Information Booklet
Updated Autumn 2016
WHALEY BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Mission Statement
We aim to provide a rich and varied curriculum in a warm and caring environment within our community of Whaley Bridge. Equality of access to an agreed philosophy of learning and teaching gives all of our children the opportunity to fulfil their maximum potential.Aims
- To work in partnership with pupils, staff, parents, governors and the wider community of Whaley Bridge to achieve high standards and excellence in all aspects of education.
- To give each child equal opportunity and full entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum.
- To foster positive attitudes and caring relationships.
- To nurture spiritual, moral and social development.
- To provide quality resources and a stimulating environment.
- To seek continual improvement.
School address: Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge, High Peak, SK23 7HX
Telephone:01663 732354 (Line 1)
Fax.no:01663 735014 (Fax & Line 2)
Text:07786207 779
Website:wbps.org.uk
e-mail:
WHALEY BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)
Welcome to Whaley Bridge Primary School.
We hope your time spent with us during your visit will be enjoyable and will help you feel relaxed and part of our school.
The information enclosed in this booklet is merely an introduction to a happy and hard- working school and hopefully will give you a flavour of the school’s ethos and values.
Please feel that you can discuss the contents of this booklet either whilst on your visit, or at any other time in the future - we are always happy to help.
With best wishes
Mrs F Walton
Head Teacher
Local Education AuthorityHigh Peak and Derbyshire Dales
Kents Bank Road
Buxton
SK17 9HJ
Tel: 01629 533500
Derbyshire County CouncilCounty Hall
Matlock
DE4 3AG
Tel: 01629 580000
2016/2017 SCHOOL STAFF
Head TeacherMrs F Walton B.Ed (Hons)
Deputy HeadteacherMiss ABerresford
Head of Enhanced ResourceMrs L Chadwick
Reception J/BMrs S Jacevicius/Miss A Berresford
Reception HMrs A Heys
Class 1MMiss H Mansfield
Class 2TMrs S Thirsk
Class 3/4LMiss J Lomas
Class 3/4WMrs L Wilson
Class 4/5WMiss J Worsley
Class 5FMiss C Farrell
Class 6GMrs S Green
Teaching AssistantsMrs D BradleyMrs P Moorcroft
MissS BushMrs J Chadwick
Mrs R CheadleMrs M Barnett
Mrs J L ArnfieldMrs A Ryder
Mrs J ArnfieldMiss L Chambers
Mrs S LawesMrs S Adams
School Business OfficerMrs L Sowerby
School Business AssistantsMrs K Bingle
Mrs H Casey
Swimming InstructorMs G Ellis
Mrs H Goodall
CaretakerMr I Spencer
GOVERNORS OF THE SCHOOL
HEAD TEACHER / Mrs F WaltonSTAFF GOVERNOR / Mrs S Green
PARENT GOVERNORS / Mrs H Gilbert
Mr C Lomax
LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR / Mrs A Winter (Chair)
CO-OPTED GOVERNORS / Mr IBingle (Vice- Chair)
Mr KHufton
Mrs L Wilson
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS / Miss ABerresford
Mrs L Chadwick (SENCO)
Mrs A Heys
Mrs L Wilson
Mrs L Sowerby
THE SCHOOL
Whaley Bridge Primary School has approximately 260 pupils from 4 to 11 years old. It was built in 1911 and is set in beautiful grounds with generous playing fields, hard surfaces and swimming pool for sporting and leisure activities. The school has always maintained a fine tradition of high academic standards whilst offering a rich variety of musical, artistic, creative, practical and sporting activities to stimulate and develop individual talents.
The curriculum is carefully structured and planned to offer an education that is broad based, balanced, relevant and differentiated to the needs of every pupil. We promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of our pupils in a secure, friendly, stimulating and aesthetically pleasing environment.
The needs of the individual child are paramount and we aim to develop potentials fully, whilst recognising the need to equip each child with basic skills, areas of knowledge and the positive attitudes needed for future learning, secondary education and adult life.
The School has Enhanced Resource status, which means children with Special Educational Needs from a wide geographical area are integrated into our mainstream to receive the benefit of:
- Staff with expertise in ERS
- Integration of childrenwith special educationalneeds with experienced
TA support
- Delivery of a differentiatedcurriculum within therequirements of the
National Curriculum
- Enthusiastic mainstream staff who welcome into their classes children with special educational needs
- School buildings adapted to meet the needs of a variety of special educational needs
- Swimming pool - swimming once a week
- Extensive school grounds providing a range of learning opportunities.
CHARGING POLICY
All children will be invited to join in our educational visits during their stay at Whaley Bridge Primary. Visits form an exciting and highly motivational aspect of school life. Parents are often asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of educational visits. No child would be excluded because of inability to contribute, but if insufficient parents felt able to make some contribution then visits may have to be cancelled. A full copy of the Charging Policy is available on request.
SCHOOL BAGS
A school book bag and a P.E. bag are available at a cost of £3.50 each respectively from the school office.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
The school colours are navy blue, grey, black and white, making the uniform easy and inexpensive to purchase, with lots of choice of manufacturers. Zip fleeces, sweatshirts, cardigans and polo shirts with the school crest embroidered on the front are available on-line from or Headmasters within New Mills Market. In the summer girls may wear gingham dresses in blue.
PE kit should be a blue or white top with blue or black shorts and black elasticated pumps. Plain blue or black tracksuit bottoms and hooded tops and trainers may be worn for outside activities.
We would like to stress the importance of children wearing sensible flat shoes, and that trainers and trainer boots are suitable only for outdoor games. Pupils should not wear high heeled shoes or boots for school.
We do not encourage children to wear jewellery and accept no responsibility for loss or damage. Earrings must be removed for PE and swimming. Nail varnish or temporary tattoos should also not be worn in school.
SCHOOL MEALS
School meals are cooked on the premises and we do not offer freedom dining. Therefore, each Monday, children having a school meal should bring the exact money in an envelope with their name, class and amount of money enclosed written on it. You may, if you wish, pay half termly for school meals. Two weeks’ notice is required should a child wish to change from school dinners to a packed lunch or vice versa. All children are allowed to bring a piece of fruitonly for mid-morning snack if you so wish. However, KS1 children will receive free fruit under the fruit for schools scheme. School meals cost £2.00 per day, £10.00 per week, and cheques should be made out to Derbyshire County Council.The menu can be viewed on-line. Please search ‘Derbyshire School Meal Menu’.
REGISTRATION AND ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
Children must be in class at 8.55 am for registration by 9:00 a.m. Afternoon registration is at 1:15pm.Children arriving after this time will be marked as Late. Parents must notify the school by telephone, text or e-mail before 10am on the morning of any absence. If this is before the school office is open, an answer message can be left.We have to notify the Department for Education of any unauthorised absence, so it is important to keep the school notified of any absence by your child. Please note we may request proof of absence for on-going medical issues.
A leave of absence form must completed for any absences required in term time. We cannot guarantee these will be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. We follow the government guidelines for this procedure. Please see our attendance policy on the school website for further information.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
The class teacher will always be the first point of reference for the worried or anxious parent. The Headteacher, the Deputy Headteacher or the key stage leaders, can also be contacted if you wish to take the query further. In the instance of a complaint not being resolved by the Headteacher the parent can rely upon a fair hearing and investigation by a sub-committee of the Governing Body. Complaints regarding the delivery of the National Curriculum should be referred to the Headteacher.
CHILD PROTECTION
The school has adopted the Derbyshire County Council Protection Procedure and has a member of staff responsible for child protection, this is Miss Beresford. The safety and welfare of our pupils will always be of the utmost importance.
CREATIVE CURRICULUM
We provide a broad and balanced creative curriculum, which incorporates all of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and the early years foundation stage, but delivered in an inspiring, fun and practical manner.
We are passionate about developing children into rounded individuals and observe that whilst we ensure children make good progress in Literacy, Maths and Science, our fantastic productions, varied musical opportunities and an emphasis on the arts, with a fully inclusive curriculum for children with SEN, ensure we do so.
HOMEWORK
In order to achieve our aims we are grateful for the support parents can give in helping their children to complete homework successfully. The amount of time which is expected should be dedicated to homework will increase as your child progresses through school, but will never be onerous. These are some ways parents can help:
- Ensure you listen to your child read at least 3 times weekly. Ask them questions to promote comprehension skills.
- Help your child practise any spellings or times tables sent home by their teacher.
- Engage with your child to support them in completing their topic projects and use the topic webs which are sent home at the beginning of each project as a source of ideas to further support your child’s learning.
ORGANISATION OF CLASSES
Every effort is made to place children in chronological year groups; however, where an imbalance of numbers occurs, a movement of children from one age group to another may be necessitated. In such cases no child will be moved without consultation between the Headteacher and teacher regarding the ability and maturity of the child.
Parent’s feelings will always be considered, but the Headteacher’s professional judgement must be the final arbiter. Within the age groups the teaching of pupils is by a variety of methods most suited to the task at hand. The needs of the individual are our main concern.
TEACHING TIME
During the normal school week the total teaching for children in the infant range is 21 hours, while juniors receive 24.5 hours tuition. This excludes time spent on registration, the collective act of worship, breaks and lunchtime.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE
The tenor and ethos of the school is implicit in the attitudes of the children and staff to each other. Within the structure of the school, organisation, self-discipline and regard for others must always be at the forefront of our interaction and a high standard of behaviour and politeness is always expected.
At Whaley Bridge School the emphasis is placed upon rewards rather than sanctions. Our policy is to maintain this emphasis and the majority of children understand and respond to rewards for their success. Our Behaviour Policy can be found on-line at whaleybridge.derbyshire.sch.uk under Information and Policies.
DATA REGISTRATION
The School and Governing Body are Data Registered and maintain pupil record files.
SCHOOL LIAISON
We like to think of our children
belonging to an extended family;
the older children having a
supportive and sensible attitude
to the younger ones, both in
school and on the playground.
We value our good liaison links with our local secondary schools. We have developed mutual strategies to overcome the worries which our children might otherwise have about moving on. We are always delighted when ex-pupils come back to see us again, as they often do.
ADMISSION POLICY
By law, parents must arrange for their child to start school at the beginning of the term after the fifth birthday - unless they make other arrangements which satisfy the Education Authority. However at Whaley Bridge Primary School we admit children full time each September.
Derbyshire Education Authority allows for our school to admit children up to the prescribed limit of 36. On-line application is the preferred method at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/admissions. Each application round is usually open from sometime during the November of the year before the September your child starts school and must be completed sometime between December and January the following year. For up-to-date information, please look online or contact Admissions on 01629 533190 orus or for further details. We would be happy for you to visit the school and register your interest if you wish. Please telephone for an appointment.
MEDICINE
We can only administer UK prescribed medicines to a child. If it is necessary for a child to bringprescribed medicine to school parents are required to sign a consent form beforehand. These are available from the school office or on our website and must be returned before any medicine can be administered.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The National Curriculum lies at the heart of the school day, but the children at Whaley Bridge have many opportunities to take part in other activities and experiences, both in school and out of it; in interest clubs, sports teams; as classes or as individuals.
The children of Year 6 and Year 5 have traditionally enjoyed residential field trips in North Wales, the Lake District, Scarborough, Losehill Hall and the Isle of Man, together with local studies at Lyme Park, Disley, Bramall Hall, Styal Mill etc. Current residential trips are undertaken at Lakeside Activity Centre for Year 6, Cumbria, Losehill Hall in Derbyshire for Year 5 as well as a sleep over in year 4.
All the children at Whaley Bridge have enthusiastically supported various charities and, largely on their own initiative, have raised thousands of pounds over many years to support a variety of worthy causes.
We hope that through these various activities we are helping to make your child a more fulfilled person and a good citizen.
A good education is the result of a team effort by the school, the home and child. Contact between parents and the school is very important and in thebest interest of your child’s education. Your support and interest will enrich their development both at home and at school.
There are two open evenings during the school year when parents are invited to discuss their child’s progress with his or her teacher and, if any problems arise, more immediate discussion can always be arranged. Classteachers are happy to see parents at any mutually convenient time throughout the year. If worried or anxious, parents are always welcome to see the Headteacher at any time.
Parents will be invited into school shouldprogress or behaviour of the child becomea concern. Local Authority SupportServices are an available option inextreme cases. Parents consideringsending their child to this school areinvited by the Headteacher to visit theschool and meet the staff, and to see theschool during a normal working day. Pre-school children, prior to joining theReception Class, are invited to spend one morning and one afternoon in schoolduring the term before their admission.
Parents are always welcome in school and your help is an invaluable support. Parental involvement in such activities as school productions, field studies, educational visits, cookery, art and craft, reading, games and computers and swimming has enhanced the life of the school and education of the children. We particularly encourage parents to help with swimming. A DBS police check is required and information is available from the school office.
SCHOOL CHOIR
Currently our School Choir, from Years 4, 5 & 6, has around40 members. Its excellent reputation has led to performances at the Bridgewater Hall, Lichfield Cathedral, Buxton Opera House, music festivals and many other venues. Each year they sing at the Trafford Centre to raise money for Children in Need. So far over the last 10-12 years they have collected over £30,000. We also run a little voices group for Years 1 to 3.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Each class elects 2 members to serve on the School Council. They represent the pupil body and are involved in much decision making within school. This helps children to develop an understanding of how they have the ability to create positive change.
PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION
There is an active Parent Teacher Association to which every parent belongs. The committee is made up of elected parents, but all other parents are openly welcome to join and support. During the year the PTA organises a series of functions. The PTA provides the school with an enormous amount of financial support and we are grateful to them for many essential additions to the resources of the school.