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Great Bowden Academy A Church of England Primary School

Inspire ~ Believe ~ Learn ~ Achieve

Parents’ Handbook

2017-2018

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Welcome to Great Bowden Academy

These are the values that provide the foundation for our work:

Our core values are:


Our School Mission is:

Believing in a loving God, each other and ourselves we

will inspire people to learn and to achieve their dreams.

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Great Bowden Academy is an inclusive Christian community striving to fulfil Christ’s greatest commandments:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength: this is the greatest and most important commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.

There are no other commandments greater than these. (Matthew 22: 36-40)

Every aspect of our work is underpinned by these Christian values: reverence, wisdom, thankfulness, humility, endurance, service, compassion, trust, peace, forgiveness, friendship, justice, hope, creation and Koinonia. We are committed to promoting and upholding the British values of:

Democracy

The rule of law

Individual liberty

Mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith

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Contents

The Vision 4

History of the Academy 5

Contact Details 6

Access 7

Accommodation 8

Term Dates 9

A Journey through Primary School 10

Staff Team 12

Governing Body 13

Classes 2017/18 14

The School Day 15

The Curriculum – Early Years 16

The Primary Curriculum 18

Annual Learning Pattern 22

Timetables 23

Chances to Shine 28

Able Gifted and Talented Pupils 29

Special Educational Needs 30

Reporting Progress 31

Pupil Safety and Well-Being 32

Behaviour 34

A Healthy School 36

Equal Opportunities 37

Communication 38

Working with Parents 39

Parent/Teacher Association 40

Homework 41

Partnerships 43

Out-of-School Activities 44

School Uniform 46

Transport, Closures, Academy Security 48

Complaints 49

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Great Bowden Academy

A Church of England Primary School

The Vision

Great Bowden Academy is an outward looking and

innovative professional learning community in which

all members continually strive to develop their

professional expertise. In sharing their own

exemplary practice within school and in the wider

education context, Great Bowden professionals enjoy

developing the expertise of others and continuing to

develop themselves. Great Bowden leaders, of

teaching and learning and in school business,

governance and system leadership, are recognised

by colleagues outside the school as professional

experts in their fields.

Pupils at Great Bowden love coming to school

because teaching and learning is outstanding.

Teachers know how to engage children and are

passionate about motivating every pupil to enjoy

learning. Children develop as confident, articulate

individuals, able to think creatively and independently

and to approach challenges with a positive attitude.

Consequently pupils make outstanding progress

across the school and achieve exceptionally high

standards, not only in mathematics and English, but

in all areas of the curriculum.

An outstanding curriculum inspires pupils to learn and to

achieve. Firmly rooted in the development of basic skills

in English, Mathematics, Science, ICT, physical and

personal development and with a strong emphasis on the

creative and expressive arts, especially music, the Great

Bowden curriculum is broad and rich. The opportunity to

explore a wide range of subjects and educational

experiences allows every pupil to develop his or her

talents and potential in many ways.

Innovative approaches to financial and resource

management provide exceptional value for

money. The learning environment is

imaginatively managed and developed to

provide a physical context for learning that

enables the school to fulfil its core values and

mission.

Inspire ~ Believe ~ Learn ~

Achieve

Faith and belief form a cornerstone to the

curriculum and experience of Great Bowden

Academy. Children can reflect upon and

articulate their spiritual life in a tolerant

Christian community. Christ’s second

commandment ‘Love your neighbour as

yourself’ underpins the approach to

community cohesion and equalities

education which is embedded in the

curriculum and ethos of the school.

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History of the Academy

Great Bowden Church of England Primary School was founded in 1839 through local

voluntary support and with a grant from The National Society.

In 1983 the school moved from the original, Victorian building that now serves as the Church

Hall, to its present home in Gunnsbrook Close. On July 1st 2012 the school converted to

academy status and became ‘Great Bowden Academy: A Church of England Primary

School’.

Our School Today Great Bowden Academy is a thriving, small village primary school, situated in the historic

community of Great Bowden, a stone’s throw from the busy mediaeval market town of

Market Harborough. This year we have 134 pupils on roll, in six classes. Our pupils enjoy a

high standard of education, taught by dedicated, professional teachers and teaching

assistants. Ofsted awarded the academy an outstanding judgement in September 2014. This

was followed by an outstanding judgement in our SIAMS inspection in February (Statutory

Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) and the achievement of Artsmark Gold in

March 2015. All staff members take part in regular professional development to hone and

sharpen their teaching skills and are often asked to share their good practice with other

schools in the county. The school is a strategic partner in the Affinity Teaching School

Alliance and supports the training of student teachers. You can see from our ‘vision’ at the

beginning of this handbook that we are committed to providing a dynamic learning

environment where all members of our school community, pupils, staff, governors and

parents, are inspired to learn new things and to work towards their goals and dreams,

whatever they may be. These ‘things’ could be concepts, knowledge, attitudes, behaviour,

skills or simply better ways of doing things. This commitment is summed up in our core

values and our school mission:


Believing in a loving God, each other and ourselves we will inspire people to learn and to achieve their dreams.

Our classrooms are well-resourced with up-to-date equipment and books. Each classroom

has an interactive whiteboard. The school has two laptop trolleys to ensure that all children

have access to facilities for the teaching of whole class ICT we also have 15 iPads which are

used by all classes. All teachers have their own laptops and iPads to use for planning,

preparation and assessment and to explore ways of harnessing ICT to enhance learning.

Teachers and pupils are able to use ICT to support learning in all areas of the curriculum.

Our highly skilled and dedicated teachers are leaders in their areas of expertise; specialists

in primary Mathematics and English, Music, PE and Dance, ICT, Art, History, Science and

dyslexia support. We offer a broad, rich and creative curriculum, firmly rooted in the basic

skills of English and Mathematics and with a strong emphasis on music and the creative and

expressive arts.

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As a National College for School Leadership ‘Leadership Development School ’, a local

support school under the ‘Local Leaders in Education’ scheme and a strategic partner in the

Affinity Teaching School Alliance, we are committed to providing the very best in primary

education.

Contact Details School Address: Great Bowden Academy

Gunnsbrook Close, Great Bowden, Leicestershire. LE16 7HZ Telephone: 01858 463216 Fax: 01858 463255 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk Twitter @greatbowden

http://www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk/

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Access

Access to the school by road is via Gunnsbrook Close, off Main Street. The car park is for staff only or disabled access. Parents are asked, please, not to use the school car park. There are several footpaths for pedestrian access. One leads from The Green, one from the Recreation Ground, off Station Road. Both footpaths lead to a small gate at the rear of the school field, with a footpath leading to the playground entrances to the school. We would like to encourage you to walk to school if at all possible. If you do need to park in Gunnsbrook Close, please do so legally and with consideration for the needs of our very elderly neighbours.

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Accommodation

The school is situated in extensive grounds which provide ample space for play and Physical Education. A new, state-of-the-art, KS1 extension, completed in May 2015, has provided three light and spacious new classrooms and safe outdoor play space for our youngest pupils. The school hall has also been refurbished in the past year and the construction of a modern production kitchen was completed in January 2016.

The PTA has helped us to provide some fabulous play equipment for the outdoor area in recent years, such as our amazing climbing frame – specially designed to challenge our older children and develop upper body strength and our Pirate Ship sailing the field! This year the PTA has raised money to improve our extensive woodland area so that we can offer exciting Forest Schools’ activities, incorporating the vegetable plot and the pond. Outdoor shelters ensure that all children are able to access the outdoors all year round. Foundation Stage and younger Y1 children in Class 1 have access to their own secure outdoor area.

The accommodation comprises:

Five classrooms in the main building

One external classroom

Library

Four cloakroom/toilet areas

A multi-purpose production/cooking curriculum kitchen

A large assembly/dining hall

Two small rooms for group working, music teaching and 1-1 tuition

Staff room

Office

Production kitchen

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Term Dates

Autumn Term 2017 Schools Open – Tuesday 29th August 2017 Mid Term Break – Monday 16th to Friday 20th October 2017 Schools Close – Wednesday 20th December 2017

Spring Term 2018 Schools Open – Tuesday 9th January 2018 Mid Term Break – Monday 12th to Friday 16th February 2018 Schools Close – Friday 23rd March 2018

Summer Term 2018 Schools Open – Monday 9th April 2018 May Day – Monday 7th May 2018 Mid Term Break – Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June 2018 Schools Close – Friday 13th July 2018

Teacher Days Tuesday 22nd August 2017, Wednesday 23rd August 2017, Thursday 24th August, Monday 8th January 2018

Autumn Term 2018 Schools Open – Tuesday 28th August 2018 Mid Term Break – Monday 15th – Friday 19th October 2018 Schools Close – Friday 21st December 2018

Spring Term 2019 Schools Open – Monday 7th January 2019 Mid Term Break – Monday 18th – Friday 22nd February 2019 Schools Close – Friday 12th April 2019

Summer Term 2019 Schools Open – Monday 29th April 2019 May Day – Monday 6th May 2019 Mid Term Break – Monday 27th May – Friday 31st May 2019 School Close – Friday 12th July 2019

Teacher Days Friday 24th August 2018, Friday 4th January 2019. 3 extra dates to be set nearer the time Term dates are subject to slight change

Autumn 2015 onwards: A total of 3 in service training days for staff will be taken by schools from the 193 days given above, leaving 190 term days for pupils.

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The Journey through Primary School

Children start school at the beginning of the Autumn Term after their fourth birthday. As part

of our transition to school arrangements we invite our new starters to visit school for two half

days at the end of the summer term before they start school. Then, like most of the Market

Harborough primary schools, we operate a staggered start in order to make the process of

starting school as smooth and stress free for children as possible. Children build up to full

time over a period of two to three weeks during September. This part-time start means that

we are able to offer parents an extended meeting with Early Years’ teachers at school early

in the Autumn Term. In this way parents have a chance to tell staff all about their child’s

needs so that teachers can prepare for their arrival at school as well as possible. We also

offer the option of a home visit if parents feel that this would be helpful. Often meeting their

new teacher in the familiar setting of home can help a child feel at ease. It’s quite a long time

between the summer term visits and starting school properly – a home visit can be a helpful

reminder and a reassuring opportunity to meet and talk to a new teacher one-to-one. Please

let us know when you visit in the summer term if you would like a home visit and we will

arrange a date.

Around half way through the first term we invite parents of our new Reception pupils to a

meeting with staff to discuss how children are settling in. However, parents are welcome to

make an appointment with class teachers or the head teacher to discuss any

concerns at any time.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

The EYFS extends throughout the Reception year and sometimes into Year 1 (Y1),

during which pupils begin Key Stage 1 (KS1) of the National Primary Curriculum.

Key Stage 1 (KS1)

KS1 represents the two years when a child is aged 5-6 and 6-7 years – Years 1 and 2.

(Classes 2 and 3)

Key Stage 2 (KS2)

In KS2 pupils move into Class 3. Class 4 has Y3 and some Y4 pupils. Class 5 has some

Y4 pupils and Y5 pupils. Decisions about which class pupils spend Y4 in are made after

careful consideration of assessments throughout Y3 to ensure that all pupils continue to

make good progress.

Y6 pupils move into Class 6.

At the age of 11, pupils move on to local Secondary schools to begin Key Stage 3 (KS3)

which spans Years 7-9.

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Transition to Secondary Education

Students from Great Bowden, in the main, transfer either to Robert Smyth Academy

or Welland Park Community College. Both of these schools now offer KS3 (11-14)

and KS4 (14-16). Robert Smyth will continue to offer KS5 (16-18) as it currently

does.

Alternative schools sometimes considered by parents are Uppingham Community

College and Bishop Stopford School (11-18) a Church of England Aided Foundation

School, in Kettering.

Fee-paying options include Leicester Grammar School, Leicester High School for

Girls or Northamptonshire Grammar School.

Local secondary schools provide a broad range of transition activities during the 2

years before pupils move from primary to secondary to make sure that the transition

is as smooth and as happy as possible for all pupils. These activities include activity

days for whole year groups from schools across the town. Children have fun

opportunities to get to know the building, meet staff and of course, pupils from other

schools who may be classmates and friends in the future. In addition, small groups

or even individual extra visits and support sessions are arranged for pupils who may

need a little extra re-assurance or help to prepare for the move.

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Staff Team

Executive Headteacher

Mrs Angela Dewes B.Ed Hons, NPQH, Affinity Local Leader in Education

Head of School Mrs. Rebecca Blagburn BA Hons PGCE Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Mr. George Norman BA Hons PGCE; MA Class 6 Teacher; Subject Leader for Mathematics and Music

School Business Manager

Mrs Louise Wiltshire BA Hons ASBM

Office Manager Mrs. Caroline Banks BA Hons CSBM M.Inst AM

Facilities Administrator

Miss Katie Gillanders

Business Support Mrs Rebecca Lillie BA Hons

Teachers Mrs. Sarah Trappitt B.Ed PGCE PDip. SLD Class 1 Teacher; Foundation Stage Leader; School Council; PSHE Mrs. Karen McHugo BA Hons PGCE

Class 1 Teacher; Subject Leader for History and Geography. Research and Innovation Leader Mrs Sarah Walker Class 2 teacher; BA Hons, QTS Mrs. Fay Hooper B.Ed Hons Class 2 teacher; Specialist Art Teacher/Subject Leader for Art Mrs. Dionne Kirby B.Ed Hons Class 3 teacher; Subject Leader for Science Miss Laura Cook BA Hons QTS Class 4 Teacher, Specialist Spanish Teacher/ Collective Worship Mrs. Jayne Arthurton BA Hons QTS Class 5 Teacher; Subject Leader for Computing and English

Music Teachers

Mrs. Tracey Richards Choir, singing Mrs. Faye Deane– flute, clarinet, saxophone Mr. John Deane – trumpet Mr. John Dilliegh –piano Mr. Fino Lopez – guitar

Teaching Assistants Mrs. Cheryl Cole NVQ3 Senior Teaching Assistant Class 1

Mrs Lynne Diver NVQ3 Teaching Assistant

Mrs. Rachael McHugo NVQ3 Teaching Assistant and SEN support

Mrs. Deena Sumpter NVQ3 Teaching Assistant; PSHE and SEN support

Mrs. Georgina Connors BA Hons Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) Sports Coordinator, Library coordinator

Lunchtime Team Miss Charlotte Webb – Kitchen Supervisor

Mrs. Lynne Diver - Lunchtime Manager

Mrs. Maxine Davenport – Kitchen Assistant

Miss Beth Prince

Miss Sally Anderson

Miss Anne- Marie Burnham

Mrs Fiona Ross

Mrs Rachel Wright

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Governing Body

Chair and Parent Governor

Mrs. Isabel Dupey

Vice Chair(Parent Governor)

Mrs. Georgina Connors

Headteacher Governor

Mrs. Angela Dewes

Incumbent/Foundation Governor

Mrs Michelle Daniels

Mr. Raoul Mercer

Mrs. Gemma Christison (Parent Governor)

Dr. Sarah Hill

Mrs. Jan Shardlow (Special Educational Needs) Mr. Michael Fletcher (Safeguarding) Mrs Sue Adams Mr. Les Dodd

Teacher Governor Mrs. Jayne Arthurton

Staff Governor

Clerk to the Governors

Mrs. Rhona Purdham

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Classes 2016/17

Class Pupils Teacher Location

Class 1

YR 20

Mrs Sarah Trappitt and Mrs Karen McHugo

Main Building

Class 2

Y1 20

Mrs Sarah Walker/ Mrs Fay Hooper

Main Building

Class 3

Y2 20

Mrs Dionne Kirby Main building

Class 4

Y3 23

Y4 6

Miss Laura Cook Main Building

Class 5

Y4 9

Y5 18

Mrs Jayne Arthurton Mobile Classroom

Class 6

Y6 18

Mr George Norman/ Mrs Rebecca Blagburn

Main Building

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The School Day

8.50 School opens

9.00 Registration

9.05 – 9.15 Just Dance (& Assembly on Thursday and Friday)

10.30 – 10.45 Morning Break

12.00 Lunch

1.15 – 1.30 Registration

2.30 - 2.45 Afternoon Break (KS1)

3.30 Home time

As children move up the school, parents often feel that they are able to let them walk

to school by themselves. Please let us know when you have decided to allow

this. Unless they are taking part in one of our before-school activities such as

ensemble or choir, we ask parents, please, not to send children to school alone

before 8.40 in the morning. Staff members are often in school preparing lessons

from 8am onwards, but there is no guarantee that they will be aware of unsupervised

pupils in the playground at that time, which means that children are at risk of

accident and could even wander off the premises, unnoticed. Children from YR –

Y5 must be supervised by an adult until the school bell rings at 8.50.

At home-time, Class 1 children must be collected from the Class 1 outdoor area at

the back of the school. Children from our other classes can be collected from the

playground outside their classes. Please inform school if you arrange for anyone

unfamiliar to staff to collect your child. We also need to be informed if you give

permission for your older child (Y6) to walk home alone.

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The Curriculum

(“All the stuff you learn in school” – Mick Waters, The Curriculum Foundation)

The Early Years Foundation Stage

There are three ‘prime’ areas of learning:

Communication and language

This area of learning involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich

language environment; to develop their confidence and skill in expressing

themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

Physical Development

This area involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and

interactive and to develop their coordination, control and movement. Children must

also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity and to make healthy

choices about food.

Social and Emotional Development

This area involves helping children to develop a positive sense of themselves and

others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop

social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate

behaviour in groups and to have confidence in their own abilities.

There are also a further 4 areas of learning through which the three prime areas are

strengthened and applied:

Literacy involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin

to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading

materials (books, poems and other reading materials) to ignite their interest.

Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and

improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating

simple addition and subtraction problems and to describe shape, space and

measures.

Understanding of the World involves guiding children to make sense of their

physical world and their community through opportunities to explore and find

out about people, places, technology and environment.

Expressive Arts and Design involves enabling children to explore and play

with a wide range of media and materials as well as providing opportunities

and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a

variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play and design and

technology.

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Experienced and skilled teachers and practitioners provide a carefully planned

balance of child-initiated and adult-directed activities. The emphasis is on

learning through play and pursuing children’s own interests, extending

children’s vocabulary and language skills and developing well-rounded,

independent learners with a sound foundation for moving on to the next phase

of their schooling.

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The Primary Curriculum

At Great Bowden Academy we follow the primary National Curriculum. We place

considerable emphasis on the skills for learning and life – Literacy, Numeracy, ICT

and Personal Development, seen in the centre of the diagram below. With those

essential priorities at its heart, we organise the curriculum in themes, which cover all

the National Curriculum subjects in six areas of learning for the Primary phase.

This wheel represents the way in which we think about and organise our curriculum,

which is, simply, everything children learn in school.

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The Aims of Education

To develop confident individuals, responsible citizens, successful learners

The Skills for Learning and Life

Literacy

Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening

Numeracy

Mathematics

Personal Development

Personal, social and emotional aspects of learning

Developing positive attitudes to learning

ICT

Information and communications technology – learning the skills needed to be able

to use ICT in all areas of learning by the time they move on to secondary school.

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Six Areas of Learning

Physical Health and Well-Being PE, Sport and physical activity Personal, social and health education. Food and cooking

Arts and Design Art Design Dance Music Drama

Communication and Languages English Language and Literature Spanish Speaking and Listening Drama

Mathematical Understanding – Mathematics, including being able to apply mathematics learning in a ‘real’ context

Scientific and Technological understanding Science Design Technology Computing

Humanities History Geography Religious Education Philosophy for Children

While we teach mathematics as a separate subject every day, carefully taking account of

progression in learning in the National Curriculum, we also plan opportunities within a

broader topic for children to apply their maths learning in a relevant context. Y2 pupils might

learn about measuring in maths. During a topic on Dinosaurs pupils could design and

produce a scale drawing, in chalk, of a diplodocus on the school playground! Pupils learn the

features of explanation texts in their literacy lessons, and then write an explanation of how

the dinosaurs became extinct as part of their topic. In order to publish their explanation as a

presentation, pupils may need to learn how to use PowerPoint. Teachers plan carefully to

make relevant and meaningful cross-curricular links, seeking always to fulfill the core values

of our school. Those essential areas of the curriculum that cannot be learned meaningfully

as part of a topic are taught as separate lessons. Specialist teachers provide tuition in

Spanish, music, dance, art, PE and sport and ‘Philosophy for Children’.

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Annual Learning Pattern (see grid overleaf)

The annual learning pattern provides a foundation for breadth and balance, rigour and

manageability. It provides a structure for long term planning. When planning all topics

teachers are asked to place particular emphasis on literacy and mathematics across the

curriculum and to consider how ICT can be used to enhance learning. They are also

encouraged to consider all areas of learning when planning a topic but for the sake of

coherence and manageability to place emphasis on one main area according to the learning

pattern.

Some subjects, e.g. PSHE, RE and STEM (science, technology, engineering and

mathematics) subjects are taught discretely during themed weeks throughout the year. Other

subjects, e.g. P.E., ICT, PSHE, Music, English, Mathematics, as well as being included in

topic planning are also taught discretely and continuously throughout the year. Topics of

three to four weeks in length are interspersed with discrete weeks on PSHE and RE. Each

RE week has an explicit community cohesion theme. Teachers plan a ‘BIG MATHS’

investigations day at the end of each half term to provide opportunities for pupils to apply

their learning independently in contextualised problem-solving situations.

The aspects in the stripes at the bottom of the grid are part of continuous, discrete learning

and run throughout the year. Teachers derive the learning objectives and essential skills for

foundation subjects from the National Curriculum.

Great Bowden Academy teachers plan learning in themes to meet the requirements of the

National Curriculum (2013) programmes of study. The academy’s Curriculum Map shows a

summary of the topics and subjects covered throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 and starts on

page 22

Professional Learning Community

All of our staff members engage in a wealth of professional learning opportunities in order to

develop their practice. Training courses and subject network meetings are provided within

our local Teaching School Alliance. At Great Bowden, we strive for continuous improvement

in the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers take part in Research Lesson Study,

working collaboratively to keep their practice under continual review.

This year, for example, teachers have been working together to research improvements in

learning in Arithmetic, writing and Science in ‘Lesson Study’. They work in small teams of 3

or 4 to study academic and subject specialist research in a challenging area of learning.

They work together to plan a lesson, then one of the team of 3 or 4 teachers teaches the

lesson while the others observe the pupils. The teachers meet after the lesson to evaluate it

and plan the next research lesson. As a Lesson Study/Research-Engaged School, we aim to

ensure that our pupils benefit from the findings of international research into effective

learning.

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Annual Learning Pattern

Term One Term Two Term Three PS HE

Science and technology

RE and Com- munity

Humanities/ Arts

RE & Comm-unity


RE & Comm-unity

Humanities/ Arts

RE & Comm-unity


RE & Comm-unity

Humanities/ Arts

PHSE/SEAL/Collective Worship/SMSC etc.

English

Mathematics

Spanish

PE and Sport

ICT

Music

= Big Maths Activities

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Class 1 Timetable

This is a typical weekly timetable for Class 1. The Early Years Foundation Stage and Y1 timetable is intended to be flexible and fluid. A carefully designed balance of adult-directed,

‘taught’ activities and child-initiated ‘play’ activities, planned by teachers to provide opportunities for children to develop their learning across all the EYFS areas of learning, run

throughout the day. Some sessions are timetabled for practical purposes, like PE in the hall, or phonics, where several members of staff have to be available to teach groups at the

same time. There are some days in each term when the class runs ‘off timetable’ for special occasions, celebration days, RE topic days which we ‘block’ at the beginning of each

term, trips, curriculum enrichment events, STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering and Maths) days and so on. Adjustments are also made depending on the time of year, e.g. near

to Christmas and during the second half of the summer term, time is made available for pupils to rehearse for Drama productions, music performances – all, of course, very

important elements of a primary school curriculum.

Class 1 Timetable (20 pupils)

9.05-9.15

9.30-10.30 11.30-11.55

1.15-3.30 (including afternoon break)

Monday

Mrs Trappitt Mrs Cole

Dance

EYFS/Y1 areas of learning

Phonics (reading, writing and spelling)

Assembly Forest School

Tuesday


Dance EYFS/Y1 areas of learning


Singing Assembly


Wednesday


Dance



EYFS/Y1 areas of learning PE (Premier Sport)

Thursday

Mrs K. McHugo Mrs Cole

Dance/ Assembly



Assembly EYFS/Y1 areas of learning

Friday

Mrs K. McHugo Mrs Cole

Dance/ Assembly



Assembly EYFS/Y1 areas of learning

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Class 2 Timetable

This is a typical weekly timetable for Class 2.

The timetable is intended to be flexible. There are some days in each term when the class runs ‘off timetable’ for special occasions, celebration days, RE topic days which we ‘block’ at the beginning of each term, trips, curriculum enrichment events, STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering and Maths) days and so on. Adjustments are also made depending on the time of year, e.g. near to Christmas and during the second half of the summer term, time is made available for pupils to rehearse for Drama productions, music performances – all, of course, very important elements of a primary school curriculum. Specialist teachers teach PE and Spanish in all classes every week; each class has additional Art taught by specialists in a weekly afternoon session for half a term at a time at different times of the year.


9.00-9.15

9.15-10.45

11-11.40 11.40-12.00

1.15-1.30 1.30-3.30 (includes afternoon break)

Monday

Mrs Walker Mrs Diver

Register/ Dance

Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop

Maths Phonics Assembly Foundation subjects

PSHE

Tuesday


Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Singing Assembly

PE

Foundation subjects

Wednesday

Mrs Connors Mrs Diver

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics PE / Forest Schools Class Assembly

Thursday


Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Assembly Science

Friday

Mrs Hooper Mrs Diver

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Assembly Foundation Subjects

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Class 3 Timetable




9.00-9.15

9.15-10.45

11.00-11.40

11.40-12.00

1.15-3.30 (includes afternoon break)

Monday Mrs Kirby

Register /Dance


Maths Phonics Assembly Foundation subjects PSHE

Tuesday Mrs Kirby

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Singing assembly

Foundation subjects PE

Wednesday Mrs McHugo

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics PE Premier Sport Forest Schools/ Foundation Subjects Assembly (Class)

Thursday Mrs Kirby

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Assembly Science

Friday Mrs Kirby

Register/ Dance


Maths Phonics Assembly Foundation Subjects

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Class 4 Timetable




9.00-9.15

9.15-10.45 11.00-11.55 1.15-3.30

Monday Miss Cook

Register/Dance

Readers/ Writers workshop

Maths Assembly Science

Tuesday Miss Cook

Register/ Dance


Maths Singing Assembly

Foundation Subjects

Wednesday Carousel

Register/ Dance

Spanish Music PE Premier Sport

Library

Foundation Subjects

Thursday Miss Cook

Register/ Dance


Maths Assembly Swimming (Spring Term only)/ Foundations Subjects

Friday Miss Cook

Register/ Dance


Maths Assembly Forest Schools

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Class 5 Timetable




9.00-9.15

9.15-10.45 11.00-11.55 1.15-3.30

Monday Mrs Arthurton

Register/Dance

English Maths Assembly Science

Tuesday Mrs Arthurton

Register/Dance

English Maths Singing Assembly

Computing Foundation Subjects

Wednesday Carousel Mrs Arthurton

Register/Dance


Foundation Subjects

Thursday Mrs Arthurton

Register/Dance

English Maths Assembly Swimming (Spring Term

only)/PE

PSHE

Friday Mrs Arthurton

Register/Dance

English Maths Assembly Foundation Subjects

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Class 6 Timetable




9.00-9.15

9.15-10.45 11.00-11.55 1.15-3.30

Monday Mr Norman

Register/ Dance

English Maths Assembly Science

Tuesday Mr Norman

Register/ Dance

English Maths Singing Assembly

PSHE Foundation subjects

Wednesday Carousel PPA am Mrs Blagburn PM

Register/ Dance


Foundation Subjects

Thursday Mr Norman

Register/ Dance

English Maths Assembly Computing Foundation subjects

Friday Mrs Blagburn

Register/ Dance

English Maths Assembly Foundation subjects Feedback

PE

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Chances to Shine…

The academy provides a wide range of activities and opportunities for pupils to

develop leadership skills, to help them to develop as capable and responsible

citizens and to develop self-esteem and confidence.

The School Council

Mrs Trappitt leads a thriving school council which meets weekly to discuss issues of

concern and interest to pupils. Elections for year group representatives are held

early in each autumn term. Projects have included raising money for playground

games, agreeing a football rota for playtimes and designing improvements for

cloakrooms and toilet areas.

The Worship Team

Two children from each class make up the academy’s Worship Team. Each member

plays a part in our daily assemblies, from opening and closing worship, leading

prayers, sharing the weekly reading, organising music. One Y6 pupil holds the post

of Worship Team leader for half a term.

Outdoor Adventurous Education

Y5 and Y6 pupils have the opportunity to take part in an annual residential trip run by

PGL. They always have a fantastic time, being away from home often for the first

time, developing independence, experiencing genuine challenge and carefully

managed risk (essential for healthy development).

Sports Ambassadors

Two pupils are nominated every year to be the Academy’s Sports Ambassadors.

They attend training at Robert Smyth Academy and lead new initiatives in

playground games and sport in school.

Music, Dance and Drama

We have a strong programme of music, drama and performance throughout the

year. Musicians have opportunities every half term to perform for family and friends.

We put on an annual Christmas, nativity-themed production in church, starring our

younger pupils and an annual summer extravaganza starring the oldest pupils. The

ensemble and choir take part in performance opportunities regularly, from playing in

assemblies every week, in our monthly church assembly, concerts like the

Leicestershire Primary Schools’ Massed Choirs performance at the Lord Mayor’s

Christmas Gala Concert at De Montfort Hall, this year collaborative projects like the

annual Market Harborough area Small Schools’ Music Festival. An after-school

Dance Club runs weekly during the spring term and there is a strong emphasis on

Dance as part of a broad PE curriculum.

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Wii Just Dance

All pupils start the day with 10 minutes of fun, physical activity dancing to the Wii on

the big screen in the hall. Not only does this wake everybody up and prepare them

for learning, it provides an extra hour of physical activity per week and supports the

development of coordination, music and reading (karaoke…!).Y6 pupils set it up and

organise the technology; teachers select 4 ‘Dancers of the Day’ every day to lead the

dancing the following morning. It is a sight to behold and our local Community

Support Officer often pops in to join us to start her day!

Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils

We aim to provide as wide a range of opportunities for pupils as possible, so that all

pupils have a chance to discover their talents, whether academic, musical, sporting

or artistic. The Market Harborough group of schools also provides specific

enrichment days for particularly able KS2 pupils, for example, music days for pupils

who have achieved grade 1 or above in their musical instrument; gifted and talented

art days, able writers’ workshops, science days, gifted and talented maths activity

days and a wide range of sports events and galas.

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Special Educational Needs

Pupils with additional needs are identified by their class teachers and support is planned

in consultation with parents and the school’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Co-coordinator, (SENDCO). A plan for each pupil is agreed and progress is reviewed at

regular intervals.

For some children who may be beginning to fall behind their peers, a short term

intervention, for example in reading as part of a small group, is sufficient to help them to

catch up and re-join their peers for whole class lessons. This kind of provision is part of

high quality teaching practice and many pupils may need this kind of help at various

points during their time in school.

Pupils with more specific needs who require longer term and sometimes more specialist

interventions are entered into the school SEN Record at SEN Support.

Where the special educational provision required to meet the child or young person’s

needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the resources normally available to the

school, the school, in consultation with parents, considers requesting a Local Authority

SEN Support Plan or Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan assessment from the Local

Authority as appropriate. To inform this decision, the SENCO has regard to the local

authority’s criteria for funding through an SEN Support Plan or for an EHC Plan

assessment. This can be found on the Leicestershire Local Offer web site along with

information on the EHC plan coordinated assessment process. The process is shared in

full with parents to ensure they are confident and clear about what the process entails

and how they are involved in it.

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Reporting Progress We invite parents to a Progress Review Meeting in the Autumn Term and again in

the Spring Term to discuss their child’s achievement with the class teacher. Class

teachers assess progress termly and provide a short ‘snapshot’ report on progress in

Mathematics and English, behaviour, class and homework effort and attitudes to

learning. This report is prepared for pupils from Y1 onwards at the end of the autumn

and spring terms, including details of pupils’ next steps in learning.

The more detailed ‘annual report’ is published at the end of the summer term

summing up progress across the curriculum for the year, after which parents are

invited to make an appointment for a discussion if they have any concerns.

If in doubt about anything, please do ask. Teachers are always happy to discuss

any concerns or queries parents may have about children’s learning, progress or

well-being, informally. If you are wondering what you can do at home to help your

child, or want to know more about the homework or your child is unhappy about

something – please ask - we are always happy to help.

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Pupil Safety and Well-Being

Pastoral Care

Every member of the teaching and non-teaching staff is involved in the welfare of

your child. Before your child starts school you will be asked to give details of your

address, telephone numbers, place of work etc. so that we can always contact

you in an emergency. Please make sure you remember to notify us immediately of

any changes to your contact details.

We also ask you to inform us of any particular health problem and dietary needs

your child may have, including allergies and any prescribed medications your child

may need to keep in school. In some cases we may need to devise a ‘Health Care

Plan’ so that everyone who needs to, knows how to care for your child properly.

As well as their class teacher and teaching assistant each child nominates a

member of staff each year to be their ‘Worry Buddy’ – someone they can talk to

about their concerns.

Illness at School

If your child requires medicine to be administered, please contact the school

office. No child may carry or receive prescribed medicines in school unless clear

and written instructions to do so have been obtained from parents. All medicines

should be clearly marked with the child's name. We cannot administer non-

prescribed medicines in school.

If your child is taken ill or is involved in an accident requiring professional medical

attention, parents will be contacted as soon as possible.

In the case of more minor accidents, children will be provided with slips giving the

brief details about the nature of the injury. The school keeps careful records of all

accidents that happen on school premises.

Absence

If your child is absent for any reason we ask you to contact the school by 10.00am

on the first day of the absence. The school will contact parents if we do not hear

from you by this time. This is to ensure pupil safety. Parents must provide a

written note explaining the reason for the absence when the child returns to

school.

It is the responsibility of the headteacher to decide whether an absence is to be

classed as 'authorised' or 'unauthorised'. Requests for permission for absence

from school during term time are considered on a case by case basis. It is not

possible to authorise more than two weeks absence for holidays taken during term

time each year and permission for absence will not be given for children who have

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already been absent from school for a significant period during the year or for Y6

pupils during the first half of the summer term.

We strongly discourage parents from booking holidays

in term time. Interruptions to children’s education can

have a profound effect on achievement and on

friendships and must be kept to an absolute minimum.

The headteacher will only grant permission for absence

in term time in exceptional circumstances.

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Behaviour At Great Bowden Academy we expect all members of the school community to

behave well and to treat everyone with respect. We use the words of an ancient

Anglican blessing as the basis of our behaviour expectations:

Go forth into the world in peace, Be of good courage

Hold fast to that which is good, Render to no-one evil for evil Strengthen the faint hearted

Support the weak Help the afflicted

Honour everyone

and we have two simple school rules:

be kind

be safe

Great Bowden Academy’s Behaviour and Discipline Policy is available from

the office and from our website.

Bullying As they grow and develop, children learn about the joys and sorrows of social

relationships and often experience friendship problems. We work hard, with parents,

to help pupils develop resilience and the social skills they need to build healthy and

rewarding friendships. Bullying is something different, is much more serious and can

blight lives. There is no legal definition, but bullying is usually defined as behaviour

that is:

repeated and persistent

intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally

often aimed at certain groups, e.g. because of race, religion, gender or sexual

orientation

It takes many forms and can include:

physical assault

teasing

making threats

name calling

cyberbullying - bullying via mobile phone or online (eg email, social networks

and instant messenger)

Bullying is not tolerated at Great Bowden Academy. The school has a clear Anti-Bullying Policy which is available from the office and from the school website.

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Child Protection The academy has a comprehensive Safeguarding Policy which is updated annually and is available from the school office and the school website.

Great Bowden Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all

staff, governors and volunteers to share this commitment.

All adults who work with children in this school, either in a professional or a voluntary capacity, are cleared by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

A Healthy School

The academy holds the ‘Healthy Schools Award’ which recognises its commitment to

teaching children about making healthy choices and to providing a healthy environment

in which to learn. Our Bowden Bistro catering service launched in January 2016

providing delicious and balanced hot lunches, prepared to strict nutritional guidelines.

Lunches cost £2.20 per day, payable in advance for our Key Stage 2 children.

Reception and Key Stage 1 children are eligible for Universal Free School Meals.

We can accommodate a small number of adult lunches, if ever you’d like to join your

child for lunch. Book a week in advance and try for yourself!

We provide our younger children with a piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack and

encourage older, KS2 pupils to bring in a ‘fruit only’ snack to keep them going until

lunchtime. Fruit can be fresh, preserved (small cans or plastic tubs) dried, juiced or

pureed – but must be pure and not include added sugar. Carrots, cucumber and

tomatoes are popular choices.

Drinking enough water is very important to ensure that children’s brains are functioning

to their full potential for learning, so we encourage pupils to bring an unbreakable water

bottle to school with them every day – filled with water only.

www.healthylunch.org offers this advice about preparing packed lunches for children at

school:

http://www.healthylunch.org/

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What’s in a healthy packed lunch?

Children at school should have about a third of their daily nutrient requirements at lunchtime. This means they need food that is going to provide them with enough energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

A healthy packed lunch should contain a mix of foods from the Eat Well Plate. The Eat Well Plate shows how much should be eaten from each of the 5 food groups.

A good packed lunch contains:

a starchy food, such as bread, rolls, pitta bread, naan bread, potatoes, rice, noodles. (These foods are good for children to fill up on.)

a good source of protein, iron and zinc such as meat, fish, beans, or eggs.

a good source of calcium such as milk, cheese, yoghurt or fromage-frais.

one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetable or salad to provide all the other vitamins and minerals. A piece of fruit could be a 100% juice or piece of fresh fruit, dried fruit or tinned fruit in fruit juice. A piece of vegetable could be a fresh vegetable such as carrot stick, salad or a vegetable soup or vegetable dish.

No single food contains all the essential nutrients the body needs to be healthy and function efficiently so it is important that the

content of the packed lunch is varied.

What about snacks such as crisps, cakes, pastries and sweets?

These foods should only be given occasionally. Children will then appreciate them more. If these foods are included in packed lunches they might eat these first and not have the appetite to eat the other foods that will provide them with the important nutrients they need to grow and develop, be healthy and active

Great Bowden Academy is a nut-free school. We have several pupils with a serious nut allergy, so we ask all parents to help us in our responsibility for all

our pupils’ well-being. PLEASE DO NOT EVER SEND NUTS INTO SCHOOL.

Equal Opportunities

Our academy has several policies relating to equal opportunities: the Special

Educational Needs Policy; the Disability Access Scheme; the Equal Opportunities

Policy; the Behaviour, Anti Bullying and Community Cohesion Policies. Some of our

policies are available on our website (www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk); all are

available from the school office. Our approach to equal opportunities and issues of

discrimination is unequivocal:

We will not tolerate incidents or expressions of discrimination on

any grounds: age, gender, race, disability, religious belief or social

or cultural background.

Our curriculum provides opportunities for pupils throughout their time at Great

Bowden Academy to learn about customs and beliefs from a wide range of religions,

nationalities and cultures. For example, in Religious Education pupils learn about the

main world religions and teachers plan visits to their places of worship and invite

their representatives to our school in order to enrich pupils’ learning experiences.

Through art, music and literature children encounter a wide range of cultures and

influences.

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/eatwellplate/

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We have strong links with several other schools – from a school in Madrid to our

neighbouring schools in Market Harborough, especially St Joseph’s Catholic Primary

School. As a school we sponsor the education of Devakumar, a ‘bouncy’ 10 year old

in a Goodwill Homes school in Thandigudi, Tamil Nadu. His teachers send us regular

reports of his progress and our children take turns to write to him. We all enjoy

reading the regular letters he sends us about his life and seeing him grow in the

photographs the charity sends us of him.

We are a Church of England school with a strong Christian ethos: Christ’s

commandment ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ underpins our approach to preparing

our pupils to make a positive contribution as citizens of a multi-cultural, 21st century

society. Our ‘neighbour’ could be the person we stand next to, someone in a

neighbouring town or country or someone who needs our help on the other side of

the world.

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Communication

Mrs. Dewes and all members of staff are always pleased to welcome any parent who

has a concern or a suggestion, however small. It is helpful if you can telephone and

make an appointment first. If that is not possible, the best time for an informal chat is

at the end of the school day, when teachers have more time to talk. Of course, if

something has happened that the class teacher needs to be aware of, please feel

free to pop into the classroom to speak to the teacher or telephone first thing in the

morning.

Parents of Reception pupils are encouraged to bring their children into the classroom

in the morning, to settle children in and say goodbye. We do encourage you to keep

farewells brief. It’s important not to lose too much teaching and learning time and

long drawn out goodbyes can be unsettling for children and parents. Keep it simple –

‘Have a lovely day, kiss, cuddle, see you at home-time!’

In the interests of encouraging their developing independence, from Year 1, we ask

you to leave your children at the classroom door, unless there is a pressing need to

speak to the class teacher. Children need to learn how to sort out their own coats

and bags and to prepare themselves for a productive day at school.

Parentmail X, Twitter, the Newsletter and the Friday Fridge Flier The main method of communication with parents about school events, sports fixtures

and general messages is by ‘Parentmail X’, via e-mail or text message. We also use

‘Twitter’ to communicate short snippets of good news about school life almost every

day, often including photographs. We urge all parents to sign up for ‘Parentmail X’

to ensure that they do not miss crucial information relating to their child. Please also

sign up to follow us on Twitter @greatbowden – it is a private account, so you have

to be accepted as a follower to see our ‘tweets’! www.twitter.com/greatbowden

We publish a termly newsletter with the main headlines of school news, reminders

and events coming up over the next half term or so. We also publish the weekly

Friday Fridge Flier…this is a summary of reminders about events for the following

week which is sent out via Parentmail on Friday for parents to print out and put on

the fridge!

General information, school policies, and a calendar of events is provided on the

school website www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk

http://www.twitter.com/greatbowden


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Working with Parents

We warmly welcome parents and family members into school to support work in

classrooms. Some parents help with classroom activities, some support pupils as

‘Reading Buddies’, providing 1-1 reading practice for pupils first thing in the morning

once or twice a week. It can be amazing to see the impact of just this little bit of

regular extra practice on pupils’ confidence in reading. Others help out with

gardening or sporting activities. Often parents provide valuable help with transport to

extra-curricular events. On the first Friday of each month in term-time we have our

whole school assembly in St Peter and St Paul’s Church at 9.30am. Parents and

members of the local community are welcome to attend.

At the end of each half term we have an event to which parents are invited:

Autumn 1 Curriculum Showcase Assembly

Autumn 2 The Nativity, in church

Spring 1 Curriculum Showcase

Spring 2 ‘Great Bowden Stars’ music and dance

Summer 1 Curriculum Showcase

Summer 2 Summer Musical Theatre Production

At our curriculum Showcase assemblies, the children present their learning in a

range of different ways and invite parents to see their work in the classrooms

afterwards. At other times during the year we provide information sessions about

aspects of the curriculum, e.g. mathematics, reading, writing and assessment.

Leaflets relating to these areas are available from the office and from our website.

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Parent/Teacher Association We have a thriving and very successful PTA which raises considerable funds (about

£3,000 annually!) to support many curriculum enrichment opportunities and facilities

for our pupils. Our fabulous Pirate Ship and climbing frame were provided by the

PTA, for example. The PTA provides financial support for transport on educational

visits, play equipment and so on. Last year the PTA bought a new laptop trolley with

15 laptops for the school. Without the support of its members we would not be able

to provide such a broad and rich primary curriculum for our pupils. Events for pupils

and parents are organized throughout the year, such as pub quiz nights, school

sleepovers, cake sales and the highly successful Christmas Fair and there are

regular meetings. New members are always very welcome. There is a PTA welcome

booklet with more information available from the office.

Key events to look out for are:

Cake Sale Last Friday of each month at 3.30 in the ‘Pod’

School Disco and Dress Up Days Termly

Christmas Fair December

Sainsbury bag packing March/April

Easter Egg Raffle March/April

Sports Day refreshments May

School Production refreshments & raffle June/July

Summer Fair July

We welcome your support in organising, running and attending these events,

for the benefit of our school and our pupils.

Contact members of the PTA committee via the office [email protected]

http://[email protected]/

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Homework It is well known that children’s learning thrives with parents’ support at home. As well

as expecting all pupils to talk and read with their parents every evening, teachers set

weekly homework for all pupils from Y1 onwards, planned to consolidate and extend

learning that has been happening, that week, in school. Pupils have an ‘I-Can Book’

and the homework will start, for example ‘I can use my number bonds to 10 to

complete calculations’ or ‘I can use connective phrases to write complex

sentences…’ Class 1 teachers provide a 2- weekly parents’ letter to parents outlining

current learning. Teachers from Class 2-5 write a weekly note to parents in the ‘I

Can’ book explaining what the class has been learning that week, how parents can

support that learning at home and what learning is planned for the following week.

Homework expectations vary according to the age of the pupil and the curriculum

theme being studied. As a general rule the pattern for homework is as follows:

Reception

Pupils should read and talk with parents every night. Sometimes they are asked to

find out things in connection with a topic being studied in school. Emphasis is placed

on the importance of early language development and therefore parents are urged to

find opportunities for conversations with their children daily.

Years 1-5

In addition to daily conversation with parents, pupils are expected to read with an

adult every night. English or Maths homework is set weekly and children are

expected to practise their number facts and multiplication tables every day. From

Year 2 onwards weekly spelling homework is also set.

Year 6

Daily independent reading, learning by heart multiplication tables and weekly

spelling homework is set as before. In addition pupils are asked to do one piece of

literacy homework and one piece of maths homework per week. Additional

research homework is occasionally set, appropriate to the topic being studied.

Music

For those pupils learning a musical instrument, practice should also be part of the

daily routine.

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Partnerships

The Church We have strong links with our local village church, St. Peter and St. Paul and the

Diocese of Leicester. On the first Friday of each month we worship as a whole

school in the church, in an assembly to which parents are warmly invited. Parish

members support us by helping with our ensemble group, our choir and by leading

collective worship. Our strong Christian ethos is a central feature of our school. We

have a thriving pupil Worship Team who help to plan and lead worship in school

assemblies and whose members regularly participate in diocesan events. Our

Headteacher is a member of the Diocesan Board of Education Heads’ Reference

Group.

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We have very close links with all the other local primary and secondary schools in

the town. Pupils attend regular enrichment days organized by Welland Park

Community College and Robert Smyth Academy. There are opportunities for pupils

identified as gifted and talented in Mathematics and English, Science, Music, Art and

sport. Our pupils take part in many sporting events across the district and our

teachers and head teachers collaborate on a wide range of curriculum projects.

Out-of-School Activities We provide a range of before and after school clubs. Some run weekly and are free;

some are organised by external providers who make a charge for a limited period

e.g. six weeks. Some are seasonal, such as cricket and tennis. At present we offer

Netball, Football, Ensemble, Choir, KS2 Sports and a KS1 Multi skills club. We

sometimes offer shorter term opportunities such as “Mad Science”, dance and art

clubs.

Charging for School Activities When organising school trips or visits which enrich the curriculum and educational

experience of the children, the school invites parents to contribute to the cost of

the trip. All contributions are voluntary. If we do not receive sufficient voluntary

contributions, we may cancel a trip. The school has arrangements for supporting

families in financial difficulty with the cost of school trips and visits.

Private, independent music teachers provide instrumental tuition for pupils who

wish to learn a musical instrument in school. A contract is agreed between parents

and the teacher concerned and charges are made for tuition and for any

examination fees. Parents will be charged the full cost of board and lodging for

residential trips and asked for a voluntary contribution to cover the cost of

transport and activities. Children of parents who are receiving income support or

family credit may be subsidised to allow their participation in the trip. The

academy’s full Charging and Remissions Policy is available on the Academy

website www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk


45

Observing the solar eclipse with special viewers

Great Bowden Academy Junior Choir

46

School Uniform Policy

This policy provides guidance for a dress code for pupils, which supports the fulfilment of

the school’s mission:

Believing in a loving God, each other and ourselves, we will inspire people to learn and to achieve their dreams and core values:

Inspire

Believe

Learn

Achieve

This policy must be read and implemented in conjunction with the following school

policies:

Community Cohesion

Equality

Position Statement

The core business of this school is teaching and learning. We feel that is important that

pupils are able to focus on learning and develop positive attitudes to learning. For these

reasons we think it is important that, at school, children wear simple, affordable and

practical clothes that allow them to engage actively in the school curriculum. We want to

encourage them to take a pride in their appearance without being distracted by pressure

from peers or the fashion industry and its associated advertising and media presence.

A simple dress code or uniform allows children to forget about what they are wearing or

indeed, what others are wearing. It takes the pressure out of choosing clothes for school.

It allows children, at least while they are in primary school, to be children - all equal - all in

school to learn.

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The Dress Code

Girls

White or navy polo shirt

A navy blue school sweatshirt, jumper or cardigan (these are available to buy from our uniform suppliers

with the school crest*)

Grey, navy or black school skirt (no shorter than 10cm above the knee), pinafore, culottes or trousers

White, navy, grey or black socks or navy, grey or black tights

Black school shoes, no heel

Long hair tied back

No make-up

Summer

navy/white gingham check school dress

white socks

black school shoes or sandals, no heel

Boys

White or navy polo shirt

A navy blue school sweatshirt, jumper or cardigan (these are available to buy from our uniform suppliers

with the school crest*)

Grey, navy or black school trousers

Grey or black socks

Black school shoes

Summer

Grey, navy or black school shorts

Grey socks

Sandals or school shoes

PE – Boys and Girls

Plain, white cotton T–shirt. (these are available from uniform suppliers with school crest)

Navy PE shorts,

Navy or white sports socks

Black plimsolls

Navy track suit for outdoor PE

Swimming: Girls – one piece swimming costume; Boys – swimming trunks or shorts

Earrings (sleepers or studs only) must be removed for PE and swimming

* There is no obligation to buy from a uniform supplier. Garments that meet the requirements of the school dress code are easily and cheaply available from all major supermarkets and retailers of childrenswear. However, garments with the school crest are available from our uniform supplier – details available from the school office. Reviewed and agreed by Governors 29

th February 2012

All school clothes should be clearly marked with the child’s name.

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We like all pupils to have their PE kit, wellies and a coat (and sun hat in hot weather) in school at all times so that all children can reap the benefits of learning outdoors whenever appropriate

Transport Families are encouraged to walk or cycle to school wherever possible. There is a

cycle shelter on the school grounds where bikes and scooters can be secured

throughout the day. Where driving to school is unavoidable, drivers are asked to

be considerate of our elderly neighbours and not to obstruct Gunnsbrook Close

which must be accessible to emergency vehicles at all times.

Please do not park in the staff car park.

Closures If it is ever necessary to close the school due to extreme weather conditions, an

announcement is made on BBC Radio Leicester and Harborough FM. Parents

who have registered with Parentmail will also be informed by text message.

Academy Security There is a secure entry system which protects the school from intruders, but

allows pupils and staff to leave the building safely and easily in case of

emergency. Evacuation procedures are practised every half term.

Visitors are directed to the main entrance and admitted through an intercom entry

system.

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Complaints From time to time parents and others connected with the school will encounter

issues which cause them concern. To encourage resolution of such situations the

Governing Body has adopted an “Academy Complaints Policy”.

The procedure is devised with the intention that it will:

usually be possible to resolve problems by informal means

be simple to use and understand

be non-adversarial

provide confidentiality

allow problems to be handled swiftly through the correct procedure

address all the points at issue

inform future practice so that the problem is unlikely to recur

Full details of the procedure may be obtained from the office and on the school

website – www.greatbowden.leics.sch.uk

If there is anything else you think could usefully be included in this

Parents’ Handbook, please let us know!


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