PROSPECTUS
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St. Michael’s R.C. Primary School
Information For Parents
2012 – 2013
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Ribble Drive Whitefield M45 8NJ Tel: 0161 766 6628
Dear Parents This brochure is intended to provide you with information about our parish school. Registering your child here will, I am sure, be the first step towards a happy and successful Catholic education. To find out more talk to parents who already have children at St. Michael’s School and come and visit us. Your child’s education is best served when home, school and parish work closely together in partnership. God Bless Mr. N. Duffin Headteacher
Introduction St. Michael’s is a voluntary aided primary school. It caters for children from the age of 4 to 11 years. There is also a nursery class for children aged 3.
Parents are always welcome to visit school. An appointment may be made with the Headteacher to see the school at a convenient time. Please remember - this is your school.
Mission Statement Our School Will:
School Governors Chairman: Mr M. McManus Foundation Governors: Father C. Lough Mrs T. Guerin Mr I. Byrne Mrs F. Lynch Vacancy Vice chair Mr S. Callaghan Local Authority Governor: Mr V. D’Albert Teacher Governor: Mrs M. McKenna Staff Governor: Mrs J. Barstow Parent Governor: Mr S. Harland Sponsor Governor: Mr A. Longworth Headteacher: Mr N. Duffin
Teaching Staff Assistant Head Teacher: Mrs M. McKenna (Year 6) Assistant Head Teacher: Mrs C. Howe (Year 5) Teaching Staff: Mr P. Lea (Year 4) Mrs M. Johnson (Year 3) Mrs J. Callaghan (Year 2) Mrs P. Riley (Year 1 - PT) Mrs H. Dutch (Year 1 - PT) Mrs S. Berry (Reception) Mrs E. Renton (Nursery)
Support Staff
Teaching Assistants: Miss R. Bartlet Mrs J. Barstow Miss Bishop Mrs F. Grey Mrs F. Hattersley Mrs Y. Holmes Miss K. Lunn Mrs McMonagle (special support) Mrs J. Munnelly (special support) Mrs C. Reynolds Mrs E. Roles (special support) Miss L. Scott
School Clerk: Mrs J. Ellis Caretaker: Mr A. Shaw Cleaner: Mrs L. Pickup
Welfare Assistants: Mrs M. Farrell Mrs A. Hindley Mrs E. Roles Miss F. Bishop Mrs M. Riley Mrs J. Ahearn Mrs S. O’Toole Mrs D. Clegg
St Michael’s R.C. Primary Admission Policy 2012St. Michael’s is a Roman Catholic Primary School provided by the Diocese of Salford and is maintained by Bury Local Education Authority as a Voluntary Aided School. Admission to St. Michael's R.C. School Whitefield is the responsibility of the governors.
Admission to the school will be considered in the following order of priority if there are more applications for admission than the school has places available. The planned admission number is set at 30. Children who have been issued with Statements of Special Educational Need will be offered a place at St. Michael’s if the school is named in the child’s statement.
Notes:
Nursery The nursery admission limit is set at 25 full-time equivalent places. Admission to the nursery will be considered with reference to the main school policy. In addition the following will be applied; Please note that a place in the school’s nursery does not guarantee a place in the school’s reception class. Religious Life of Our School
The school is a Roman Catholic School conducted in accordance with the rites, practices and observances of the Roman Catholic Faith. It is expected that children admitted to the school will take an active part in the religious life of the school. Through masses, assemblies, prayer services and celebrations, the church’s liturgical year is followed. The school is actively involved in preparing the children for the sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. The Salford Diocese "R.E. Vision 2000" Guidelines, recently reviewed and updated, is the syllabus used throughout the school. Last year our parish joined with St Bernadette’s and we now share a parish priest, Father Chris Lough. Parents have the right to withdraw children from both Religious Education and collective worship but it is anticipated by the Governing Body that those specifically choosing Catholic education will wish to lend their support to maintaining both the full spiritual life of the school and those aims set out in the mission statement. Aims of the School Our school aims to be a Christian community with a distinctive educational philosophy. The spirit of Christ permeates all school life; staff, pupils, parents and friends are invited into a community of learning, justice and love. We aim to be a community in which all members care for one another whilst developing habits of self-discipline and a respect for other races and other ways of life.
A
living community of prayer and worship must be a natural part of school
life, as must the home, parish and school partnership. In summary, the school exists to help the pupils to develop fully in every way: spiritually, morally, academically, socially and physically.
Pastoral Care Members of staff have a shared responsibility for the pastoral care of children, under the overall direction of the Head and Deputy Head. In addition the school has contact with a range of support services including the Educational Welfare Officer, Behaviour Support, School Psychological Service, Health Visitors and Speech Therapist. Parents are invited to speak with the class teacher or Headteacher about any concerns they may have.
Discipline St. Michael's is a well-disciplined school. Parents are asked to co-operate by showing their full backing of the authority of the school and the judgement of the class teacher. The children are expected to behave with consideration and respect for all in the school community and in a manner which ensures personal safety and care for the buildings and premises. General matters of discipline are dealt with in school (through our policies for PHSCE, behaviour and bullying, and through circle time and our golden rules system), but parents must expect teachers to contact them should a child’s actions give cause for concern. School Organisation School Hours: Juniors 8.55 am - 12.15pm (Y3 – Y6) 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm Infants 8.55 am - 12.00pm (Y1 – Y2) 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm Foundation 8.55 am - 11.30 am (nursery, reception) 1.00 pm - 3.30 pm 8.45am is the earliest time pupils should arrive at school. The school cannot accept responsibility for the health and safety of pupils before this time. Children in nursery should be taken by their parents to the nursery through the gate on the infant yard. Reception children should be brought to the infant yard where they will be collected by the reception teacher when the bell goes. Children are taught in mixed ability year groups. There is presently one class for each year group throughout the school. Places in the nursery class are both full-time and part-time. The number of full-time places we can offer depends upon the number of applications we receive. We are funded on a part-time basis but we are able to offer full-time places if parents wish to pay for the extra hours. Homework is set by teachers. There is a school policy for homework. We ask that all parents support the school in ensuring that work set is carried out. If a pupil is absent for whatever reason it is important that the school is informed of the reason why (a note is needed for our records and, in addition, an early phonecall is helpful). If we are not informed of the reason for an absence, it is regarded as an unauthorised absence. St. Michael's had just over 5% authorised absences in the last school year. Please note that family holidays should not be taken in term time.
National Curriculum At St. Michael's your child will study the following: Foundation Stage The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is based on the Early Learning Goals:
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
Our teachers will prepare work based on Early Learning Goals Learning Goals (Foundation Stage curriculum, ages 3 - 5) and programmes of study from the revised National Curriculum (key stages 1 and 2). All children will follow the Primary Framework for Mathematics and Literacy. Your child’s progress will be monitored throughout school. Progress will be formally assessed at the ages of 7 (Y2) and 11 (Y6). This formal assessment is a combination of teacher assessment and national tests. We also administer non-statutory national tests at 8, 9 and 10 (Y3, 4 and 5). A ‘Foundation Stage Profile’ is built up over the two years for children in Nursery and Reception, which gives a picture of how the child has progressed and what has been achieved by the end of the reception year. Parents’ evenings are held in the autumn and spring terms. These are opportunities for you to discuss your child’s progress, although appointments to see the Headteacher or class teacher may be made at any time. The Local Authority has a procedure to deal with complaints about the curriculum. In the first instance complaints should be raised with the Headteacher. The procedure will be outlined at this time.
Special Educational Needs Children who have Special Educational Needs receive individual educational programmes (IEP) to supplement their classroom experience. The National Code of Practice to meet the needs of children with special needs is used as the basis of our special needs policy at St. Michael's . An important part of providing for children with special needs is to establish good home/school links. Pupils with disabilities are given the same opportunities as other pupils. The school is accessible with ramps in the front car-park and front entrance to school. There is also a ramp to the nursery entrance. We have a number of entrances that contain a low step. Parents should make early contact with the school to discuss particular needs and every effort will be made to ensure full and equal access. Sex Education Sex Education is primarily the concern of the parents. The role of the school at present is not to teach sex education as an isolated subject but throughout your child’s time at St. Michael's strong emphasis will be put on developing mutual respect and caring relationships.
Extra Curricular Activities There are a number of activities for children to take part in outside of their classroom experiences. Music tuition is available through the peripatetic music service. This includes the playing of brass, woodwind and strings instruments, guitar and recorder. We have a school choir. There are also opportunities to play in school sports teams (see below) and we have a chess club for junior children. We have a film club, art club, maths games club and gardening club. At times of the year we also have a running / fitness club and a walking activity for the early years children. During the school year a number of visits to places of interest are arranged for the children, often linked to their class work. An outdoor activity residential visit for the children in Year 6 lasting a week is arranged each year.
St. Michael's operates a saving club, known as the ‘Thrifty Club’, which encourages children to make regular savings in a credit union scheme. Please ask for details.
Breakfast / After School Club St Michael’s Breakfast and After School Club is a thriving, happy and secure club where children are cared for by trained staff. It is available to all parents 8.00 – 8.55 am, and 3.30 – 5.30 pm every day. There is a charge for this service and children must be ‘booked in’ in advance. If you require this service please ask for the information booklet. We will be operating a holiday club for the first time in summer 2009. If successful, this will continue into future years.
Sport In sport we aim to develop the potential of our children with an emphasis on enjoyment and good sportsmanship. Children represent school in a wide variety of sporting activities including football, netball, cross country, rounders, cricket and athletics (This is in addition to P.E. and games which is part of the school’s curriculum). We are part of a local sports partnership through which we are able to bring coaches into school; in recent years we have been able to offer gymnastics, football, rugby, keep fit, fencing, tennis, basketball, yoga and dancing. There is a chess club for junior children. We have a large playing field, school yards and a school hall for P.E. / games. Children in Years 3 and 4 swim at Bury baths. We also invite Bury Football Club to school where our boys and girls take part in the Community Programme. We have recently been awarded ‘Healthy School’ status and the Sport England ‘Activemark’.
Dinners Children at St. Michael's are provided with a hot meal at lunchtimes by our school kitchen staff. Dinner money is collected on Monday morning. Please put it in a sealed envelope marked with the child’s name and class. Any other monies should be labelled in the same way.
Holidays 2012 – 13
Uniform Wearing of school uniform is strongly recommended. It is attractive, practical and relatively cheap. It comprises: Navy blue school sweatshirt White polo shirts Grey trousers (boys, girls in winter), Navy skirt or pinafore (girls) Blue dress (girls) for the summer We have an optional fleece and reversible jacket, each with the St. Michael’s logo.
Children in the foundation (nursery and reception) stage are encouraged to wear the foundation stage sweatshirt and polo shirt. Children are required to wear sensible shoes/socks - not fashion footwear. It is strongly recommended that you mark all items of clothing with your child’s name.
Earrings and other jewellery should not be worn in school as they can be dangerous in P.E. lessons and at playtime. For P.E., shorts and tee-shirt are recommended. Plimsolls should be worn for indoor P.E. - not trainers. Girls may wear a leotard.
Medicines
Where children require medication, parents should follow the procedure below: · Clear instructions (time of day, dosage) must be given, in writing, to the Headteacher and class teacher. · Personally bring medicine to the school office and collect at the end of school. Teachers cannot administer medicines or drugs. They can, with Headteacher approval, supervise self administration of vital medication. Parents whose children are on a prolonged course of medication should inform the Headteacher and class teacher. Arrangements will then be made for the safe storage of medicines during the school day. As far as possible, medicine should only be given in school time when four doses per day are required. It is dangerous for unaccompanied children to carry medicines to school.
Personal Property on School Premises
Pupils are responsible for the security of their personal possessions. Bringing surplus money, jewellery or toys to school should be strongly discouraged.
Charging Policy
The school does not charge for any part of the normal day to day curriculum. When an educational visit is to be made parents will be notified of the cost and will be asked for a voluntary contribution. No child will be left out of a school visit because the money has not been paid. Obviously a low response would necessitate the cancellation of such activities. Other areas where parents will be asked to meet costs are for board and lodging on residential trips (Y6), instrumental tuition through the peripatetic music service, and occasional ‘one offs’ such as a small charge for cooking ingredients.
P.T.A. St. Michael's is fortunate in having an enthusiastic Parent/Teacher Association which organises regular fund raising and social events. As parents you are automatically members of our P.T.A. and you are encouraged to get involved through meetings and events.
These particulars are correct in relation to this document. It must not be assumed that there will be no change affecting the arrangements and details during a particular year or in subsequent years. |
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