moorside community primary school · moorside primary school is a co-educational day school for...

Moorside Community Primary School

Head Teacher: Mr. S Lawler-Smith

Deputy Head Teacher : Mr. A Hossen


Prospectus

www.moorsideprimary.net

Head Teacher: Mr S Lawler-Smith Deputy Head Teacher: Mr A Hossen



Contents Welcome to Moorside 4

Admissions 4

Our Mission Statement 5

Assessment and Achievement 6

Attendance 6

Breakfast/After School Clubs 7

Charging Policy 7

Child Protection & Safeguarding 7

Collective Worship 7

Complaints Procedure 7

Equal Opportunities 8

Discipline 8

Extra-curricular Activities 9

Trips and Visits 9

Curriculum 10

Early Years Foundation Stage 11

English 12

Phonics 12

Mathematics 13

Science 13

Computing 14

History 14

Geography 14

Music 14

Art 15

Design and Technology 15

Religious Education 15

PSHE & Citizenship 15

Sex and Relationship Education 16

Physical Education 16

Homework 17

Special Educational Needs 17

Medical Matters 18

Friends of Moorside Primary 18

Governing Body 18

Pupil Governors 18

Partnerships with Parents 19

Healthy Schools 19

Jewellery 19

Reporting to Parents 19

Meals 20

Milk and Fruit 20

Biometric System 21

Uniform 22

School Organisation 23

Security 23




Welcome to Moorside

Moorside Primary School is a co-educational day school for children between the ages of

3 and 11. The school has extensive grounds, with activity areas to extend the

curriculum and contribute to the physical development of the children.

Admissions Most children attending Moorside Primary will first attend the nursery. Children are

admitted to the nursery when their fourth birthday falls between 1st September and

31st August of that academic year. Places in the nursery are allocated on a full time

basis. We are able to accommodate 60 children at any one time.

Children are admitted to the reception class when their fifth birthday falls between 1st

September and 31st August of that academic year. Attendance at our nursery does not

lead to automatic admission to our reception classes.

The school follows Salford LEA admission procedures. A summary of the regulations for

admission to Moorside Primary School can be found in the appendices. A full copy can be

obtained from the school office and on the school website www.moorsideprimary.net.

Parents of new children starting in September are invited to an evening meeting in

June. This pre-school meeting is an opportunity for the Head Teacher and staff to meet

parents and to discuss many aspects of school life. New parents are invited to bring

their child to school to spend some time in the nursery or reception classes before they

start in September.




Our mission is:

To go further than we thought possible

To run faster than we hoped

To reach higher than we dreamed

To become the best that we can be

Our Mission Statement



Assessment and Achievement

The school actively monitors and assesses teaching and learning from nursery onwards

to ensure that individual learning requirements are being provided and children are

achieving their potential.

Progress is assessed and recorded regularly

through informal teacher assessment and

through more rigorous testing. Assessment is

a planned part of the curriculum and gives

information about a child’s achievements and

progress. By involving children in their own

assessment and guiding them in setting

personal targets for future progress, we

encourage them to become more responsible

for their learning.

In accordance with current legislation, children are formally assessed at the end of

Key Stage 1 (7 years) and Key Stage 2 (11 years). Other end of year assessments

also take place throughout Key Stage 2.

Attendance Regular and punctual attendance is a crucial factor in determining a child’s

progress at school. If your child is absent from school you should inform the school by

telephone no later than 9.30am. This enables the class teacher to complete the

register accurately and authorise the absence. All absences have to be recorded and

reported to the LA and are regularly monitored by the Inclusion Officer. If there are

concerns with attendance or punctuality the Inclusion officer will contact parents/

carers to discuss the matter.

It is a statutory responsibility of parents/carers to ensure that their children attend

school when it is open. As of 1st September 2013, the new law gives no entitlement

to parents to take their child on holiday in term time. Any application for leave must

only be in exceptional circumstances and the Head Teacher must be satisfied that the

circumstances are exceptional and warrant the granting of leave. Head Teachers

would not be expected to class any term time holiday as exceptional. Parents may

be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time.



Breakfast Club/After School Club


The school operates a before and after school club called Scallywags which opens at

7.45am and closes at 5.45pm. The club is also open during school holidays. Places are

limited and further details can be obtained from the school office.

Charging Policy The School Governors have adopted the LA ‘Charging and Remission Policy’. This

means that the school is able to ask parents for voluntary contributions for activities

which take place largely during school hours.

No child will be prevented from taking part in any visit or activity should their parent/

carer not be able to meet the full cost. However, in the event of insufficient

contributions, it may be necessary to cancel the visit. For activities such as school

holidays and residential activities, parents are expected to pay the full cost.

Child Protection and Safeguarding It is a legal requirement that schools play a vital part in the detection and prevention of

child abuse. Within every school there must be a designated member of staff responsible

for child protection. It is the duty of every member of staff to report concerns immediately

and for the child protection officer to follow the correct procedures as laid down by Local

Authority Child Protection Procedures

Collective Worship In accordance with the Education Reform Act all children participate in a daily act of

worship of a broadly Christian character. Those assemblies and the religious

education offered follow Salford’s agreed syllabus and children may be withdrawn from

assemblies or religious instruction at the request of the parent in consultation with the

Head Teacher.

Complaints Procedure Parents concerned about any aspect of their child’s school life should first discuss

their concerns with their child’s class teacher. If parents still have concerns after

meeting with their child’s teacher, they should then arrange a meeting with the relevant

Key Stage Leader to take the matter further. After this, if the matter is still not resolved,

an appointment should be made to see the Deputy Head Teacher. After following this

procedure, you may then wish to take the complaint further to the Head Teacher.



We will make every effort to address concerns at the earliest opportunity. In the

unlikely event that the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, there is a formal

procedure for the purpose of hearing and dealing with complaints in respect of the

school curriculum and related matters. A copy of the complaints procedure can be

obtained from the office or on the school website at www.moorsideprimary.net

Equal Opportunities At Moorside we aim to foster a community based upon respect for each other. This

means that children are treated with fairness, justice and equality. Individuals receive

the same opportunities irrespective of differences in social and economic background,

race, gender and culture. We teach children to recognise people’s differences as

well as similarities. All children are given learning opportunities to equip them with

the knowledge, skills and understanding they need, to lead confident, healthy,

independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens.

Discipline The discipline we seek to develop is self-discipline. The school is considered a

community where each individual has a worthwhile contribution to make and where

individuals’ needs, rights and opinions are respected and valued.

As with any community, the school has rules which are designed to allow the school to

function fairly and efficiently as a place of learning – academically and socially.

We expect our children to behave in a considerate and courteous manner on all

occasions. If ever a child’s behaviour, attitude etc is giving us cause for concern,

parents are informed and invited to come into school in order to resolve the

problem.

The school’s behaviour policy is available to parents on request from the school office or

on the school website at www.moorsideprimary.net




Trips and Visits Teachers plan educational visits per half-term for their class. This is to provide your

children with rich educational experiences to enable them to make sense of the learning

occurring in school. We use our school minibuses for transport.

In our school we offer the following residential visits:

Extra-curricular Activities

We offer a wide range of extra-curricular

activities which take place during the lunch

hour or after school from Reception up to

Year 6. All teachers run at least one club

for a term, while other clubs are staffed by

our specialist sports coach. They vary

throughout the year and pupils are given a

choice of clubs at the start of each term.

Clubs available include:

Football (boys and girls)

Netball

Athletics

Cricket

Lacrosse

Mountain Biking

Orienteering

Gymnastics

Basketball

Choir

Rounders

Tag Rugby

Keyboards

Guitar

Origami

Cookery

Science

Forest Schools

French

Cheerleading

Dance

Computers

Gardening

Sign Language

Yoga

Comics

Puzzle

Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6

Camping Lledr Hall

OPutward Bound

Robinwood South Wales or

London or

France



All children from Reception to Year 6 follow a core curriculum of:

English

Mathematics

Science

In addition they are taught the following Foundation Subjects:

History

Geography

Music

Art and Design

Design Technology

Physical Education

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

Computing

Religious Education

Languages (Key Stage 2)

We aim to provide a broad b a l a nc e d and stimulating curriculum through which

children acquire knowledge, experience and understanding. Great emphasis is placed

upon the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics; our aim being to teach these

subjects in a way that is meaningful and interesting to the children.

The National Curriculum is divided into:

Early Years Foundation Stage Nursery, Reception (3-5 years)

Key Stage 1 Years 1 and 2 (aged 5-7 years)

Key Stage 2 Years 3, 4 and 5 Year 6 (7-11 years)

Curriculum




All classes contain children with a wide range of abilities. It is essential that individual

needs are catered for and to this end a variety of teaching methods are employed. The

style adopted will be appropriate to the age, experience and ability of the children

and also the subject being taught. Children are encouraged to investigate, explore

and be active participants in their own learning.

Careful planning for half-termly (or shorter) topics takes place to ensure that National

Curriculum subjects are fully covered.

Early Years Foundation Stage The children in the Nursery and the Reception classes follow the curriculum for the

Foundation Stage.

The Foundation Stage curriculum is divided into seven areas of learning::

Prime Areas

Communication and Language

Physical Development

Personal, Social and Emotional

Development

Specific Areas

English

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design

The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and by this time

children will have already learnt a great deal. Children are constantly encountering

new experiences and seeking to understand them in order to extend their skills,

develop their confidence and build on what they already know. Children deepen

their understanding by playing, talking, observing, planning, questioning,

experimenting, testing, repeating, reflecting and responding to adults and each other.



English English has a high priority both in its own right and because it allows children to gain

access to all the areas of the curriculum. At Moorside we want children to develop

effective communication skills both in their speech and in their writing, and to listen and

read with understanding and pleasure.

We view the partnership between home and school as a valuable aspect in the

development of reading. From the Foundation Stage, children will take home a reading

book and a library book on a regular basis to share with adults.

Children are encouraged to become writers from a very early age. They are taught a

wide range of skills which enable them to write for different purposes and different

audiences. These skills are also practised through other subject areas across the

curriculum. We have high expectations of presentation in books, and teach children to

become independent when checking the quality of their work.

Phonics Read Write Inc. is a method of learning centred around letter sounds and phonics, and

we use it here at Moorside Primary School to aid children in their reading and writing

skills.

Reading opens the door to

learning. A child who reads a

lot will become a good reader.

A good reader will be able to

read more challenging

material. A child who reads

challenging material is a child

who will learn. The more a

child learns, the more he or

she will want to find out.

Using Read Write Inc, the children learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all their

energy into comprehending what they read. It also allows them to spell effortlessly so that

they can put all their energy into composing what they write.



When using Read Write Inc to read the children will:

learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture

prompts.

learn to read words using Fred Talk.

read lively stories featuring words they have learned to sound out.

show that they comprehend the stories by answering questions.

When using Read Write Inc to write the children will:

learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent 44 sounds.

learn to write words by saying the sounds in Fred Talk.

write simple sentences.

compose stories based on picture strips.

compose a range of stories based on writing frames.

The children are assessed every six weeks in order to ensure that they are being

supported and challenged throughout their Read Write Inc journey.

Mathematics Mathematics teaches us how to make sense of

the world around us through developing a child’s

ability to calculate, to reason and to solve problems.

The school’s main objective is to ensure that

children enjoy and understand mathematics and its

use in everyday life. Daily maths lessons in school

develop children’s mathematical skills and knowledge

where basic mental maths has a high profile.

Science Our work in this subject ensures that children relate science to everyday life and are

stimulated by investigational, exploration and problem-solving activities in which they are

involved. By developing their investigational skills in practical science situations they

become adept at making observations, fair testing and the drawing of conclusions, which

they feel confident to share with their peers.




Computing The teaching of ICT helps to equip children to take part in a rapidly changing world.

Children have access to a computer suite where they have the opportunity to develop

their ICT capabilities and have controlled access to the internet. ICT is also used to

reinforce and extend teaching across all curriculum areas.

History Children’s historical knowledge, understanding and empathy is acquired through an

investigative approach. Artefacts, photographs, eye witness accounts, books and

pictures are all used to stimulate the children’s curiosity about the past. History also

contributes to a child’s knowledge and understanding of other countries and other

cultures in the modern world.

Geography Through our geography curriculum we aim to provide opportunities for children to show

interest, enquiry and understanding of the changes and developments of the world

around them. The children learn about maps, places, the weather and land formation.

They also study human influences

on the world such as pollution and

they find out about the effects of

settlements and transport.

Music The teaching of music develops

pupils’ ability to listen and also

increases self-discipline and

creativity. The children are given

the opportunity to develop the

ability to perform and compose

music with understanding. They will

be given opportunities to listen to

and appraise music, to gain knowledge of music history and experience of diverse

musical cultures.

The children will also have the opportunity to sing, play and listen to a range of music and

to devise, develop and record their own musical ideas and compositions.



Art We encourage the children to experience and observe a wide range of creative arts. We

achieve this by providing a variety of art, craft and design activities, equipment and

materials to encourage development of visual perception and skills. The children are also

encouraged to evaluate their work and become more aware of the art and artists of other

times and cultures, as well as those of today.

Children’s work is displayed in all areas of school to create an attractive and visually

stimulating environment. This gives children the opportunity to see and value the work of

others.

Design and Technology We provide a range of opportunities to

investigate materials, mechanisms,

structures and existing products.

Throughout the school, children will

experience working with textiles, food,

electronics and a range of construction

materials. Topics taught will involve

them in the processes of identifying

needs, generating ideas, planning and

making and evaluating what they have

produced.

Religious Education As the school is designated a community school, there is no religious affiliation and

religious education is in accordance with the Salford Agreed Syllabus. Through this

syllabus we aim to encourage children towards an understanding of beliefs, values and

practices and to develop in themselves sensitivity and respect towards other people’s

faiths.

Personal, Social, Health Education and Citizenship Personal, social and health education and citizenship enables children to become

healthy, independent and responsible members of society. A wide variety of resources

are available in school and a mobile caravan makes a regular visit to the school to

support work in PSHE.




Sex and Relationship Education

Sex and relationship education is incorporated into religious and personal, social,

health education and citizenship programmes at levels that relate to the age and

degree of maturity of the child.

Our school sex education policy is reviewed annually with reference to the most

recent documentation from the DfE. Copies are available from the school office.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of the sex education

provided, and are welcome to discuss all aspects of our sex education policy with the

Head Teacher before making any decisions concerning the child.

Physical Education Physical education plays an important part in each child’s overall development and the

life of the school in general. We aim to develop physical competence and teach pupils,

through experience, to know about and value the benefits of participation in physical

activity while at school and throughout life.

All children are taught gymnastics,

dance and games throughout the school

year. This is carefully planned to ensure

continuity and progression. Children also

take part in the following activities at

certain times in their school life as part

of the planned whole school curriculum:

swimming, athletics, outdoor and

adventurous activities.

The school employs a dedicated sports coach to cover a varied range of sports in school.

The coach also supervises lunch time activities and after school clubs throughout the year.

School teams take part in many inter-school fixtures and events such as netball,

football, cross-country, athletics, rounders, lacrosse and swimming. We believe that

sport is for all and all children are encouraged to join our extra- curricular sporting clubs

no matter what their ability.



Homework


We have a homework policy and parents are informed of homework expectations for

each year group at the start of the school year. Homework is seen as an important link

between school and home and parental support is essential for any homework

programme to be successful.

The range and amount of homework given inevitably differs between the age groups. At

Key Stage 1, homework mainly consists of reading, learning spellings and weekly maths

homework. At Key Stage 2, homework is more formal and all classes have spelling lists

and multiplication tables to learn for weekly tests. Parents are asked to ensure that

children read regularly and are given opportunities to discuss what they have read.

Special Educational Needs At Moorside we strive to provide an enriched and challenging curriculum that is accessible

to all. At all times we treat every child individually and recognise that some children require

support that is additional to or different from others in their class. This requirement may be

in an area of learning, a behavioural or emotional difficulty or exceptional ability. We

carefully and regularly asses the needs of our children and provide appropriate

interventions to help every child succeed and grow.

Some children may need an Individual Education Plan (IEP), which clearly outlines the

areas of focus. We actively collaborate with parents and carers in the writing of IEPs, which

allows us to work in partnership. Once the IEP is in place, our Special Educational Needs

Coordinators (SENCOs), teachers and teaching assistants offer additional help and support

on a 1:1 basis and in small groups to enable each child to progress. IEPs are evaluated

and updated regularly by staff and formally each term with parents, carers and children.

As a team we always aim to eliminate barriers, challenge and support our children to become confident, lifelong learners.



When children start at the school, parents are asked to complete an annual consent

form with details of who can be contacted in the event of an accident or illness. These

forms are updated on an annual basis and it is important that parents inform us of any

changes as soon as possible.

We understand that there are occasions when children need to complete prescribed

medication. School can only administer medicine prescribed by a doctor and a

medical form must be completed which is available from the office. Medicines must

be clearly labelled with contents, name and dosage instructions.

Friends of Moorside Primary There is an active Parent Teacher Association whose aim is to further the

education of the children by offering support to the school, largely by the raising of

funds. All parents are automatically members of the association. A committee is

elected at the Annual General Meeting which is usually held in school in October.

Governing Body The Governing Body of the school consists of nine members who meet regularly and

are fully informed of all aspects of school life. Parents have the opportunity to become a

school governor and all parents are given the opportunity to take part in the election of

parent governors.

If you would like further advice on the duties of a governor, please contact the Head

Teacher or Chair of Governors.

Pupil Governors We try to give children a voice in school. It is very important that their thoughts and

opinions are valued. One way of doing this is through a school council that is made up

of two pupil governors from each class (Year 1 upwards) . The pupil governors

meet regularly to share ideas, express any concerns, celebrate school achievements

and discuss ways of improving the school.

Medical Matters



Partnerships with Parents


There are many areas in school where we greatly appreciate the help given by parents and

members of the community.

Healthy Schools We are involved in the National Healthy

Schools Standard. This has provided

opportunities to improve our health through a

number of initiatives.

Jewellery No jewellery is allowed in school with the exception of watches. Earrings of any type are

regarded as inadvisable on the grounds of health and safety. However, if a parent insists

on their child wearing earrings, only stud earrings are allowed and written permission must

be obtained from the Head Teacher.

Reporting to Parents

We provide parents with the opportunity to meet with teachers each year. There are

formal Parents’ Evenings in the Autumn and Spring terms. We report annually to

parents in an end of year report when teachers make written comments about a

child’s progress in the National Curriculum subjects. We also report on behaviour,

attendance and punctuality. Parents are welcome to discuss all aspects of school

reports with teachers and the Headteacher.

Regular communications are sent out to keep parents informed of all school activities and

our website can be accessed on www.moorsideprimary.net.

If at any time you have a problem or query concerning your child or the school in general,

please phone and make an appointment to see either the teacher concerned, Assistant

Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or the Headteacher. We should like to stress that you

are welcome to make such appointments. Only through close liaison between home

and school can your child receive maximum benefits from the education service we offer.



Meals

At lunchtime the children may either bring a packed lunch from home or choose a

lunch provided by the school. Details of the meal service are made available to

parents when their children are admitted to school. Free meals are available for those

who qualify. Advice or information for parents on how to claim for free school meals is

available from the school office or on the school website at www.moorsideprimary.net.

Parents of children bringing their own packed lunch

are asked to send children with a healthy lunch in

non-breakable containers for both food and drinks.

Cans are not allowed. Drinking water is provided for

all pupils.

Milk and Fruit Children under the age of five receive free school milk. For children aged five and over,

milk has to be paid for termly, in advance. Children in receipt of free school meals

will receive free milk.

Children are also encouraged to drink water in school. Children need to have their own

water bottle, which is clearly labelled. Bottles are regularly sent home to be washed

thoroughly.

All four to six-year-old children are given a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day

as part of the national School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.




Biometric System

For some years, schools have successfully operated biometric systems for catering

purposes and we are using biometric technology to support the new cashless catering

system.

This will mean that pupils are unable to use cash at the food counter (till point); all

cash has to be entered into the system by using the automatic cash terminals

(revaluation units) and cannot be used to buy food directly at the dinner counters. We

have also introduced Parentpay so that any parents, who wish to pay for lunches etc

online, can do so.

We are sure you will appreciate the advantages the system will offer both yourself

and your child. These include:

The ability to deliver a more efficient, faster service over the lunch period whilst

continuing to provide wholesome, healthy, and enjoyable meals at the lowest cost.

Convenience of paying for school meals. No more looking for change every

morning.

Reducing problems associated with the use of cash in school, i.e. loss or theft.

Automatic free meal allocation, where appropriate, with the pupil remaining

anonymous (please see additional letter which outlines how to register for free

school meals).

Reports detailing each item of food served are available on request if you wish to

see what your child is having for lunch.

Pupils with allergies can have products ‘barred’ from their selection if required.

Any amount of money can be paid into your child’s account via a revaluation terminal;

this is held within the system with money spent on food being deducted from the balance.

The revaluation terminal can be used at any point to see how much money is remaining.

Revaluation units are programmed to accept £20, £10 & £5 notes and £2, £1, 50p, 20p

& 10p coins. There is a daily ‘spend limit’ programmed into the system. If you do not wish

to opt into the biometric system, we will use your child’s photograph which is held on

the school SIMS System to identify him/her.



Uniform

Uniform for Year 6 Year 6 will wear red polo shirts and red sweatshirts for their final year at Primary School.

For our year 5 children moving up, the school will provide 2 polo shirts and 1 sweatshirt

per child. The rest of the uniform remains as above, apart from a red and white gingham

dress for the girls in the summer.

PE Kit For all physical education lessons children can wear shorts and T-shirts in any

combination of blue and white with back elasticated pumps. In particularly cold

weather, tracksuits may be worn for PE. Children must have their PE kit in school

throughout the week.

Royal blue and red sweatshirts, cardigans and polo shirts printed with the school logo are

available from Whittakers of Swinton. Or Tesco website www.tesco.com/ues

Boys

Winter

Grey trousers

Royal blue sweatshirt

Pale blue polo shirt

Black shoes (not trainers)

Grey socks

Summer

Same as winter but short trousers may

be worn

Girls

Winter

Grey skirt/pinafore/trousers

Royal blue sweatshirt or cardigan

Pale blue polo shirt

Black shoes (not trainers)

White or grey socks or grey tights

Summer

Blue & white gingham dresses

Royal blue sweatshirt or cardigan

White socks

Sandals, if worn, must be a full shoe

style not strappy

Long hair must be tied back at all times




School Organisation

Doors are open at 8.40am in Key Stage 2 and 8.45am in Early Years and Key Stage 1. The

school day starts at 9.00am.

Morning Session:

EYFS 9.00am – 11.30am

Key Stage 1 9.00am – 12.00 noon

Key Stage 2 9.00am – 12.30 noon

Afternoon Session:

EYFS 12.30pm- 3.05pm

Key Stage 1 1.00pm – 3.15pm

Key Stage 2 1.30pm – 3.15pm

Security At Moorside the safety of all children and adults is the utmost importance. The whole

school is under a CCTV system. This only covers external areas. During the school day all

the entrances into school are secured. Any person wishing to enter the school is

requested to report to the main office. They will be required to sign in and wear a visitor’s

badge to ensure that the school knows exactly who is in the building.



Holdsworth Street

Swinton

M27 0LN

Phone: 0161 921 1295

Web: www.moorsideprimary.net

E-mail: [email protected]


moorside community primary school · moorside primary school is a co-educational day school for...

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