st john’s church of england primary school prospectus …...the pre-school. within walking...

Belong, imagine, achieve

St John’s Church of England Primary School

PROSPECTUS 2020/21

Headteacher: Mrs L Portch

Weaveland Road, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HJ

Tel: 01747 870675 email: [email protected]

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St John’s C of E Primary School Headteacher: Mrs L Portch

Tel: 01747 870675 email: [email protected]

Belong, imagine, achieve

Introduction from the Headteacher

St John’s is a relatively small village school with a calm, friendly, family feel about it.

We now have 129 children from Reception to Year 6, in five classes. Our ethos and

philosophy is that we are all committed to ensuring that the children are engaged

and enthused in their learning where children are challenged and supported to

achieve their full potential. In our school, teaching and learning is structured

creatively to ensure each child’s individual needs and interests are carefully

considered and catered for, with a broad and balanced curriculum. We encourage

children to think creatively and prepare them for the wider world.

Our philosophy and ethos is evident when you look around our school and all staff,

governors and I have a strategic vision to ensure the school continues to develop and

grow to benefit the children. We have a wonderful team who are motivated and

determined to make a difference to the lives of the children at St John’s.

To achieve success it is most important that the school and parents work in

partnership. Behaviour and homework policies have been written with input from

across the school community to ensure that the expectations are clear and the

children receive support from home and school as required. If at any time you have

any questions or concerns; or if there are any achievements you would like to

celebrate in your child’s education or life, please share them with us, as we will with

you.

This prospectus can only give you a flavour of what we offer at St John’s. Please have

a look at our website where you can read various important documents and policies

that will provide you with further information. But most importantly, please come

and visit us to understand and experience the philosophy, vision and ethos of our

school!

Mrs Lisa Portch Headteacher

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think”

Margaret Mead

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Contents

1. Headteacher’s Introduction

2. Contents

3. School Aims

4. Description of the School

5. School Staff

6. School Governors

7. Admissions and Moving on to Secondary school

8. School Uniform

9. Attendance, School Times, School Holidays

10. School Transport

‘The inside learning environment is

Newsletters remarkable and unique. Areas of the school

have been transformed to represent different

Parents and the School worlds.’

11. St John’s Friends Association Ofsted, March 2017

General Behaviour

12. School Meals, Mid-morning Break, School Medication Policy

13. Class Organisation and The Curriculum

14. English and Maths

15. Science, Computing, RE, Art, DT, Geography and History

16. PE and Music

17. PSHEE, Special Educational Needs and Griffin Class

18. Assessment and Homework

19. Sex Education, School Clubs, Residential Trips and Charging for School Activities

20. Term Dates 2019 / 2020

21. School Code of Conduct

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What we believe…

At St John’s C of E Primary School we are whole heartedly committed to:

• A creative environment that challenges children’s thinking both inside and

outside the classroom, with learning opportunities for all, instilling a genuine

love of learning

• High expectations

• To develop British values recognising our church as a place within and beyond

the local community

• A shared vision for the future development of the school

• A place at the heart of the community, both locally and globally

• A healthy and active lifestyle

• Celebrating all our successes and achievements

• Valuing everyone as an individual and recognising their place within our team

• Providing lifelong learning experiences

Our Ethos

St John’s ethos is an inclusive learning culture, where all decisions are based on the

needs of the children, and where every individual child is provided with

opportunities to achieve their best in the context of Christian belief and practice. The

creative curriculum, learning experiences and inspiring learning environment aim to

enthuse and immerse the children in their learning.

Our Values

Values are fundamental expressions of what we think and believe. As a school, we

encourage children to think about their moral, spiritual, social and cultural

development. They are encouraged to be involved in the life and concerns of their

community and society to develop their capacity to be active, effective future citizens.

The children contribute to decisions about their learning and school life through an

active school council. St John’s is a friendly environment where everyone involved is

welcomed and valued.

Our Aims

Our aims reflect our ethos, beliefs and values; and represent our vision and what we

want to achieve as a school community. Our aims are linked to the School

Development Plan (SDP) and vision for the future development of our school. These

are based on the monitoring of teaching and learning, attainment and achievement

but also to ensure the children are provided with a broad and balanced curriculum

that enables children to be supported and challenged to reach their full potential.

Our five core values are: Kindness, Honesty, Perseverance, Respect and

Responsibility.

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Description of the School

Our school is situated at the top of Weaveland Road in the rural village of Tisbury. It

was built in 1972 for all the village children. Nearby, the old Nadder Middle School

has been redeveloped as a community hub – The Nadder Centre, further enhancing

this part of the village. The new centre includes a purpose-built sports centre, where

the children take part in tournaments, the village library, the children’s centre and

the pre-school. Within walking distance to the school there is an open air swimming

pool, which pupils enjoy swimming lessons at during the summer term.

We have a unique learning environment at St John’s, inspired by the children and for

the children. We like to think that every space in school has the potential to be a

learning experience.

We have small class sizes which cater for the individual learning needs of each and

every child. We have a Reception/Gallery Area built at the heart of the school to

further enhance our interactive corridors and meeting areas. We have extensive

school grounds – including an outdoor classroom, allotment area, pond, outdoor

stage, climbing equipment and the use of tennis courts. Our Reception class teacher

is now a trained forest school practitioner and we have a forest school on our site.

We have access to all of the science opportunities which enables us to teach the

science curriculum here on our site.

Our school hall is used for daily assemblies, sports activities and lunches. There is a

kitchen with a separate children's cookery area which is used for the teaching of

small groups of pupils at various times during the school day.

We use the facilities on the school doorstep to enhance the provision of the

curriculum including the local outdoor Swimming Pool. We have good links with the

Pre-school, Children’s Centre and all local primary schools.

127 pupils currently attend the school. The breakdown by class is as follows:

Class

Dragons

Unicorns

Pegasus

Elves

Phoenix

Teacher

Mrs R Morris

Mrs N Maidment

Mrs J Rendell

Mr D Jackson

(Ms S Domoney –

maternity leave)

Mrs L Hatcher

Year Group(s)

Foundation Stage

Year 1 / Year 2

Year 2 / Year 3

Year 4

Year 5 / Year 6

No of pupils

23

26

27

23

30

The school offers a safe, happy, spacious working environment with an experienced

team of teachers and assistants. The school is securely locked during the school

day.

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‘I work for the Sensory Impairment Service and I work

all over Wiltshire…Your school is by far the most

inspirational and visually exciting school I have been

in!’ Cally Pocock, Quantum Theatre Group

School Staff

Head Teacher School Business Manager

Mrs L Portch Mrs L Beavis

Teachers Foundation Year 1/2 Year 2/3 Mrs R Morris Mrs N Maidment Mrs J Rendell

Year 4 Mr D Jackson

Ms S Domoney Mrs L Hatcher

(maternity leave) Year 5/6

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Teaching Assistants / Higher Level Teaching Assistants Mrs K Dunkley Mrs J Cockburn Mrs D Corbett Mrs S Jameson

Ms S Hindle Mrs L Stone Mrs S Burton Mrs E Hill

Chef Mid-day Supervisory Assistants

Miss M Tucker Miss A Penny Miss V Millichamp Mrs C Robson

School Governors

Chairperson LA Governor

Mrs C Barham Mr I Campbell

Headteacher Staff Governor Foundation Governors

Mrs L Portch Mrs J Rendell Miss J Anderson Rev J Hulme

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Parent Governors

Mrs L Atkins

Vice - Chair Mrs S Robertson Mr C Nicoll

Co-opted Governors Mr G Murray Mrs Jill Sutton

Clerk to the Governors Mrs L Beavis

Admissions

A school place is available for all children after their fourth birthday.

Starting School

At St John’s we understand the importance of a good transition into school for

young children and their parents. Before the children start school, they will be

invited to meet their class teacher and one another. This helps them to get used to

the school environment. There are more visits arranged for the children to come to

school before starting full time.

An information afternoon for new parents will be held in the summer term to prepare

for the exciting term ahead.

To help us plan effectively we need to know as soon as possible about prospective

pupils for the years ahead so that we can ensure you are invited to the various

opportunities your child will have to come into the school. We encourage parents to

make an appointment to visit the school with their children, preferably during

school hours.

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Moving on to Secondary School

Most children transfer to Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Salisbury Schools.

During Years Five and Six children transferring have many opportunities to visit their

prospective school. This ensures a smooth transition from one phase of education to

another. The staff also meet the teachers to discuss the individual needs of the

children; this really helps with the transition.

Parents of the transfer children are invited to the secondary school for an evening

during the Summer Term to meet the Headteacher and to find out more about the

school.

‘My little boy is now in his second year at St

John’s . He has loved every single day so far –

well done St John’s!’

Emma, parent

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School Uniform

We expect all children to wear school uniform. It creates a smart impression and is conducive to a sense of community. The school colour is royal blue. We offer the following guidelines:

– Grey skirt/pinafore dress/grey/ black trousers/shorts –

White blouse/shirt/polo shirt

– Blue sweatshirt with embroidered logo or blue cardigan

with embroidered logo available from: www.brigade.uk.com

– Blue and white gingham style dress, (summer).

– Plain white, black or grey socks/ tights

– Shoes must be completely black (no white/coloured

stripes/jewels).

– Hairbands or ties should be plain black, white, grey or blue

gingham

We emphasise the importance of children wearing the appropriate shoes to school.

Strong “school shoes” are recommended as they give excellent support when the

children are running and playing outside. Slip-on shoes, or those with higher heels

than normal, are unsafe and inappropriate. Boots (shoes which are higher than ankle

height) are also deemed inappropriate. Black sandals can be worn in the summer

however they must be black and have a back.

For PE and Games each child will need black

shorts, a pale blue polo-shirt

(embroidered with the school logo, available

from: www.brigade.uk.com (or in winter a

track suit), and a pair of plimsolls. Children

are permitted to wear trainers when

participating in PE outdoors but when inside

all children should have a pair of black

plimsolls. These should be kept in a simple

drawstring bag.

The children in Dragons can wear slippers in school. This has been very successful

as we believe it has helped the children to settle in class even more. Also, as the

children spend lots of time on the carpet playing, it keeps the carpet cleaner as

children move inside and out.

We ask that children do not wear jewellery because they have to remove it for PE as

part of our Health and Safety policy and we are concerned that they may lose it.

Children should not come to school with coloured hair unless it is a spray for a

celebration or mufti day.

‘The school is built for the children and uses their ideas and

imagination to make it a magical place to learn. The children are

happy and want to participate... My child loves school and is now

thriving.’

Angela, parent

http://www.brigade.uk.com/



http://www.brigadeuniformdirect.uk.com/

http://www.brigadeuniformdirect.uk.com/

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Attendance

We are proud of the record of attendance of children at our school. Our children

attend regularly and are punctual, most importantly they enjoy coming to school.

We emphasise the importance of regular attendance if the children are to benefit

fully from the opportunities which school offers. Please let us know first thing in the

morning, by telephone or letter, if your child is to be absent from school for any

reason.

We encourage parents to make their child’s medical and dental appointments outside

school time and arrange their holidays during the school holiday periods.

Leave of absence in term time

For absence to be authorised, circumstances must be deemed exceptional. We

recognise it is often expensive to take a holiday during the 14 weeks of school

holidays. However, it is important that parents carefully consider the implications of

taking their child out of school during term time. Research suggests that children

who are taken out of school may never catch up on the learning they have missed

and that friendships may suffer.

There is no automatic right to take your child out of school for holidays during term

time. For exceptional circumstances and to apply, collect a form from the office.

Please see the attendance policy.

School times

The school day begins at 8.45am and ends at 3.15pm however the teachers will now

allow the children in at 8:40am so that they can put their things away and be ready

to start their learning at 8:45am promptly. There is a 15-minute break in the

morning. Lunch is from 12.00 noon until 1.00pm.

Children in their Foundation Year and those in Years One and Two have an

additional 10minute break in the afternoon.

The times of after-school clubs vary depending on the activity.

We now offer wrap around care for an hour before school and two and a half hours

after school. You need to speak to Mrs Beavis in the office for the relevant paperwork.

There is a charge for this provision.

School holidays

A list of this year’s holidays is included at the back of this prospectus.

In addition, the school will close for 5 staff training days each year and you will be

informed of these dates well in advance.

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School Transport

Children within the school catchment area under the age of eight who live 2 miles or

more away from the School are entitled to free transport. Children over the age of

eight are entitled to free transport if they live 3 or more miles away. There are

exceptions when Wiltshire County deem the route to be unsafe. We keep a supply of

transport forms in the office so please do contact us if you need a form or would like

to discuss any transport issues and we will do our best to help you.

Newsletters

You will be kept in touch with events in school through newsletters, which are on the

website fortnightly. Hard copies can be collected from the office. We number them

each term so that you can find out if you have missed any. We also put messages

and reminders on our Facebook Page.

Parents and the School

Visiting the school

There are many opportunities to talk with the Headteacher and Class Teachers from

day to day and to find out what is happening at school. However, where possible, we

ask you to speak to the Class Teacher after school. You can use those occasions, or

ask for a private meeting, to discuss any concerns that you may have about your

child’s education or personal welfare with the Class Teacher or Headteacher.

‘St John’s is a very special school where children are both challenged and

nurtured.’

Joanna, parent and music teacher

On Tuesdays between 3:15pm and

3:30pm, we have “Teacher Tuesday”

where the children can take you into the

class to show you their work and have a look at the classroom. Also parents are

invited to our Celebration Assembly on Friday afternoons at 2.45pm, where we

celebrate the children’s successes and achievements.

Involvement during the day

If you would like to come and help in the classroom do please come and talk to Mrs

Beavis in the office and she will fill in the DBS paperwork required as part of our

safeguarding procedures. We need help with reading, craft groups, cookery, class

trips, sports activities and swimming. If you have the time and a skill to offer we

would love to hear from you.

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Reporting to parents

There are two Parents’ Evenings during the year when parents are invited to discuss

their children’s progress with the Class Teacher – one in the autumn term and one in

the summer. In Key Stage 1 and 2 we send written reports home to parents at the

end of the Spring Term. Foundation Stage reports are sent home at the end of the

summer term, when we can reflect full on your child’s first year in school.

Tisbury St John’s Friends’ Association

Parents, grandparents, teachers, friends and other people from the community are

welcome and encouraged to participate in the life of the school, and we are very

dependent on your support.

The Friends meet to discuss various ways to raise funds and create exciting events

throughout the school year. Everyone is welcome, but we realise that it is not

possible for some parents to attend. Your ideas and help are always welcome and the

committee are keen to hear from anyone who would like to contribute. If you wish to

attend the meetings, speak to Mrs Beavis and she will pass your details onto the

chair of the Friend’s committee.

The Friend’s subsidize school trips, organize children’s events such as discos and buy

extra equipment which supports the schools learning environment.

General Behaviour

St John’s has a clear code of conduct for pupils and adults alike. We are all role

models and should behave as such. The code exists for the safety and well-being of

everyone. We want the school to be a place where children learn to live and work

together happily, caring for each other and their environment.

The school has a clear behaviour policy which is shared with parents. If you would

like to see it, then please refer to the school website or contact the school office. St

John’s Primary School is fortunate in having few behavioural problems. Those which

do occur are dealt with promptly and suitably with children, staff and parents

working together.

‘Pupils are happy at the school. They feel very safe and are taught how to stay

safe. They are confident that any adult on the staff will help them if needed.’

Ofsted, June 2019

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School Meals

School meals are cooked on site by our chef. School menus are sent out to parents

half a term in advance. Please could the correct dinner money with the choices

clearly made be sent into our school office, as soon as possible. If you are receiving

income support you will be entitled to free school meals, so do ask for an application

form in the school office. All pupils in Years R, 1 & 2 are

entitled to a free lunch through the Government’s

Universal Infant Free Meal Scheme which started in

2014.

The children may bring a sandwich lunch if you prefer.

The school has ‘Healthy Schools status’ and we would

ask you to consider this when preparing your child’s

lunch box. This means that the contents should be of a

balanced diet. Lunch boxes should be clearly named. We

advise all children to bring their own water bottle to

school.

Mid-morning break

St John’s is a healthy school. Children are encouraged to bring a piece of fruit to eat

to break time however Dragons, Unicorns and Pegasus Class are given a free piece of

fruit every day. Please do not send them with sweets or crisps for snack time.

“I can hardly begin to describe our

feelings as we were welcomed, fed and

for us. We felt special, spoilt, undeserving and happy!

From the members of the Village Lunch T eam –

Thank you so much for your lovely and

very generous invitation to lunch at

your beautiful school – it was much

appreciated by all of us.”

Janie , Tisbury Village Lunch Team

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School Medication Policy

Staff are advised not to administer medication to children because of the potential

risk involved. There are two exceptions to this rule, firstly when children are on a

course of medication prescribed by the doctor and it is impractical for the parent to

administer it during school hours. Parents complete a parental consent form for this

purpose. Secondly is medication for asthma. If a child requires any treatment for

asthma in school then the parent must inform the class teacher.

As a general guideline we advise that:

1. For younger children the inhalers should be supervised by a member of staff;

2. For older children the inhalers should be kept by the children themselves.

Pupils with asthma are encouraged to take a full part in all school activities.

Please inform us if your child has any medical problems and of course we will

contact you if he or she is taken ill at school. Please ensure that all emergency

telephone numbers you provide us with are up to date. Your child may be at risk if

we do not have the information we need.

Organisation

The children are grouped in classes mainly according to their age however there are

some exceptions based on the need of the individual child.

The Curriculum

We follow the National Curriculum for teaching in all subjects. During the school

year your child will be working on a programme which will include all of the following

elements:

English Mathematics Science Computing

Religious Education

(RE) Geography History Music

Physical Education

(PE) Art & Design Design Technology

(DT) Mandarin

Personal, Social, Health, Education / Relationship Sex Education

PSHE / RSE

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For many years now the school has adopted a skills-based creative curriculum. We

aim to immerse every child in a thrilling learning adventure under a whole-school

topic that excites the children and teachers.

Every year we decide on a learning theme that will inspire and engage the children.

This is also largely based on a particular curriculum area that the teachers feel they

would like to focus on. For example, one topic was “Festivals”, so the focus was on

dance and music. As part of this topic we enhanced the outside area by creating and

building a performance stage which can also be used as an outdoor classroom.

Previously our learning theme was the elements of the earth to incorporate lots of

opportunities for geography and science.

Other learning themes have

included “Take One”, “Reduce,

Reuse and Recycle”’ and

‘Sustainability’. As part of the topic

we have “Profound Learning

Experiences” where the children

visit places to enhance their

learning so for example we visited

Carymoor Education Trust, to visit a

landfill site. There are a variety of

teaching methods used – sometimes

the children will be working;

individually, sometimes in groups and sometimes as a class. Care is taken to adjust

the work to cater for the more able children and to be aware of children who may

have special educational needs who may require more support.

Curriculum information sheets are produced each term so that the parents know

what the children are learning and how they can support their child at home.

‘Pupils’ behaviour is good. This is because they are well supported by the nurturing, inclusive school culture and strong pastoral care.’

Ofsted, March 2017

There will be a cross-curricular approach to most subjects but it will be necessary for

some aspects of the curriculum to be dealt with separately. There will also be ongoing

activities in Numeracy (number bonds, multiplication, tables and mental arithmetic),

and Literacy, (speaking, listening, reading and writing, spelling and handwriting).

English

Every class has phonics/spelling lessons in the mornings as well as their English

lessons. On Fridays the children have a dictation based on the spelling, punctuation

and grammar they have been working on so that they can apply their learning and

put the spellings into context. It provides children with a structured introduction to

new spelling patterns and a gradual introduction and revision of key words, backed

up by reading comprehension questions.

Reading – The children are taught to read for information and pleasure. All

children are encouraged to take home books to read in the evenings. The books

may be from one of the reading schemes or from the school library. In all our

work with reading and literature we try to pass on a deep love of reading.

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Writing – The children will be taught to write grammatically, to be aware of

correct spelling and good presentation and most importantly, to express their

thoughts fluently and imaginatively in a variety of styles.

Speaking and Listening – The children will be encouraged to express

themselves confidently whether speaking to other children, adults or groups and

to develop the skill of listening to their teacher, to each other, to instructions and

to literature.

Mathematics

We use the Abacus Program, along with other resources such as Classroom Secrets

and White Rose Hub, throughout the school. Through practical experience and

discussion the children will be introduced to concepts and learn to apply them in

problem solving and mathematical investigations as well as being given regular

practice in the computational skills. Abacus provides excellent interactive computer

games that the children use for homework.

We provide children with access to iPads and laptops in school for those children

who do not have the technology at home. We have also introduced Maths Passports,

which the children work on at their level to help with their mental agility. The

passports become harder as they travel around the world!

‘We are really happy with St John’s School and how our daughter is developing.

We particularly find that it has a very friendly and caring atmosphere. Jessie

loves coming to school.’

Sally, parent

Science

Children are taught through investigations to acquire the skills of observation,

comparison, measurement, prediction and fair testing and to record the results of

their findings in a variety of ways.

Computing

All pupils have equal access to computers in each classroom as we have laptops and

iPads available. Children have supervised access to the Internet to support their

work in other subject areas.

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Religious Education

We have a daily act of collective worship and provide

Religious Education which is mainly of a Christian nature.

When teaching RE the teachers use the Discovery RE

scheme. Among other things we seek to give the children a

respect for other people and their beliefs along with an

appreciation of the world around them.

A representative from the church comes in once a fortnight

to lead collective worship and we hold special festival

services, for example at Christmas, in the Parish Church.

Once a fortnight people from the community come into

school for an ‘Open the Book’ service where Bible stories are

acted out and the children take part.

Art, Design and Technology

We aim to introduce the children to a variety of different

media and to develop both their observational and creative

skills. We use cross curricular learning to incorporate our

art and DT to enhance the learning.

Geography

In Geography children learn about the world around them. They develop knowledge

and understanding of places, cultures and environment through the use of

geographical enquiry, mapping skills and investigative work.

‘The school has a lovely atmosphere and each child is treated as an

individual. The whole school projects are brilliant!’

Lindsay, Parent

History

Children learn about events in the ancient and more recent past through a range of

topics. Links are made to other subjects whenever possible.

Physical Education

At various stages of the year your child will be taught gymnastics, dance, athletics,

games, outdoor/adventurous activities and swimming. PE is used to extend the

children’s awareness of themselves, their bodies and healthy lifestyles. They increase

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their body control, strength stamina, suppleness and develop creativity and

expression.

We use the expertise of PH Sports and Saints to teach some PE along with excellent

facilities in the neighbouring sports centre for tournaments. We also use their

outdoor swimming pool in the summer term.

Music

We have a specialist music teacher that comes in once a week to teach KS1 and KS2

music. All children have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument. They also

have the opportunity to perform and compose music. Through singing and the use of

percussion instruments, keyboards, recorders and brass instruments the children

learn to respond to music with understanding. The children contribute musically to

the life of the school and to the wider community by taking part both formally and

informally in assemblies, concerts, drama and other events.

All children have the opportunity to learn to play recorder in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Music teachers come into school and children may learn to play flute, piano, brass

and the guitar but there is a charge for lessons.

'Thank you so much for inviting me to

your school. Absolutely wonderful

children, so enthusiastic and interested…’

Demi Ladwa, Indian Teacher

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Personal, Social and Health Education

We aim to promote the personal, social, health and moral education of our children

in all aspects of school life. We teach children how to look after themselves, to

develop life skills and to develop interpersonal skills. We aim to help our children

come to terms with growing up. To support the teaching we use the Jigsaw scheme of

work for PSHE and RSE. As part of their education the children will be encouraged

to develop self-esteem and to behave responsibly. They will learn about life cycles

and their own development, and explore the process of growth. RSE is taught as part

of the Jigsaw scheme and Sex education is taught to each class supported by the

Channel 4 video series “Living and Growing”. Any discussion concerning

relationships and reproduction will be presented in the context of loving

relationships, family life and Christian principles.

Special Educational Needs

The class teacher will be very aware of the individual needs of all the children in the class and if it is felt that a child is having difficulties then the child’s progress will be closely monitored. Mrs Lisa Portch is the Special Needs Co-ordinator in school and will work with the class teacher and, you, the parents, to help your child.

The SENSS team and other relevant outside agencies can be called in for advice and, if there is a recognised need, additional funding can be requested for extra teaching or Education Support assistance. There is a lot more information on the website about SEN so please have a look for more details.

The school follows the Department for Education’s agreed Code of Practice.

Griffin Class

Our Griffin class was established in September 2015 to help and support children

with SEN. This has proved to be very successful as we see the children become more

confident with higher self-esteem. Every child in our school is treated as an

individual and as we are such a small school their specific needs can be met. We

have three trained ELSAs running specifically designed programs to suit the needs of

the children in each group. The classroom is also used for the more able children to

do group investigative work where they can challenge themselves and work with

other like-minded children.

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Assessment

The children’s work is continuously marked and assessed. The teachers use this

information to plan activities appropriate to the children’s level of learning. The

teachers’ assessments of the children are used in conjunction with the latest Age

Related Expectations (ARE). The children’s progress is logged onto the school’s

assessment system in order to monitor attainment and progress.

The children in Year two and six still take National Curriculum Standard Assessment

Tasks, (SATs) and preparation is made for those.

Our Reception age children will be assessed through Foundation Stage Activities during their first year at school. This provides us with knowledge of each child’s abilities and helps us to identify specific difficulties at an early age.

Homework

All the children are encouraged to take a book home to read each evening. Children in KS1 and KS2 are expected to read at least three times a week and their parents must sign their reading record to say they have completed this. Other homework may be sent home for completion or for investigation and we do endeavour to give children a week to complete their homework. As the children get older – more formal homework is introduced.

Maths games are set through the Abacus homework and Maths passports are the children’s targets and ongoing homework that the children should continue working towards.

Wrap-around Club

We offer a breakfast and afterschool club for parents who are working. Please see Mrs

Beavis in the office for more details and the cost.

School Clubs

After school activities vary over the course of the year. We do have a football club on Monday after school. The Sports Centre next door also offers a lot of clubs including holiday clubs.

‘The school, through its

distinct Christian character,

is good at meeting the needs

of all learners.’

Statutory Inspection of

Anglican Methodist Schools

(SIAMS), 2016

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Residential Trips

From Year 3 onwards children will be encouraged to embrace the exciting

opportunity of spending two nights away from home with their class. All trips are

risk assessed and led by skilled instructors and really promote independence and

enable the child to become more resilient, thus supporting their learning.

Working with Local Schools

We work with staff and pupils from other schools in the Tisbury and Mere Cluster.

This provides exciting opportunities to get to know pupils in the local area. We have a

Tisbury-Mere Children’s Parliament and a More Able Pupil Project where children

from Year 1 to Year 6 may have the opportunity to visit another school and work

alongside children of their own age on an exciting curricular project.

Our cluster schools are: Semley, Hindon, Mere, Chilmark, Wardour and Ludwell.

Charging for School Activities

We cannot make an official charge for activities that

are organised during the school day, but it is only

possible to organise events such as swimming

lessons, theatre trips, outside visits and residential

trips with your support and voluntary contributions

towards the cost.

Please let the school know if this is a problem for

you, particularly if you are on income support. The

matter will be dealt with confidentially and no child

will ever be excluded.

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Term Dates 2020 - 2021

Term Start End Holidays

Term 1 01/09/2020 21/10/2020 22/10/2020 - 30/10/2020

Term 2 02/11/2020 18/12/2020 21/12/2020 - 01/01/2021

Term 3 04/01/2021 12/02/2021 15/02/2021 - 19/02/2021

Term 4 22/02/2021 01/04/2021 02/04/2021 - 16/04/2021

Term 5 19/04/2021 28/05/2021 31/05/2021 - 04/06/2021

Term 6 07/06/2021 23/07/2021 26/07/2021 - 31/08/2021

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CODE OF

CONDUCT

This is the Code of Conduct we expect everyone at St John’s Primary School to abide by. It was thought up and agreed by all the children but will apply to anyone on school premises.

• Always tell the truth

• Always treat each other with respect

• Always treat other people’s property with respect

• Always listen to all the facts before making a judgement

• Choose an appropriate time to discuss any burning issues

• Always honour a promise

• Avoid conflict at all times

• Resolve conflict amicably

• Be a good role model, set a good example for others

• Dress appropriately

• Value your role within a team • Be ready to learn

- Have a good night’s sleep

- Have clean clothes and hair

- Have a good breakfast

st john’s church of england primary school prospectus …...the pre-school. within walking...

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