Underwood C of E Primary School Prospectus
Welcome to our school Welcome to Underwood Church of England Primary School! I hope that you will enjoy browsing this prospectus and that you find the information contained within both useful and informative. At Underwood, we value all of our children as individuals. We understand the promise that we make to you when we take care of your most precious possessions – your children. Developing the whole child is important to us and that aim is reflected in our work. Our school motto of ‘Being the best we can be’ encapsulates perfectly our very high standards. We have high expectations of everyone in our school community. We expect and ensure high standards of behaviour. We challenge and support children so that they can learn and achieve together in a caring, Christian environment. We are proud of our achievements and in the diversity of activities we provide for the children. Our curriculum is engaging, exciting, motivating and well planned to meet the needs of each child. Of course, our school day extends at both ends of the day with a breakfast club and after school club providing care facilities to help busy families. The extracurricular activities we offer are second to none, and with football to journalism and ukulele to multi-skills, we feel confident that there is something for everyone. It is our aim, in partnership with parents, to help our children enjoy their primary school years, be happy, feel secure and achieve the very best they can. We promote high academic standards whilst fostering creativity and imagination. We encourage the children to be selfmotivated learners and develop academically, personally and socially, with care for the children as our core purpose. Visits to the school by prospective parents and families are most welcome. Please contact the school office to make an appointment to meet with me. Further information may also be found on our website, including our most recent OFSTED and SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Church Schools) reports. Thank you for your interest in our school. I look forward to meeting you and welcoming your child to Underwood. Michael Wilson Headteacher
Our mission, vision, ethos and aims Our Mission Statement At Underwood Church of England Primary School, we work together to ensure that our school is a happy, safe and exciting place in which to learn. We respect and care for each other and everyone around us and have high expectations of what we can achieve. Relationships in our school are founded on Christian values, ensuring that everyone is unique and valued. We ensure that we lay positive foundations for a life- long love of learning. Our Vision ‘I have come in order that you might have life - life in all its fullness.’ John 10:10 Our Vision is to create and maintain an environment which enables all members of the school community to flourish in all aspects of their lives - allowing them to always be the best they can be. Through this vision we aim: •
To develop confidence, independence and high self-esteem; respecting ourselves, each other and the environment by living our Christian values.
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To develop lively enquiring minds, a spirit of curiosity, creativity and resourcefulness.
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To become well balanced individuals, spiritually, emotionally and socially by developing a strong partnership with parents, the Church and our community.
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To provide an engaging curriculum which prepares children for the challenges of modern day life.
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To develop, promote and encourage healthy and active lifestyles.
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To be happy, safe and inspired to achieve the highest possible standards in all that we do.
The ethos of our school is based upon the Christian values of: • • • • • •
Respect Honesty Kindness Forgiveness Determination Humility Our school rule is ‘We respect ourselves, each other and our school.’ Our school motto is ‘Being the best we can be.’
Ofsted Quotes
‘The school is well organised, well run, sets high standards and most of all it is friendly and welcoming for children.’ ‘Pupils are polite and welcoming’ ‘Pupils enjoy their learning and the many opportunities that are provided to help develop their social, moral and academic values.’ ‘The positive behaviour of pupils, in and out of lessons, is commendable’ ‘Relationships between adults and pupils are strong’ ‘Pupils and parents value the nurturing environment engendered by all members of staff.’ ‘Pupils feel safe and they are kept safe’ ‘Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the support that their children receive, pastorally and academically.’
Who’s who and what do we do? Michael Wilson Philip Wise Katherine Hodgson Stephanie Eves Matthew Adcock Ruth Evans Rachael Nayar Nicola Raynor Helen Sheard Jenny Wilson Sarah Brudzinski Debi Marsh Rebecca Gregory Ann-Marie Sinfield Michelle Millership Jenny Ball Alison Walker Kim Denman
Headteacher Deputy Headteacher Senior Teacher Teacher/SENCO Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teaching Assistant Teaching Assistant Teaching Assistant Teaching Assistant Teaching Assistant Teaching Assistant Music Specialist
Craig Bowen David Marriott
Percussion Teacher Guitar and Ukulele Teacher
Julie Kane Beverley Enever
Office Manager School Administrator
Brian Lindsey-Hill Jackie Hunt Tracy Stringer
Site Manager Cook Supervisor Kitchen Assistant
Karen Bamforth Jane Carver-Smith Chantelle Cooper Carol Smith Donna Worrall Kath Haslam
Senior Midday Supervisor/Positive Play Leader Midday Supervisor Midday Supervisor Midday Supervisor Midday Supervisor Midday Supervisor
Emma Breedon Andrea Middleton Carol Smith Karen Bamforth
Breakfast Club Leader After School Club Leader After School Club/Breakfast Club Play Worker After School Club Play Worker
The Governing Body There are thirteen members on Underwood School’s Governing Body. They represent different parts of the whole school community and have different responsibilities in the management of the school. The full Governing Body meets for a minimum of three times per year and an annual meeting. Sub-committees have been formed and these meet as necessary. This is our current Governing Body Mr L Russell (Chair)
Community Governor
Mrs R Lake
Church Foundation Governor (Diocese)
Dr L Gordon
Church Foundation Governor (PCC)
Reverend D Stevenson
Church Foundation Governor (Clergy Ex-officio)
Mrs N Cantillon
Parent Governor
Ms R Hatton
Parent Governor
Mr S Twigger
Parent Governor
Mrs D Justice
Community Governor
Mrs J Roe
Community Governor
Mrs K Hodgson
Teaching Staff Governor
Mrs D Marsh
Support Staff Governor
Mr P Wise
Deputy Headteacher (Associate Governor)
Mr M Wilson
Headteacher (ex-officio)
The Clerk to the Governing Body is Ms. Ruth Palmer The Governing Body may be contacted through the school office.
Admission Arrangements The Governing Body of Underwood C of E Primary School wishes to adopt the policy of Nottinghamshire County Council with regard to the admission and transfer of pupils in school. All parents who are considering applying to the school are encouraged to visit the school with their child to have a look around and address any transfer arrangements. For details of the current criteria for admission, including admission into year groups other than the intake year, please refer to the Nottinghamshire County Council website at: http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/education/school-admissions/apply-for-a-school-place The website includes both current and future year’s “Admissions to Schools a Guide for Parents” booklet which gives guidance on how to apply, criteria applied and the maintenance of waiting lists. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact us via the school office and we will gladly arrange a printed copy for you. Visits to school are warmly welcomed by appointment with the headteacher.
Attendance and Punctuality Excellent attendance is vital if your child is to achieve their full potential. Every day they are learning new concepts and skills which form important building blocks in their education. Missed education is difficult to catch up and hampers your child’s progress and overall achievement. Similarly, attending school on time each day ensures no learning time is lost and instils good habits from an early age. Attendance of 96% and above is considered good attendance. Attendance below 95% (more than 10 days) is considered unsatisfactory. Attendance below 90% (more than 20 days) is catagorised by the Department for Education as persistent absenteeism. The school’s attendance for 2018/2019 was very good. There were 186 children on roll in the main school and the average weekly attendance was 96.05%. The number of authorised absences was 2.5 % and unauthorised 1.5%. We anticipate the average for this academic year 2019/2020 will be even better.
Times of the School Day Breakfast Club is available for families who need an earlier start to the school day. It opens at 7.30am and the children are escorted to the playground at 8.40am. Breakfast Club costs £3.00 per session which is payable on the day or at the end of the week. There is no need to book! The morning session at school starts at 8.45am and ends at 12.00pm. There is a mid-morning break in this session. The afternoon session starts at 1.00pm and finishes at 3.30pm. There is a mid-afternoon break in this session. For families who require child care at the end of the school day, we have an After School Club. Children may stay until 6.00pm and there is a charge of £8.00 per session. Many after school activities take place each night after school. These usually end at 4.30pm and we respectfully ask parents and carers to collect their children promptly at this time.
Organisation of Learning There are three ‘key stages’ at Underwood. These are: The Early Years Foundation Stage (for our four and five year olds) Key Stage 1 (for our five to seven year olds) Key Stage 2 (for our seven to eleven year olds) At present, the school is organised into seven classes. These classes correspond with the seven years that children will spend at Underwood School. There are no mixed age classes.
Our Exciting Curriculum All children are taught in line with the National Curriculum. Our focus is on providing a challenging and creative curriculum for each individual child, so that they may build on positive experiences and be proud of their achievements, within a culture of high expectations. The Core Curriculum at Underwood comprises: English
Mathematics
Science
We believe that we offer our children a fully integrated curriculum that is exciting and motivating, yet challenging and focused on building the key skills that will help children to be successful as learners throughout the rest of their lives. The Foundation Curriculum at Underwood comprises: Art and Design
Computing
Design and Technology Music
Geography
Physical Education
History French (Key Stage 2) R.E.
P.S.H.E Full details of our approach in each of these areas can be found on the school’s website at www.underwoodschool.co.uk As part of the total curriculum of the school, provision is made for children to undergo a programme of health education and this is extended to include Relationships Education and Drugs and Substance Misuse Education. At all times this is taught in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Nottinghamshire Local Authority and is always appropriate to the stage of development of the child. Naturally, homework plays a part in this and we expect that parents and carers will support our homework policy.
Parent Helpers The school welcomes adult helpers into school and help is always appreciated. Any parent, or grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc. who would like to be involved in school may do so by arrangement with the class teacher. The school is committed to the safety of all of the children in school as so any parent who offers their help will be referred for a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check including a barred list check. If you have any concerns about these checks, please do not hesitate to discuss them with the Headteacher. Cooking, using the computer, painting, listening to reading or just talking to children, are all useful jobs that we welcome parental involvement with.
Extra-curricular Activities Much time is spent out of normal school hours on the organisation of extra activities for all pupils. These include a wide variety of sporting activities, such as basketball, football, tennis, tag rugby, cricket, hockey, cross country, athletics and swimming. Teams represent the school in many of these activities and compete against local schools. There are also many musical activities provided for our children, from learning to play the recorder to singing in the choir. Key Stage 2 children are also given the opportunity to learn to play an instrument. As well as these, many other opportunities are provided for children to experience extra activities outside of the curriculum, including Book Buddies, Sports Buddies, Playground Buddies and Art and Craft activities, Cookery and ‘Super Seekers’, our Christian fellowship group.
The School’s Sporting Aims Sport has an important part to play in the life of the school. It is regarded highly and is an integral part of the development of all our children. It is delivered through the P.E. and games aspect of the curriculum where a wide variety of activities are undertaken throughout the year including football, basketball, hockey, swimming, athletics, tennis, tag rugby, cross country and cricket. The school takes part in numerous competitive sporting events and we are very proud of our particularly full trophy cabinet! On average, two hours per week are spent on physical education within a broad and balanced curriculum and within this the children are involved in individual and team sports. Children in Years 3 to 5 have at least eight hours of swimming tuition each year.
Residential Trips Year 5 and 6 children will have the opportunity to visit one of the Kingswood Adventure sites in the autumn term. They take part in many team and individual activities such as fencing, abseiling and zip wire to name a few. A Year 4 residential also takes place in the autumn term when they visit Hathersage in Derbyshire. The children experience outdoor adventurous activities such as orienteering and dry wall building. Details of visits are always provided and adequate levels of supervision are always assured. We must seek voluntary contributions from parents to cover the cost of these visits. These residential visits are always remembered by the children as highlights of their life in primary school. All staff organising residential visits follow the guidance given by the LEA and adhere to the school’s policy. Risk assessments are always carried out thoroughly prior to any educational visit by the party leaders and party members.
The School Council At Underwood, each class elects two representatives to serve for a term of one year as School Councillor. They work with the Senior Leadership Team on a variety of issues such as curriculum, enjoyment, playtimes and work together to find solutions to problems that grown-up eyes might not see so well. The Councillors can be identified by their red badges which they wear proudly.
Religious Affiliation Underwood School is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School. The school is within the control of the Nottinghamshire County Council Local Authority but has close links with the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Board of Education. The school has developed links with the local parish Church and with the parish priest, The Reverend David Stevenson. Religious Education, or RE, is carried out in accordance with the Nottinghamshire Agreed Syllabus and as in all schools is part of the curriculum for all children. In each year group at school, the children study an area of Christian belief and practice in depth, in addition to looking into another of the six major world religions.
Collective Worship There is an act of Collective Worship each day in school. These are led by the Headteacher and other members of staff. The school also welcomes visitors into Collective Worship. We aim to involve the children wherever possible and invited visitors of other denominations. Occasionally, special services are held to which parents are invited. Collective Worship time in school is a time for thought, to explore feelings and for celebration. The school will make alternative arrangements for parents to exercise their right of withdrawal of their children from religious worship or instruction. At times, Collective Worship takes place in the local Church and we invite parents and carers to come and join us at these times.
Pastoral Care and Discipline Discipline is set by the tone and atmosphere in the school which is a civilised community with the emphasis being placed on courtesy, consideration for others, self-discipline and praise for good behaviour. Each class sets the rules of operation for the year as part of the first few weeks of the school year. These ‘class charters’ are displayed in the classrooms. The school has only one whole school rule: We respect ourselves, each other and our school The school operates a positive reward system in which all children begin the week with a number of ‘Smileys’. Children who are consistently well behaved and working hard are rewarded at the end of the week during ‘Golden Time’. They may choose to do extra P.E., an art activity, watch a DVD or whatever reward we can practicably provide. If children lose five smiley faces, then they will lose Golden Time. Our reward system includes Bronze, Silver, Gold and Headteacher’s Certificates as well as Attitude and Behaviour Certificates. Good news is shared through the children’s School Planner. When it is necessary for a child to be disciplined, the sanctions, at the discretion of the Headteacher, are fair and reasonable and are in accordance with the present Local Authority regulations and in line with the school Behaviour Policy. Should serious problems arise, parents are invited into school to discuss the matter and work together with their child to plan the best course of action.
Special Educational Needs During their school careers, many children may experience special educational needs of some kind, requiring additional support, guidance and encouragement. The needs presented by some pupils may be more complex, profound and ongoing. These children with Special Educational Needs have a right to the same broad and well balanced curriculum as other pupils, but at a pace and level appropriate to them. Our S.E.N. Policy ensures that high quality education is available for children experiencing difficulties within certain areas of the curriculum. To work effectively, an active partnership of co-operation between parents/carers, pupils and school is essential and encouraged. Our Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator is Mrs Eves. She is supported by our Lead SEN Teaching Assistant, Mrs. Ball.
Safeguarding Children The safety and wellbeing of children is every citizen’s responsibility. Every school in Nottinghamshire is required to follow a set procedure in cases of suspected child abuse. Headteachers are required to refer their concerns to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) team for further investigation so that children at risk can be identified quickly. This procedure is intended to protect children from abuse. When a school refers a concern about a pupil to the MASH team, it is not accusing the parents of abuse, but requesting that further investigation takes place to establish whether a child is at risk. The designated person for children protection at Underwood is Michael Wilson. Philip Wise is the deputy designated person.
Equal Opportunities This school believes in the right of every individual to be treated with respect and to enjoy freedom of expression and equal opportunities. This school will not tolerate discrimination against any individual on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, gender, class, age, ability, language, sexual orientation, physical disability, physical appearance or status. We recognise that prejudice exists in our society and will demonstrate that we will not tolerate this by treating seriously and acting promptly against any form of discriminatory behaviour. This school is fully committed to nurturing a climate of mutual respect and to ensure that all pupils are given equal help and encouragement and access to the opportunities available.
School Documents The following documents which refer to the work of the school are available to parents. They are kept by the Headteacher. A request should be made to see or discuss these documents:
Governors’ Policy Statements Published Minutes of Governors’ Meetings Ofsted Inspection Reports School Improvement Plan SIAMS Report
Many of these documents are available for parents to see on the school website at www.underwoodschool.co.uk We hope that you will maintain a regular contact with the school and with your child’s teacher. In doing so points of concern can be discussed and dealt with as they arise. However, the school operates a Complaints policy which is available to see on the school website or upon request to the Headteacher.
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) The school has a very active PTA called ‘Friendship in School’, or FIS for short. This thriving fundraising organisation continues to raise substantial funds for the school. These have resulted in improved resources through the purchase of extra equipment and improvements and additions to our building. Your support would be very welcome!
Uniform It is the policy of the Governing Body to ask children to wear the school uniform. We believe that children who look smart, act smart and learn smart.
Disclaimer The information given in this booklet which relates to the school year 2019/2020 was valid at the time of printing. It should not be assumed that there will be no changes affecting either the arrangements generally described in this booklet or in any particular part of them before the start of the school year 2019/2020 or in subsequent years.
Underwood C of E Primary School Main Road Underwood Nottinghamshire NG16 5GN 01773 782868 www.underwood.co.uk office@underwood.notts.sch.uk