0

Have Faith, Flourish, Fly High

LITTLE SNORING PRIMARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL BROCHURE

2015 - 2016

2

Welcome Welcome to Little Snoring Primary School from all staff, children and governors. We look forward to meeting new children and their families and are always happy to answer all your questions. Visits to the school can be arranged by telephoning the school secretary, Mrs Christine Gilbert on 01328 878362. We hope you find our school brochure informative but if you need additional information please contact Mrs Gilbert or Ms Dodge.

Contact Information Headteacher: Ms Lisa Dodge Chair of Governors: Mrs Jean Johnson School Address: Thursford Road

Little Snoring Fakenham Norfolk NR21 0JN

Telephone: 01328 878362 Fax: 01328 878362 Email: office@littlesnoring.norfolk.sch.uk Website: www.littlesnoring.norfolk.sch.uk Local Authority: Norfolk County Council

County Hall Martineau Lane Norwich NR1 2DL 03448008020

3

The School Staff Team

Lisa Dodge Headteacher Reception/ Year 1 / 2 teacher Ashleigh Jamieson Reception/ Year 1 / 2 teacher Laura Newark Year 5/6 teacher Kate Alderton Year 3/4 teacher Catherine Redford Teaching Assistant Sharron Cauldwell Teaching Assistant Janet Settle Teaching Assistant Jackie Ballantyne Teaching Assistant Emma Wright Teaching Assistant Kathryn Webb Teaching Assistant Christine Gilbert School Administrator David Spate Hannant Caretaker Liz Wright Dining Hall Assistant David Spate Hannant MSA Debi Lloyd MSA Margaret Vertigan MSA

4

Governors The governing body is responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education. Governors work with the Headteacher to plan the school’s future direction and set the school aims and policies. They are not expected to be involved in the day-to-day management of the school. Governors are all volunteers and represent various groups of the school community. The governing body’s main tasks are to provide a sense of direction for the work of the school, to support the work of the school as a ‘critical friend’ and to hold the school to account for the standards and quality of education it achieves. The Governing body meets each term and holds additional meetings as required. There are three committees which meet regularly; Resources, Learning and Achievement and Premises. These committees make recommendations to the full governing body for decision making. Copies of the minutes are available by request from the school office. Jean Johnson Local Authority Governor Maya Babic Parent Governor Thomas Otte Parent Governor Adrian Loades Parent Governor Julie Mutton Parent Governor Ian Riches Co-Opted Governor Michael Johnson Co-Opted Governor Jackie Ballantyne Co-Opted Governor Stephen Flory Co-Opted Governor David Spate Hannant Staff Governor Christine Gilbert Clerk to the Governors

5

About Our School Little Snoring Primary School is a small village school with a warm, friendly, family atmosphere but it has the facilities of a much larger school! The catchment area includes the parishes of Little Snoring, Great Snoring and Kettlestone. We are sited three miles east of Fakenham on the edge of Little Snoring village, overlooking farmland. A large extension to the building opened in 2005, this includes a large sport and arts hall, two classrooms, disabled toilet facilities, changing rooms and two offices. The Victorian building links with the new building and includes a classroom, a library, a resources room and staffroom. The whole school site is a no smoking zone. Our spacious classrooms are enhanced by colourful displays of children’s work. Each class is supported by a Teaching Assistant who supports the Teacher to ensure that children’s individual learning needs are met. Outside the playground surfaces are marked with courts and games. The playground surrounds are landscaped with seating areas. We have our own playing field of about half an acre; this is marked with a 5-a-side football or rounders pitch and running tracks, depending on the season. There is a wildlife garden and raised beds for growing vegetables. The children are encouraged to enjoy and care for all their surroundings.

6

Have faith, flourish and fly high!

At Little Snoring Primary School we believe that children need to develop high self-esteem, become self-confident and independent. We want children to have faith in their own ability and be confident to ‘have-a-go’ and learn from their mistakes. An ‘I can’ attitude is encouraged.

We want children to flourish, to grow physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, academically and morally. We will foster individuality through the recognition and celebration of a wide range of achievements and talents.

We believe that children need hands on practical experiences to enhance their learning. By taking part in a variety of activities, meeting a wide range of people and visiting different places, we can raise children’s aspirations, open their eyes to possibilities and give them opportunities to fly high.

7

Aims The aims of the school are;

to provide children with high quality teaching in a wide range of subjects, enabling them to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to ensure they are able to become productive and happy citizens.

to provide a safe and secure environment where all

members of the school community are valued and their range of talents recognised and celebrated.

to promote self-esteem and self-confidence to ensure

that children are able to develop their capacity for learning. Spiritual, moral, cultural and social skills will help children to become fully developed adults.

to effectively use modern technology to make learning

interesting and fun. to encourage parents and carers to become real

partners in their children’s learning. to become the centre of the village community, with a

wide range of activities for children and adults to promote learning, co-operation and unity.

to provide very good links with other services to ensure

the school has the capacity to provide an effective range of care for the children and the community.

to link with the wider community outside the village to

develop children’s awareness and understanding of the different cultures, faiths and ways of life they will meet as they become members of that wider community.

8

Settling Children in to School

Children about to enter Reception are invited into school in the summer term before they begin school. Children attending Little Snoring Pre-School are walked to school with pre-school staff and others who do not attend pre-school are invited on the same day. This gives the children chance to become familiar with their surroundings.

School Sessions Children may arrive at school from 8.40am at which time the playground is supervised. The bell is rung at 8.50am. registers close at 9.10am. Reception children may be brought into their classroom in the first term. At the end of the school day (3.15pm) children can be met from inside the school gates. Please make sure your child arrives promptly. Arriving late is disruptive for both the class and your child. In case of late arrival please report to the school office. When your child is ill please send a note or telephone before 9am. If we have not heard by 9.30am we will telephone home to make sure your child is safe.

School Meals All reception and KS1 pupils are entitled to a free school meal; this can be either a hot dinner or a packed lunch. A hot school lunch may be purchased at a cost of £2.10 per day. Please ensure that all monies are in a named sealed envelope, stating the day lunch is required, and placed in the red letter box situated in the corridor. A form for Pupil Premium which entitles KS2 children to a free school meal if families are recipients of specified benefits is available from the school office. The school participates in the Fruit & Vegetable Scheme for Schools and this is provided as a free healthy snack for ALL children at morning break.

9

Term Dates 2015/16 School Opens Thursday 3 September School Closes Wednesday 21 October School Opens Monday 2 November School Closes Friday 18 December School Opens Tuesday 5 January School Closes Friday 12 February School Opens Monday 22 February School Closes Thursday 24 March School Opens Monday 11 April School Closed Monday 2 May School Closes Friday 27 May School Opens Monday 6 June School Closes Wednesday 20 July

10

Holidays/Uniform/Health and Welfare

Attendance and Holidays Children who miss school do not do as well as those with good attendance. Many subject areas are taught in chunks and if a child is absent for one or two weeks they will miss a learning topic that may not be taught again within that school year. For this reason the school does not encourage holidays during school time. A child who takes two weeks of holiday during school time each year, along with a few days of medical absence, will have missed an entire year of schooling by the time they are 16! Amendments to the 2006 regulations remove references to family holiday and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 200 Amendments have been made to the 2007 Regulations in the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013. These amendments, as described below, will come into force on 1 September 2013. Amendments to 2007 regulations will reduce the timescales for paying a penalty notice. Parents must, from 1 September 2013, pay £60 within 21 days or £120 within 28 days. This brings attendance penalty notices into line with other types of penalty notices and allows local authorities to act faster on prosecutions.

Uniform In order that all children are smartly dressed and have a sense of belonging to Little Snoring Primary School, school clothing is strongly recommended and the policy is as follows:

Blue or white blouse / shirt / T shirt.

Royal blue cardigan / sweater / sweatshirt.

Navy, black or grey skirt / trousers.

Summer dresses in blue / white check designs.

Summer shorts in blue, grey or black.

Dark footwear in black, navy, blue, grey or brown (no trainers)

Nail varnish should not be worn in school.

Only small studs or small hooped earrings should be worn. T shirts and sweatshirts with the school logo and in school colours are available to order from the secretary.

11

P.E. / Games Kit Children must have a separate set of clothing suitable for P.E. lessons i.e. shorts and T shirts, and for indoor work clean trainers (or bare feet). All children are provided with a sport shirt in the colour of the team they are in at the start of their time in school and replacements can be purchased through the school. KS2 (Year 3-6 pupils) may find it useful to have a track suit for outdoor games. All KS2 need a swimming kit. Our Team Colours

12

Pupil Premium Families in receipt of certain benefits are entitled to claim Free School Meals or Pupil Premium. This money is paid into the school budget to support your child’s education by subsidising trips, uniform, enrichment activities etc. as well as paying for a school meal. Health and Welfare Arrangements The class teacher has responsibility for the well being of your child during the school day. If your child becomes ill then the school will contact you via one of the contact numbers provided. Please inform the school if any of your contact details change at any time. The school will administer prescribed medicines during the school day. However the person administrating the medicines cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions which may occur from this practice. The following practice must be observed:

- All medicines must be taken to the school secretary for safe keeping

- A ‘Medication at School’ form must be completed by the parent or carer of the child.

If children wet or soil themselves at school we will follow the school’s Intimate Care Policy. We will help them to clean themselves and will make sure that the child knows the person who helps them and is happy for that person to help. All staff in school have been DBS checked. If any parent is unhappy for their child to be cleaned they should let the school know. A copy of the Intimate Care Policy is available from the school office.

13

Teaching and Learning

The Curriculum

Our curriculum aims to:

•Provide a broad and balanced range of skills, concepts,

knowledge and experiences.

•Build up children’s confidence and motivation to learn; through the

use of a range of learning and teaching styles.

•Embed key skills in order to prepare children for real-life and

everyday situations.

•Provide opportunities to apply knowledge and learning in practical

ways.

•Provide a creative approach to planning and delivery that will

incorporate and embed key aspects of the National Curriculum

especially English, Maths and ICT

•Provide enrichment opportunities where learning and teaching

can take place beyond the classroom.

•Meet the needs of our children and community

•Stimulate our children’s natural curiosity and give them the

confidence to be curious

•Allow our children to take risks

•Teach skills through what interests our children

•Have experiences/’WOW Days!’ during every topic to inspire

pupils e.g. trips, visitors, activity days

•Involve children in decision-making about their learning, allowing

choice and independence

•Enable close monitoring and assessing of progression in

attainment and application of skills

•Help children transfer skills between different areas of the

curriculum in order to encourage flexibility and resourcefulness

and to enable them to use their strengths in one area to overcome

challenges in another – to overcome ‘I can’t’ and ‘I don’t get it’

•Ensure our children are active, motivated and enthusiastic

learners

•Ensure our children know what they are learning and WHY

•Allow time to engage, reflect and review – including peer and self-

evaluation

14

•Use a wealth of relevant resources – in classrooms, outdoors, in

the local community and the wider area, including visits and

visitors

•Allow our children to demonstrate their learning in different ways –

not always pages in an exercise book but photographs, posters,

products, presentations, performances etc.

The children have access to a wide range of reading materials,

with the main reading scheme being Oxford Reading Tree.

The school follows the National Curriculum and uses Jolly Phonics

and Letter and Sounds to teach phonics. Sounds Discovery and

Precision teaching are used for interventions.

The curriculum has been organised through a ‘topic based’

approach which incorporates the key skills and knowledge set out

in the National Curriculum. The use of ICT is encouraged in all

topic areas; in both the teaching of the topic and in the

opportunities for children’s independent learning. Each class

teacher is responsible for the delivery of the curriculum.

Although links can be made with all subjects, the following subjects

are taught as dedicated, discrete sessions:

•Maths– key skills are developed and links are then made across

the curriculum: especially in Science, DT, History and Geography.

•Aspects of English – Phonics, Guided Reading, Big Writing and

Handwriting are taught as discrete lessons and skills are applied

across the curriculum.

•RE – in accordance with the Norfolk Syllabus- links with topics are

made where appropriate.

•PE and Swimming – delivered by teaching staff and additional

specialised staff

•MFL

•Computing- links with topics are made where appropriate.

15

How we assess a child’s progress

We assess the children in a variety of ways to ensure that they are making expected progress. Ongoing assessment

Teachers assess the children on a daily basis through questioning, discussions, working with small groups on a variety of tasks and through the marking of children’s work. These assessments are used to adapt what is taught to the whole class, groups of children or individuals.

During the Reception year, the class teacher will be building up a portfolio of evidence called the Learning Journey. This is an assessment of your child’s development in the different areas of learning identified in the Early Years Profile. Mid and end of year assessments

Regularly throughout the year reading, writing and maths are formally assessed. This information is used to give a picture of each child’s progress and the areas where they may need more support. End of Key Stage Assessments

At the end of Key Stage 1 (Year2) and Key Stage 2 (Year 6) the children are involved in standardised tests (SATs). These tests are a national requirement, and the information they generate are one of the factors used when assessing the schools performance.

16

How we keep parents informed

As parents, it is important that you are kept informed of your child’s progress in school. We do this in a variety of ways: Parents’ Evenings

We hold parents’ evenings throughout the year. The first evening is in the Autumn Term, where you will have the chance to discuss your child’s initial progress that year and how they have settled. The second evening is in the Spring Term where you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and look at their work. End of Year Reports

In July you will receive your child’s annual report. This will provide details of your child’s progress over the year. In addition, for children in Reception you will receive details of their Foundation Stage Profile, and for children from Years 2 to 6 their end of year assessment scores. Homework

Children will have an increasing amount of homework as they progress through the school. In Key Stage 1, the homework will be daily reading, learning words, maths activities and a project. As your child moves into Key Stage 2, alongside these maths and reading activities, the homework will include writing tasks, research and longer projects. Parents often ask if there is anything they can do to assist with their child’s learning at home and the answer is simple; read! As a child’s reading improves, so big steps in their spelling and writing naturally follow.

17

Behaviour and Discipline

Good behaviour is a necessary condition for effective teaching and learning to take place, and an important outcome of education. A school requires generally accepted codes of conduct and rules of procedure by which the school community abides. This allows all the members of Little Snoring School to work together in harmony and to achieve the aims and aspirations that each will have. The ethos underpinning our policy is based on establishing and maintaining good relationships and showing respect for each other. The school will employ a range of rewards and sanctions, with much emphasis on deserved praise. Children will achieve more, be better motivated and realise their potential if successes are highlighted rather than shortcomings.

Pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or

Disabilities

We aim to provide all children with equal opportunities to access the full curriculum. It is the school’s policy to identify special needs as early as possible in a child’s school career and aim to meet these needs within the class. Physical/medical and behavioural needs are also monitored. If a child needs special intervention then an Individual Education Plan is drawn up in consultation with parents and appropriate support and resources are put in place.

Policies

All current policies are available from the school secretary.

18

Curriculum Enrichment Activities

School Trips

At Little Snoring Primary School we recognise the benefits of learning outside the classroom; it gives the children the chance to study in a real-life situation and the experiences are often truly memorable.

We aim to offer high quality trips to all children. Recent trips have included a whole school trips to the Sea Life Centre Hunstanton, Africa Alive, Lowestoft and the Pantomime at the Princess Theatre, Hunstanton.

Alongside these trips we are able to offer a residential trip for the older children; these have included France, Hilltop and Kingswood. In School Activities

Each term we have whole school themed activity days, linked to festivals or topics. Parents are invited to attend termly events. Clubs

With the fantastic facilities that the school has, we are able to provide a wide range of after-school activities for the children to participate in. Some of these are run by school staff, others are organised by outside coaches.

In the past year the choice has included; netball, multi-skills, skipping, gardening, homework, maths boot camp, football, cookery, code club and Samari Shiatsu.

19

Curriculum Enrichment Activities

The Green Britain Centre Swaffham

Kingswood Residential

Sporting Events

Book Week

20

Child Protection

Little Snoring Primary School is committed to promoting the health and welfare of all pupils. We follow procedures laid down by the Norfolk Area Protection Committee if we see signs which suggest that one of our pupils may have been subject to abuse. Lisa Dodge is the designated teacher who will refer cases of suspected abuse to Social Services. There is also a designated governor for child protection. The Safeguarding Policy is available from the school office.

Complaints

If you have any concerns then we suggest that these are first raised with the class teacher. An appointment can be arranged with them at the beginning of the day or at the school office.

If you are still concerned then you should make an appointment to see the headteacher. They may also ask a governor to help if you are not satisfied.

Most complaints are resolved informally by the above procedures. However, if you are sill unhappy then you should begin a formal complaint by writing to the headteacher.

A copy of the Complaints Procedure which clearly lays out the formal process can be obtained from the school office.

Bullying is not tolerated at Little Snoring Primary School and episodes of bullying are rare. If you are worried that your child is being bullied please raise this with their teacher or the headteacher. A copy of our Anti- Bullying

and Behaviour policies are available in the school office.

21

Our School

22

After Little Snoring Primary School We have good links with the High Schools which our pupils attend; these are typically Fakenham Academy, Alderman Peel High School and Reepham High School and staff come to the school in year 6 to visit the relevant pupils. Year 6 children visit their chosen High School in their last term and we are always pleased to see old pupils coming back to visit for a variety of events.

23

Admissions Policy Introduction We are a Community Primary school accepting children aged 4-11 of all abilities and from all races and creeds. The school attracts children from its designated catchment area (Lt Snoring, Gt Snoring & Kettlestone) and beyond as a result of parental preference. On receiving requests from parents outside the area it is our policy to point out that we are not the designated school and we suggest they first visit their own designated school. Parents wishing to consider our school for their children may visit at any time having made arrangements with the Headteacher via the school secretary. On arrival they will be given a tour of the school with the Headteacher, and a school brochure. They will also be offered the opportunity to ask questions and to pass on any information they may wish the school to know about their child. All reasonable steps will be taken to find out whether prospective pupils have a disability. All parents will be asked upon admission of a pupil whether they, or the pupil, have a disability and how the school can ensure that neither the pupil nor their parents are discriminated against. Our intake numbers for each year group stands at 13 and our maximum capacity stands at 91, that is 7 year groups of 13. If admission is refused on the grounds that a particular year group is full, parents are informed of their right to appeal. There are no other criteria for admission laid down by the school. First Admissions Policy As a Community School we follow the Norfolk County Council policy for first admission to school. By law children must start statutory education full time at the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday. Where admission is offered prior to compulsory school age, parents may defer their child’s entry into school until later in that academic year. * Children born between the 1st September and the end of February may start school full time at the beginning of the autumn term before their fifth birthday. * Children Born between 1st March and the end of August may start school part time at the beginning of the autumn term before their fifth birthday and full time at the beginning of the spring term before their fifth birthday. We offer children who will reach their fifth birthday between 1st March and the end of August five part time sessions each week throughout the autumn term. In order to comply with the ruling that part time sessions should last at least two and a half hours, children will attend for five morning sessions.

24

Our admission policy allows children to start school earlier than the law requires. However the law also allows parents to ask for their child to be admitted but lets them delay the start date until later in the school year. A child must start school by the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday and the place must be taken up by the start of the summer term. If parents inform us that they wish to delay their child’s entry, the place will be held and not offered to another child. If admission is delayed until the beginning of the following academic year the child will be expected to start school in Year 1 with the correct age cohort and a place cannot be guaranteed. In this instance parents would have to reapply for the place for their child and a place in Year 1 would depend on the availability of places. Parents wishing to register their child at a Norfolk school should ask for a registration pack. It contains an application form on which you may state up to three preferences. It should be sent direct to the Authority who co-ordinate the process. If we are over subscribed, County notifies all applicants as to whether or not a place is available (using the criteria set out below) and informs unsuccessful applicants of the appeals procedure. Admission Criteria in the event of oversubscription If there are more applicants for places than there are places available, the Authority will give preference to children living nearest the school according to the following criteria in this order of priority:

1. Children with a statement of Special Educational Needs naming that school. 2. Children in public care who are due to start school and live in the area served

by the school. 3. Children who live within the designated area and have a brother or sister

attending the school at the time of their admission. 4. Children who live within the designated area and have no brother or sister

attending the school at the time of their admission. 5. Children who live outside the designated area and have a brother or sister

attending the school at the time of their admission. 6. Children who live outside the designated area and have no brother or sister

attending the school at the time of their admission.

25

How to find us

Thursford Road Little Snoring

Norfolk NR21 0JN

Tel No: 01328 878362

26