Prospectus

Brookside Primary School ‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

1

Welcome to our School

On behalf of all the staff, pupils and Governors, we are delighted to welcome you and your child to Brookside Primary School. We hope that you find the information in this prospectus useful in helping you and your child to settle into our school community.

The staff, governors, parents and pupils are extremely proud of our school and the way that everyone works together to make it a happy place to work and learn.

We believe that education should be an exciting journey, where everyone has the opportunity to be happy and successful in everything we do. We constantly strive to give the children the best possible education by providing high quality teaching and learning, outstanding care and support through an excellent child-centred curriculum.

Mr M Rodgers, Headteacher

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Our Philosophy Brookside Primary School…

... a community where positive relationships enable children to grow into confident, motivated, independent learners.

... a place where everyone is equally valued and encouraged to develop lively enquiring minds, life-long skills and fit and healthy bodies.

... an atmosphere of encouragement, trust respect and through a wide variety of educational and fun experiences, all have the opportunity to be happy and successful.

Children say Lily says: “I love going to school and enjoying singing and dancing, working on the laptops and drawing and painting.”

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

School Day School Hours Morning

Reception & Key Stage 1: 8:55am – 12pm Key Stage 2: 8:55am – 12:15pm Morning Break:

Afternoon

Reception & Key Stage 1: 1pm – 3pm Key Stage 2: 1pm – 3pm

10:30am – 10:45am

Brookside Nursery:

9am – 3pm

After School Clubs After School Clubs are based around an activity, like Art, Yoga, Cookery and Computing.

These run at different times throughout the school year and for different year groups.

Uniform A simple uniform is helpful in establishing good standards of appearance in school and by wearing it children quickly feel part of the community. We encourage the children to keep to uniform colours and wear their school badge with pride. School uniform lists can be obtained by contacting the school office.

School Meals Mrs Gibbs, our school cook, prepares freshly cooked food everyday. Children’s favourites are Roast Dinner Wednesdays and special theme days (Bonfire Night, Chinese New Year, Easter and of course, Christmas) School Lunches cost £2.35 per day (from 1st June 2021) or £11.75 per week for children in Key Stage 2. All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free lunch as part of the government scheme 'Universal Infant Free School Meals'.

Oasis Oasis is a lunch club for children who need ‘time out’ at lunchtime. During Oasis, children can play a board game, construct an object with lego, colour a picture or talk to a learning mentor.

Snacks time and drinks Children may bring a healthy snack to eat at playtime. As part of the ‘Healthy Schools Initiative’, all children in Key Stage One receive one piece of fruit a day, which is throughout the day.

Drinking water is available throughout the day for all children.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Curriculum

Our curriculum at Brookside Primary School is planned to be not only educational, but also enjoyable for both pupils and staff. We teach through an exciting, creative skills based curriculum, embedding cross curricular links to maximise learning opportunities and engagement.

The Curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all children regardless of background, ability, additional needs to flourish ‘to be happy and successful in everything we do' Through our teaching we: • enable children to become confident, resourceful, enquiring and independent life-long learners • foster children’s self-esteem and help them build positive relationships with other people • develop children’s self-respect and encourage children to respect the ideas, attitudes, values and feelings of others • show respect for all cultures and, in so doing, to promote positive attitudes towards other people • enable children to understand their community and help them feel valued as part of this community • help children grow into reliable, independent and positive citizens.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Key Stages Early Years Foundation Stage Key Stage One Key Stage Two – Lower Key Stage Two – Upper

Nursery and Reception Year One and Year Two Year Three and Year Four Year Five and Year Six

3-5 years 5-7 years 7-9 years 9-11 years

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) At our school, we aim to develop your child both academically and socially.

Children’s love of play and their individual interests will help them achieve and stimulate their enthusiasm for learning.

Children learn through integrated activities in the following prime areas areas: Communication and Language. Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development. The specific areas for learning with the EYFS are: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.

Brookside Nursery Brookside Nursery is registered for children to attend the rd

term after their 3 birthday. Sessions run from 9am – 12noon and 12noon - 3pm each day (term time only).

Children are entitled to 5 sessions free each week.

Parents have the option to purchase extra sessions at £9 each and children may stay all day with either a packed lunch from home or a school dinner at £2.35 each.

Please ensure all extra sessions are paid for weekly.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Curriculum Enrichment At Brookside, we take every opportunity to enrich the children’s learning by taking them on educational visits relating to their topic of study.

Trips • • • • • • • •

include: Safety Central, Lymm Western Approaches – a secret Underground bunker Liverpool World Museums Helsby Hill Chester Zoo Ness Gardens Police and Fire Stations Connah’s Quay Power Station

Using our two school minibuses, we make use of immediate locality and invite local people who have special interests or experiences into school to enrich

children’s knowledge and understanding. We also invite touring theatre groups, musicians, artists and authors into school.

In Year 6 a residential trip to Menai takes place to encourage independence, sociability and self-resilience in the children…. as well as fun, enjoyable experience.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Inclusion: a curriculum for all Special Educational Needs We consider each child as an individual. We value the potential and contribution of all. Our children work in an environment in which they are encouraged, accepted, challenged and treated with sensitivity. In this supportive environment, we grow together to achieve success.

We monitor the children’s development carefully in school and identify those children whose progress requires extra support either educationally or socially.

In consultation with Mrs Van Gordon, our Inclusion Manager, an individual support plan may be written to help keep a close-eye on each child’s progress.

Gifted and Talented Children We recognise that all children are individuals with their own specific needs, gifts and talents. Children who are identified as being exceptionally able or talented, are monitored and provided with stimulating and enriching lessons appropriate to their needs.

Pastoral Care At Brookside, we have a dedicated Pastoral Team to support all children. The Pastoral Care Team ensure that children have a safe environment to take risks, explore and learn skills specific to their needs. These skills help increase self-esteem, confidence and independence so that they can cope better socially – both in and out of school – and be able to access learning and all the opportunities the school has to offer them.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Learning We take the opportunity to develop the whole child – spiritually, morally, socially culturally.

Secrets of Success At Brookside Primary School, we have embedded ‘Secrets of Success’ throughout the school from Nursery to Reception to help to help our children in their behaviour, attitudes and values.

Successful learners - Confident individuals - Caring friends - Responsible Citizens

No Outsiders At Brookside Primary School, we aim to ensure that pupils are happy and excited about living and learning in a community full of difference and diversity.

To ensure that our children are taught to live out these values, the school has adopted the 'No Outsiders in Our School' text based approach, through which our children learn about equality and diversity. This is one aspect of how we teach children about equality and diversity through the curriculum.

What is ‘No Outsiders’ about?

• Teaching children to respect and accept difference and diversity • Using the Equality Act 2010 as a solid foundation • Taking a proactive approach to bullying • Reducing potential for radicalisation • Preparing children for life in Modern Britain • Teaching “British Values”

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Admissions Parents who are thinking of applying for a place at our school are invited to visit and look around at any time. Children start at Brookside Primary School in the Autumn term of the academic year in which they will have their fifth birthday.

Applications Cheshire West and Chester Local Authority Admission’s Office deals with all new admissions to Brookside Primary School.

Contact details for CWAC Local Authority Admissions are: Email: admissions@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk Website: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/education-andlearning/school-admissions/school-admissions.aspx

Starting school To make sure that children are settled into school quickly, we do the following: • Children and their parents are invited into school, prior to starting. They have the opportunity to explore the classroom and a variety of activities as well as meet the class teachers and other staff.

• The class teacher aims to visit all children in their pre-school setting.

Nursery admissions Our maintained nursery offers placements of 30 hours available to funded children where available. Application for admission to nursery should be made directly to the school office

Children say Chloe says: “I love going to Brookside – I learn something new everyday.”

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Absence We operate a ‘first day response’ system which is designed to safeguard the children. If you know that your child is not going to be in school (due to illness or an appointment), we ask that you contact the school office as early as possible. If the absence is unexplained, then the school may contact you.

If your child needs to miss school for an appointment you should inform your child’s class teacher in writing as soon as you know the date and time. It is important for your child’s education that absences and appointments are kept to an absolute minimum and we ask for your co-operation with this.

If you need to collect your child from school during the school day you can collect them from the school office so that your child can be signed off the school premises. Likewise, if you bring your child to school after 8:55am, please bring them via the school office so that they can be signed in.

Holidays in term time disrupt your child’s learning and we strongly advise against this. However, if you wish to apply for time away from school, you must complete an ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ form. The head teacher will then decide whether or not to authorise the absence. A fixed penalty notice may be issued where holidays are unauthorised.

Children say Mia says: “I would miss my school if I didn’t go there because I would miss my friends and all the teachers”.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Behaviour Our school is a happy and friendly place where children experience learning in a secure and caring environment. Children are taught to: Respect, Act Responsibly, Care and Be Considerate to others.

We encourage high standards of behaviour and manners, with a rewards and sanctions system which the children understand.

We operate a ‘Good to be Green’ behaviour system in which children are encouraged and rewarded for staying ‘Green’ all week. Warning and Consequence cards are given for levels of unacceptable behaviour. Sanctions involve reminders about behaviour, warnings and missing small parts of break-times and Golden Time.

The children helped devise our Golden Rules.

Brookside Golden School Rules • • • • •

I I I I I

will will will will will

follow instructions first time stay on task in lessons move calmly and quietly around the school at all times be polite and respectful to adults and children let an adult know if another person upsets me, not retaliate

If we have any concerns about your child’s behaviour, we will inform you, so that we can work together to improve it.

Children say Jack says: “Teachers make learning fun – and are there to help you when you are not sure what to do next. Maths is my favourite!”

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Parents in Partnership In our school, we believe that successful education is a partnership between home and school and we encourage parents to become involved with school life as much as possible.

Homework All children are asked to read at home every day and to talk about books with an adult. As children progress through the school, they are introduced to written homework which is increased as they move through school.

Children are encouraged to learn more about the topics being studied in school so that they become active learners.

Communicating with parents Twice a year, you will be invited in to meet your child’s class teacher and discuss your child’s progress. Once a year you will receive a report on your child’s progress.

You are also welcome to speak to the class teacher at the end of the school day, or a more formal appointment can be made, via the school office.

We also communicate with parents via text message and our closed facebook page. This facebook page is only open to members of our school community.

Please keep an eye on our school website for more information.

Happy to Help Brookside Primary greatly values the support of parents in helping to run afterschools clubs, fundraising events and helping children with their reading.

Children say Charlie says: “I love my school and have lots of fun and some great friends I love going to school every day and am excited about learning new things.”

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Safeguarding Brookside Primary School endeavours to establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk and are listened to. We achieve this through the use of: our Learning Mentors, Pastoral Care, School Council, Playground Buddies, Peer Mentors and Circle Time.

Children are made aware through frequent reminders that adults in school can be approached if they are scared or are in difficulty.

Through the curriculum, opportunities are created to equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from harm.

E Safety

At Brookside Primary School, we see the internet and other digital and information technologies as powerful tools, which open up new opportunities.

Electronic communication helps teachers and students learn from each other.

These technologies can stimulate discussion, promote creativity and stimulate awareness of context to promote effective learning.

Whilst we encourage the use of these technologies, we also recognise the need to actively teach and promote their safe use. It is essential that school and parents/carers work together to promote e-safety messages to all the children in our care and to provide guidance to children on how to keep safe online and what to do if they feel uncomfortable in a situation.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

Do I qualify for free school meals?

You may qualify if you are a parent, guardian or carer and receive one of the following: • Income Support (IS) • Income Based Job Seeker Allowance (IBJSA) • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 or • Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £16,190.

• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit • Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit • Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get) Do you receive Working Tax credit?

If you or a partner receive Working Tax Credit regardless of income you will not qualify for free school meals.

Apply for free school meals If you have difficulties claiming online, please contact by email at benefits@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or call on 0300 123 7021 to discuss making a telephone or paper application.

If I qualify, when will my child get free school meals?

If you qualify, the majority of claims are dealt with the same day and your entitlement will start the day after. A letter of entitlement will be issued to you .

Do I need to apply each year?

No, your claim will be renewed automatically each year.

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

30 HOURS FREE CHILD CARE

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’

Brookside Primary School Rostherne Avenue Great Sutton Ellesmere Port Cheshire CH66 2EE 0151 558 1123 admin@brookside.cheshire.sch.uk

‘To be happy and successful in everything we do!’