinor Twose (Foundation Phase)

Mrs Cynthia Morgan (Supporting pupils with their development)

Miss Jessica Hughes (supporting a child 1:1)

Mrs Alicia Williams (supporting a child 1:1)

Ancillary Staff

Mrs. Lynwen Freeman – Cook in Charge

Mrs Mandy Acott – Assistant cook

Miss. Einir Evans – Mid-day Supervisor

Miss Leanne Dunn – Mid-day Supervisor

Mr. Dennis Jones – Cleaner and Caretaker

Mrs Irene Davies –School Support Officer

Athrawon Perapetetig/ Peripatetic Teachers

Miss Helen Standing – cynnig gwersi cerdd/ offering individual music lessons

Summary of Ysgol Beca
Ysgol Beca is a Welsh medium Community Primary School (Infants/Juniors) which is open daily for the pupils.
Pupils between the ages of 4 - 11 are taught at Ysgol Beca. The catchment area of the school comprises of the following villages - Login, Llanglydwen, Hebron, Glandy Cross, Ffynnonwen and Efailwen. The classes are organised into 3 classes of mixed ability age groups.

Admission Policy For Children

Full time in the September, January and April during the term they have their 4th birthday. The school is available to all pupils of primary school age and admission is possible at any point during the term. When you wish your child to starts the school you must make a formal application to Carmarthenshire County Council through their website They will then decide if your child can start the school after considering a range of factors. Application forms are available at the schoolIf a child with a disability would like to start in the school them alterations can be done in order to improve accessibility. The Council through its Admissions Manager must direct Governing Bodies, and through them the headteachers, to make it clear to parents that when an out-of-catchment child is admitted to any school that it will may have an implication when the child transfers to secondary education. It does not follow that admission to a primary school automatically allows admission to the catchment secondary; it is the home address of the pupil which is the determining factor. Parental feedback during the Admission Appeals process suggests that there are cases where this information is not made clear at the outset.
School’s classes
Carn Gyfrwy - Foundation phase children, 4, 5, 6 &7 year old children (full time)
Carn Menyn – Key stage 2, 7 – 9 year olds
Cwm Cerwyn - Key Stage 2,9 - 11 year old
SCHOOL DAY

Foundation Phase 23and 30 minutes a week

K.S 2 23 hours and 30 minutes a week

These hours include Religious Education, but not the daily statutory act of worship, registration and break times.
9:00 a.m start of morning session for each class
10:30-10:50a.m break time
12.00- 12.45 lunch time
3:00p.m end of day - home time
Visiting Arrangements
Parents who wish to visit the school should make prior arrangements with the Head Teacher by phoning the school. Parent’s evenings are arranged in the Autumn and Spring term to give parents the opportunity to discuss their child’s development with the school. An open evening is also held following the school reports in the summer term which gives parent the opportunity to respond to the reports. Occasionally, the school will hold curriculum evenings to explain to parents the teaching techniques used at the school. If parents have a message to pass onto the teachers they may also do this by telling the member of staff on yard duty when transferring the pupils.

Language Policy.

The aim is to ensure balanced age related bilingualism in all pupils to enable them to be full members of the bilingual society of which they are a part. Ysgol Beca is a Welsh medium school. Welsh is the natural language of the school, and morning assemblies and school functions are conducted mainly in Welsh. English is introduced to children as a subject from Year 3 onwards with KS 2 pupils receiving around 20% of their lessons through English.

The provision made by the school should ensure that all pupils are able to communicate in Welsh and English. All pupils at Ysgol Beca will become aware of the Welsh culture and heritage of which we have the privilege of being a part of. The continuation of their Welsh language skills is encouraged into secondary school. Most children leaving Ysgol Beca go to Ysgol y Preseli which is a Welsh Medium School. However, children wishing to go to Ysgol Dyffryn Taf join their Welsh Medium class as a rule.

Attendance and Punctuality

The pupils are encouraged to arrive in school punctually and to attend regularly. If a child is absent, a phone call from a parent to the school would be appreciated before 9:15am to explain the absense. In addition to this, if a child is absent the teachers would appreciate a note explaining the absence. Regular attendance enables the teacher to ensure that the pupils make progress according to their ability. Absences could inhibit this progress.

The teachers are not responsible for the safety of the children before 8:45am or after 3:15pm

The school starts at 9 am and a late mark will be given on the register if a child is late and registration has finished. The school will contact the Educational Welfare Officer if pupils are continuously late or are absent without permission.

Holidays During Term Time

Parents must complete a ‘Holiday Request’ form if they take their child/ren on holiday during the school term. It is the head teacher’s decision to authorise a term time holiday. If the pupil’s attendance level is low, permission is refused and parents decide to take them on holiday during the term, then this could lead to a fine from the local authority.

Attendance Statistics

Year / 2014-2015 / 2015-16 / 2016-17
Attendance / 96.2% / 96.9%
Unauthorised / 0% / 0.09%

Religious Education and Collective Worship

The school has no direct or formal affiliation with any religious denomination. The religious education provided is based on the Local Authority’s agreed syllabus, a copy of which may be examined at the school.

The children worship collectively on a daily basis as a school or as a class. The collective worship in the school will not be based on a particular religion but will reflect the fact that Christianity is the main religion of the country.

Arrangements can be made for children whose parents do not wish them to attend religious services or religious education lessons. If you would like to exercise this right please discuss the matter with the headteacher.

Sex Education

Sex Education is part of Personal and Social Education. We will help prepare the pupils to develop responsible and healthy approaches to personal relationships and understand more about themselves, their feelings, the feelings of others, physical and emotional development, family life, along with pastoral and social matters. The school will provide an open environment and a developmental programme which will prepare every pupil in our care to manage his/ her personal relationship in regards to being fit, healthy and responsible; understanding the physical and emotional development of their bodies. We will develop and nurture skills, attitudes and information to promote self respect and self worth in order to live a fulfilled and happy life. The school nurse will also be invited to the school to discuss specific aspects of sex education during the Summer Term, with years 5 and 6.

Protecting children

The school has in place procedures and policies in order to protect the children. The governor with responsibility over this issue is Dt Ffion John and the member of staff is Mr Eirwyn Griffiths with Mrs Helen Thomas deputising in his absence. We are following the All Wales Child Protection Procedures which have been endorsed by the local child protection authority. The purpose of these procedures are to prevent the incidents of child mistreatment, support children and to report any cases. The staff are in a good position to recognise external signs of mistreatment since they are in daily contact with the pupils. A full copy of the policy can be seen in the back of this handbook.

The site is locked to visitors when pupils are in the building. Visitors must also sign in on entry to the site. When pupils are on the yard playing there are 2 members of staff supervising with one focussing on the front gate, the only access point to the school. Yard duty starts 15 minutes before the school opens. Every practical and reasonable effort is made to ensure safe and healthy conditions for the benefit of all the children and adults who use the school buildings and yard. An audit of the school premisses is completed tremly. Children, teachers, ancillary staff and support workers are aware of safety issues involved when-

working with scientific equipment, design and technology and physical education equipment
moving from one activity to the next
supervising children at break time

School rules concerning safety are regularly revised:

no running within the school
no climbing on the walls and gates outside the building
no glass containers in school
always be aware of others when moving within the school and when leaving the school
keep to the rules in Physical Education and swimming and dress suitably
no playing in the immediate area outside the school perimeter
hold a fire drill every term
all children will be asked to vacate the school building during break.

A detailed risk assessment is made if staff and children are to engage in an activity that poses an element of risk.

Medicine in School

All members of staff are trained in First aid. Staff are happy to administer medicine. However, we ask parents to see the Head Teacher and complete the ‘Administration of Medicines’ form, if any medicine is to be given to their child or if a child suffers from any sickness or allergies which need special attention. This includes asthma pumps. If the medicine to be administered requires additional skills, then the school will arrange training for the staff.

Vehicles on school premisses

Your child’s safety and wellbeing is our main priority at Ysgol Beca.

Thank you for your co-operation.

No vehicle should enter the school grounds.
All children should remain in the vehicles once they have left the school.
No vehicle should leave the school premises until all the pupils are under safe supervision.
Ensure that your child is wearing a seat belt before leaving the school premises.

Inclement Weather

During inclement weather no child should be sent to school until it is certain that the school is open and that the teachers have arrived at the school. The parents should telephone the school at around 8.45 a.m. and if no teacher has arrived, they should phone at 15 minute intervals until a satisfactory reply has been received. If there is no school, the information will be on local Radio Stations, on the school website, the county’s website and a text message will also be sent to parents. During the day, if you have any doubts regarding the snow, please collect your children. Information will also be on the website

Parents will be informed if the children are to be sent home early, for whatever reason.

The Area Office and the Chairman of Governors will be informed if and when the school has to close.

The Curriculum.

We aim to ensure that we prepare a broad based curriculum which will promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of every child. The curriculum is taught using an investigative thematic approach. However, language and mathematics are taught as discrete subjects. The subjects that we study changes every ½ term.

Education for children 3 to 7 Years of Age – Foundation Phase

Children receive a curriculum based on six areas of development in the foundation phase Framework.

language , literacy and communication skills
personal and social development, well being and cultural diversity
mathematical development
knowledge and understanding of the world
physical development
creative development

The Foundation Phase curriculm is statutory for the Nursery, Reception,years 1 and 2. The main aims and priciples of the Foundation Phase are to help children;

learn how to learn

develop thinking skills

nurture and aquire positive attitudes to lifelong learning

become confident, independent learners who are brimming with enthusiasm for their education and learning

Education for Seven to Eleven Years of Age- Key Stage 2

The National Curriculum consists of the following subjects-

CORE SUBJECTS

Language, Welsh and English

Mathematics

Science

FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

History

Information Technology and Communication

Geography

Religious Education

Music

Art

Design and Technology

Physical Education.

Personal and Social Education

Method of Monitoring Progress

Every year in the Autumn and Spring Terms, Open Evenings are held for parents, so that they may see their child’s work and discuss his / her development with the teacher. A written progress report on each pupil is sent out to parents at the end of the Summer Term.

Parents are also welcome to visit the school at any time convenient to the teacher and parents to discuss their child’s progress or any problems that may arise. Parents with anxieties about their child’s educational, behavioural or physical developments are invited to discuss that problem with the Headteacher in order to try and resolve the problem. Often the above problems can be dealt with successfully at school.

The school track each individual child from the moment they enter the school. We use teacher assessment and standardised tests as a basis for this tracking. If pupils have difficulty in their educational developemtn then intervention is put in place. The data is also used to ensure all pupils make appropriate development in the school. You are welcome to ask for the data we hold on your child at any time and we will be happy to discuss this data with you.

Additional Learning Needs

The Education Act of 1993 placed a responsibility on all schools to provide a whole school policy for pupils with special needs so that the pupils have an equal curricular and social opportunity within the school. The school uses the same methods to recognise More able and talented pupils and pupils who require small targeted support to reach their full potential.