Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School St Thomas More Partnership of Schools

School Prospectus

2014-2015

School Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Byermoor Burnopfield Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 6NU Tel: 01207 270396 Fax: 01207 272604 Email: sacredheartgateshead@stthomasmore.org.uk Website: www.sacredheartgateshead.org

LA Gateshead Director of Education Learning & Children Civic Centre, Gateshead NE8 1HH Tel: 0191 433 3000

Status of School: Roman Catholic Primary

Age Range: 4 - 11 years

Currently on Roll: 124

Pre-School: 26

Head Teacher: Mr P Naughton

Executive Head Teacher: Mr J Parkinson School Improvement Partner: John Marshall—St Thomas More Partnership of Schools The School is a mixed Roman Catholic Primary School for children 4-11 years of age which is part of the St Thomas More Partnership of Schools

Sacred Heart School has been serving the Parish of Byermoor since 1871. The present building was erected in 1883 and a large extension built in the 1970's. The school was refurbished in 1997. A new roof and improvements to the road surrounding the school were made in 2004. Brand new toilets facilities and an extension to classroom 3 were complet-ed in 2006. In 2007 an extension to Class 1 was completed and in 2008 year we had a new office area. The school population continues to grow despite lack of a local housing estate to draw children from. This year we have also improved disability ac-cess to our school buildings. The building is set back behind the Church, and has extensive views of the Derwent Valley. Our pupils mostly come from the villages of Byermoor, Burnopfield, Marley Hill and Sunniside. At 11 they usually go on to St Thomas More, Blaydon or St Bede's, Lanchester. At present there are 124 children on roll (September 2014) with the addition of 26 younger children in our thriving Pre-school called ‘Little Hearts’. Little Hearts accommodates pre-school children for both morning, lunch and afternoon sessions. A Toddler group also regularly meets on Tuesday mornings in our school hall. The building currently consists of six classrooms, a library/study room, and a school hall. Meals are brought into school daily from Washingwell Primary school kitchen. Outside we have a hard surface playing area, a soft play area, seating areas, and a football pitch. We also have a garden area for our children and an additional Early Years Garden used by both Little Hearts children and our reception children.

Key People

School Governors

Mr P. Naughton Head Teacher

Mr J. Parkinson Executive Head

St Thomas More Partnership of Schools

Ms Y. Hewison Chair of Governors

Head Teacher

Mr P. Naughton

Foundation (Chair)

Ms Yvonne Hewison

Foundation (Vice Chair)

Mrs Monica Parker

Foundation Miss Clare Hagan

Foundation (Parent) Mrs Claire Iles

Foundation (Parent) Mr Anthony Paul Smith

Foundation (Parent) Mrs Alison Hopper

Foundation (Parent) Mrs Karen Hall

Foundation Mr Michael Heppell

Foundation Mr Kevin Robertson

Staff Miss L Barker

Staff Development In line with the School Improvement Plan the staff and governors regularly attend courses to develop their skills and subject knowledge and have appropriate professional development. We

currently have two Specialist Leaders of Education within Teaching and Learning (Miss Barker) , Phonics and Early Years (Mrs McCarron)

Head Teacher Mr P Naughton

School Administrator Miss J. Cook

Caretaker Mr P. Dixon

Reception Teacher Specialist Leader of Education

Mrs McCarron

Year 1 Teacher Miss L. Wise

Year 2 Teacher Miss R. Gray

Year 3/4 Teacher Specialist Leader of Education

Miss L. Barker

Year 5/6 Teacher Mr S. Woods

Learning Support Teacher Reception PPA

Mrs E. Knox

Music Teacher Mr F. Nicholson

P.E. Teacher Mr S. Evans

Higher Level Teaching Assistant (H.L.T.A)

Miss A. Barrass

Teaching Assistant (Level 3) Lunchtime Supervisor Heart Zone Manager

Ms J. Shield

Teaching Assistant (Level 3) Lunchtime Supervisor

Miss C. Smith

Lunchtime Supervisor Mrs L. Dodds

Lunchtime Supervisor Mrs Robinson-Crow

Kitchen Staff Shirlene?

School Staff

I am very proud to welcome you to Sacred Heart Catholic School a Partnership School of the St Thomas More Multi Academy Trust.

Sacred Heart has been educating children from its community since 1873. We seek in our school to create an inclusive community where everybody is valued and nurtured.

People routinely comment on the friendly atmosphere that exists in the school but they also notice that it has a great sense of purpose.

At Sacred Heart we are committed to the achievement of every single child regardless

of his or her ability. I am proud to say that our children make exceptional progress from their starting points and achieve outstanding results.

At our school, Christ is central to all life at Sacred Heart: we promote Christian values and seek not only to achieve excellence 'intellectually' but also 'spiritually.' It is our belief that there is much more to school life than the rigour of examinations and we strive to stimulate our children in order that they may become caring, compassionate

human beings. We were delighted to be one of the first schools in Gateshead to join the outstanding Multi Academy Trust of St Thomas More in Blaydon.

We truly believe that "Working in Partnership with families is everything".

When we welcome the child we welcome the family.

We are fortunate that Sacred Heart is set in one of the most beautiful parts of Gateshead which borders County Durham. It is a first class environment with very good facilities and I hope you find this prospectus a useful tool for finding out more about us.

I urge you therefore to come and visit us. Talk to me, talk to staff, most importantly

talk to the pupils - we will do all we can to help you look below the surface and discover whether Sacred Heart is the right place for your family.

Best wishes

Paul Naughton – B.Ed (Hons) NPQH LEJOG

Admission Procedure Local authorities send out applications forms to parents in the year prior to entry and they should be returned to Gateshead or Durham LA. Since September 2004 Gateshead LA has administered the process of dealing with applications. The Governors of the school though retain their role as the admissions authority of the school. The school operates an appropriate admission policy, which allows children a more relaxed transition from home to school. A parents' meeting is held in the summer term to meet staff, discuss requirements and answer any queries parents might have. At present the vast majority of the children coming to our school are already familiar with the school and its staff by being in the Little Hearts Pre-school. Both sets of staff work closely together to ensure a smooth transition from Pre–School to the Reception class. The school also has very good contacts with surrounding nursery providers and parents can be assured that if their child has not attended the Little Hearts they will have an equally smooth transition to full time education. Children usually spend mornings only in school for their first few days in school and this is gradually built up before becoming full time students. This enables parents and staff to build good working relationships, and gently introduces school routine to the child. Each child is given a 'buddy', an older child who ensures they settle in well and any difficulties are spotted quickly. Any parent wishing to have their child admitted mid-year is also welcome to visit the school and they too will be given a conducted tour. The school holds an Open Day during April/May of every academic year.

This Admissions policy has been formally adopted by the Governing Bodies of the Catholic Primary schools in Gateshead. In each school the Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for determining the school’s admissions policy

How and When to apply Applications must be made on the Local Authority Common Application Form. Par-ents applying to a Voluntary Aided Catholic school should also complete the supple-mentary information form. All forms must be returned by the closing date set by the Local Authority. Late Applications Any applications received after the closing date will be accepted but considered only after those received by the closing date. Gateshead Council Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary Schools Admission Policy 2014/15 We allocate places at our Community Primary Infant and Junior Schools using our policy below and co-ordinate admissions to our schools using our co-ordinated admission scheme. The policy is as follows: Your child will start school at the beginning of the academic year in which they will

reach the age of five. (An academic year lasts from 1 September in one year to 31 August in the following year). However In many schools the first year will include an induction period, (a period for your child to get used to school life). This period may last from September until no later than the end of the October half term holiday. Parents who wish to defer their child’s entry beyond this period must make this request in writing at the time of application for admission to school. Deferred entry must not extend beyond the beginning of the term after the child’s 5th birthday, or beyond the academic year for which the application was accepted. Deferred entry will be considered by us the local authority (LA) in consultation with the Head Teacher and governors of the school.

We will accept pupils up to the school’s agreed Planned Admission Number for the year group unless we feel there are lawful grounds not to do so.

Oversubscription Criteria We will consider applications from parents who have named the school as any ranked preference on their application form this is called the Equal preference system. If there are more applications for the number of places available at the school we will than allocate places by using the following order of priority:

Children in Public Care (and as deemed under Section 22 of the Children Act

1989) including a child who was previously “looked after” but immediately after being “looked after” became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order (see definition*).

Children who live in the school’s catchment area and who will have a brother or sister at the school, or at the feeder junior school during the com-ing academic year. (see definition*)

Other children who live in the school’s catchment area. Other children who will have a brother or sister at the school or at the

feeder junior school during the coming academic year. Other children who have exceptional medical or social grounds see point 1

below All other children.

(*see definitions of our criteria in priority 1, 2 and 4 above in our parent’s infor-mation booklet and at www.gateshead.gov.uk)

Late Admissions Continued

Other children who live in the school’s catchment area. Other children who will have a brother or sister at the school or at the

feeder junior school during the coming academic year. Other children who have exceptional medical or social grounds see point 1

below All other children.

(*see definitions of our criteria in priority 1, 2 and 4 above in our parent’s information booklet and at www.gateshead.gov.uk) Point 1-We can consider exceptional individual applications, particularly in cases involving medical or social needs. If you wish to apply on medical or social grounds you must provide written evidence from relevant registered health professionals i.e. a doctor or social worker. The evidence must demonstrate why the chosen school is more appropriate and what difficulties would be caused if they were to travel to and attend alternative schools. We will not consider such applications if the relevant professional evidence is not provided. The evidence will be assessed by the LA Admission Panel. No assumption should be made that submission of the relevant evidence will, in itself, be sufficient to allocate a place. Whickham Parochial Church of England Controlled Primary School This school has the same oversubscription criteria as priorities 1 to 6 above except that criteria 3 and 4 above are reversed. Priority 1, 2, 5 and 6 remain in the same order however for this particular school their oversubscription criteria places priority 4 children above those children in priority 3.

Address For the purposes of deciding whether a child lives in the catchment area of a school we will use the parent or legal guardian's address or the address of a rele-vant adult who has parental responsibility, as defined under the 1989 Children’s Act, for the child.

Tie breaker If, within any of the above criteria, there are more applicants than places availa-ble priority will be given to those children based on the distance they live from the school, measured ‘as the crow flies’ i.e. in a straight line from the centre of the home residence to the school’s main entrance. Children living nearest to the school will have priority. We measure the distance using a geographical information system (GIS).

Offer Date The offer day is Wednesday 16 April 2014 a letter will be sent to parents who are Gateshead residents by 2nd class post informing them of the school they have been offered for their child. Gateshead residents who apply on-line are informed by email on Wednesday 16th April 2014.

General Information and definitions For information on our admission arrangements and definitions of the terms used in this policy please refer to our “Admission to Primary school” booklet for 2014 available at www.gateshead.gov.uk The co-ordinated admission scheme and Catch-ment areas referred to in this policy can also be viewed at Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH and on the website above.

Working Together We work to promote excellent relationships and partnerships between governors, parents and school. We have a vibrant Friends of Sacred Heart School which encourages parents to be actively involved in the life of the school. Parents are invited to visit school at any time to discuss their child's progress, and there are many special events that offer different opportunities to be involved in school life. Workshops We have regular workshops and information evenings for parents to learn more about the different ways in which we teach the children. These have included information evenings about what happens in each class including daily routines, timetables etc, Phonics Workshops, Early Years—7 Areas of Learning, Maths Calculation Strategies and Creative Curriculum. These evenings are extremely well attended and feedback from parents is always fantastic. Parents Training in School/Work Experience All parents who wish to offer their services working in classrooms as voluntary assistants need to be CRB cleared. We value the support of any additional adults in school within many areas including Library services, hearing readers, resource preparation and Teaching Assistant Trainees. Communication Frequent correspondence takes place between school and home, and there is a week-ly newsletter which is sent out to all of our families, staff and parishioners and can also be downloaded from our school website.

Website: www.sacredheartgateshead.org

The children at Sacred Heart are very lucky to have a super group of parents, grandparents and extended family members who give up their precious time to help raise funds to benefit the children. In the last academic year the Friends have provided refreshments at class assemblies, Liturgies, Sports Day, Christmas parties, organised school discos and bought presents for the children. This year the annual Summer Fair raised over an impressive £3000 after a lot of hard work and preparation paid off. The Friends were able to pay for the summer term buses for the school trip and subsidised our Shakespeare Themed creative curriculum day when we had an actress come into school to lead workshops with every class.

Little Hearts Pre-school Where learning begins

Pre School Owner/Manager—Mrs Gill Manning

We are situated within the grounds of Sacred Heart Catholic

Primary School. We provide high quality care and education for children below statutory school age. We work in partnership with parents to help children learn and develop. We work very closely with Sacred Heart creating an Early Years unit that provides a well resourced learning environment. At Pre-school the children learn through play. Play helps the children to learn and develop through doing and talking. The children gain lots of experience from their time in the classroom, out-doors and in the forest school. A forest school is about being outdoors to explore and learn. Children will learn in the outdoors, helping to develop self confidence, independence, raising self esteem as well as developing language and communication skills. Forest school sessions take place in all weathers. The children are encouraged to explore, investigate and take risks. Some of the activities we do are making camps, magic potions, problem solving, mini beast hunt and maths games. At Little Hearts Pre-school we have access to a variety of outdoor space. This includes the Early Years garden, yard, forest school, and school field. The Early Years garden is our outdoor classroom and gives the children access to a range of open ended activities. There is lots of space for the children to run around, a trim trail and balance beams. Our sessions are mornings 8.30am-11.30am and afternoons 12.15pm-3.15pm. We also have a breakfast club available daily from 7.45am and a lunch club 11.30am-12.15pm. Please contact us on 01207 270396 or 07789 292110 to arrange a visit and

meet our Early Years team.

At Sacred Heart we offer a range of wrap around care. Breakfast Club — Please see Gill at Little Hearts for more details or

to book a place.

Heart Zone After School Club — Please see Miss Shield if you require more information.

After School Clubs — Information will be sent out to parents in

September with the new clubs for Autumn 2014.

Times 7:45am until School Starts (Children are accompanied to their classrooms by the breakfast club staff)

Available to All children from Little Hearts up to Year 6

Cost £2.50

Food/Snacks Cereals, yoghurt, toast, fruit etc

Times Monday to Thursday 3:10pm until 5:45pm

Available to All children from Little Hearts up to Year 6

Cost £4.00 1 Hour 3:10pm—4:10pm £7.50 Full night 3:10pm –5:45pm

Food/Snacks Weekly menu available upon request e.g. Beans on toast, sandwiches, fruit etc

Parking

The road around school is very busy at the beginning and end of the day. We operate a one way system for people in cars entering our school. We ask all parents to bring their children into school via the top road (by the church) and ex-it via the bottom road (Industrial Estate). We also ask that parents/carers park their cars in the car park and do not park in front of the school. It is vital for the safety of the children that parents and carers park away from the front of school and take great care when driving near to the school. It is helpful if any childmind-ers or additional family members who may come to school occasionally to drop off or collect your child are also aware of the one way system.

Way In

Way Out

Our Outdoor Play Areas

School Field

Forest School School Yard

Play Area Foundation Garden

Accessibility Arrangements At Sacred Heart RC VA Primary School we are committed to providing a fully accessible environment which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their education, physical, social and cultural needs. We are further committed to challenging attitudes about disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion. Our school has the following facilities, a disabled toilet, ramp access, stair lift and a designated parking bays. We plan to continue to evaluate provision for all pupils, staff, parents and visitors to Sacred Heart RC VA Primary School through our accessibility plan which can be obtained from the Head Teacher.

Break Times Reception class children do have timetabled breaks. As we offer a free flow timetable between the indoor and outdoor classroom the children are active all the time. We encourage the children to eat healthily especially during these times. As part of our participation in the national ‘Fruit for Schools’ scheme your child will receive a free piece of fruit each day. Crisps and chocolate etc are not allowed at playtimes neither are fizzy drinks or juice.

Healthy Teeth

In reception class we...

Celebrate birthdays etc without sweets Only have healthy snacks and drinks Have regular visits from the dental health services and promote regular

brushing.

School Meals

Gateshead Council are offering free school meals to all children between reception and Year 2. The menus rotate every three weeks and they also offer a vegetarian option. Lunchtime staff and older buddies in school help children with carrying their trays, cutting up their food etc.

What time do they start each day? Highlighted column applies to the Reception Class. Please note from September 2014 no parents are allowed onto the school yard before the school day begins. Staff are on duty to ensure the health and safety of all children after they have been dropped off/handed over at the school gates.

Early Years/Reception

Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)

Key Stage 2 (Years 3,4,5 & 6)

Morning (Gate Opens 8:45am)

8:50am – 11:45am

(Children line up in the main yard)

8:50am – 12:00noon

(Children line up in the main yard)

8:50am – 12:00noon

Break As and when required—free

flow

11:00am – 11:15am 11:00am – 11:15am

Lunch 11:45am – 1:00pm 12 noon – 1:00pm 12 noon – 1:00pm

Afternoon (Gate Opens at 3:05am)

1:00pm – 3:05pm

1:00pm – 3:05pm (Children to exit

from the main school yard)

1:00pm – 3:10pm

School Uniform Boys—navy T shirt, grey trousers, red sweatshirt, grey/black socks (Summer—grey school shorts Girls—navy T shirt, grey skirt/trousers, red cardigan/sweatshirt, red/grey tights, white socks (Summer—red checked dress) PE Uniform—White T shirt, navy shorts, plimsolls Additional Items

.Red Book Bags, PE bags, School Caps etc

How do we order uniform? School uniform is available from the Tesco website below.

http://www.clothingattesco.com/icat/embschoolwear

First click on the drop down menu and look for ‘Gateshead’ before selecting Sacred Heart in the right menu.

EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE The Early Years Foundation Stage applies to children from three years of age to the end of the reception year. At Sacred Heart children join our Pre-School setting ‘Little Hearts’ from the age of three before starting in our Reception class at the beginning of the school year in which they are five. (Compulsory schooling begins at the start of the term after a child’s fifth birthday.) Key Stage 1 begins for our children at the beginning of Year 1. The Foundation Stage is important in its own right, and in preparing children for later schooling. The Early Learning Goals set out what is expected of most children by the end of the Foundation Stage. The early years education we offer our children is based on the following themes and principles: A Unique Child – Every child is a competent learner from birth who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Positive Relationships – Children learn to be strong and independent from a base of loving and secure relationships with parents and/or a key person. Enabling Environments – The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning. Learning and Development – Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates and all areas of Learning and Development are equally important and inter-connected.

The curriculum for the EYFS in our school reflects the areas of learning identified in the ‘Development Matters’ and ‘Early Learning Goals’. The experiences that our children meet enable them to develop a number of competencies, skills and concepts across several areas of learning. We aim to meet the needs of our children through planning experiences and opportunities, both indoors and outdoors which build upon and extend children’s enjoyment, knowledge, understanding, experience and interests. We focus on developing children’s self-esteem and confidence, mathematical skills, problem solving, communication skills, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. We use a wide range of teaching strategies based on children’s learning needs and we make regular assessments of children’s learning. We use this information to ensure that future planning reflects identified needs. Assessment in the EYFS takes the form of photographs and focused observations which involve the Head Teacher, all members of our Early Years Team, helpers and any other adults as appropriate. Anecdotal observations are recorded all year round to help build up a clear, well rounded picture of what a child can do across each of the areas of learning. We also rely on parents knowledge of their child to help us work collaboratively and to acknowledge parents and their important role of being the primary educators of their child.

At Sacred Heart we pride ourselves on going the extra mile to help children settle into school. We have a well established transition programme for our yearly intake of new reception children and also any new children joining the

other year groups and classes.

Ongoing throughout the year

Gold book assemblies Special Visitor assemblies

Weekly PE sessions with Mr Evans Lunch sessions with main school

Themed days e.g. World Book Day, Children in Need Sports Day (including practises)

Outdoor Play Forest School

Open Day Discos

Heart Zone Christmas Activities (lunch, play)

Cake and fruit sales Weekly letters and sounds sessions with EY teacher

Music in the school hall Movie Nights Road Safety

Mass

SCHOOL CURRICULUM- Developing the Creative Curriculum Our school encourages a creative curriculum which is topic based and the school curriculum policy, based on the QCA national guidelines encompasses all the requirements of the National Curriculum, and is based on a two year rolling programme, to ensure a steady progress in all subjects through the two main Key Stages. Most subjects are taught in a cross-curricular way, which means that themes are selected which cover many aspects of the core and foundation subjects. Each term emphasises either Science, History or Geography as the main parts of the theme. As a school we have organised the way the curriculum is delivered to the children so we can improve the children's learning, giving adequate balance to subjects taught. Your child is offered a quality curriculum with adequate breadth and depth in and between subjects. Teachers plan a range of experiences, which include visitors into school and educational visits to enrich the quality of the children's learning. AIMS The School aims: - • to ensure each child reaches their full poten-tial

• to help the children develop

enquiring minds leading to question and dis-cussion

• to give the children the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in all areas of the curriculum

• to help children work together and show care and consideration for others.

In the Reception year the school teaches to the Early Learning Goals, in the rest of

the school the core and other foundation subjects are divided into the two Key Stages.

Literacy In all Key Stages a range of genres are taught, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Each unit is an integrated programme of speaking and listening, reading and writing. The children set targets at the beginning of each unit and are involved in reviewing the progress that has been made at regular intervals. During lessons the children are encouraged to explore text through role play, freeze framing, hot-seating and many other speaking and listening activities which allow children to develop their ability to communicate as well as build on their own self confidence. English is taught within an integrated programme of speaking and listening, guided reading and writing. The children's abilities in English are developed across the curriculum. They are taught to communicate and express themselves clearly and effectively in speech and writing and great emphasis is placed on the ability to listen and understand. The children experience a wide variety of reading material at appropriate levels of complexity and interest so that they become competent, enthusiastic and fluent readers. Reading development is seen as a partnership between home and school and children are encouraged to choose books to take home to read to their parents. The school has fully adopted the New Framework for Literacy. Guided reading takes place on a daily basis.

Numeracy In Numeracy we hope to help children develop the ability to solve problems, to understand numbers, shapes and relationships, and to predict likely results. All of this is applied in a range of practical tasks and real-life problems. The programmes of study are taught using a range of resources including computers and calculators. The school has fully adopted the National Numeracy Strategy and blocks are taught termly.

Science In science children are engaged in practical investigations which will involve working both individually and in groups. The development of scientific skills will be within the context of the programmes of study relating to life processes and living things; materials and their properties and physical processes.

Computing The use of ICT is promoted in all subject areas and children use computers to enhance and compliment much of their work in school. They are encouraged to use the equipment properly, carefully and safely. Although every classroom has networked computer stations where children experience a variety of curriculum support programmes, our well equipped ICT suite and 15 wireless laptops ensure individual experiences and progress through whole class focused activities. There are Smartboards in every classroom and ICT suite. The school has an In-ternet access policy and Internet access is run through Gateshead LEA to en-sure safety for our children. Technology In technology we encourage the children to understand the significance of design and technology to the economy and to the quality of life. This involves planning and making things, and evaluating outcomes. Our school celebrates children’s achievements in technology through open exhibitions to the school community. History In history we introduce children to historical personalities and events through stories, poetry, pictures and TV, at local, national and world levels. We use the children's own lives and environment to make them aware of the passage of time. Children are encouraged to use documentary evidence to enhance their understanding and develop their historical skills. Parents and the local community play a very important part in the development of resources and artefacts for this area of work. We encourage all children to take part in field trips related to their topics. Geography In geography children are introduced to the local area as well as extending their factual knowledge. A wide range of materials are used including maps, photographs, written accounts and other sources. We encourage children to appreciate and protect the environment with the starting point being our school.

Physical Education In physical education children develop their skills in gymnastics, dance, games and adventure play to develop good body co-ordination and control. This work is connected with our health programme. We endeavour to give each child enjoyment and satisfaction from physical activity and the opportunity to develop positive sporting attitudes. The children in our school carry out a minimum of 2 hours PE per week. We also promote swimming throughout the whole school on a weekly basis and provide opportunities to try netball and football. Swimming All pupils in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 swim throughout the year. A £2 per week voluntary contribution to the costs is asked for these lessons.

Art In art we encourage children to develop their artistic and creative abilities within the whole of the creative curriculum and cross curricular areas. We ensure the children experience a wide range of opportunities to develop a breadth of art techniques and skills. They are also encouraged to plan and to manipulate a range of materials so that they can develop skill and originality. Children are encouraged to evaluate and appreciate their own work and the work of others in order to develop their appreciation of the arts. We are committed to the wider development of young people and encourage collaborations with professional artists and art organisations. Music All children receive expert tuition from a peripatetic teacher. The children are encouraged to make music and to develop an appreciation of different types of music. Good use is made of the expertise of available professionals. Where appropriate children to take part in musical productions on a biannual basis. Children are provided with opportunities to a range of professional tuition of musical instruments. Drama This is developing as a cross-curricular subject. When possible, visiting theatre groups perform in school. Modern Foreign Languages The school recognises that our children have right to learn about other cultures and communities. The learning of foreign languages is an important part in this process. The school has specific weekly French lessons for our KS2 children. Children in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 have opportunities throughout the year to develop their foreign language skills with their class teacher.

The School Council The School Council is the voice of the children. The Council consists of two representatives in each year from across the school from Foundation Stage to Year 6, members of staff and governors. New representatives are elected each school year. The Council meets at least once every month where they contribute to school improvement and work together to ensure the health and wellbeing of all members of the school community. In 2012 and 2013 we visited London and had a formal tour of the Houses of Parliament. Being a School Councilor provides the opportunity to learn real-life skills take on responsibilities and be involved in decision making. In the last ac-ademic year the council dealt with playtime games, attendance, Zambia projects and bullying. Everyone really loves the responsibility of being on the school council. Recently we have made big

changes to our outdoor play-area, the available play equipment and we have been involved in lots of activities and initiatives in school. Eco Schools Council The Eco Schools Council meets regularly to discuss environmental issues relating to our school and the wider community. It comprises of pupils elected annually from each year group, staff, a governor and a parent representative.

Our School Prayer Re-

ligious Education, although part of the Curriculum is far more than a subject to us at Sacred Heart. It influences all aspects of our school life and relationships. By de-veloping the Catholic emphasis we try to build a caring attitude in school, which will be evident in all relationships between staff and children. As a Catholic school we are seeking to encourage and deepen the child's love and understanding of our faith and foster a desire to follow Jesus. The school uses the 'Come and See’ scheme as recommended by the Bishop's Conference. WITHDRAWAL FROM R.E. The Governors are required to inform parents of their rights of withdrawal of pupils from religious education and worship. Parents are also reminded that our school exists to give a ‘Catholic’ education to its pupils. It is therefore expected that parents be in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the school.

Collective Worship at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Our aim is to provide experiences which deepen the inner senses and engender feelings of self worth and the uniqueness of the individual. Giving pupils a purpose and meaning to life, awe and wonder of the natural world, reverence and respect

and a sense of belonging to the community. We create atmospheres in which gen-uine worship may take place and where pupils’ own beliefs are valued and each one

has the opportunity to respond in their own way.

Children are encouraged to reflect on the ways in which worship affects the values, attitudes and spiritual dimensions of themselves, the learning

community and society. It is a celebration and a time for reflecting on things that have worth and meaning to the community. Parents, children and staff all

come together to provide an enriching experience for all.

Procedures The school applies the following procedures in deciding how to deal with individual absences: Illness and Medical Appointments If a pupil is unfit for school, parents are asked to contact the school on the first day of absence by 10.00 am. When the pupil returns, he or she must bring a written note, signed by the parent for each period of absence. Absences will not be authorised without this procedure. In exceptional circumstances, further evi-dence of a child’s illness, such as a doctor’s note, may be requested. Lateness Punctuality is an important life skill for pupils to learn. Late arrival disrupts the whole class. You are expected to ensure that pupils are present in the school yard by 8.45 am. Pupils arriving after 9.00 am will be recorded as late. Pupils arriving after 9.20am am will be recorded as absent. Compassionate Leave and Emergencies In exceptional circumstances, the Head Teacher may authorise other brief absences on compassionate grounds. Each case will be considered on its merits, and whenever possible, permission should be requested in advance, in writing. If a pupil is absent at morning registration and the school has not received an explanation for the absence by 10.00 am, the school will contact the parent by tel-ephone in the first instance or by our text messaging service. PUPIL ATTENDANCE 2014/2015 If your child is absent for any reason, please inform the school on the first day of absence and a note explaining the absence must be presented on the child's return.

Unauthorised absences are recorded when a parent does not provide the school with a reason for an absence, or if children take more than 10 days holidays during school time.

Absence record for day pupils of compulsory school age

Overall attendance 2011/12 96.%

% authorised absence 4%

% unauthorised absence 0.4%

Sacred Heart Catholic School Attendance Policy Staff and Governors expect full and punctual attendance from all pupils. Principles As parents of registered pupils, you have a legal duty under the Education Act 1996 to make sure that children of compulsory school age attend school on a regular and full-time basis. Permitting unauthorised absence from school is an offence and parents may be reported to the Education Authority if problems cannot be resolved by agreement. Every half-day absence from school has to be recorded and classified by the school (not by the parents) as either authorised or unauthorised. This is why information about the cause of each absence is always required. You are responsible by law, for your child’s full attendance at school. Full attendance is important, not just because the law requires it but because it is the only way of ensuring that a child makes the most of the educational opportunities which are available; every lesson matters. There may be occasions when your child has to miss school – for example if he or she is unwell. Parents do not have the right to take their child out of school during term time. Authorised absences are mornings or afternoons away from school for a good reason (i.e. illness or other unavoidable cause). Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider reasonable and for which no “leave” has been given. This includes keeping children off school unnecessari-ly, truancy, absences which have not been properly explained and children who arrive at school too late to receive a mark in the register. Any problems with regular attendance are best sorted out between the school, the parents and the child. If a child is reluctant to attend, it is never better to cover up their absence or to give in to pressure to excuse them from attending. This gives the impres-sion that attendance does not matter and may make things worse. Parents are expected to contact school at an early stage and to work with the staff in re-solving problems together. This is nearly always successful. If problems cannot be sorted out in this way, the school may refer the child to the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) from the LA. He/she will also try to resolve the difficulties by agreement but, if other ways of trying to improve the child’s attendance have failed, this officer can use court proceedings to prosecute parents or to seek an Education Supervision Order on the child. Parents or children may wish to contact the EWOs themselves to ask for advice. They are independent of the school. Their telephone number is available from the school office or by contacting the Local Authority at Gateshead Civic Centre 0191 4333000.

HOLIDAYS A holiday list is circulated each year to parents and is also available on the Gateshead Council and school website. All holidays and school closures from Sep-tember to August will be listed. Lists for the next academic year will normally be available early in the summer term.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS ‘Under The Education Act’ (1996) requires parents to ensure their child attends school regularly. There is no automatic right to take your child out of school during term time.

The Law does however allow Head Teachers to consider individual requests to authorise a ‘Leave of Absence in Exceptional Circumstances’.

The Head Teacher must be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances to justify an authorised absence. It is the parents responsibility when submitting the request to

provide all the information and evidence to prove exceptional circumstances. The request for authorised ‘Leave of Absence’ must be made at least two weeks in ad-vance and the Head Teacher may invite the parent/carer(s) into school to discuss the

request before a decision is made. If the Head Teacher authorises the ‘Leave of Absence’ it is expected that the child’s attendance will be of a satisfactory level both prior and after the date covered by the

request. If the Head Teacher refuses ‘Leave of Absence’ and the absence is recorded as

unauthorised, the Head Teacher may refer the matter to the Local Authority requesting that a Penalty Notice be issued.

A Penalty Notice is £60 if paid within 21 days of receipt, rising to £120 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days. If the penalty is not paid in full by the end of the 28 day period the Local Authority may prosecute for the

offence to which the notice applies.

Where there is more than one child, each parent may be issued with a Penalty Notice in respect of each child. Research suggests that children who are absent

from school may never catch up on the learning they have missed, which may ultimately affect exam and test results. As a parent/carer, you can demonstrate your commitment to your child’s education by not allowing your child to miss school

for anything other than an exceptional and unavoidable reason.

2013-2014 During the 2013-2104 academic year Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School received £14,400 of Pupil Premium Funding. This money has been spent on:

1. THE PROVISION OF INTERVENTION ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING ASSESSMENTS AND PUPIL PROGRESS MEETINGS.

These interventions include: Better Reading Partnerships Breakfast Booster Classes

Mathletics Every Child Counts

1st Class @ Number Springboard Maths

Testbase Bug Club

2. SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL VISITS IN-

CLUDING: Year 4/5/6 Residential ‘Dukes House Wood’

Year 3 Autumn Creative Visit Year 2 Autumn Creative Visit

Year 1 Tesco Visit Spring Term Visits

Reception—Team Valley Trading Estate

3. EXTRA CURRICULAR CLUBS INCLUDING: Sports Clubs Guitar Club

Swimming Travel Lunchtime Football

After School Football Help with Homework

Visiting Theatre Bus Travel

Rugby Mathletics

Music Choir

Recorder Club Dance Club

4. STAFFING At least one highly skilled teaching assistant in every year group with FSM

(particularly YR/1/1/3). A high adult to child ratio in reception.

5. UNIFORM Uniform and shoes for vulnerable children

Mathletics Music Choir

Recorder Club Dance Club

IMPACT 2013-2014

The Governing Body expect all children to make progress of, at the very least, FOUR average points scores during an academic year.

The table gives details of the progress, in terms of average points scores since the Spring Term data (April 14) that our Key Stage 2 children (who are eligible for

pupil premium funding) have made since the end of Key Stage 1. We have also included our current Y2 from KS1.

Expected Progress

(Average Points Scores)

Actual Progress (Average Points Scores)

WRITING READING MATHS

PP Non PP PP Non PP PP Non PP

Year 2 Since Y1 7 6.2 7.5 6.3 4.5 5.7

Year 3 4 5 5.5 6 5.4 6 4.7

Year 4 8 14 8.4 10 10 11 8.4

Year 5 12 15 11.4 8 11.6 11 11.7

Year 6 16 16 17.9 17 17.7 22 18.1

INTRODUCTION: At all times and in all that we do our school and parish community attempt to serve as a witness to the Catholic faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that parents are the first and foremost educators of their children and that we are called to support them in their God given task. Each child in our school is valued and encouraged to achieve human wholeness - spiritually, morally, emotionally and academically in a happy and secure Christian environment.

We will always do our best to provide the best possible education for every child in our care. PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES: We acknowledge that we as parents are the primary educators of our children and have an irreplaceable role to play in supporting our children's learning at school. Therefore I/we will try to:

Ensure that my child attends school regularly, on time and suitably equipped.

Inform the school of any concerns or problems that might affect my child's work or behaviour

Support the Christian values of the school community

Give my child opportunities for home learning and support the homework that comes from the school

Support the school's policies and guidelines for behaviour

Attend parents’ evenings and discussions about my child's progress

Encourage my child to be enthusiastic about learning and to enjoy all the as-pects of school life.

Encourage my child to show kindness and consideration to others

Talk to my child about their experiences in school and encourage them to do their best

Attempt to support the Catholic community of Sacred Heart and the school governors in their responsibilities.

SCHOOL'S EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES We acknowledge our responsibility to support parents in their task of nurturing their children towards human wholeness within a Christian community.

Therefore we will:-

Provide a friendly welcome to your child and a secure and stimulating Christian environment in which to learn

Ensure that your child is valued for who he/she is and helped to make good progress in their spiritual, moral, emotional and academic development

Treat your child with the dignity and respect they require, encouraging them to full human wholeness

Demonstrate our faith and our school's foundation in the teachings of Jesus Christ, by what we teach and the way we live and worship in our school

Do our best to provide the best possible education we can for your child and enthusiastic teaching rooted in our beliefs, our values and our skills

Provide you with information about your child's progress and provide you with opportunities to talk to teachers

Keep you well informed about school policies and activities through regular letters and newsletters

Set, mark and monitor homework suitable to your child's needs

Send home an annual report of your child's progress

Contact you if there is a problem with your child's attendance or punctuality

Inform you of any concerns regarding your child's behaviour, work or health

Challenge your child to strive for the highest standard of personal, social and intellectual development and aim for excellence in all they do.

PUPIL RESPONSIBILITIES: Our children are the most important people within our school which has thrived for over 130 years; without them this school would not exist. As our children grow they take on more responsibility for their education and as such we ask those chil-dren in Key Stage 2 to also sign our ‘Home School Agreement’: I am special. I am special to my parents to all who work in my school, to my friends and to Jesus my special friend. Because I am special I will try to: -

Always try to do my best in my lessons Always try to remember to be polite and thoughtful towards all those I meet

in school Always try to enjoy school and help others to do the same. To let my teacher know if I am ever upset or unhappy at school Keep my school clean and tidy

We ask all parents and children to sign a declaration form to say they understand the aims and values it has as a Catholic school and the educational opportunities it

will provide for their child within a Christian context.

The declaration also asks parents to acknowledge the type of support outlined in the 'Parental Responsibilities Statement’ that will be necessary to ensure their

child is helped towards reaching their full potential.

SCHOOL PERFORMANCE COMPARATIVE REPORT NATIONAL CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT RESULTS Key Stage 1 SAT Results 2012

National Curriculum Assessment and Testing of Year 6 at Key Stage 2 Key Stage 2 SAT Results 2011

Subject Level 1 Level 2+ Level 2b+ Level 3+

Reading 92% 92% 92% 18%

Writing 100% 91% 82% 27%

Maths 100% 100% 91% 27%

Subject Level 4 above Level 5 Level 6

English 80% 10%

Maths 80% 25% 6%

Reading 90% 60%

Writing 85% 25%

ASSESSMENT AND RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT Each year a written report is prepared in the summer term by teachers on every child and sent to parents. A special meeting is arranged for parents to discuss reports with the class teacher. Progress meetings are also held for parents during the autumn and spring terms. The children are assessed throughout their years in school and take part in National Standards Assessment Tests (SATS) at 7 and 11. There are meetings with parents of children in these classes to discuss the best ways to help their children. TRANSFER AT ELEVEN It is normal practice for children to transfer to St Thomas More, Blaydon or St

Bede's, Lanchester. Transition days take place during the summer term for pupils accepted at these schools. CONCLUSION The information in this prospectus relates to the 2014/2015 school year commencing in September 2014. The particulars stated were correct at the time. It must not be assumed that changes will not be made before the start of or during the 2014-2015 year or in subsequent years.