HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Arnett Hills JMI School Berry Lane Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 4BT

Tel: 01923 720507

E-mail: admin.arnetthills@thegrid.org.uk

Headteacher: Miss T S Ali BA Hons. PGCE

Dear Parents and Prospective Parents, Welcome to Arnett Hills, a school community working together, challenging itself to provide an excellent all-round education, so that each child achieves his or her potential. I am proud to be part of a truly hard-working, caring team which has at its centre the child. The teachers plan rigorously in all areas to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum with equal access for all children. The governing body supports the school and helps it to develop in its efforts to provide an educational programme to develop all aspects of our children. The enthusiastic PTA works tirelessly to provide funds to enhance the environment and experiences of the children. The Arnett Hills team works in partnership with parents and the wider school community to foster an atmosphere in which each child may flourish and achieve, whatever his or her ability. Together it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are happy, well educated, respectful, self-disciplined individuals with the confidence to make the transition to secondary school and beyond. Yours faithfully Miss Tracey Ali

THE HISTORY OF ARNETT HILLS SCHOOL

Arnett Hills JMI School was built in 1968. Before the construction of the school had been completed, a governing body was established to decide, among other things, the name of the school. Many ideas were suggested, but when a local historian, Mr. Godfrey Cornwall, informed the committee that the field on which the school was being built was historically known as Arnett Hill, the decision was made to name it Arnett Hills School. Mr. David Evans was appointed Head teacher, and on 23rd April 1968, Arnett Hills School opened with 76 children on the roll. Initially, just two classrooms were fully useable, but the remainder were quickly completed and fully utilised as the school roll swelled. David Evans remained as Head teacher for a little over 20 years, and was instrumental in establishing the school’s good reputation. Arnett Hills School soon fashioned a place for itself within the community, forging links with other schools through sporting activities, and by its strong tradition of involvement in district music festivals, a custom which is still maintained today. Mr Bob Holbrook, was appointed in September 1989. Since that time, education itself has undergone many significant changes, such as the establishment of the national curriculum and the introduction of the literacy and numeracy hours. We are proud that these schemes have been successfully implemented at Arnett Hills School, while the happy and friendly atmosphere has been maintained. The current Headteacher, Miss Tracey Ali, started in post in January 2002. The school’s reputation in the community has continued to grow through its consistently high standards of achievement and through its contribution in many other ways. Each year, the residents of ‘The Bucklands’, a local residential home for the elderly, benefit from the children’s harvest festival donations, and since the school’s inception, thousands of pounds have been raised for many charities by the children’s fund-raising efforts. The school enjoys good relations with local secondary schools, participates in the Rickmansworth Primary Schools Music Festival and many sporting events organised through the School Sports Partnership. At Arnett Hills we are proud of our Parent Teacher Association, whose enduring commitment has contributed so much to the fabric of the school, and to the educational experience of our children. The PTA have been responsible for organising a multitude of events year on year to provide valuable resources including playground apparatus, a rolling programme of new classroom furniture and a trio frame. Since 2005 the PTA has raised funds to help towards the purchase of information technology resources: a mobile trolley equipped with laptops; interactive whiteboards; software and a donation towards the building of the ICT suite itself. The PTA has also paid for day trips for the entire school to go to places such as the National History Museum and the Science Museum. Each year the PTA purchases tickets so that every child may go to the pantomime at Watersmeet. Arnett Hills School, whilst proudly maintaining its traditions, recognises the importance of looking to the future, and will continue to strive to produce happy, well-educated and well-behaved children who will go on to be a credit to their community.

MEMBERS OF STAFF Teaching staff: Headteacher Miss T Ali Deputy Headteacher & Year 3 Mrs K O’Neill Reception Mrs T K Ives Year 1 Miss R Mitchell Year 2 Miss L Cox Year 4 Mrs S Tower Year 5 Miss J Wallis Year 6 Mrs S Shepherd / Mrs C Machin SENCO Mrs D King Ancilliary staff: Secretaries Mrs D Butler Mrs K Elliott Learning Support Assistants Mrs K Marsh, Mrs M Pishori, Mrs C Connor, Mrs A Suresh,

Mrs L Gardner, Mrs A Gwinnell, Mrs S Patel, Mrs J Neville, Miss C Tibbles, Miss E Ives, Miss N Day

Specialist Teaching Assistant Mrs. J. Sanderson Regular Supply Teachers Mrs C Haacke Mrs H Sullivan Mrs T Price Mrs C Machin Caretaker Mr D Pemberton Cleaning staff Mrs C Connor, Mrs H Malling, Mrs C Mills, Mrs P Uddin School Caterers Mrs J Jones, Mrs F Morgan Mid-day Supervisors Mrs T Barnes, Mrs R Bentley, Ms L Rudge,

Miss N Brightwell, Miss Pashley

Road Crossing Patrol Mr D Smyth

GOVERNING BODY

D B D’Olier Community

Mrs S Stibbs Community

Mr S Jones, Vice Chairman Community

Mrs J. Pummell LEA

Mrs A Peat, Chairman LEA

Mrs A Goldenfeld LEA

Mr L Rach Parent

Mr J Bowers Parent

Mr J Lee Parent

Mr M Keane Parent

Miss S Smith Parent

Miss T Ali Staff

Mrs K O’Neill Staff

Mrs D Butler Clerk

AIMS OF THE SCHOOL

To work with families to maximise their children’s potential and to ensure high standards of

achievement in a supportive, safe and caring environment.

To provide all the children with equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum, which

caters for their intellectual, physical, social, emotional, moral and spiritual development.

To develop in all the children self-respect, self-discipline and pride in their endeavours and

in their surroundings.

To teach the children how to behave well, respect each other and learn tolerance for other

races, religions and ways of life.

To maintain and develop our links with the community.

To ensure that our pupils develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an

effective role in school and the wider community.

SCHOOL RULES The children are expected to:

Ask the class teacher's permission before leaving the classroom during lesson time

Walk within the school building

Sit quietly and listen to the music before Collective Worship begins

Wait for permission to climb on the apparatus during PE lessons, concentrate on what they

are doing in order to be safe

Remove all earrings, other than studs which need to be taped by the child, before PE

lessons

Leave their sweets at home and remember that if they bring small toys to school they must

not swap them with other children.

It is expected that:

Children arrive between 8.45am and 8.55am so that they are on the playground before the

bell is rung

Pupils change into indoor shoes when they enter the building. In this way they help to keep

the school clean

Everyone goes home promptly at the end of the school day unless they are attending a club

or are awaiting collection

Children visiting the pond walk rather than run and do nothing to endanger either their own

safety or that of others

Jewellery is not worn to school. Watches may be worn but only at the owner's risk. Stud

earring only, not sleepers

Everyone remembers to be courteous at all times to their fellow pupils and to all the adults

in the school.

ADDRESS Arnett Hills JMI School Berry Lane, Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 4BT

TELEPHONE (01923) 720507

CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS Mrs A Peat

HEADTEACHER Miss T Ali

TYPE OF SCHOOL Community

SCHOOL SESSIONS MORNING 8.55 am to 12.00 noon (12.05 pm Juniors) AFTERNOON 1.00 pm to 3.15 pm THE SCHOOL DAY 8.55am Registration 10.45am -11.00am Play-time 12.00noon/12.05pm-1.00pm Lunch 2.45pm – 3.00pm Infant play time 3.15pm School ends Twenty two and a half hours (infants) and twenty three and a half hours (juniors) are available for teaching each week. These figures exclude periods for Collective Worship, registration and breaks. The children are requested to arrive at school between 8.45am and 8.55am so that they can come into school when the bell rings. Everyone is expected to go home promptly when school ends unless there is a particular reason to stay. The children play out of doors at break and during the lunch-hour unless the weather is inclement.

THE SCHOOL OFFICE The school secretary is available throughout the week at the following times: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 3.45pm

ORGANISATION OF THE SCHOOL

The teaching is class-based and the organisation may involve individual, group or whole-class tuition. The teachers are assisted by support staff and by volunteers. The special needs of the children are catered for, in the first instance, by the class teachers. Further referrals may be made by the SENCo.

ADMISSIONS

All of our pupils are admitted to the Reception Class at the beginning of the school year in which they have their fifth birthday. The arrangements are as follows:

Birthday Autumn Term Spring Term September/March Full-time Full-time

April/August Part-time* Full-time *The children in the new Reception class are split into three groups (chronologically) to stagger the intake cumulatively over three days. The eldest (September/ March) stay for the whole day, the youngest ending at 12pm. By day three all of the intake will be attending together (half or whole day). In the fourth week the day is extended for the April/ August children to 1pm. This means they stay for lunch (sandwiches or school dinner). Throughout the first half term the teacher and her team will be assessing the suitability of the April/ August children for attending the whole day. The aim is to have all Reception children in full attendance for the second half term. Parents will be consulted but this decision will be based on a full picture of the child by the class teacher. The Headteacher encourages all prospective parents to visit the school. Details about the admissions process and the criteria used for allocating school places is sent to all prospective parents by Hertfordshire County Council approximately one year before the child starts school. All the new entrants are invited for two short visits to the school during the term before entry to meet the class teacher and their future classmates. Parents are invited to an induction meeting.

SCHOOL DINNERS

The school kitchen, managed by Hertfordshire Catering, provides lunch each day with a choice of main course, vegetable and sweet dishes. School meals are paid for in advance at the beginning of the term in full or two half-termly installments. Payment should be sent to the class teacher in an envelope marked with the child's name on the outside. All cheques should be made payable to Hertfordshire County Council.

PACKED LUNCHES

Packed lunches should be brought in a suitable container labeled clearly with the child's name and class. Packed lunches should not contain sweets or chocolate bars, fizzy drinks or drinks in glass containers. Water is provided for all the children if required.

MILK

Parents of children in the Infant department may purchase milk for their children to drink at playtime. Water is available in all the classrooms and the children are also allowed to bring a still drink, preferably in a container to take home and recycle, for consumption at mid-morning break. Please label the container with your child's name, and we ask that it is not brought to school in the lunch box.

SNACKS

Children may bring a snack for morning break. This should be a piece of fruit, vegetable or hard cheese. All infant children are provided with a piece of fruit through the Healthy Schools’ initiative.

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

Parents are asked to inform the school office by telephone if their child is not coming to school on each day of absence. The class teacher will then be informed. When the pupil returns, a letter of explanation is requested. If parents do not provide such a letter, or if their reason for the absence is not deemed to be valid by the Headteacher, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised in the attendance register. We also require parents to put their requests in writing should they wish to withdraw their child for part of the day. Additionally, we expect families to organise their holidays to coincide with school holiday dates so that requests for leave of absence are exceptional. Normally a child may be granted up to ten days leave of absence in any academic year. Parents are asked to request permission for holiday absence two months in advance. It is for the school to decide whether the particular absence is authorised or not.

ILLNESS AND EMERGENCIES

We request that children are not sent to school if they are unwell. Occasionally children become ill at school or have a slight accident and in these circumstances we may ask you to collect them. It is vital, therefore, that parents inform us if they move house or change telephone number. Parents should also provide us with an alternative day-time contact if they themselves are not at home.

PARENTS

Communications between home and school are very important if the needs of the children are to be met. Arnett Hills has a well- established system of consultation evenings, reports and weekly newsletters/ Parentmail. The school also encourages parents and teachers to contact one-another as the situation demands so that concerns about welfare and progress can be dealt with immediately, and mutual co-operation, trust and understanding developed. Parents/grandparents are also welcome to give some of their time and expertise to the children by working at the school if they are able to do so. Please note that we do not place parent helpers in their own children’s classes. All new parents will be subject to a strictly required vetting procedure before being allowed to supervise or work with our pupils.

PARENT / TEACHER ASSOCIATION

The school has a very hard working Parent/Teacher Association. Its principal objectives are; to raise funds to purchase equipment, provide opportunities to enhance the children’s education and school life, provide opportunities for families to meet on a social basis and to improve the links and communications between school and home. Membership is free and automatic to all new parents.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Boys: INFANTS ~ GOLD SCHOOL SWEATSHIRT / GOLD 'POLO' SHIRT JUNIORS ~ GOLD SCHOOL V-NECK SWEATSHIRT/ WHITE SHIRT & SCHOOL TIE GREY SCHOOL-STYLE TROUSERS / SHORTS GREY SOCKS BLACK SCHOOL SHOES

Girls: INFANTS ~ GOLD SCHOOL SWEATSHIRT / GOLD 'POLO' SHIRT JUNIORS ~ GOLD SCHOOL CARDIGAN/ WHITE BLOUSE & SCHOOL TIE GREY PINAFORE DRESS OR SKIRT GREY SCHOOL-STYLE TROUSERS YELLOW SUMMER DRESS WHITE OR GREY SOCKS OR GREY TIGHTS BLACK SCHOOL SHOES

NB Fashion trousers, e.g. hipsters and combat trousers, are not acceptable

Shoes should not have high heels. Long hair must be tied back.

Children should also have: A book bag, which may be purchased from school A pair of navy blue or black shorts and a white T-shirt for PE A pair of soft-soled indoor shoes An apron is essential for creative activities - a large old adult shirt or T-shirt is ideal A PE bag to contain these items of clothing which may be purchased from school

NB All children need suitable footwear for PE outdoors

PLEASE MARK ALL CLOTHING CLEARLY WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME Please invest in sew on labels as biros fade quickly

PREPARATION FOR SCHOOL

It will be helpful if your child can attempt these things for himself/herself when he/she comes to school:

Put on majority of clothes unaided;

Hang up coat and hat using attached loops;

Do up buttons and zips;

Go to the lavatory unaided, flush lavatory and wash hands;

Use a knife and fork;

Drink through a straw;

Use a handkerchief or tissue;

Tidy away own toys, pencils etc.

BEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE The ethos of the school is encapsulated in our aims. It is based upon the premise that every member of our community should learn to treat everyone else with respect, courtesy and kindness. Through Collective Worship, Religious Education and the National Curriculum we try to instil the basic virtues of self-discipline, co-operation and perseverance. We want the children to learn to do their best and to take a pride in their school. Our rules are contained in this brochure. Class rules are displayed in each classroom. They are designed to promote good behaviour and harmony in the school and to keep everyone safe. Effective discipline at this school depends upon the children coming to know what is expected of them and what is unacceptable. It requires consistency and continuity from the teachers and the support and understanding of parents and governors. The adults in the school have a collective responsibility for all the children but the class teachers are particularly concerned with their own class. The Headteacher and the Deputy Headteacher can help with difficulties and problems, but it is recommended that parents talk to the class teacher in the first instance. The rewards and sanctions, which are outlined in the school’s policy for behaviour, are usually sufficient to secure a satisfactory environment in which the children can live and work together. In exceptional cases, however, the Headteacher and governors, in consultation with the LEA, have the responsibility for action which can lead to suspension or expulsion.

CHILD PROTECTION The school works in partnership with parents to support children in every way possible. However, all schools have a clear responsibility placed on them by the Children Act 1989 and guidance from the Department for Education and Skills to safeguard the welfare of all their pupils. In doing so, schools are expected to consult with Children, Schools and Families if they believe there is a possibility that a child may be suffering from abuse or neglect. As a result, if concerns are raised by staff within the school or a child or parent reports a situation involving possible abuse, we would not be able to guarantee confidentiality. The matter would have to be referred on to Social Services. This is in line with Government, Hertfordshire and the school’s Confidentiality Policy. A referral to Children Schools and Families is not intended to be an accusation of any particular action or against any particular person. It is the reporting of concerns that have come to the school’s attention. This is in accordance with Hertfordshire Area Child Protection Procedures. Arnett Hills JMI School has a Child Protection Policy which are available for parents/carers to see. Miss T. Ali is the Designated teacher for Child Protection. She will be happy to discuss any questions or concerns parents/carers may have about Child Protection Policies and Practice.

SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT Arnett Hills is committed to the safeguarding of children and young people. The rigorous vetting procedures are applied to all staff and governors. The Headteacher, Chair of Governors and a Community Governor have received accreditation in safeguarding in recruitment. Visitors, contractors, providers and volunteers in the school are subject to the same scrutiny. A single central record is maintained by the school and assessed by Herts County Council in accordance with their guidelines.

THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM The Education Reform Act established for the first time a National Curriculum to be followed by all schools in the state system. The Act states that in implementing the National Curriculum we should be 'promoting spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at school' and also that we should 'prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of adult life.' All children have an entitlement to be taught according to the framework laid down in the National Curriculum. Foundation Stage, Key Stages One and Two are appropriate to the pupils at this school. Mathematics, English and Science are called Core Subjects plus Information Technology and Religious Education. There are also six Foundation Subjects consisting of History, Geography, Design &Technology, Art, Music and Physical Education. PSHCE (Physical Social Health Cultural Education) is also provided. The National Curriculum sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding which all children are expected to acquire depending upon aptitude and maturation. The children's attainment is assessed at 7 through teacher assessment supported by national tests or tasks and is reported at 11 by teacher assessment and national tests.

ENGLISH Language is dynamic and throughout our lifetime, our language skills will develop and expand. Language is the art of communication and embraces many disciplines: speaking and listening, reading, writing, comprehension, spelling and handwriting. At Arnett Hills, we build on the language experiences the children bring to school with them. Speaking and Listening The foundations of speech, acquired from a child's environment, will already have been laid by the time a child enters school. We believe that the ability to listen and discuss is vital to a child's development and, in partnership with parents, our aim is to enable the child to express himself/herself clearly, fluently and logically. We also aim to develop the listening skills necessary for the children to become good communicators. Reading The children's independent reading skills are developed through the use of shared and guided reading texts. We have a wide variety of these books, which allow the children to experience a rich diversity of language from a range of styles, genres and cultures. We also use a phonic based reading schemes, including Ginn 360 / Oxford Reading Tree, to support the teaching of reading. This is more commonly used in KS1 and lower KS2 and allows us to tailor a reading programme to suit the needs of individual children. Our reading books are reviewed and renewed to ensure that the children are exposed to as great a variety of print and text as possible. The fiction and non-fiction library continue to grow and children are actively encouraged to take books home. Our aim is that when the children leave us they will be fluent, enthusiastic readers with well-developed comprehension skills. Spelling The children learn frequently used words and also phonic based spellings. These are tested on a weekly basis.

Handwriting Cursive handwriting is taught throughout the school. Children learn to print with flicks in Reception; in Year 1 they begin to add loops to letters which are a precursor to the cursive style. At first, only pencil is used, but later pens are introduced as appropriate. Written Expression Children are taught to express themselves in a variety of ways with careful attention being paid to the teaching of grammar and the rules of punctuation. Creative writing, poetry, autobiographical accounts, news reports, scientific recording of experiments and many other styles of writing, encourage the children to write for a variety of audiences. MATHEMATICS Mathematics has a major place in the school curriculum. We aim for all pupils to become competent in using mathematical processes, develop a positive attitude towards mathematics and understand how it relates to everyday life. In order to achieve these aims children have a daily maths lesson. Mental agility is highly valued and the children receive regular practice appropriate to their ability. Problem solving and investigative work are related to everyday situations wherever possible. The children are encouraged to use mental arithmetic; pencil and paper methods; calculators or the computer to solve these problems. The aim of using all these approaches is for the children to develop a structured and analytical way of tackling investigations and recording them on paper. In addition to continuous assessment in the classroom in all Key Stages children at the end of Key Stage 2 sit the mandatory national tests SCIENCE Science has an important place in the school curriculum. We aim to stimulate all pupils’ curiosity about events and phenomena in the world around them. Children gain knowledge through practical investigation and first hand experience which involves:

asking questions; making predictions; carrying out experiments; observing outcomes.

Children are encouraged to manipulate variables and carry out fair tests. They learn how to interpret results and evaluate them. There are three areas of study:

1. Life and living processes 2. Materials and their properties 3. Physical processes.

It is through these three areas of study that children develop the skills needed for the fourth strand of scientific enquiry. They learn to question and discuss science-based issues that may affect their own lives, the direction of society and the future of the world.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Information and Communications Technology prepares children to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technology. Each classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard and projector. The school has an ICT suite with 30 PCs and an interactive whiteboard. Each class spends at least one hour during the week being taught ICT as a discreet subject using a variety of software. Classes spend additional time using laptops and other forms of ICT to enhance their learning in other curriculum areas. The laptops are connected to the Internet via the Hertfordshire Learning Grid. The Learning Grid has a filtering system which prevents the children from gaining access to parts of the world-wide-web which are unsuitable. Children have the opportunity to use word processing, spreadsheet, data handling, graphic, control and modeling programs and the Internet for research activities. They learn that computers can be used to communicate with others through the use of email. In addition to their work on the computers, children are taught about the use of modern technology in everyday life. They have the opportunity to use Roamer floor robots, digital blue movie cameras, tape recorders, a digital camera and scanner. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION The Religious Education curriculum reflects our caring ethos and the value that we place on the development of the whole child; spiritually, morally, socially, culturally and intellectually. The basis of RE teaching at this non-denominational school is provided by the Hertfordshire Agreed Syllabus, 2006-2011 RE enables children of all abilities and levels of development to:

acquire and develop their knowledge and understanding of the six principal religions represented in Great Britain;

develop an understanding of the influence of beliefs, values and traditions; develop the ability to make reasoned and informed judgments about religious and moral

issues; recognise the right of people to hold different beliefs within a religiously diverse society.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from RE lessons, but are requested to consult the Head teacher before making any final decisions. COLLECTIVE WORSHIP Arnett Hills School is a community school, not tied to any religious denomination. In accordance with the 1988 Education Act, every child will have the opportunity to participate in at least one act of collective worship every day. This may be provided as a moment of reflection as part of a whole school assembly or in Key Stage or class groups. In accordance with the Education Act, the daily collective worship will be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. Responsibility for the conduct and content of the acts of worship rests with the Headteacher, in consultation with the governors.

The Headteacher may invite representatives of local churches, other faith groups, charities or other organisations to address assemblies. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the daily act of collective worship, but are asked to consult the Headteacher before making any final decision. ART Arnett Hills School provides the teaching of a wide variety of artwork. The children have the opportunity to work with an extensive range of media and tools. The development of observational skills is felt to be particularly important and the children are also taught how to mount and display their work. The children are encouraged to study well-known pieces of art in order to develop their understanding of art worldwide. In the Foundation Stage creativity is fundamental to successful learning. Creativity enables the children to make connections between one area of learning and another to extend their understanding. Creative development includes art, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. From Years 1 to 6 units of work are planned to give progression on the themes of self and experiences, natural and man-made objects and materials, and environments. DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY At Arnett Hills, Design and Technology is taught as a subject in its own right or integrated into other subject areas where appropriate. The children work through the design, planning and making stages. They are encouraged to use tools safely to produce finished products and to select their own materials appropriate to the specific task. Emphasis is also placed on evaluation and improvement of finished models. DRUG EDUCATION Drug Education is introduced to children as part of their ongoing science work on Living Things. The emphasis throughout is on the safe use of medicines, an awareness of the effect of drugs and on giving the children the skills to say "no". This is achieved through discussion, group decisions and role-play. GEOGRAPHY Teachers encourage the development of a variety of geographical skills through map work and fieldwork using enquiry methods. Usually Geography is taught on a topic basis with strong cross-curricular links to English, History, ICT, Mathematics and Science. Children study their local environment, places in the UK and distant places. The areas studied become larger in scale as children progress through the school and themes such as weather and rivers are incorporated. HISTORY For our younger pupils planned units of work provide the opportunity to develop an awareness of the past and of the ways in which it is different from the present. They begin to use simple historical sources and progressing from familiar situations in their own lives, they learn about famous people and events in the past. The juniors are taught about important episodes and developments in Britain's past from Roman to modern times. They are also taught about ancient civilizations. The children are helped to develop a

sense of chronology and are taught how to learn about the past from a variety of sources. Educational visits are made to places of historical interest and visiting speakers/ workshops enhance children’s understanding of modern history. MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES All of KS2 pupils receive French tuition in the form of a weekly lesson given by the Headteacher. Children are encouraged to use the skills of speaking and listening primarily but are also given opportunites to read and write vocabulary and phrases in another language. MUSIC Performing and Composing Children in Key Stages 1 and 2 have weekly lessons where they have opportunities to sing, play and compose music. Their lessons include opportunities to explore rhythm, pitch and dynamics. They are able to develop score writing and incorporate the use of formal written notation. They also are able to give confident performances to a variety of audiences, eg during assemblies and at end of term concerts. In addition older KS2 children have the opportunity to take part in the Rickmansworth Schools' Music Festival and perform to a much larger audience. Listening and Appraising Children in Foundation Stage, Key Stages 1 and 2 are encouraged to listen to a wide variety of music styles, as they assemble in the hall each day and as a part of analysing music within their own class lessons. They also listen to and discuss their own compositions and performances.

PSHCE At Arnett Hills our aim is for the children to understand healthy lifestyles, safety issues, respect each other and to develop self confidence and self esteem and to make informed choices regarding personal and social issues. PSHCE is developed through a variety of ways at Arnett Hills to enable the children to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. PSHCE and citizenship are developed through practical activities and whole school events with opportunities to hear visiting speakers. Each class has a jigsaw depicting each member of the class. It shows that each child belongs to the large jigsaw of the class. When a child is absent there is a piece missing and the class is not complete. We celebrate children’s achievements in class, with certificates in assemblies and through the school’s newsletter. In the Foundation Stage PSHCE and citizenship are taught as an integral part of the topic work and related to the objectives set out in curricular guidance for the Foundation Stage to provide experiences and support to enable children to develop a positive sense of themselves.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION Our aim is to provide all children with a balanced programme of activities, which develop their physical skills and body control, as well as fostering positive attitudes towards health and fitness for life. Opportunities are provided for all children to participate in gymnastics, games, dance and athletics. The resources provided include agility apparatus, individual mats and games equipment. All activities take place either in the hall, playground or on the field. In addition, Year 3 to 6 pupils have swimming lessons at the William Penn Leisure Centre. Year 5 and 6 children play football and netball matches against neighbouring schools through participation in

friendly leagues. Children have competed in local schools’ cross country meetings, tag rugby tournaments and dance festivals. We also hold an annual intra school sports day in the summer term. SEX EDUCATION Sex and Relationships Education is about physical, moral and emotional development. We aim to:

support the personal and social development of all pupils; provide information and knowledge, but at the same time, develop skills to promote positive

and responsible decision making; match provision to the age and particular circumstances of pupils; help pupils to cope with the making, keeping and breaking of various relationships; set sex education firmly within the context of strong, caring and loving relationships.

Our objectives are to:

help pupils cope with the physical and emotional changes they experience in their own bodies, and prepare them for puberty;

ensure that pupils have an understanding of conception and birth; correct misconceptions pupils may have acquired from their peers or the media; answer questions honestly, factually and sensitively, within the limits of the primary school

curriculum, and paying due regard to the age, maturity and cultural background of the pupils.

Sex and Relationships Education forms part of PSHCE, has links with Religious and Moral Education, and is also closely linked with parts of the Science curriculum.

TEACHING

The teaching of the core subjects is subject based. Cross-curricular links are made between foundation subjects when planning topics but they are not contrived. Skills learnt from core subjects are used in topic work. Each class teacher uses a variety of teaching methods such as whole class, ability group, friendship group, talking partners and individual.

HOMEWORK

Homework largely consists of reading for the very youngest children. As they progress through the infants, however, they will be required to learn spellings, number bonds and tables. The oldest children will also be given tasks such as short writing activities, reading comprehension, maths worksheets and finding information. There is a weekly subject for discussion as part of the Talk Homework. The majority of the homework will be directed towards the development of English and Mathematics. Each child receives a book in which the work done at home should be recorded. There is a homework club once a week at lunchtime.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS The class teachers plan lessons to meet the needs of all the children. The pupils receive differentiated tasks according to their ability. Children with special needs have their progress monitored by their class teacher and by the SENCo. Depending upon the child's stage of need an individual educational plan is devised and extra support provided as resources permit. In consultation with parents and pupils targets are set and progress is reviewed. If a child does not make sufficient progress, the school and the parents may call upon the services of external agencies such as the Education Psychology Service for assessment and advice. In some cases applications and evidence for Statements of Special Needs are submitted and additional resources may be provided by the Local Authority. Statements of Special Education are reviewed annually.

CHARGING POLICY

The School wishes to provide the best possible educational opportunities for its pupils within the constraints of its budget. It is recognised, however, that many activities will continue to be dependent on voluntary financial contributions in whole or in part from parents. Without that support the school would find it quite impossible to maintain the quality and breadth of its provision. Full copies of all policies are available on request from the school secretary.

SECONDARY TRANSFER

The majority of the children transfer to St. Clement Danes School, Rickmansworth School, Westfield School Watford Boys' Grammar School, Watford Grammar School for Girls and St. Joan of Arc School. Children usually transfer at the end of the academic year in which they are eleven years old. The process, however, begins during the autumn term of the child's last year at primary school when parents are invited to visit the secondary schools and make their various applications. Parents are

also invited to attend a meeting here at Arnett Hills, where the Headteacher outlines the processes involved in secondary transfer, and answers questions parents may have about what can be an anxious time for those involved.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

The following extra-curricular activities are available after school or at lunchtime. They are organised by teachers and visiting instructors:-

Teachers/LSAs/volunteers, free of charge:

Netball, Cross Country, football, tag rugby, gardening, drama, homework, knitting

Visiting instructors, fee paying: Football - Ross and Andy Street Dance - Saracens Multisports – Sports Nuts Gym club – Active8 Cheerleading – Saracens Art Club - Pzazz Tennis ~ Rickmansworth Tennis Club

Year 6 children have the opportunity to go on a residential school journey accompanied by teachers and other school staff. Currently we go to a centre providing instruction in outdoor pursuits including abseiling, archery, zip-wire, orienteering, motor sports and initiative exercises.

GOVERNORS

The conduct of the school is under the direction of the Governing Body. There is a full list of current Governors at the front of this brochure. The Parent-Governors are elected for a term of four years following, if necessary, a ballot of all parents/guardians with children at the school. Your contact with the Governing Body is maintained through these Parent Governors at any time. The governors and staff aim to work closely with parents, and we hope that parents who have any concerns or anxieties will in the first instance raise these with the class teacher or the Head teacher. If you are not sure who to approach, please ask your child's class teacher (or get in touch with the school office staff who will be able to help you). We find that nearly all concerns or potential complaints can be resolved happily through discussion. The governors of the school have arrangements for considering complaints formally. They have adopted procedures recommended by Hertfordshire County Council. Details of these arrangements can be obtained from the Headteacher.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION The following documents and information required by statute to be open to public access may be seen at the school by arrangement with the Head teacher. a. Statutory instruments and circulars sent to schools by the Department for Education and

Employment about their power and duties under chapter 1 of part 1 of the Education Reform Act (the curriculum, including the National Curriculum);

b. Any published OFSTED reports on the school; c. Any schemes of work and syllabuses in use; d. Policy documents.

RATES OF AUTHORISED AND UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE

We are required to report to the Department for Education and Employment on the number of authorised and unauthorised absences during the period September to May The information relates to absence rates of pupils of compulsory school age The percentage of half-days (sessions) missed through authorised absence The percentage of half-days (sessions) missed through unauthorised absence An unauthorised absence occurs when the school does not receive a written explanation or when the Headteacher does not accept the validity of the explanation.