E-ACT St Ursulas Prospectus

START HERE

WELCOME

St Ursula’s is a warm and welcoming academy where children feel safe and nurtured. At St Ursula’s we not only want our children to achieve academically, we value their personal, social, moral and emotional development. We want our children to leave St Ursula’s well-rounded, knowledgeable, resilient and ready for the next part of their academic journey.

St Ursula’s is situated in Westbury-on-Trym, in a modern purpose-built facility that boasts a large playing field, sensory garden and wooded area. The parents and local community are hugely supportive of the school. There is a real community feeling with staff, children and parents all working closely together.

In March 2020 Ofsted inspected the academy and reported:

‘Pupils love coming to school…

Leaders have created a calm and caring environment. Staff go the extra mile to make sure pupils feel safe in school and are in the right frame of mind to learn. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are keen to meet the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. Pupils present themselves and their work with pride.’

‘Leaders and staff provide very strong pastoral support for pupils. They help pupils to be ready to learn, particularly those who may find school difficult at times. From the first minute of the school day to the last, adults are on hand to help. Leaders provide an array of extra-curricular activities for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to enjoy.”

Our pupils achieve results significantly above national averages in all subjects across all year groups. We embrace the challenge of maintaining these standards and we are always looking for innovative ways to ignite the pupils’ interests.

Children here love learning and leave us more than ready for the next part of their academic journey.

We offer wrap around care to parents and carers with our breakfast and after school provision. There is a wide selection of after school clubs for pupils to further their interests in sport, arts and other curriculum areas.

We pride ourselves on our curriculum which we have been developing for 2 years. It focusses around 5 key pillars which are as follows:

Knowledge and vocabulary rich Improving long-term memory Clear progression Disciplinary progression Critical thinking

We want our children to ask questions and not be led by national, or media induced stereotypes but to form their own opinions from the rich knowledge base we provide them with.

We aim to inspire the children to make positive contributions to their community through carefully planned career centred activities.

Ms Nicky Hamilton Headteacher

OUR VALUES AND ETHOS

At E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy we have three core values: ACHIEVE, BELIEVE AND CREATE.

These words are enshrined in our academy crest and influence everything we do. We are pupil-centred and every decision we make is based on one question: will it improve outcomes for our pupils? If the answer is no, then we will not pursue it.

‘Learning together to become the best we can be, in an inspiring and happy community’

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission statement was created by staff and pupils and we truly believe that we work towards this aim every day. All staff are committed to ensuring that our pupils are safe, happy and are getting the most out of their education.

St Ursula’s is a Rights Respecting academy and we encourage UNICEF’s key values of respect, acceptance and helping others in our everyday actions. UNICEF’s values are intrinsically linked with British values, and we promote these throughout the whole curriculum and assemblies. Pupils are expected to display these positive attitudes and are rewarded when they are seen to be carrying them out.

Discrimination is not accepted at St Ursula’s. Staff are trained to recognise any such attitudes, and we work collaboratively and transparently so that pupils’ welfare is at the centre of everything that we do.

OUR E-ACT FAMILY

As St Ursula’s is part of the E-ACT multiacademy trust, we work closely with five other E-ACT schools in Bristol. This collaboration has helped enormously to develop teaching standards in our academy. We are able to work with experts in their respective fields, share ideas and best practice and as a result continually develop and improve the standard of teaching and learning we offer our children.

LEARN WITH US

– YOUR CHILD’S FIRST STEPS

We fully appreciate the different emotions that you will be feeling about your child’s first steps into their educational journey. That’s why at E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy we ensure your child is fully supported when they join our loving academy.

We believe that a rich and engaging curriculum is every child’s entitlement so that they develop a lifelong love of learning, equipping them for their future.

At E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy, we believe in creating strong foundations of knowledge and skills for all of our pupils, allowing them to build on their learning. Using an engaging and exciting curriculum, we are able to support each child to discover and develop their interests and talents.

SUPPORTING SENDPUPILS

We are here to help parents understand how they can support their child. We have a pastoral team (comprising of a Family Liaison Officer, Attendance Officer, SENDCO and School Pastoral Lead) who support children with social and emotional needs.

Our staff members provide speech and language support and support children with dyslexia. We have a full time SENDCO who will identify and support those children with special educational and medical needs within our school.

Our curriculum evolves each year to suit the needs of our pupils. All topics start with a new, exciting stimulus to engage our children and our curriculum is further enriched by a range of experiences such as trips and visitors.

We are firm believers that learning in Early Years happens in an engaging environment through the medium of play. We have outside areas that are used all year-round that encourages critical thinking, problem solving and nurtures your child’s imagination.

Phonics

underpins the application and early development of reading and writing skills. Daily sessions will develop your child’s reading fluency and grow their love for reading.

MATHS

a highly connected subject; each piece of learning influences the next. We incorporate maths into everyday activities to master the skills.

Curriculum

subjects are taught throughout the year. Your child will learn different subjects such as science, music, art and history. All will be taught in an engaging, interactive way to deepen understanding of the world around them.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

We truly believe the key to your child’s success is working closely with you. You will have regular updates through Seesaw to see what your child has been focussing on.

One of the most important elements parents/carers can help with is reading at home. We encourage parents and children to read every night to help with progression in other subjects.

EXPLORE WITH US

– DISCOVERING NEW IDEAS

Our pupils get to enjoy a range of exciting extra-curricular activities that have been specifically chosen to cater for all of our pupils different needs and interests.

Here are just a few of the activities and clubs we offer:

OUR ENVIRONMENT

When you visit us, you will be amazed at how much outdoor space we have! Our pupils get to experience a variety of activities both indoors and outdoors to develop their skills and enjoy playing.

We have:

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

At E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy we value the importance of learning beyond the classroom. As such we offer a range of rich and broad activities which enable our pupils to learn and practise skills which will prepare them for later life.

We also have a commitment to school trips and visitors regularly across the school year to enrich the school’s curriculum

These include:- Year 6 residential, Wild Place Project, visits to places of worship, Jungle Roadshow, Bristol museums and visits to the local area.

SCHOOL AMBASSADORS

Our ambassador team is made up of parents and community members who share a passion for supporting and working with the academy.

GROW WITH US

– HAPPY, KIND AND CONTENT

Our Personal Development Curriculum supports our children to understand the importance of building good relationships and developing a positive mental attitude towards all challenges in life.

Our dedicated Pastoral Team is on hand to support families with everyday issues as well as parenting guidance.

Discover simple steps to look after your mental health

THRIVE

We are a THRIVE school and work carefully to ensure that all of our children understand how to keep themselves safe and develop strategies to support their emotional needs.

Every Mind Matters will get you started with a free online plan designed to help you deal with stress and anxiety, boost your mood, improve your sleep and feel more in control. Find your way to better mental health.

Search every mind matters

We have Thrive trained staff across the academy, as well as Thrive spaces for all year groups to support with children’s emotional well-being.

SUPPORT & WELL-BEING

We offer additional lunchtime and afternoon nurture groups with our experienced Pastoral Lead help to build emotional resilience for those children who need help and guidance. We have trained Mental Health First Aiders on the staff team.

We have weekly visits from a therapy dog to support children’s well-being.

FIRSTSTEPS

– ACADEMY LIFE

It’s hard to imagine your child being at their first ‘big school’. That’s why we wanted to give you an idea of what to expect in the first few months of your child joining us.

AT THE BEGINNING

To start your educational journey with us, over the summer term preceding your child’s official start, we complete nursery visits and hold a stay and play session for both you and your child to become familiar with the setting. In September, we have a settling in period which includes home visits and a part time timetable. We believe this transition period is vital in order for your child to feel safe, happy and secure in school.

PARENTAL COMMUNICATION

All of our staff are passionate about engaging with our parents and carers. It is one of the vital ingredients needed to ensure we deliver the best possible education and experience for our pupils. We have a number of communication sytems to make it easier to keep-up-date with information you need to know.

OUR UNIFORM

We have a distinctive uniform which all children are required to wear every day. Please get in touch with us if you would like to know how we can support families to purchase uniforms that are eligible. In Early Years, the uniform is adapted to suit the play-based curriculum.

You can purchase our branded uniform from https://stursulasacademy.e-act.org.uk/usefulinformation/uniform/

ACADEMY OPENING HOURS:

SCAN ME

For the latest Breakfast and Afternoon Club information scan the QR code above

BREAKFAST CLUB

Every morning from 7:45am.

AFTER SCHOOL CLUB

We offer a variety of after school clubs until 6pm, as well as holiday clubs.

SCHOOL MEALS

Every child between Reception and Year 2 get FREE school meals. All of our meals are freshly prepared onsite by Aspens. We ensure all of our meals are nutritional and tasty for our children to enjoy. School meals are easy to book through ParentPay and special dietary requirements can be catered for.

stursulasacademy.e-act.org.uk

- A DAY IN RECEPTION CLASS

Starting primary school is all about introducing new routines and ways of learning for our pupils. Our Reception pupils’ day is specifically designed to support their learning and to nurture their development.

MORNING

PHONICS – this is where our children are introduced to the wonderful world of reading. (We offer a parental phonics workshop in term 1 to give you more information on how we teach phonics)

BREAKTIME – your child will have a choice of fruit and a carton of milk (milk is free up to the age of five)

FREE FLOW LEARNING – one of the best ways for children to learn is to explore for themselves. Free flow learning encourages children to learn in their own way in our indoor and outdoor spaces

AFTERNOON

LUNCHTIME – our pupils go to our school hall to eat together and enjoy tasty food.

FREE FLOW LEARNING – again, this is a chance for certain topics to be introduced and for children to choose different activities. This gives pupils the opportunity to practise and consolidate key skills.

STORYTIME – we love reading to our children. At the end of each day we explore a book together. A perfect way to finish the day!.

RECEPTION TOPICS

The Reception class is such a fun time for children to really enjoy the start of their education. Our curriculum includes topics such as:

- GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL

We fully understand that every child develops at different rates. Below is a guide of how you can get your child prepared for primary school as best as they can.

Is your child toilet trained?

I can go to the toilet on my own

I can wipe myself properly

Getting dressed (including for PE)

I can button and unbutton my shirt and use a zip

I can put my own shoes and socks on

I can put my coat on

Eating

I can use a knife and fork I can open wrappers and packaging

Personal hygiene

I know when to wash my hands

I can wipe my nose

Sharing

I can share and take turns:

- TOP TIPS FOR PARENTS/CARERS

Please go to our website for more information on what you need to prepare for your child starting primary school.

Label all items brought to school with their name and class.

Bring a labelled water bottle for classroom use.

Buy an E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy book bag.

Check in with the friendly office staff to learn how to book lunches.

Let us know if there is anything important going on at home – we might be able to help or your child might need support.

The best way to see what our academy is like is to experience it for yourself. We always welcome new families to visit our academy. This opportunity will allow you to see our wonderful building and meet our fantastic team and children. Please phone or email our office and we will happily arrange your own personal tour.

If you would like to apply for a place at E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy, you can do this via the Bristol City Council’s website or by post.

Further information is on our website: stursulasacademy.e-act.org.uk

VISIT US HOW TO APPLY HERE TO HELP

If you have any questions about your child starting primary or applying for a place, please call us for advice.

SCAN ME

OPENING MINDS, OPENING DOORS

E-ACT St Ursula’s Academy, Brecon Road, Westbury on Trym Bristol, BS9 4DT 0117 962 2616 receptionurs@e-act.org stursulasacademy.e-act.org.uk