St Paul S Constable Lee CE Primary School

St Paul S Constable Lee CE Primary School

SCHOOL PROSPECTUS

ACADEMIC YEAR 2010-2011

The information in this prospectus is provided mainly for the benefit of parents who may be considering admission of their child to the school. We hope that you find the contents useful. Please do not hesitate to contact the school should you require any additional help or information.

This prospectus was correct in September 2010, and to the best of our knowledge complies with all the relevant requirements of the Education Act 1980 and subsequent regulations.

St Paul’s Constable Lee CE Primary School

Teaching Staff:

Ms. S HowardHead teacher
Mrs C ReganAssociate Head teacher

Miss. E Harrison Assistant Head teacher - Hummingbirds (Rec)

Mrs. Julie GreenAssistant Head teacher – Sandpipers (Y5/6)

Miss K HaczyckiTLR Transition Unit – Golden Eagles (Y6)

Mrs. Carol WoodsClass teacher – Doves (Y4/5)

Mrs. L Cooper Class teacher – Cuckoos (Y3/4)

Miss K RimmerClass teacher – Greenfinches (Y3/2)

Mr. A ToddClass teacher – Magpies (Y2)

Mrs. K Sutcliffe Class teacher – Robins (Y1)

Mrs. J Sheffield Class teacher – Wrens (Rec/Y1)

Mrs H Mulley*Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Mr. G Preston * PPA Teacher

Mrs R Lee*PPA Teacher

* Denotes part-time teachers

Support Staff:

Teaching Support Manager – Mrs A Phipps (HLTA)

Teaching Assistants - Mrs. D. Dean, Mrs J Smith, Mrs. A. Riley,

Mrs. H. Kay, Mrs. K. Mc Erlean, Ms. L. Poston, Mrs. G. Wootton, Mrs H Nolan, Mrs C White, R Kelly

Non Teaching Support

Miss R WardAdministrator

Mrs J BarberAdmin Assistant

Miss E WardReprographic Assistant

Mr D LomaxSite Supervisor

Mrs. C HindleSchool Cook

Welfare assistants:Mrs. C Stanley, Mrs. J Stott, Mrs. V Taylor, Mrs S Scholes, Mrs L Dickinson, Mrs C Woodall, Mrs R Morris, Mr D Rush

The Governing Body

The roles and responsibilities of the School Governing Body have increased steadily over the last 20 years. They work with the Headteacher and Staff to ensure that the school is managed efficiently and that the children in the school receive the best possible education.

Governors represent different sectors of the community, including Parent Governors who are selected by election to serve a term of 4 years.

Our present Governors (as at 1st September) are:

Mr. A. DeanCommunity Governor – Chair of Governors

Mr. S. WoottonParent Governor - Vice Chair of Governors

Mrs. D. Crawforth Foundation Governor

Rev M. ShortFoundation Governor

Mr Mark FentonFoundation Governor

Mrs. R. HeeksParent Governor

Mrs. K. MychaljashynParent Governor

Mr G. JacksonParent Governor

VacancyParent Governor

Mr. S. VarleyCommunity Governor

Miss. E. HarrisonStaff Governor

Miss E. WardStaff Governor

Mrs M BuchananLEA Governor

Ms. S. HowardHead teacher

Our Mission Statement

‘The family of St Paul’s Constable Lee; moving forwards together’

Admissions

Children who will be five during the school year (1st September to 31st August) are admitted in the autumn term. The maximum number of children that we can admit is 40.

You are very welcome to look around before you make your choice, and we strongly advise you to do so. If you wish to make an appointment to look around the school, or to register your child’s name, please contact Miss Ward at the school office.

If a situation arises where there are more applications than places then priority will be given to:

i) A child who has a brother or sister already in the school

ii) A child for whom the authority accepts that there are strong medical, social or welfare reasons for admission.

In allocating remaining places the distance between home and school becomes a factor. You may ask to see the admissions policy if you wish.

Admission booklets containing application forms are available from school.

To make the process of applying for a place as easy as possible, parents must either apply on-line or complete a paper application form (not both). Completed paper applications should be returned to your local Area Education Office (details below).

All applications must be submitted by Saturday 15 January 2011. Offers of Primary School places will be issued by second class post on Tuesday 26 April 2011. The letters may therefore arrive at parents' home addresses at various times depending on the postal service in a particular locality.

A copy of the admission policy for our Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools can be found on the school website or on the Lancashire County Council website.


Address: / Area Pupil Access Team
East Lancashire - Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale
Area Education Office East, The Globe
St James Square
Accrington
BB5 0RE
Phone: / 01254 220742 or 01254 220718
Email: /
  • Job vacancies

Address: / Online School Admissions
Support Helpline
Lancashire County Council, Red Rose Hub, Bluebell Way
Fulwood
Preston
Lancashire
PR2 5PZ
Phone: / 0845 053 0030

Getting Ready for School

You and your child will have an opportunity to visit school on several occasions during the term before he/she starts school. This gives the child the chance to see what school is like and to get to know the Class Teacher, Teaching Assistant and other children who will be starting school at the same time. You will receive a starting school information pack and an invitation to an information evening.

Parents often ask:

“What can I do to help my child before he/she starts school?”

Here are some suggestions:

 Encourage your child to notice everyday things and talk about them

 Read stories to your child, encourage your child to listen carefully

 Count things together, talk about shapes, colours, patterns and differences

 Watch television together and talk about what you watch

 Try to encourage correct speech, don’t accept ‘baby talk’

More practical ways to prepare your child for school include:

  • Practise dressing and undressing
  • Teach your child to use the toilet properly
  • Teach your child how to use a knife, fork and spoon properly
  • Show your child how to blow his/her nose
  • Teach your child to share and take turns with toys and games

Secondary Transfer

The arrangements for transfer to Secondary School take place in Year 6. Details of the schools and forms for parents to express their preferences are distributed at the beginning of the Autumn term of the child’s final year at Primary School. A meeting is held , in school, by LA Admissions representatives for parents in the Autumn term to enable them to find out more about the admissions process prior to completing the forms.

During this term children are invited to visit the various schools before making their choice.

The school has very good relationships with the local Secondary schools and particularly with our partner schools, Alder Grange Community and Technology School and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.

Children wishing to transfer to the Grammar School must currently sit an entrance exam.

The school takes part in a variety of activities aimed at easing the transition to secondary school.

School Organisation

Our school is organised into 3 units depending on the child’s age:

Foundation Stage UnitReception and Year 1

Transition UnitYears 2, 3 and 4

Upper UnitYears 4, 5 and 6

Each of these Units is led by a Unit Head who is an experienced teacher and member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Due to our varying admission number between year groups, some classes have mixed age teaching. Classes are organised after taking a wide range of factors into account. These include the children’s academic and social needs.

The classes as of 1st September 2010 are as follows:

Foundation Unit

HummingbirdsReception and Year 1

WrensReception and Year 1

Robins Year 1

Transition Unit

MagpiesYear 2

GreenfinchesYear 3 and Year 2

CuckoosYear 3 and Year 4

Upper Unit

DovesYear 4 and 5

SandpipersYear 5 and Year 6

Golden EaglesYear 6

Year 6 comprise all the children who are 11 in the current academic year and who will transfer to secondary schools in the following September.

The School Day

School starts at 8.50am and finishes at 3.10pm for all children.

All children in the Transition and Upper Unit have a break from 10.15am to 10.30am.

Infant children have their lunch break between 11.55am and 1.00pm

Junior children break for lunch at 12.05pm until 1.00pm

The Curriculum

The school aims to provide a broad and interesting curriculum, in accordance with the National Curriculum 2000, which will enable consistency and continuity and motivate children. We are very committed to and proud of our achievement in all areas of the curriculum, including the arts and physical education.

We put great emphasis on the teaching of basic Literacy, Numeracy and ICT. We teach these subjects across the curriculum as much as possible, giving children the chance to use the skills learnt in these core subjects.

We also teach Modern Foreign Languages (French) throughout Key Stage 2.

In addition the school has recently agreed an updated Sex and Relationship Education Policy, which reflects the school’s participation in the Healthy School’s Initiative and its status as a Church of England Voluntary Controlled School.

Road Safety

Children learn about Road Safety as part of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education). Children in the Foundation Unit also follow the Right Start Pedestrian Training Programme, which uses both first hand experience and classroom activities to teach children how to keep safe on the roads. Children in Y6 have the opportunity to study Cycling Proficiency Modules 1- 3; which range from classroom based activities to on the road training.

The school has developed a joint travel plan with Alder Grange Technology College which strives to educate and inform children about sustainable and safe travel to and from school.

Religious Education and Collective Worship

St Paul’s Constable Lee is a church school and our teachings are Christian based, though aspects of all other religions are taught. Religious Education is taught in accordance with the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus and the Diocesan of Manchester Syllabus. There is a daily act of worship as required by the 1944 Education Act.

The school attends St Paul’s Church throughout the school year with special celebrations taking place during Harvest, Christingle, Christmas and Easter.

There is also an opportunity for children new to Reception and children leaving Year 6 to attend a specific service.

The Christian nature of the school is important in every aspect of school life, and the school has positive links with the Church and the wider community.

Parents who wish to withdraw their children from Worship for religious reasons should discuss the matter with the Headteacher.

Foundation Stage

In the Foundation Stage, children progress through Stepping Stones and the Early Learning Goals as they follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

Much of this early learning is developed through structured play and planned learning experiences, focused on the six areas of learning:

Communication Language and Literacy (CLL)

Numbers and Mathematical Development (MD)

Knowledge and Understanding of the World (KUW)

Creative Development (CD)

Physical Development (PD)

Personal, Social and Emotional Development. (PSED)

Within the FS Unit there are specific rooms set up for the teaching of CLL and MD where the children have timetabled access to these areas and move between the rooms with their class teacher and support staff. The children also have access to the outdoor environment to enable them to take their Literacy and Numeracy learning outside.

Each Reception class also has timetabled access to the shared area where they can develop their KUW and CD.

All children in the FS Unit have a daily phonics lesson following the DCSF programme ‘Letters and Sounds’.

The FS Unit have a thematic approach to the curriculum and in the afternoons children move around the Unit to access their topic work with ‘Plan do and Review Time’ where children are actively encouraged to make decisions and choices about their own learning and to review their progress and decisions made. The staff have an integral role to scaffold the children’s learning through the use of observations and high order questioning. This enables the staff the make on going assessments about what the children can do and informs the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP).

Children within the FS Unit have their own daily act of Collective Worship; however they do join the whole school for special assemblies and Celebration Assembly.

If you would like any further information about the Foundation Unit, please ask to speak to Miss Harrison at the office.

Extra Curricular Activities

We are proud of the range of extra curricular activities offered at the school. These change according to availability and time of the year.

We currently offer:Netball Club(Years 3-6)

Football Club(whole school)

Handball Club(Years 5-6)

Tag Rugby Club(Years 5-6)

Athletics Club(Years 5-6)

Choir(whole school)

Keyboard/recorders(Years 2-6)

Guitar(Years 3-6)

Cookery Club(Years 3-6)

To enable the maximum number of children to take part, different activities are offered to different age groups throughout the year.

Assessment

Assessment refers to all forms of testing and marking and begins in Reception and continues throughout your child’s time in school.

A baseline assessment is carried out within a few weeks of your child starting school to determine the level they are at before formal education starts.

This is done on a one to one basis. The children are reassessed at the end of Reception, to assess the progress made during Reception.

Reception class teachers also complete the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP), which records your child’s progress throughout the year.

This is discussed with parents at Parents’ Evenings and forms the basis of the end of year school report.

Throughout the rest of the school children are assessed in two main ways:

> Formal / external assessments: which are usually yearly

> Informal / internal assessments: these are teacher assessments that are both ongoing and half termly or termly.

Teacher Assessments are made using ‘Assessing Pupils Progress’ (APP) and give an overview of the wide range of skills, knowledge and their application across the whole of the subjects.

The formal assessments are the SATs tests, which are statutory in Years 2 and 6 for Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.

We use a range of other external assessments such as QCA assessment materials to assess your child’s progress at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5.

Each year we also use PIPS assessments for all year groups, these assessments are carried out in different months according to the Year group your child is in.

These assessments are used to enable the teachers to set targets for each child. It is important to remember that children mature at different rates and so it is difficult to compare children with others in the same class- what is more important is that these assessments help to confirm whether each child is making satisfactory, or better, progress, and to enable early identification of possible areas where a child may need specific support. Information gained from these assessments is discussed with parents at consultation evenings or at other meetings with parents regarding children’s progress and welfare.

You will be invited to Parents’ Evenings in the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms. It is imperative that you attend these evenings as this is a valuable opportunity to see how well your child is doing and raise any concerns that you may have.

An annual progress report is issued at the end of the academic year.

Home School Links

We have an active PTA which organises social / fund raising events in school and also gives parents and carers an opportunity to meet other parents and staff, and to become involved in school on a more informal basis.

The PTA organise annual events such as the Christmas Fair, Easter Eggstravaganza, Family Fun Nights, Fashion Shows and the annual Summer Spectacular. These events prove to be extremely popular and are a great way to meet news friends whilst raising valuable funds for school.

Over the past few years monies raised by PTA members have helped to fund school trips and visitors to school as well as buying extra resources such as digital cameras for use in class.

What can parents do to help their children’s primary education to be successful?

 Support the aims of the school and encourage a positive attitude to learning and behaviour

 Ensure that your child attends school regularly and is punctual

 Give time to your child to discuss your child’s day at school; read stories and visit the town library; ensure that homework is completed

 Support the school’s home reading programme and continue to read with your child, following the guidelines given, even though your child may appear to be a fluent reader