FAMILY HANDBOOK
FAMILY HANDBOOK
Attendance
The school day
Uniform School Rules and Rewards
Personal Development
Play-times
After school and breakfast clubs
WELCOME & VALUES
Welcome to South Hylton Primary Academy, a vibrant and inclusive school where every child is valued, supported, and encouraged to achieve their best.
Our unique SHPA Passport blends academic excellence with rich experiences, trips, and clubs that go beyond the national curriculum. This is complemented by our bespoke Character Curriculum, which includes PSHE, RE, Oracy (Voice 21), Citizenship (Rights Respecting), and life skills (Skills Builder).
Safeguarding is central to our ethos, and our nurturing staff ensure that children feel safe, happy, and listened to. High expectations are promoted through our Frogget reward system and our School’s golden rules.
We’re proud to be a Gold Award OPAL school, with exciting play opportunities that children love.
We hope our website gives you a sense of our family-centred approach and strong community links, including our Community Garden and Room, which host events and offer support to families all year round.
ATTENDANCE
We want all of our pupils to have excellent attendance in school so that they can learn and reach their potential. Time in school also keeps children safe and provides access to extra-curricular opportunities and pastoral care. We have a lovely, modern and warm school building with plenty of space for children to learn and develop and our kitchen provides a nourishing meal for all children to enjoy.
School attendance is so important to your child’s academic achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. From the first day of term to the last, the small moments in a school day make a real difference to your child.
Please make sure that your child is on time for school. We open our gates at 8.45am to ensure that the children are ready to start their learning at 8.55am. If your child is late, they will miss important teaching, and this has a huge impact on their learning. Being on time also means that your child has a calm start to their day in school.
We also understand that children can be poorly and pick up different bugs at this time of year. If your child has a slight cold or cough, please be reassured that they will be well looked after in school and will probably feel better being in school with their friends.
Every day of school is important. Moments matter, attendance counts!
THE SCHOOL DAY
The Department for Education (DfE) has recently set a requirement that statefunded schools deliver a school week of a minimum of 32.5 (32 hours and 30 minutes) hours for children in Years 1-6. We welcome this statutory change, which will support excellent outcomes for all children. We use this additional time at the start of the day to support children’s wellbeing and for the consolidation of key skills.
THE SCHOOL GATES WILL CLOSE AT 8:55AM
School start time (all children): 8.55am
School finish time (Y1-2): 3.15pm
School finish time (Y3-6): 3.25pm
School finish time (Reception): 3.15pm
Nursery/Two Year Olds (Explorers):
Morning Session: 8:45am-11:45am
Afternoon Session: 12:30pm-3:25pm
UNIFORM
BOYS
Royal blue sweatshirt – preferably with the school logo Pale blue polo shirt
Grey/black trousers or shorts during warmer weather Black shoes/black trainers
GIRLS
Royal blue sweatshirt – preferably with the school logo Pale blue polo shirt
Grey/black school skirt or trousers (no leggings please) Blue and white check dress for warmer weather
PE
Plain white T shirt – preferably with the school logo Plain black PE shorts (no logo) Black plimsolls and/or black training shoes Plain black or dark sweatshirt and jogging bottoms for outdoor wear
Y6 ONLY
White shirt School tie Blue sweatshirt Black/grey school trousers Black shoes/trainers
SWIMMING
One piece swimming costume Swimming trunks for boys – no shorts please Towel hair-brush or comb Goggles (optional) Swimming cap (optional)
BEHAVIOUR
Our school and our classrooms are calm and quiet places, underpinned by the behaviour philosophy of Paul Dix.
We have a strong behaviour policy, underpinned by a restorative approach. Everyone makes mistakes, every does wrong. We expect children to learn from these errors and move forward.
CORE PRINCIPLES
Paul Dix’s Three Key Ideas for managing low-level behavior:
• Relentless Routines – Clear, simple, and consistently applied expectations.
• Visible Adult Consistency – Staff modeling the behavior they expect.
• Deliberate Botheredness – Building strong, positive relationships with children.
PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
A. The Power of a Quiet, Consistent Approach
• Use a calm, neutral voice.
• Praise in public, correct in private (PIP & RIP).
B. Recognition Over Reward
• Focus on acknowledging positive behavior rather than using bribes.
• Examples: “I noticed you…” statements rather than generic“well done.”
C. Micro-Scripts for De-escalation
• Example: "I need you to… Thank you."
• “We don’t do that here. Let’s try again.”
RULES AND REWARDS
As represented in our core values, it is important for us that our students do good at school, at home and in our larger community.
We promote a positive climate through respect and fairness and this is reflected in our restorative behaviour policy.
We also aim to reinforce positive behaviours through praise and reward. Our Frogget system ensures that our pupils are recognised for their good behaviour, politeness and effort and allows them to ‘save their Froggets’ to make purchases from our reward shop.
SEND STAGES 1 & 2
STAGE 1
Scenario 1 – A child identified with SEND joins South Hylton Primary Academy
A child may enter our school by transferring from another primary school. Handover meetings will take place with the other school and all paperwork will be handed over and signed for. Appropriate provision will be put in place – revert straight to stage 2.
Scenario 2 – Concerns are raised about a child who is not identified to have a Special Educational Need whilst in attendance at South Hylton Primary School Where a child is working below Age-Related Expectations or presents with social emotional difficulties, they will receive Quality First Teaching (QFT) from their class teacher with some support from a teaching assistant. Welfare Lead and Healthy Heads support worker, if appropriate. As part of our termly cycle assessment, these children will be discussed at Pupil Progress Review Meetings (PPRMs) with senior leaders in school. Progress data will be analysed. Attainment and progress will be reviewed with parents formally at Parent’s Evenings. Where continued minimal progress is evidenced, pupils will move to stage 3.
Annually, the school collects parental views on the school’s SEND provision. Pupils are also given an opportunity to share their views too.
STAGE 2 - THE GRADUATED RESPONSE ASSESS
Our school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) will already be aware of any underachievement because of PPRMs and through discussions with class teacher and/or parents/child. A meeting will take place with the child’s parent/carer, and they will be made aware of concerns relating to attainment and progress. Where parents agree, the child will be placed on the SEND register in school and allocated an appropriate area of need – Cognition and Learning, Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Sensory and/or processing or Communication and Interaction.
PLAN
Using the SEND Ranges, implemented across Sunderland schools, the child will be allocated a ‘Range’ according to the‘presenting behaviours’ identified. The school will use this to graduate the response given to support the child in line with their planned outcomes. Once placed at Range 3, other services/agencies may become involved with the consent of parents/carers.
RECORDING / EVIDENCE
A SEND Registration of Concern form will be completed by Parent/Carer, Class Teacher and SENDco and the child added to our SEND register.
RECORDING / EVIDENCE
SENDco will hold records of the child’s SEND range. A support plan will be put in place and targets set. Actions will be carried out by class teacher/allocated support staff.
SEND STAGES 3 AND 4
STAGE 3
DO
Appropriate intervention(s) will be put in place and support implemented.
REVIEW
Support provided will be reviewed in line with the school’s assessment cycle and through Parent’s Evening (held twice a year) alongside parent’s/carers.
ARE THERE IMPROVEMENTS? HAS THE SUPPORT BEEN EFFECTIVE?
Parent/Carer, alongside the child, will be invited to a Parent’s Evening (typically November / April).
Review paperwork evaluated by Class Teacher.
Continue to ASSESS needs, PLAN/Do agreed actions, REVIEW impact though: Pupil Progress Review Meetings SEND Review Meetings Assessment Week(s) Intervention Impact Evalutions Open Evenings/Pupil & Parent Voice
It is important to note, the SEND register has mobility and RECORDING / EVIDENCE
STAGE 4
Where pupils experience continued difficulties in their learning or social development, the SENDCo will look to involve other appropriate agencies with consent from the parent/carer. This may include Autism Outreach Team, Behaviour Support, an Educational Psychologist, Language and Learning, CYPS, CAMHs (this is not an exhaustive list). Further school support may be appropriate which would be provided by our Welfare Lead,
SEND STAGES 5
ARE THERE IMPROVEMENTS? HAS THE SUPPORT BEEN EFFECTIVE?
YES NO
Continue to ASSESS needs, PLAN/Do agreed actions, REVIEW impact though:
Pupil Progress Review Meetings
SEND Review Meetings
Assessment Week(s)
Intervention Impact Evalutions
Open Evenings/Pupil & Parent Voice
It is important to note, the SEND register has mobility and pupils making significant
STAGE 5
All agencies involved with the child will contribute to the support plan. The SENDCo will begin to gather evidence which may be used if it is deemed appropriate to advance towards an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment. The school will revert to procedures implemented by Together for Children (TfC).
NEURODIVERSE ASSESSMENT PATHWAY
CONCERNS
RAISED FROM SCHOOL
A meeting will take place with the child’s parent/carer, and they will be made aware of concerns relating to communication and interaction and presenting behaviours. Where parents agree, the child will be placed on the SEND register. Please refer to school’s SEND identification document that details our Graduated Response. Where appropriate (At Stage 4), school will refer to CYPS to request a consultation appointment to discuss a neurodiverse assessment.
RAISED FROM HOME
If a parent has a neurodiverse concern (ASD/ADHD), a meeting is to be scheduled with the child’s Class Teacher to discuss concerns and observed behaviours at home. Is the pupil already on the SEND register?
Where school does not observe presenting behaviours, CYPS guidance dictates that schools can only refer for a neurodiverse assessment when a child is on the SEND register. This is due to being able to meet diagnostic criteria, children must be presenting behaviours across a range of settings.
Parents are then requested to self-refer to Growing Healthy 0-19 Service for further support and advice at home.
Parents can also exercise their ‘Right to Choose’ by selecting their own private assessment by an independent agency.
School to refer to CYPS to request a consultation appointment to discuss a neurodiverse assessment.
Scan the QR code to download a copy of the Rainbow Guide.
There are several SEND adaptations you can make on an iPad. This list is not exhaustive and is just indicative of some of the things that you can do. These features are built into iPads and are accessible via the Settings > Accessibility menu:
VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
• VoiceOver: A screen reader that reads aloud what’s on the screen.
• Zoom: Magnifies the screen for easier viewing.
• Display & Text Size: Adjust text size, bold text, increase contrast, reduce transparency, or use color filters.
• Magnifier: Turns the iPad into a digital magnifying glass.
• Speak Screen & Speak Selection: Reads highlighted text aloud.
HEARING IMPAIRMENTS
• Live Listen: Works with compatible hearing aids or AirPods to amplify sound.
• Subtitles & Captions: Available on supported content.
• Mono Audio & Balance: Helps if hearing is better in one ear than the other.
• Sound Recognition: Alerts users to sounds like sirens or doorbells.
MOTOR & PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
• Assistive Touch: Adds a customizable on-screen menu for gestures and commands.
• Switch Control: Allows control of the iPad using external switches.
• Touch Accommodations: Adjusts how the screen responds to touch, including holding duration and touch sensitivity.
• Voice Control: Enables complete control of the iPad using voice commands.
Adaption
COGNITIVE & LEARNING DISABILITIES
• Guided Access: Restricts the iPad to a single app and limits touch functionality to prevent distractions.
• Speak Screen & Highlight Content: Supports reading comprehension by reading text aloud and highlighting words.
• Type with voice: Useful for children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
• Predictive Text & Dictation: Makes writing easier for those with writing or language processing difficulties.
• Reader: let Siri read the text on a page
• Colour background: change the colour of the background for dyslexic pupils.
EMOTIONAL & BEHAVIORAL NEEDS
• Screen Time Management: Helps structure usage with timers and downtime settings.
• Mindfulness Apps: Using apps like Calm or Headspace to help children regulate their emotions.
• Customizable Notifications: Reducing sensory overload by limiting intrusive notifications.
APPS & TOOLS TO SUPPORT LEARNING
• Showbie: For organizing work and providing structured feedback.
• Slides: A creative way for children to produce digital stories or demonstrate understanding in a multimedia format.
• Chat GPT: Reduce or increase the reading age of a text
• Jamf: Removes any distracting apps
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Curriculum: Personal development is embedded in our curriculum through PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education), RSE (Relationships and Sex Education), and cross-curricular opportunities in subjects like English, History, and PE. We have a unique ‘Character Curriculum’ which is taught each day. Comprising of: RE; PSHE; Skills Builder; Oracy 21 and UNICEF’s Rights Respecting program.
Enrichment Activities: Lunchtime and after-school clubs (e.g. sports, arts, STEM, and eco-clubs) that cater to a wide range of interests and abilities. Some recent examples of these are: Football; Football Frisbee; Curling; Kielder ObservatoryAstronomy club;Art Club; Skills Builder and multi-skills.
School trips and residential visits broaden pupils’horizons and build cultural capital. We carefully map these out each year, linking them to the curriculum. We also provide parents and children with the SHPA Passport a range of activities and opportunities, which help build character (i.e. residential and camping trips)
Special events such as ‘Rainbow Day - proud to be me day’, Black History month, careers week, anti-bullying week, mental health day and other such events have become staples of our annual calendar.
Promoting Well-being and Mental Health: Pastoral Support: We offer a nurturing environment with access to well-trained staff who support pupils’emotional and mental health. This includes a dedicated Welfare Lead who can work with both parents and children and we have access to an NHS Mental Health Nurse twice a week, who can deliver bespoke programs to support children.
Mental Health Education: Pupils learn strategies for self-regulation, stress management, and emotional literacy through our character curriculum and commitment to Mental Health. We have earned several awards for our mental health commitment towards both staff and children including the Optimus award and the Sunderland Mental Health award.
Parental Engagement: Regular workshops and resources are provided to support families in promoting well-being at home. We run termly parental events and assemblies. We also offer regular ‘drop-in’ sessions in our community room covering everything from antibullying, SEND and mental health to simply just having access to a warm space in the winter. We also offer parental access to an on-sight foodbank in conjunction with Fare-Share and access to Christmas presents through local charities.
At SHPA we get things wrong, make mistakes and eventually we do things we never thought we could!
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
PLAY TIMES
At South Hylton Primary Academy, we believe play is a vital part of every child’s development—and we’re proud to be an OPAL Gold Award-winning school for our commitment to high-quality play. Our playtimes are active, adventurous, and outdoors whenever possible. We encourage children to explore, create, climb, dig, and enjoy the fresh air in all seasons.
TITE
As outdoor play can be wonderfully messy, we ask that children bring a pair of wellies to school and wear clothes that can handle a bit of mud and fun.
At South Hylton, play is more than a break—it’s a big part of learning.
SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding for Parents & Carers
At South Hylton Primary Academy, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. Our curriculum is carefully designed to help children understand how to stay safe, make responsible choices, and grow into confident, respectful individuals.
Through subjects like PSHE, Computing, and our wider curriculum, pupils learn about personal safety, healthy relationships, online safety, and how to seek help if they are worried or unsure. We also promote British values such as mutual respect, tolerance, and the rule of law to help children develop a strong moral compass.
Staff are trained to spot and respond to concerns, and we create a safe, nurturing environment where pupils feel secure and valued. Our commitment to safeguarding is supported by clear policies, regular staff training, and strong partnerships with families and outside agencies.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility—and at South Hylton, we take that duty seriously to ensure all children thrive in a safe and supportive school community.
How We Safeguard Children at South Hylton Primary Academy:
• Trained staff: All staff receive regular safeguarding training and know how to recognise and report concerns.
• Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs): A trained safeguarding team is always available to respond to issues.
• Robust policies: Clear safeguarding, child protection, and behaviour policies are followed and reviewed regularly.
• Safe recruitment: All adults working in school are thoroughly vetted through safer recruitment procedures.
• A safe, inclusive environment: We promote respect, kindness, and equality across the school.
• PSHE and RSE curriculum: Children learn about healthy relationships, consent, personal safety, and emotional wellbeing.
• Online safety: Pupils are taught how to stay safe online, and we use filtering and monitoring systems on school devices.
• Pupil voice: Children are encouraged to speak up and know who to go to if they feel unsafe or worried.
• Partnership with parents: We work closely with families to support children’s wellbeing and share concerns when needed.
• External support: We work with safeguarding professionals and agencies to support vulnerable pupils and families.
SAFEGUARDING TEAM
2025/2026 TERM DATES
Autumn Term
Term starts: Monday 1st September 2025
Half term: Monday 27th October 2025 to Friday 31st October 2025
Term ends: Friday 19th December 2025
Inset day: Friday 5th December 2025
Spring Term
Term starts: Monday 5th January 2026
Half term: Monday 23rd February 2026 to Friday 27th February 2026
Term ends: Thursday 2nd April 2026
Inset day: Monday 19th January 2026
Summer Term
Term starts: Monday 20th April 2026
Half term: Monday 25th May 2026 to Friday 29th May 2026
Term ends: Friday 17th July 2026
