Vision Statement
General Information
Our vision at Moorthorpe Primary School is to be a school that aspires to excellence in every area of life and to enable each child to fulfil their potential.
School Aims
ü To provide an environment where children can be happy, so that they are able to enjoy their education and realise their full potential.
ü To assist children in developing personal, moral, cultural, spiritual and social values.
ü To show respect for all religions and other ways of life.
ü To make all children feel valued and want them all to receive support according to their needs.
ü To maintain a learning environment where children feel challenged to the tasks that will develop their full intellectual abilities.
ü To recognise that the Primary School is just one stage of a child’s education, we consider close liaison with any local nursery or play school and any high school to be of considerable importance.
ü To help all children to promote a community with mutual respect for each individual and their particular needs, whatever their sex, colour or religion.
ü To maintain and develop in children, lively and enquiring minds, together with the appreciation of human achievements and hopes and to enjoy all aspects of school life.
ü To foster attributes that will instil self-confidence in children, create in them a sense of personal worth and help them to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life and to work in an ever changing world.
Organisation and Approach
Moorthorpe Primary School has a current pupil admission number of 45 and caters for school aged children between the ages of 3 to 11. It is envisaged that this number will be reduced to 30 children over 2013 to 2014. At present the school also has an attached Sure Start Children’s Centre.
Teaching Staff List by Class 2012
Nursery Emma Jackson
Reception Lynn Burton
Year 1 Claire
Year 2 Rebecca Farrell
Year 3 Beth Roberts
Year 4 Stephanie Hudson
Year 5 Sarah Cowan – Pauline Pollard
Year 6 Paul Leafe
Teaching Assistant Staff List 2012
Overall TA KS1 Karen Ogley
Year 1 SEN (attached) Stella Picton and Marie Adams
KS 2 Overall TA Donna McCoombe
SEN (attached ) Year 3 Joanne Morgan and Karen Cowpe (SENd pupil)
Year 6 Jane Painter
Nursery Nurses
Jayne Peacock
Jayne Wright
Cover Supervisors
Sharon Johnson
Angela Coupland
Office Staff
Barbara George
Janet Hardy (Learning Mentor)
Caretaker
Graham Brown
Governing Body
The Governing Body comprises of LEA representatives, Local Community representatives, parents and staff representatives.
The Governing Body meets in full every term and smaller committee groups meet regularly to support specific areas of the School’s organisation.
School Action Plan
As a result of our recent very successful OFSTED inspection the school is re-writing its current school action plan to incorporate the key areas of improvement identified with the inspection report.
Planning
All staff follow the agreed procedures for Assessment, Recording and Reporting. These policies are monitored, evaluated and reviewed regularly. All policies are available in the centrally held policy file. Please ask the school office if you require individual copies.
Testing/Assessment
End of Key Stage SATs (Y2 and Y6) are statutory requirements.
Optional SATs are carried out at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5. These tests are the externally marked by QCA.
All results are recorded. Data analysis is carried out by the Headteacher and Staff. The programme supports the pupil tracking process and informs future planning.
Resources – education stock, books and stationery
Staff have an agreed amount to cover the basic requirements for their classrooms and curriculum area. They liaise with the School Secretary/Bursar when ordering equipment.
Subject Leaders take responsibility to monitor the level and availability of resources.
Requests for unusual stock must be made in good time to ensure delivery.
Ordering of stock that is unusually expensive needs to be done in liaison with the Secretary/Bursar and the Headteacher.
Photocopying/Laminating
The school has facilities for photocopying and laminating documents. Please respect the Licensing Code.
Classroom Observations
Observations may be carried out by the Headteacher once per seasonal term. The focus for the observation will be agreed before the observation. (Performance Management – please see policy in office)
Verbal feedback will be given immediately. Written feedback and a one-to-one meeting will be arranged – all within a 24 hour period.
At least weekly all classes are observed by the SMT for the core purpose of improving the quality of teaching and learning to the agreed targets of at least 50% good or better by May 2012 and at least 80% good or better by September 2012.
School Governors are encouraged to visit. A monitoring schedule will be in place at the start of the new seasonal term so that staff are aware of the timings and purpose of these visits.
Parent Helpers
Parents are encouraged to volunteer their support in helping in the classroom. All volunteer helpers will go through a Police Check procedure. This will be arranged by the School Secretary.
Volunteer helpers must be supervised by the class teachers who are responsible for ensuring that the safety of children is maintained.
Homework Activities
Throughout the School children will be encouraged to do a little homework. Sometimes this may take the form of research or collecting interesting items to share with the class.
As the children get older the homework will be more specific, e.g. Y5 and Y6 children will be asked to complete fairly lengthy projects to support their school work.
Behaviour
A copy of the Behaviour Policy is held in a Policy File in the School Office. However, the standard of good behaviour is always high at Moorthorpe Primary School Primary School. Motivational posters are to be seen around the School.
Assembly talks support the need for respect, tolerance, kindness and honesty – the message is fully endorsed by all staff.
The School Day/Administration
School staff normally arrive before 8.00am. Children enter school from 8.40am onwards.
8.15 – 8.30 Whole staff briefing (led by a member of the SMT)
8. 40am School Day begins
8. 45am Lessons begin when administrative duties have been carried out
KS1 Break 10.25 until 10.40
KS2 Break 10.45 until 11.00
Lunch 12.00 Whole School
Afternoon Session 1.00 until 3pm – KS1
Afternoon Session 12.45 until 3pm – KS2
The class teacher should use their discretion when adults try to come into the classrooms before or after school. Class teachers may wish to make contact with parents before or after school. If this is a formal discussion the class teacher should inform the Headteacher or a senior member of staff.
Term Dates are available through the School Secretary.
Parents are requested not to take holidays in term time. Current school policy is that all in school leave requests are not authorised.
Absence notes and other correspondence should be dated, signed and sent to the office via the register.
Collective Worship and Choral Worship
There is a termly outline of themes and topics for Collective and Choral Worship
Teachers should bring their classes to assembly on time and in a quiet, calm manner.
School Performances
The school is a very proactive community and performances are very much part of life at Moorthorpe Primary School. Parents help to support their children with the making of costumes.
Some staff have the skills to make props or paint scenery. Please give plenty of notice of any such events that require a collaborative approach.
At the end of the performance there is always a collection for a named charity (chosen by the school council).
Registration and Attendance
An attendance register is taken at the beginning of the first session of the school day and again at the start of the afternoon session. Class teachers should indicate with a straight diagonal line if a child is present and a circle if the child is absent. If a child is late for the am or pm session this should be shown with a letter “L” in the middle of the circle.
The Register should be sent back to the office as soon as possible together with any correspondence. The School Secretary will then record the attendance electronically.
Lunchtimes
All staff should liaise carefully with each other to share information on any child who requires sensitive supervision during the lunch break. This may be because of a medical condition, an allergy to certain foods or perhaps, a behaviour problem.
Play Equipment
Through recent promotions the School has a variety of quality play equipment. It is the responsibility of the duty staff to ensure that the equipment is given out fairly and that the equipment is used properly.
End Of The Day
All class teachers are responsible for ensuring that the children are handed over into the care of the appropriate adult. Any child not collected on time should remain with the class teacher. After a reasonable lapse of time the class teacher should make reasonable efforts to make contact with a parent of the child. If necessary seek the help of another member of staff.
If A Child Is In Need Of Being Sent Home
When a child is unwell it is the responsibility of the class teacher to inform the Head Teacher or the School Secretary.
If it is decided that the child needs to go home, the Headteacher/School Secretary will telephone the parent of the child. The child may return to the class until picked up, or in extreme cases, wait in the School Office or staff room.
Emergency Procedure for Severe Weather
All staff are encouraged to listen to or Regular announcement will be aired with regard to school closures.
Staff Meetings
Staff meetings are normally weekly Tuesday after school at 3.30pm. Meetings should start by 3.30pm and end by 4.45pm. Regular LSA training sessions have now been organised with appropriate training based on CPD criteria.
Job Descriptions
Job descriptions will be reviewed on an annual basis in consultation with the Headteacher as part of the agreed performance management policy.
NQT Induction and Monitoring
The LEA organise a full NQT Induction Course. Any NQT at the school will have a senior member of staff to act as mentor. The Headteacher will have overall responsibility. At present the school is unable to mentor or appoint NQT’s as the school is designated Special Measures.
Student teachers, TA’s and LSA’s have the support of a mentor. They meet regularly and the mentor then liaises with the Headteacher. Performance management interviews are held annually.
Staff Absence
Staff should inform the school at the earliest opportunity if they become unwell and cannot report for work. Please make every effort to telephone your line manager – Eddie/Pauline
Any request for a leave of absence should be discussed with the Headteacher. The Headteacher will make any decisions but members of the Governing body may have to be informed.
Supply Teachers
The Headteacher will have overall responsibility for supply cover for absent teachers, however, the School Secretary will normally be the person who deals with the administrative procedures.
Most supply teachers are already known to the school. For any supply teachers that are new, the Headteacher will meet with them before the start of the school day. In the absence of the Headteacher, a senior member of staff will offer support and necessary classroom/school information.
If a class teacher has a planned absence such as a training course, medical appointment etc, please leave plans and appropriate work for the class.
Pupil Voice
There is a well established Student Council led by Claire Turner Year 1.
INSET Days
The school takes five Staff Development Days per academic year. The content of the days will vary but the focus will be on areas that are prioritised in the School Action Plan.
Records and Reporting to Parents
Records/files are housed in the School Office. Class teachers will keep their own classroom records and any relevant notes.
Results of all Key Stage SATs and Optional SATs are electronically recorded.
The School reports the progress of the pupils in an official written annual report.
The School offers parents the opportunity to meet and discuss their child’s progress in the form of Parent Consultation Evenings.
These are normally arranged in Terms 1 & 4. After parents receive the Annual Report (Term 6) they have the option of requesting a further appointment with the School.
Interviewing and Meeting with Parents
The School operates an “Open Door” policy. However, a request may be made from school or from the home to meet and discuss matters on a more formal basis.
Parents are encouraged to speak firstly with the Class Teacher about any queries or concerns. It is often best to be immediate with enquiries about individual children, but, if this is not possible, an interview date should be arranged as soon as possible.
Safeguarding Children and Child Protection
The School Designated Person is Stephanie Hudson and Pauline Pollard in her absence please refer to the Head teacher.
Guidelines for School Staff
DISCLOSURE
What to do if a child starts to disclose abuse
Reassure the child that s/he is right to tell and is not to blame
DO NOT promise not to tell anyone else; explain that you have to make sure the child is safe and may need to ask other adults to help you to do this
DO NOT question the child; let her/him tell you what s/he wants to tell you and no more; s/he may need to have to disclose to a specialist later, and too much detail now may interfere with later investigations.
When the child is finished, make sure s/he feels secure; explain what you are going to do next.
Write down notes, including the date and time of the interview and sign them; record as much as you can remember, using the child’s own words.
What to do if you are concerned:
immediately inform the designated person in the school
Every school is required by DfES (now DCSF) Guidance ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’ to designate a member of staff for child protection (DCPC). It is essential that all staff know who this is (and who to inform if they are not available).