School Prospectus

“Building a life-long love of learning in a safe and happy school”

2015/2016

Loughton Manor First SchoolPaynes DriveLoughtonMilton KeynesMK5 8FATel: 01908 241472Fax: 01908 242085

Email: loughtonp@milton-keynes.gov.ukWebsite: www.loughtonmanorfirstschool.co.uk

INTRODUCTION 1

SCHOOL AIMS 2

THE GOVERNORS 3

ADMISSIONS POLICY 4

LOUGHTON MANOR FIRST SCHOOL 6The Building 6The School’s Defined Area 6Starting School - Induction 6Class Organisation 7Transfer to Junior School 7The Friends of Loughton Manor First School 7Attendance 8

NURTURE 9Safeguarding Children Policy Statement 9Pastoral Care 9Discipline and Behaviour 10Partnership 11Special Educational Needs 12

THE CURRICULUM 13English 13Mathematics 14Science 15Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education 16History and Geography 16Religious Education and the Multicultural Curriculum 17Information and Communications Technology 17Design /Technology 18Art 18Music 18Library 19

HEALTHY SCHOOLS 21Our Healthy Schools Commitment 21Physical Activity Policy Statement 22Healthy Eating Policy Statement 23Sex and Relationships Education Policy Statement 23Drugs Education Policy Statement 24

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PROCEDURES 26Complaints Procedure 26Charging and Remissions Policy 33

SCHOOL ORGANISATION 34The School Day 34School Dress 34Midday Break 35Entrances 36Icy Weather 36School Closure due to inclement weather 37Homework 37Home School Agreements 37School Rules 38Medicines 38Illness and other Absence 38

SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 40

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INTRODUCTION

Dear Reader,

Welcome to Loughton Manor First School and our School Prospectus. Everything we do here at Loughton Manor First School is based on our aim of: “building a life-long love of learning in a safe and happy school”. We try our hardest to live out this belief in all our work and play. We hope through these pages to give you an introduction to our school, its work, routines and philosophy. The prospectus can only be a brief insight into school life and whether a pupil, parent/carer or friend, we hope you will want to know more about us.

We welcome school visits from both pupils and parent/carers. By coming into school you will be able to see our modern, comfortable school buildings, feel the positive and friendly atmosphere and witness the learning experience we offer.

Staff and Governors recognise that starting a new school is an important time in family life. Both pupils and parents/carers need to be confident about school life and the provisions made for a child’s social, emotional and educational needs. We hope this prospectus and any visits will make all the family feel happy about coming to Loughton Manor First School.

Please feel free to raise any questions or seek clarification on any matters which are unclear to you.

We hope that you enjoy finding out more about us.

Yours sincerely,

Elizabeth Bancroft Rachael ParkinHeadteacher Chair of Governors

SCHOOL AIMS

Our aim is:

“Building a life-long love of learning in a safe and happy school”

We achieve it through the means of strong partnerships. Children, staff, parents and governors all working together to promote our determination for all pupils to:

be happy and motivated learners

want to achieve their best

be excited and enthused by new knowledge

think and work creatively

feel valued and secure, respecting themselves, and others

want to be good citizens, becoming responsible and effective adults who can work co-operatively, collaboratively and independently

develop skills and knowledge required for the modern technological world

These shared beliefs and attitudes support the achievement of our aim:

We are committed to maintaining high standards of teaching and learning through professional development for all staff.

The children are our inspiration.

We enjoy our work.

We are a well-informed, organised school community.

We work co-operatively as a team recognising each other’s strengths, and giving one another support.

We provide an attractive and stimulating environment in a welcoming and friendly school.

We make opportunities for all families to be involved in school life.

Our curriculum is broad, balanced, creative and challenging.

Everyone is important and valued.

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THE GOVERNORS

The Chair of Governors is Rachael Parkin who can be contacted through the School. The Governing Body includes representatives from parents and teachers, nominees from the Council, and some who have been co-opted. All their work for the School is voluntary and unpaid.

Parent Governors: (5) VacancyHannah Dunkerley Peter ClarkDimpy SatijaChristopher Hames

LA Appointees: (3) Rachael Parkin Gary Gould

Sue Tapley

Staff Governors: (4) Elizabeth BancroftPenny Anstey Karen Burzio Alex Wolfe

Community Governors: (3) VacancyJim McAuleyAndrew Plumb

Associate Governors: (3) Daniela ThompsonGemma KinsellaSheena Cresswell

All the Governors (apart from the Headteacher) serve for a four-year term of office.

The Governing Body’s clerk is Cara Jones. Enquiries to the Governing Body should be directed to the Clerk at Loughton Manor First School:

Paynes DriveLoughtonMilton KeynesMK5 8FA

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ADMISSIONS POLICYTO NURSERY CLASS 2015/2016

In September, the nursery will be admitting pupils whose date of birth is between 1 st

September 2011 and 31st August 2012.

N.B. A place in the nursery class does not automatically confer admission to the school, nor does it guarantee a place in the school's daycare club. Provision is offered for five three hour sessions per week, which will either be morning or afternoon placements. The standard LEA admissions procedure to school at reception age will apply irrespective of whether a child has attended the school’s nursery class.

Children are admitted to the school’s nursery class according to the following criteria:-

1. Children who have a statement of special educational needs. Generally children who live in the school’s defined area who also hold a statement of special educational needs will be given priority over other applicants. Where the school has specialist provision not available elsewhere applications will be considered from outside the school’s defined area and, if appropriate, places will be allocated.

2. Children who are Looked After by the Local Authority.3. Children who have a parent currently employed at the school, who has worked at the

school for at least a year.4. Children who live in the defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of

admission. Proof of residence may be required.5. Children who live in the defined area served by the school. Proof of residence may be

required.6. Children who live outside the defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of

admission.7. Children who live outside the defined area of the school.

After children qualifying under criteria 1 and 2 above, priority will be given to children who, as at 16th March 2015, live in the Loughton grid square and the southern part of the Great Holm grid square comprising of the streets south of Attingham Hill and Highgrove Hill. Children will be offered a place during week beginning 23rd March 2015.

In the event of over-subscription, places will be allocated according to the proximity of the child’s home to school as measured by the nearest available route.

The Headteacher will be pleased to talk to parents of prospective pupils and show them around the school.

Please telephone for an appointment: 01908 241472.

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ADMISSIONS POLICYTO MAIN SCHOOL

(A place in the Nursery Class does not automatically confer admission to the school. The standard Local Authority (Milton Keynes Council) admissions procedure to school at reception age will apply irrespective of whether a child has attended the school’s Nursery Class).

The school provides for children living in the Loughton grid square. It also serves, together with Holmwood First School, a shared defined area in the southern part of the Great Holm grid square comprising of the streets south of Attingham Hill and Highgrove Hill. At 7+ pupils from the school’s defined area will normally transfer to Loughton Middle School and at 11+ to Denbigh School.

Children are admitted to the school’s nursery class according to the following criteria, in order of priority and following Milton Keynes Council procedure, based upon application to the Local Authority (MK Council) and prioritising those for whom the school is the parents’ first preference:

1. Children who have a statement of special educational needs. Generally children who live in the school’s defined area who also hold a statement of special educational needs will be given priority over other applicants. Where the school has specialist provision not available elsewhere applications will be considered from outside the school’s defined area and, if appropriate, places will be allocated.

2. Children who are Looked After by the Local Authority.3. Children who live in the defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of admission.

Proof of residence may be required.4. Children who live in the defined area served by the school. Proof of residence will be

required.5. Children who live outside the defined area and have a sibling on roll at the time of admission.6. Children who live outside the defined area of the school.

The Headteacher will be pleased to talk to parents of prospective pupils and show them around the school.

Please telephone for an appointment: 01908 241472.

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LOUGHTON MANOR FIRST SCHOOL

The Building

Loughton Manor First School opened in September 1997. It is a modern building and was designed to meet the needs of children aged 4 to 8 years. In 2005 the school and grounds underwent major alterations and building improvements to make excellent provision for the younger age range of 3 to 7 year olds which the school now serves following Milton Keynes' change in age of transfer.

In October 2013 the school will be opening a new Foundation Stage building at which point facilities will be further improved with the addition of group rooms, meeting room and increased work space for pupils and staff.

The School’s Defined Area

Loughton Manor First School serves families living in the Loughton grid square. It also has a shared defined area, along with Holmwood First School, of the southernmost part of Great Holm as follows:

Anglesey Court Basildon Court Buscot Place EdgecoteFenton Court HaddonHamptonHoughton Court HuntingbrookeKensington Drive (south of junction with AttinghamHill) Nos 89 odds upwards, Numbers 90 evens upwards Lamport Court Rushton Court Stonor Court

Starting School - Induction In September we admit all our reception year children to Foundation Stage 2 (FS2). This is called a ‘single point of entry’. Every child receives a home visits from their class teacher before starting school. Nursery aged pupils, Foundation Stage 1 (FS1), are also admitted in September, a little later in the month, following their home visits and familiarisation sessions.

There is an induction period at the start of the year to ensure that all children have the opportunity to be welcomed and settled. Children’s actual start day varies as we admit a few new children each day in age order, and build the class up over the period of a week. FS2 children born between September and December attend full time from their start date. Younger FS2 children (born between January and August) attend in the mornings for the first couple of weeks, and become full-time from 1st October. By staggering our intake, we ensure that these, our youngest pupils, get the individual attention they need for a positive start to school. It also allows us to give some additional staff time and attention to the transition from Foundation Stage into Key Stage 1.

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Our induction processes include: familiarisation visits to school during the summer term before starting for reception (FS2) familiarisation visits to nursery in September prior to start date (FS1) Parents’ induction meetings, one for Nursery and one for Reception, to discuss organisation,

the Foundation Stage curriculum, day to day procedures and general information a home visit for every pupil starting school or nursery so that teachers, children and parents

can share information and get to know one another in an environment where the child is most likely to be confident and relaxed. We make a home visit for any pupil new to the school irrespective of age and stage of joining.

Class OrganisationChildren are placed in mixed ability classes, in year groups according to their age. The maximum class size is 30 in all year groups.

Key Stage One There are two parallel classes in each of years 1 and 2. Each class has a class teacher and every class is supported by a teaching assistant. Key Stage 1 classes may have an additional Graduate Trainee Teacher as well as their fully qualified class teacher.

Foundation Stage Foundation Stage children are organised into two parallel reception registration groups (FS2), and two Nursery classes (FS1), a.m. and p.m. Each class has a key class teacher designated for the purposes of leading learning, communications, assessment and pastoral care. In the Foundation Stage the bulk of the day’s teaching and learning is through a team approach of Foundation Stage Practitioners consisting of three teachers, six teaching assistants and a welfare assistant.

Transfer to Junior SchoolAt the age of 7 children transfer to local junior schools and this is arranged in accordance with Milton Keynes Council regulations. Parent/carers must apply to Milton Keynes Council for their child’s junior school place. The children from Loughton Manor First School normally transfer to Loughton School which is situated nearby. However, a child attending Loughton Manor First School has no automatic entitlement to a place at Loughton School.

The transition from Infant to Junior School is a crucial time in a young person’s life. We aim to make the transition between the two stages of education as easy as possible for the children. To support this, strong links are forged between Loughton Manor First School and Loughton School, and we liaise on a regular basis with teachers from both schools visiting one another, and year two children regularly visiting Loughton School throughout the year..

The Friends of Loughton Manor First SchoolWe have a thriving Friends Association which works with and offers great support to the School. Its function is not simply that of raising funds, though this is a large and very successful element of The Friends’ work. It also has an important role in developing the all-important partnership between school and home by encouraging and motivating families and friends to become as fully involved as possible in school life. This is done by organising social as well as fund-raising events, and by offering help in school at other times. All parents are automatically members of the Friends of Loughton Manor First School.

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There is an informal committee which arranges school events and fund-raising activities, and also makes the decisions as to how the voluntarily raised funds are used. If you would like to become a member of the committee or are able to help in any way, whether regularly or on an occasional basis, please contact the school for further details. We are always most grateful for offers of help. Our meetings are friendly and informal, and any parent is welcome to attend at any meeting.

Attendance

Good attendance at school is essential. It is a habit that needs to be established from the start. Children should only be absent if they are unwell, and we expect families to make every effort to avoid any other circumstance that would make their child miss school.

The school’s absence for 2013-2014 showed the following percentages of authorised and unauthorised absence:

4.38% of half days missed due to authorised absence0.01% of half days missed due to unauthorised absence

This represents an attendance rate close to the national average. The very low unauthorised absence rate is due to the good communication between school and home that ensures we are able to validate reasons for absence. We ask parents to let the school know as soon as possible if their child needs to be absent. In the case of illness, a parent should telephone the school to report their child’s absence.

The Headteacher regularly monitors attendance and reports back to the Governing Body. Any child whose attendance falls below expectations is followed up to ensure best possible continuity of learning for all our pupils.

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NURTURE

Safeguarding Children Policy Statement

We have stringent policies and procedures in place to ensure that we act effectively in pursuing the five outcomes that ensure children’s wellbeing and that Every Child Matters. (HM Govt ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’)

These outcomes are paramount in all our work. They are to make sure that all our children can:

stay safe (in the context of this Safeguarding Statement, this is the main focus) be healthy enjoy and achieve make a positive contribution achieve economic wellbeing

The work of all professionals and agencies involved in safeguarding children and promoting their welfare is governed by a legislative Framework. We make sure we work conscientiously to fulfil all statutory requirements. In particular all our work and procedures are governed by the general duties set out in the Children’s Act, and the statutory guidance ’Working Together to Safeguard Children' (2006). We also work within the policy and practice guidance set out by MKSCB (Milton Keynes Safeguarding Children Board).

We have appropriate procedures in place for responding to situations in which we believe that a child has been abused or is at risk of abuse.

All our staff are trained in Safeguarding, and training is annually reviewed.

A full copy of our Safeguarding Children Policy is available on request.

The designated person (named lead professional) for Safeguarding is Elizabeth Bancroft, the Headteacher.

Pastoral CareThe system of pastoral care developed at the school places initial responsibility upon the class teacher for the immediate wellbeing of the child. Each class also has an attached teaching assistant who takes a shared responsibility and is a daily point of contact for parents in the mornings regarding any pastoral issues or exchanges of every day information. Class teachers are always willing to discuss any concerns pupils or their families may have. This can be done before or after school hours, arranged either through personal contact, by mentioning to the class’s teaching assistant, or by telephoning or emailing the school to arrange a discussion. We always seek to be available at the earliest opportunity, and are committed to the welfare of the children in our care.

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Similarly the Headteacher and other senior staff are always happy to support pupils’ needs, and we will gladly make ourselves available to meet with parents on request.

Discipline and BehaviourWe believe that discipline requires a positive rather than negative stance, and as part of this philosophy we encourage a positive attitude, with the emphasis placed on praise and setting attainable goals for each child, rather than a policy of sanctions.

Our behaviour policy is based on mutual respect between the following groups of people:

(a) all members of the school’s staff and the child(b) between the children themselves (c) any visitors to/in the school or parents of pupils

and respect for:

(a) property and the environment, whether in school or the wider community(b) oneself

At Loughton Manor First School we aim to follow a code of conduct (our Recipe for a Happy School as set out in the section on school organisation) based upon caring attitudes and mutual respect within a framework that is warm and friendly, while consistent, firm and fair. We teach and expect courtesy, good manners, consideration for others and care for property and the environment. We have very clear and simple classroom and playground rules. Our rules are agreed by each class and underpinned by a consistent system of rewards and consequences understood by all. The rules are worded to be appropriate for the age and stage of development of the class, but in every case are founded upon three clear, whole school, principles:

instructions are followed so that teachers can teach and children can learn everyone has a right to feel safe everyone has a right to feel happy

When a breach of discipline does occur it is our policy that it is dealt with initially through discussion with the child/ren concerned, helping them to understand why their action was not appropriate and endeavouring to guide them towards positive strategies for future behaviour. We always seek to inform and involve parents if there is a continuing problem so that we can more effectively help the child to tackle any difficulty they may be experiencing in behaving appropriately.

Very occasionally a child experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties may need a Pastoral Support Programme (PSP). Parents have an important part in planning this, and typically would meet with teachers fortnightly to discuss progress. The PSP involves specific individual strategies to help the child and is part of the school’s SEN provision (see Special Educational Needs).

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Racial harassment and bullying, either individually or in gangs, will not be tolerated at Loughton Manor First School. In, thankfully rare, cases of any such behaviour, immediate contact is made with parents, as we regard it as a serious matter requiring urgent action. We always seek to follow up any incidents thoroughly, with care and sensitivity to all involved.

There is a clear, whole school anti-bullying approach outlined in the School's Behaviour Policy.

Any incident of racism in whatever form is logged, with the persons involved remaining anonymous. A termly monitoring report is returned to our LA, Milton Keynes Council, in order that we can work together with other schools and our advisory service in ensuring racial equality.

Partnership and CommunicationWe strongly believe that our pupils’ education and time spent at school is most effective when the school and the family have shared aims and work together in helping children to fulfil their potential. We acknowledge and respect the importance of the home and family as being of prime importance in children’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth. The influence this has on children's achievement and happiness cannot be over-estimated. Further, we are keen for parents to contribute their knowledge as part of assessing children’s strengths and progress.

It is clear that children learn best in an atmosphere where they feel happy, safe and secure. In order to develop this we encourage parents to become as involved in, and informed about, school life as possible. Parent and grandparent helpers are always welcomed in school, either on a regular or an occasional basis. We also hold a range of workshops and discussion sessions to enable parents to become better informed about aspects of the curriculum and our approach to it.

Before starting school for the first time, families receive a home visit and thereafter regular parent consultation appointments are offered to discuss individual pupils’ progress and wellbeing. In the summer term, parents receive their child’s written Annual Report. We provide an Induction presentation for parents to gain information about their child’s next year group. In addition to these discussion evenings, regular informal contact is welcomed.

Parents’ notice boards are in every year group’s shared area. We run a system called Parent Mail to send information home by email and texts. Parents/Carers will also receive a weekly summary of curriculum planning via ParentMail. In addition, by using ParentMail +Pay, parents are able to make online payments for trips and visits.

Parent Mail is our main method of sending written communications, and we strongly recommend that parents register for ParentMail. Even if a parent does not have access to email, it is still beneficial to register as the service includes a text messaging facility which parents find very useful. There is no charge for this service.

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Special Educational NeedsAll children at one time or another may need extra help in school. The amount of this extra help will obviously vary between individuals. Our aim is to identify, diagnose and support problems at the earliest opportunity so that each child can reach the highest standard possible for him or herself.

Class teachers, the Headteacher and the Inclusion Manager work closely with our well-trained and experienced team of teaching assistants to provide appropriate support for individuals and/or small groups of pupils according to their needs. We make every effort to involve and consult with parents at every stage of discussion in order to make the best provision we can to meet all our children’s needs.

Our school’s Special Educational Needs Policy states that:

“Children receive appropriate support, alongside their peers where possible, encouraging them to feel happy, secure and positive about themselves and their achievements.”

Whilst we believe that responsibility for meeting the child’s special needs belongs to our staff, we recognise the skills and expertise of outside agencies and call upon them when necessary, for example we have close links with the SALT term (Speech and Language Therapy) and Milton Keynes Council’s SENDIS specialist teachers (Special Needs and Disabilities).

We actively encourage parental partnership and involve parents at each stage of the SEN process. All children on the School’s Special Needs Register has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which details the nature of the support they receive and their next steps, or targets for achievement, to further their progress. This IEP is discussed and reviewed with parents every term.

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THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum Summary

Foundation StageIn our Foundation Stage Unit for reception (FS2) and nursery (FS1) aged pupils, teaching and learning covers the following areas of the Foundation Stage Curriculum:

Prime AreasPersonal, Social and Emotional DevelopmentCommunication and Language DevelopmentPhysical Development

Specific AreasLiteracyMathematicsUnderstanding the WorldExpressive Arts and Design

These areas of learning encompass aspects of all those ‘subjects’ in later phases of education. Teachers and teaching assistants work as a team of Foundation Stage Practitioners and skilfully link learning intentions based upon themes and following children’s interests. There is a strong emphasis on active play based learning. Most important is the fostering of enjoyment of, and enthusiasm for, learning.

For all our pupils the development of social and emotional skills that support children in being confident, independent and collaborative learners is paramount. In a nutshell - a happy child will be an effective learner.

Key Stage OneWe provide a broad and balanced curriculum. All pupils are taught the following from year one onwards. We link all these subjects together holistically, creating cross-curricular links. This helps children make sense of their learning, by applying skills and knowledge in practical contexts.

EnglishMathematicsScience (Including Environmental Studies)P.E. (Physical Education)Humanities (History and Geography)Religious EducationMulticultural EducationInformation and Communications TechnologyDesign TechnologyArtMusicPersonal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education (PSCHE)

English

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Our aim is to provide a language-rich environment where children can become actively involved in developing their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. This includes from Year 1 a focused hour per day of teaching literacy skills including phonological awareness, text based work, group reading and writing tasks. The same areas are covered in the foundation stage’s Communication, Language and Literacy learning, but with appropriate group teaching approaches for the younger age range.

Reading has a high profile and our aim is for children to become independent readers with a real love of books. To this end the children are introduced to a wealth of good quality reading materials and participate in a wide range of reading activities. Children are seen as readers from the start. There is a reading workshop for parents every autumn to help support a shared approach and an understanding of how best to help at home.

To foster a partnership between school, child and home, children take books home to share with parents. A Reading Diary which goes back and forth between home and school is a valuable form of communication in which progress concerns etc. can be recorded. Teachers check pupils’ Reading Diaries fortnightly.

As with reading, children are seen as writers from the beginning and given every opportunity to behave as writers. As their knowledge of the written word increases they will be encouraged to write in a greater variety of contexts for different purposes e.g. stories, poems, notes, instructions, recount, play scripts, recipes.

We appreciate the value of good handwriting and spelling and both are practised regularly. Correct pencil grip and letter formation is important and this is taught in the early days to enable children to develop a neat fluent style of writing. Children are encouraged to look for regular letter patterns in words, to use the “Look, Cover, Write and Check” method of learning to spell words as well as to try them out for themselves using their phonic knowledge and visual memory.

Activities such as role-play and listening to and discussing stories and poems encourage children to express their thoughts and ideas clearly and to listen to what others have to say. Throughout all our teaching of English we aim to provide good models for the children to work from.

Mathematics“At Loughton Manor First School we believe that all children should consider themselves ‘mathematicians’ ” Maths Policy

Mathematics provides a means by which children view and make sense of the world. It is a tool for life but it is far more than that. We believe that children should enjoy mathematics for its own sake, marvelling at and being excited by pattern, shape, number etc. Mathematics at Loughton Manor First School is meaningful and exciting. Whenever possible it is linked to the real world and children’s own experiences. Mathematics is a subject that can be enjoyed both inside and outside of the classroom. At LMFS we believe that children learn best when they have access to practical apparatus and encourage them, through Building Learning Power, to access what they need to help with their learning.

We have high expectations of children’s mathematics. We believe that all children must achieve to the best of their ability.

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We have a strong commitment to teaching children through mental calculations, thus developing agility and confidence with number. We use a range of teaching strategies and styles to ensure that our lessons have a stimulating pace, a high level of mathematical language and that the children develop deep mathematical understanding.

Our teaching in mathematics is founded upon the National Numeracy Framework and in both FS2 and Key Stage 1, children have daily mathematics lessons which always commence with a lively mental maths warm up. In KS1 maths lessons are either 50 minutes or an hour long. The Foundation Stage approach follows the same principles but with teaching and learning organised to be appropriate for younger learners. In particular, there is a strong emphasis on practical outdoor maths learning.

ScienceEveryday life is a journey of discovery. At Loughton Manor First School we aim to encourage our pupils to take an investigative, experimental and scientific view of the world around them.

Our children’s work is built around their own experience to bring relevance to their studies. The woodland area, enclosed pond and vegetable garden in the grounds of Loughton Manor First School are fantastic resources as they allow children to develop a greater understanding of the natural world around them.

Science is a core subject in the National Curriculum. Our schemes of work follow that laid out in the ‘QCA’ (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) document. This establishes a framework for how topics within science are taught and organised, We then set out Units of Study to ensure good coverage of content and logical progression.

Activities are chosen that will encourage children’s natural curiosity. We believe in creating as many opportunities as possible for our children to develop a ‘hands on’ approach to the subject. We aim to nurture skills of observation, appropriate to the children’s age and ability, which will lead to accurate recording to their findings, and a better understanding of their environment.

It is also important that scientific work results in skills of classification, logical thinking, predicting and evaluating. These are necessary in all areas of the curriculum, and Science is one of the ways in which our children will be able to achieve these skills.

As well as blocked Units of Study during the school Year, KS1 classes hold regular ‘science days’ where the whole day is given over to a range of scientific investigations around a specific theme. On these investigation days we make a particular point of encouraging parent helpers to support children’s discussion and thinking.

Physical EducationThe main aspects for our Physical Education Curriculum in Key Stage 1 are creative Gymnastics, Dance and Games. In addition to this children, especially Foundation Stage, but on into Key Stage 1 too as much as possible, have a wide range of play opportunities to develop physical skills. This is through their outdoor curriculum which includes for example, climbing equipment, wheeled vehicles and gardening, digging.

Gymnastics allows children to translate the teacher’s words into action and provides a powerful tool for language development. It allows them to create original patterns of movement using the floor and apparatus, initially by themselves, and later on with a partner. They learn to co-operate

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in carrying and setting out their own apparatus safely, and to begin to understand how apparatus layouts can influence how they are able to move.

Dance provides the opportunity for pupils to experience expressive movement in response to a variety of stimuli such as the teacher’s voice, creative writing, pictures, objects, percussion and music. We also value and enjoy the cultural aspects of dance by learning folk dances.

Games develops the natural skills of running, jumping, throwing, catching and striking using a variety of apparatus. Children are also introduced to the concepts of Games Making.

Pupils are encouraged from the earliest age to be responsible for the equipment they use, learning how to handle equipment safely and look after resources.

Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health EducationPSHE is defined as all aspects of the school’s planned provision to promote their pupils’ personal and social developments, including health and wellbeing. Citizenship aims to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy and independent lives. The central element of PSHE is the development of the child’s self-esteem. Children develop the ability to express views and feelings openly and with sensitivity, and at the same time learn more about considering the views and needs of one another. They also learn that they will be taken seriously and their opinions and suggestions are valued.

The school has an ongoing commitment to children’s health and wellbeing and sees this as a priority. In addition to regular P.E. lessons and daily break time exercise, children are encouraged to have a mid-morning snack of fresh or dried fruit or vegetables, and to have drinking water throughout the day in the classroom. For years 1 and 2 these snacks and water sipping bottles are brought from home. In the Foundation Stage children prepare their fruit daily as part of their curriculum and similarly, learn to pour drinks of water, helping themselves when desired. (FS2 have water sipping bottles too) We also participate in the Government's Fruit and Vegetable Scheme whereby every child has a free piece of fruit daily. This is in addition to their break time snack.

The school encourages families to order school milk for their children through the ‘Cool Milk at School’ subsidised milk scheme: www.CoolMilk.co.uk tel: 0800 3897157 Milk is free up until a child’s 5th birthday, but still needs to be ordered by the family.

History and GeographyThe Humanities curriculum integrates the traditional school subjects of History and Geography. It aims to give children the concepts, skills and knowledge that will enable them to develop a sense of people in different places and at different times.In the first school, and with the youngest children, such studies will emerge from the thematic topic work centred on the children, their families and their local area. As Humanities has been defined as asking questions about people and places and the relationship between them, both in terms of past and present, the specific aims are to develop in children: a sense of place a sense of the past a sense of chronology and time a sense of moral values

For first school children a sense of place is:

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an awareness of themselves in relation their immediate surroundings of home, school and locality

a working knowledge of location of some important features in Britain and the world, (shape of Britain, location of Britain on globe, location of London, own town or village)

supported by a particular feature of our geography curriculum, our ongoing ‘Travelling Teds’ project . We have a three bears (toy) family who can be booked out by pupils or friends and taken on visits and holidays. They send us postcards, letters and e-mails from around the country and worldwide as well as having several albums of holiday snaps for us to browse! Their travels and adventures are fed back to the school fortnightly in assembly.

A sense of time and the past is: an awareness of historical chronology and ability to sequence events an awareness of similarities and differences between the present and periods in the past the ability to use historical tools

An additional aim of our humanities curriculum is the achievement of: a sense of moral values an awareness and appreciation, at a simple level, or values, moral issues, religious and other

beliefs in the operation of human affairs.

Religious Education and the Multicultural CurriculumWe are fortunate that the children, parents and staff at Loughton Manor First School share a wealth of languages as well as religious and cultural beliefs and practices. As a school we aim to make everyone feel valued and included by celebrating this diversity. We encourage the children to share their own experiences and to reflect upon the religious and cultural ways of others. We enable the children to join in and experience several key celebrations throughout the school year. We integrate a variety of cultural and moral themes into the curriculum and the daily assemblies, and we follow a comprehensive RE scheme of work which looks in detail at several religions.

Whilst assemblies and RE are non-denominational our collective worship is mainly of a Christian nature, but expressed in such a way that those of other faiths feel included. We pride ourselves on our commitment to valuing and respecting all our families and their beliefs.

Any parents who are concerned about their child’s participation should arrange to discuss the matter with the headteacher who will be glad to explain our approach in detail. We respect the right of parents to ask for their child to be withdrawn from aspects of assembly and R.E. if this is their preference.

Information and Communications TechnologyIn this technological age it is vital that our children are allowed to take every opportunity to develop and improve their skills in ICT. At Loughton Manor First School we believe that children should develop an interactive approach to the subject, and that ICT should be used and developed to enhance learning across all subject areas.

We have adopted the Government’s ‘QCA’ schemes for ICT which enable teachers to build upon the experiences of the previous year’s learning.

Every teacher has a laptop linked to an interactive whiteboard. We have a suite of 15 wireless networked laptops that are primarily used by the Foundation Stage, and a further 30 netbooks for Key Stage 1. Each class also has a visualiser, a digital camera and a ‘Digital Blue’ child friendly

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movie creator. We have a set of digital cameras for pupil use and 12 ‘Bee Bot’ programmable toys which are used throughout the school.

With the internet linked interactive whiteboards teachers are able to demonstrate ideas and present areas of learning in a way that is exciting and accesses a wealth of information.

The world has opened up to our children as they are able to use the Internet in order to search for information relevant to their studies. Our internet access is through a broadband connection with firewall, filtering and monitoring appropriate to our education setting. As part of the ICT curriculum pupils are taught about the safe and appropriate use of the internet. We have a child-friendly internet agreement ‘Think Before You Click’ which pupils discuss with their parents and sign.

Design /TechnologyThe Design and Technology curriculum is taught through three types of activity. First, children engage in investigating products, often by taking things apart. They then complete Focused Practical Tasks in order to learn how to use particular techniques, mechanisms and tools. The skills and information gathered through these activities are used in their Design and Make activities which culminate in evaluation of their own designs and those of their group, class or year group. All activity areas are covered during the course of the year and include working with food, fabric and resistant materials. In Design and Technology children learn the importance of perseverance and use language and hands on exploration to develop and improve their ideas.

ArtOur overall aim in Art is that we want children to enjoy having a go, because this is the best way of encouraging them to want to learn, to wish to enquire, to be creative, and be willing to ask and question. We plan our teaching in Art to include a range of media and techniques.

In curriculum terms, our aim is to provide the children with a sound basis in knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes and values. As there is an enormous range of possible course content as set out in the National Curriculum, the specific aim is to enable pupils to become visually literate. At first school level this means that we:

(a) introduce children to visual and tactile qualities to be found all around them.(b) introduce children to works of art from a variety of cultures and particular famous artists’

work, architecture and other aspects of design which they encounter in daily life.(c) introduce children to the language of art, and(d) enable children to develop critical, practical and creative skills.

We also consider Art to have significant social importance in that it contributes towards the development in each child of a personal awareness of self, as an individual and as a member of a group.

MusicMusic is an important part of our curriculum and as such we view it in two ways. Firstly, it is a discipline in its own right and should be undertaken for its own rewards. It is akin to learning a new language giving children an awareness and appreciation of music and its powers of communication. Secondly, it is a strong cross-curricular subject linking Language, Arts, Drama, PE, Dance, Science, Maths and Humanities, as well as encouraging social skills and collaboration.

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In our music teaching we aim to give children an awareness of the world outside themselves and lead them to an appreciation of a wide range of cultures. In addition to this, learning to perform together helps social interaction and co-operation and also develops essential skills of co-ordination, concentration, listening, confidence building, communication and self-expression.

In our approach we give children the opportunity to experience and experiment at first hand, and strive to impart an enjoyment of music. All classes have a weekly class lesson with schemes of work and a teaching programme that covers listening and appraising, composition and performance.

Foundation Stage 2 and Key Stage 1 children also have a weekly singing lesson with choral skills and early sight-reading of notation being developed through specialist teaching. In year two, pupils have recorder lessons as a valuable introduction to instrumental playing.

Children have the opportunity to learn the violin or the ‘cello starting in year two as a strings group, or have group trumpet lessons playing pocket trumpets which are light enough for our young learners. Parents of pupils have to pay for lessons which are provided for us by Milton Keynes Music Service.

LibraryOur library is stocked with books purchased by the school and supplemented by the School Library Service. The library is a major learning resource, supporting all aspects of the curriculum. It provides a wide range of publications, reflecting the diverse needs of our pupils. Children are able to develop skills in seeking information and referencing, skills which are important for all areas of their education.

Activities centred around the library are intended to encourage familiarity and confidence. We aim to enthuse children and encourage a love of books. Happy readers are better readers.

Each class has a specific ‘library time’ to share, browse and exchange books. From Reception onwards, children are able to borrow library books to take home and share with parents. We rely upon valuable volunteer helpers to help children choose and book out their library books, using our computerised system.

We want children at Loughton Manor First School to know how to use the library and to see reading as a pleasurable activity. We like the library to be seen as a place to offer both learning and enjoyment.

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COMPARATIVE REPORTThis table shows a summary of the National Curriculum assessment results of pupils in the school (2013) and nationally (2012) at the end of Key Stage 1, as a percentage of those eligible for assessment.

The number of eligible children is: 60 Figures may not total 100 per cent because of rounding.

RESULTS OF TEACHER ASSESSMENT

Percentage at each level

W 1 2C 2B 2A 3 4 DisappliedChildren

AbsentChildren

Speaking & Listening

Boys School 0 12 - 72 - 16 0 0 0

National 2 13 . 67 . 18 0 0 0

Girls School 0 3 - 71 - 26 0 0 0

National 1 7 . 65 . 26 0 0 0

All School 0 7 - 72 - 22 0 0 0

National 2 10 . 66 . 22 0 0 0

Reading

Boys School 0 0 8 28 44 20 0 0 0

National 3 13 12 24 24 23 0 0 0

Girls School 0 0 3 3 49 46 0 0 0

National 2 8 9 22 27 31 0 0 0

All School 0 0 5 13 47 35 0 0 0

National 2 11 11 23 26 27 0 0 0

Writing

Boys School 0 8 16 56 20 0 0 0 0

National 4 18 22 29 18 10 0 0 0

Girls School 0 3 3 23 43 29 0 0 0

National 2 10 16 30 25 18 0 0 0

All School 0 5 8 37 33 17 0 0 0

National 3 14 19 29 21 14 0 0 0

Mathematics

Boys School 0 0 8 24 32 36 0 0 0

National 2 9 14 25 25 24 0 0 0

Girls School 0 0 6 11 49 34 0 0 0

National 1 7 14 29 30 19 0 0 0

All School 0 0 7 17 42 35 0 0 0

National 2 8 14 27 28 22 0 0 0

Science

Boys School 0 8 - 60 - 32 0 0 -

National 2 10 . 66 . 22 0 0 .

Girls School 0 3 - 63 - 34 0 0 -

National 1 8 . 71 . 20 0 0 .

All School 0 5 - 62 - 33 0 0 -

National 2 9 . 68 . 21 0 0 .

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1. Includes all schools with pupils eligible for assessment at Key Stage 1. Participation by independent schools is voluntary, therefore only includes results from those independent schools which chose to make a return and which met the statutory standards for assessment and moderation.

2. Speaking and Listening and Science subjects do not report level 2A, 2B and 2C, only level 2. These are shown in the 2B column for the purposes of this table.

4. Absent and Disapplied are not reported in science main level but are reported as U (unable). These are shown in the disapplied column for the purposes of this table.

5. ‘-‘ represents ‘Not Applicable’.6. ‘x’ indicates a figure not shown in order to protect confidentiality.

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OUR HEALTHY SCHOOLS COMMITMENT

Preamble

Loughton Manor First School was one of the first schools in Milton Keynes to achieve National Healthy Schools Status. This was a recognition of our commitment to ensuring a holistic approach to all our pupils’ and staffs’ health and wellbeing.

We also hold the ‘Active Mark’ showing our commitment to 2hrs + of high quality PE per week.

School Aims

“Building a life-long love of learning in a safe and happy school”

We aim to use all available resources at our disposal to improve the health and well being of all our pupils and staff. The School currently holds National Healthy Schools Status and we aim to maintain those requirements, even though the scheme is no longer promoted nationally.

We are committed to the principles and values of the Change4Life Programme, in particular the Schools4Life Award.

This is our philosophy:

Young people are at the heart of the Healthy Schools Award scheme and should be involved at all levels.

Education is about the whole person, not just about academic achievement. Pupils achieve more when they feel accepted, safe, supported and valued and have strong self esteem.

We see the promotion of health and well being as central to the life of the school. This includes physical and emotional health along with an awareness of healthy eating.

We actively promote health matters, offering support and information to parents via our ‘Healthy School’ Parents’ Workshop, and by providing a range of relevant literature, helpsheets and leaflets at the Health Information Point in reception.

Staff readily offer informal support and advice to parents, in a sensitive fashion. Health is a precious resource for everyday living, not just a goal in itself.

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All support must be accessible, timely, acceptable and centre on the needs of the young people.

We celebrate our successes with the community. We believe that everyone deserves an equal chance to learn, work, live and develop

free from discrimination, prejudice and fear.

Physical Activity Policy Statement

“Building a life-long love of learning in a safe and happy school”

Our aim through participation, enjoyment and fun, is to encourage and promote Physical Activity for all.We believe that all pupils and staff should be provided with opportunities to participate in a range of enjoyable physical activities as soon as they join this school, so they will be more likely to continue being physically active throughout the rest of their lives.This policy statement on physical activity reinforces the school’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and healthy behaviours, which will support the health and well-being of its whole school community as part of the ethos of the National Healthy Schools Programme, leading to healthier living and learning.Currently we offer our pupils opportunities to experience the following planned activities during their time at school:-

high quality PE and School Sport for all good participation levels competitive sport, which teaches team work, discipline, self-respect and how to cope with

winning and losing non-competitive forms of physical activity eg. dance, which can contribute to good health and

well being links with local clubs a stimulating playground environment active and enjoyable break playtimes/lunchtimes trips and visits activity weeks walks cycling and road safety skills brain gym/activity breaks planting and growing/gardening environmental areas outside classroom/s drama and school performances walking and cycling to and from school activities run not only by staff, but by coaches, volunteers, parents and trained midday

supervisors singing and playing musical instruments

Staff wellbeing is also considered. They are encouraged to participate in regular walks and aerobics sessions, they walk or cycle to school where possible, and we hold optional staff swimming sessions after school.

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Emma Pearson is the named person with overall responsibility for Physical Activity at our school. This policy will be reviewed as required.

Healthy Eating Policy StatementOur priority at Loughton Manor First School is to ensure that children have strong self esteem and are confident to make good choices about what, when and how they eat.

Healthy eating is about making informed choices and eating a balanced diet. It is about eating regularly and respecting the importance of shared mealtimes.

There is no such thing as 'bad' food per se, but children need to recognise that food from certain food groups, especially fruit and vegetables, need to be eaten in greater proportion and more regularly than sugary or 'treat' foods. We encourage the eating of fruit and vegetables both mid morning (provided by parents) and mid afternoon through the government funded provision. Nursery children have access to healthy snacks throughout the day.

The children need to recognise the impact of 'sugar hits' on their teeth and try to drink some water straight afterwards to neutralise the effect. They should incorporate regular teeth cleaning and handwashing into their personal hygiene routines.

Children are encouraged to enjoy food and be adventurous in their tastes. They are encouraged to realise that the social aspects of sharing a meal are very important both personally and in respecting other cultures. Extra PSHE time has been allocated at lunchtime to provide this understanding.

We work closely with families to give consistent messages and send out regular newsletters to inform and include parents in our school culture. We encourage them to provide healthy food options in their children's packed lunches. We do not allow sweets or chocolate bars to be brought in as part of children’s packed lunch. We encourage children to drink water throughout the day to keep them alert and ready to learn. When food is included as part of a Class Reward it will be consistent with our Healthy Eating Policy. We encourage parents to buy into the cool milk for Schools Scheme.

We monitor the variety and quality of school dinners by our outside provider.

Healthy eating is covered in aspects of the Science curriculum and Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education. We look for cross curricular links to bring the enjoyment of food into broader learning experiences.

Healthy eating is seen as an essential part of promoting well being and we aim to lay foundations for good eating habits in the children's future lives.

Sex and Relationships Education Policy StatementSchool AimWe aim to enable children to want to be good citizens, becoming responsible and effective adults who can work cooperatively, collaboratively and independently.

At this school, sex and relationship education (SRE) is taken to mean:

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Lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of family life; stable and loving relationships, marriage, respect, love and care.

Specific Aim of this PolicyAt Loughton Manor First School our teaching should take account of the maturity of the children and aim to help with the physical, mental and emotional changes of growing up. We aim to give an age appropriate understanding of human reproduction, relationships and family life within a moral and ethical framework. Parents and guardians have the right to withdraw children from SRE lessons but need to understand that the right of withdrawal does NOT apply to the National Curriculum and related activities.Content and OrganisationIt is our intention that all children should: Develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships. Be able to name parts of the body and describe how their bodies work. (* For our young

learners this does not include intimate body parts or reproduction) Be able to protect themselves and ask for help and support.

Most of the SRE curriculum is taught through assemblies, circle time and regular class or group discussions.

ResourcesMaterials used in the school to deliver this subject area will be appropriate to the age and the religious and cultural background of the pupils concerned (Education Act 1996: section 148 (4)).

Assessment, Recording and ReportingIn our annual written reports to parents, class teachers include a personal profile which comments on pupils’ personal and social development. This includes areas such as self-esteem, motivation, reflection and self-control.

Drugs Education Policy StatementOur priority at Loughton Manor is to ensure that, at this early stage in their lives, children feel good about themselves.

We want to build up their self esteem to encourage them to make good choices so as to be able to resist unhelpful peer pressure both now and in the future.

Drugs Education is about the whole child, encouraging them to be aware that well being encompasses physical, emotional and psychological strands within different social settings.

We want pupils to make healthy informed choices. They need:

to know that drugs/medicines can be helpful or may be dangerous. to know that it may be dangerous to touch and/or to try an unknown substance in or out of

school. to know whom to speak to regarding specific experiences related to drugs.

We want to give them positive strategies for making themselves feel better without needing to resort to drugs/medication. These strategies might include:Thinking positive,

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Sharing a smile or a hug,Going out for a breath of fresh air,Having a drink of water,Taking some gentle exercise,Eating a balanced diet, andBeing confident with personal hygiene routines.

We want our children to be wary of touching or trying unknown substances and to be able to communicate with a trusted adult if they have worries or concerns.

Any medication brought into school will always be handed directly to an adult and kept in a secure place. There is a set procedure for storing and administering of medicines in school.

We want our children to be aware of how they are feeling and to be able to deal with their emotions in a constructive way.

We want our children to make good choices now to avoid negative health implications in the future.

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PROCEDURES

Complaints Procedure

It is essential to establish the nature of the complaint to ensure that the correct policy/procedure is followed.

1 Purpose

We want all pupils and their families to be happy with the education we offer and the policies and procedures we follow. Most queries or concerns can be resolved satisfactorily through discussion or by providing clarification or further information. Parents or carers share day to day concerns about particular aspects of school life through informal conversations with staff. However, when a more serious concern is raised, the school has adopted a procedure that explains how to complain and what to expect in response.

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure a fair and consistent approach to dealing with complaints, in the interests of all parties.

2 Scope

Separate arrangements apply in relation to safeguarding, pupil admissions and exclusions. If a complaint is made about statutory provision in relation to special educational needs, the national curriculum or collective worship, the complainant may appeal to the Local Authority (LA) or the Diocesan Board of Education if s/he is not satisfied with the school’s response.

The Complaints Procedure provides a supportive framework for dealing with all matters relating to the conduct and actions of staff and the application of school procedures as they affect individual pupils.

The procedure may be used by a parent, carer, local resident, or any person within the community who has a genuine interest in the school. An anonymous complaint will not be investigated under the procedure unless there are exceptional circumstances.

All complaints will be investigated by an appropriate person. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, this may be a teacher, a senior member of staff or the headteacher. If the complaint is against the headteacher, the chair of governors will investigate and may draw on the LA for assistance.

As part of any investigation, all relevant parties will be given an opportunity to comment.

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3 Principles Comments, concerns or complaints should be brought to the attention of the school as soon as possible. They will be dealt with: • fairly, thoroughly and speedily • safely - nobody will be victimised as a result of a complaint being made • efficiently and helpfully outcomes could include; an explanation or clarification • an apology from either party; an assurance, where appropriate, that the same thing will not happen again, action to put matters right.

4 Timescales Complaints should be raised as soon as possible. Any complaint raised more than one month after the incident has occurred will not be considered, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The designated timescales apply during term time and additional time will be required over school holiday periods.

Where the headteacher or chair of governors is unable to comply with the timescales for reasons beyond his/her control, such as the complexity of the complaint or the availability of witnesses etc., s/he will inform the complainant within seven calendar days of receipt of the complaint when the outcome will be communicated.

5 Procedure

5.1 Complaint relating to a member of staff, other than the headteacher

5.1.1 Stage 1 - Informal Stage Many areas of concern can be dealt with quickly and harmoniously through discussion. Any concerns or complaints should be referred initially to the member of staff concerned and this may be by letter, by telephone or in person by an appointment made at a mutually convenient time. A comment form is available for completion, which is attached as Annex 1.

The person dealing with the matter will make every effort to resolve it and bring about a speedy resolution that is satisfactory to all parties.

In the case of more serious concerns, it may be appropriate to discuss these with a senior member of staff or directly with the headteacher, who will normally be able to resolve the matter and take any necessary actions to put matters right.

At Stage 1, the member of staff will respond to the complainant within seven calendar days of receipt of the complaint.

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5.1.2 Stage 2 - Formal Stage If the complaint is not resolved at the informal stage, the complainant must write to the headteacher within fourteen calendar days of receiving the outcome of the Stage 1 complaint. The headteacher will provide a copy of the complaint to the member of staff and investigate it. Complainants will be asked to complete a Complaint Form and suggest a preferred resolution to their concerns. This form is attached as Annex 2. Members of staff will be advised to record their recollection of the event for future reference.

The complainant should include details that might assist the investigation, such as names of potential witnesses, dates and times of events, and copies of relevant documents. In addition, the headteacher may meet with the complainant, who may be accompanied by a friend, to clarify the complaint.

The headteacher will be responsible for collecting such other evidence as s/he deems necessary. Where this involves an interview with a member of staff, who is the subject of the complaint, the employee may be accompanied by a work colleague or representative. In addition to receiving a copy of the complaint, the member of staff will be provided with any additional evidence presented by the complainant or collected by the headteacher.

The investigation will be undertaken as soon as possible and will be completed within fourteen calendar days of receipt of the formal complaint. The headteacher will inform the complainant and the member of staff concerned, in writing, of the outcome. This may be to the effect that:

• the concern is not substantiated by the evidence; • the concern is substantiated in part or in full and an explanation and/or an apology

given. Some details may then be given of action the headteacher and governing body may be taking to put matters right or an assurance, where appropriate, that the same thing will not happen again. However, details of the investigation or of any disciplinary procedures will not be released;

• there is insufficient evidence to reach a conclusion, so the complaint cannot be upheld;

The headteacher will confirm that consideration of the complaint is now concluded.

If the complainant is not satisfied that the procedure has been followed correctly, the complainant may request that the governing body reviews the headteacher’s handling of the complaint. Any such request must be made in writing within fourteen calendar days of receiving notice of the outcome from the headteacher, and should include a statement specifying clearly any perceived failures. The procedure described in 5.3 will be followed.

5.2 Complaint relating to the headteacher

5.2.1 Stage 1 - Informal stage

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Most areas of concern can be dealt with quickly and harmoniously through discussion. Any concerns or complaints should be referred initially to the headteacher and this may be by letter, by telephone or in person by an appointment made at a mutually convenient time.

The headteacher will make every effort to resolve the issue and bring about a speedy resolution that is satisfactory to both parties.

Many concerns can be resolved by simple clarification or by providing further information and it is anticipated that most complaints will be resolved by this informal stage. The matter may be resolved by involving the chair of governors or advice from the LA.

At Stage 1, the headteacher will respond to the complainant as soon as possible and within seven calendar days of receipt of the complaint.

5.2.2 Stage 2 - Formal Stage

If the complaint is not resolved at the informal stage, the complainant must write to the chair of governors within fourteen calendar days of receiving the outcome of the Stage 1 complaint. The chair of governors will provide a copy of the complaint to the headteacher and will investigate the complaint. Complainants will be asked to complete a Complaint Form and suggest a preferred resolution to their concerns. This form is attached as Annex 2.

The complainant should include details that will assist the investigation, such as names of potential witnesses, dates and times of events, and copies of relevant documents. In addition, the chair of governors will invite the complainant to meet him/her to give the complainant the opportunity to present oral evidence or to clarify the complaint. The complainant may be accompanied by a friend. The chair of governors will provide a note taker for the meeting to record the details of the complaint and a copy of the notes will be provided to the complainant and the headteacher.

The chair of governors will collect such other evidence as is deemed necessary. This may include the interviewing of witnesses and others who may provide relevant information.

In addition to receiving a copy of the complaint, the headteacher will be provided with any additional evidence presented by the complainant or collected by the chair of governors Once there has been an opportunity for the headteacher to consider the evidence, s/he will be invited to meet separately with the chair of governors, in order to present written and oral evidence in response. The headteacher may be accompanied at this meeting by a work colleague or representative.

The investigation will be undertaken as soon as possible and will be completed within twenty one calendar days of receipt of the formal complaint. The chair of governors will inform the complainant and the member of staff concerned, in writing, of the outcome. This may be to the effect that:

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• the concern is not substantiated by the evidence; • the concern is substantiated in part or in full and an explanation and/or an apology

given. Some details may then be given of action the headteacher and governing body may be taking to put matters right or an assurance, where appropriate, that the same thing will not happen again. However, details of the investigation or any disciplinary procedures will not be released;

• there is insufficient evidence to reach a conclusion, so the complaint cannot be upheld;

The complainant will be told that consideration of his/her complaint by the chair of governors is now concluded.

If the complainant is not satisfied that the procedure has been followed correctly or that his/her complaint has been addressed appropriately, s/he may request that the governing body reviews the chair of governors’ handling of the complaint. Any such request must be made in writing within fourteen calendar days of receiving notice of the outcome from the chair of governors, and should include a statement specifying clearly any perceived failures. The procedure described in 5.3 will be followed.

5.3 Review Process

The governing body’s complaints committee will undertake any review of the process undertaken by the headteacher or the chair of governors if requested by the complainant.

The review will normally be conducted through a consideration of written submissions, but reasonable requests to make oral representations will be considered sympathetically.

The committee will invite the complainant to submit written evidence of his/her complaint.

This information will then be given to the headteacher or chair of governors, as appropriate, and s/he will be invited to make a response to the complaint.

The committee may also have access to the records kept of the details of the original complaint.

The committee will meet within twenty one calendar days of receipt of the request for the review to consider the evidence and decide:

• whether the complaint should be upheld or denied • the reasons for their decision • any action to be taken • any recommendation they wish to make to the headteacher or the governing body

The chair of the committee will send a letter to the complainant and the headteacher or chair, as appropriate, within five calendar days, notifying them of the outcome.

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This may be to the effect that:

• the complaint is not substantiated by the evidence; • the complaint is substantiated in part or in full but the procedural failure did not

affect the outcome significantly and therefore the matter is now closed; • the complaint is substantiated in part or in full and the governing body will take

steps to rectify the situation (where this is practicable) or to prevent a recurrence; • there is insufficient evidence to reach a conclusion, so the complaint cannot be

upheld. The committee itself does not have any power to take remedial action. If it reaches a conclusion that disciplinary action may be appropriate, it can only recommend such action to the appropriate person.

If the committee wishes to make a recommendation regarding a change to the school’s policy or procedures, this will be referred to the governing body for consideration.

This effectively ends the complaints procedure. There is no appeal stage beyond the governing body, although the complainant may pursue the matter with the Secretary of State for Education.

6 Vexatious complainants

There may be rare occasions when the complainant is deemed to be “vexatious”. This could be because it is clear that the complainant has insufficient grounds for complaint and is seeking to annoy, or that a complaint has been investigated and is found not to be justified, but the complainant persistently engages in making further accusations relating to the same issues.

Any such case will be dealt with on an individual basis but the headteacher and chair of governors reserve the right to close the complaint if the complainant is deemed to be “vexatious”, and to determine that the matter is now concluded.

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APPENDIX 1: COMMENT FORM

Please use this form if you would like to comment on any aspect of school and/or to record discussion points from a meeting with a member of staff about issues you have raised.

Name

Signed

Date

Name of member of staff spoken to

APPENDIX 2: COMPLAINT FORM

Name

Address

Telephone (day):

Telephone (evening)

Please give concise details of your complaint to allow the matter to be fully investigated.

Have you complained to the Headteacher?

Yes

No

When did you do this? Date:

What happened when you complained to the Headteacher What would you like us to do to put things right?

Signed

Date

Please return this form to the Headteacher or Chair of Governors

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Charging and Remissions Policy

The Governing Body of the school is required to establish a policy of Charging and Remissions of any charges.

1. Where activities take place in school session time parents will be invited to make voluntary contributions towards the cost of the activity on a pro-rata basis but a pupil will not be debarred from taking part in the activity because his/her parents cannot, or will not contribute. However, if insufficient voluntary contributions are forthcoming with the result that the visit is not financially viable, it may be necessary to cancel the activity.

2. All trips are costed to ensure no profit is made. However, in the unlikely event of there being a surplus in contributions, this would be refunded if amounting to £1 or over per contribution. Any smaller surplus would be put towards curriculum resources.

3. Where activities take place in school time and are organised by a third party (e.g. sports coaching) and not directly by the school then the third party may charge parents for that activity.

4. Where activities take place outside school time, charges may be levied where appropriate.

5. Any application for a full or partial remission of charges will be considered by the Headteacher or her nominated deputy. It is the policy of the Governing Body that remission should apply generally to those children who are eligible for free school meals. Any other application would be considered on its merit.

6. Appropriate charges may be made for cookery ingredients and craft materials where parents have indicated in advance that they wish to take home their child’s finished work.

7. Parents will be invited to make a contribution to meet the cost of damages or breakages where this is as a result of their child’s deliberate action. This will include the cost of damaged, defaced or lost reading and/or library books. Parents are required to sign an undertaking that they will pay for any damage or loss up to and including the books’ value before children may take a library book home.

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SCHOOL ORGANISATIONThe School Day

Morning Session 09.00 to 11.30 FS2 – doors open at 8.3008.45. to 11.45 Year one – doors open at 8.3008.45 to 12.00 Year two – doors open at 8.30

Afternoon Session 12.45 to 15.00 FS213.00 to 15.00 Year one13.00 to 15.00 Year two

You may have noticed that FS2 and Year 1 have 15 minutes longer at lunch than year 2. Their eating takes a little longer, and we do not rush children to finish their meal. A Staff rota from all year groups allocates 15 minutes of teacher/teaching assistant time to supporting children in eating, and the associated social skills, and 15 minutes towards the end of their play session outside alongside midday supervisors ensuring smooth handover and communications.

Nursery (FS1)

Morning Session 8.30 to 11.30 (Nursery am class)

Afternoon Session 12.00 to 3.00 (Nursery pm class)

Children should not arrive on the premises before 8.30 a.m. when the school doors will be open and children may come in to their classroom. Children who go home for lunch should not return until ten minutes before the start of the afternoon session. It is important that these arrival times are adhered to so that children’s safety through adequate supervision levels is ensured.

In addition to the time spent on registration, assemblies and playtimes, each child receives in excess of 21½ hours of tuition during a normal school week.

Daycare

In order to offer support to families who need daycare, we run an After School Club, Nursery Wrap-around Daycare and a Breakfast Club. These services are in high demand, so early booking is advisable as places are limited. Information about charges and availability of places is available from our school office. For pupils new to the school at the start of the year, we publish a bookings opening date in order to allow for equitable opportunity for applying.

School Dress

School UniformA school uniform has been agreed upon by the Governing Body in consultation with parents. The School uniform is:-

red school sweatshirt or cardigan (including the School’s logo and obtainable through the School Office), any plain scarlet red sweater is an acceptable alternative

navy skirt/pinafore/leggings/joggers/trousers/shorts. white ‘polo’ style short sleeved shirt

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red and white striped or checked dresses as an alternative in warmer weather Wellington boots to be kept in school during term-time, especially during Autumn, Winter and

Spring.

P.E. and Games KitChildren of first school age may reasonably be expected to work in their underwear i.e. pants and vest, however most parents prefer to provide a change of clothes:- Shorts and T-shirts, or leotards for girls. Children need plimsolls or trainers at school for outdoor games throughout the year, although we do encourage children to work in bare feet indoors for reasons of safety. We would recommend that children have their P.E. kit, including footwear, at school every weekday. As outdoor games lessons take place throughout the year, weather permitting, joggers and/or sweatshirts are useful additions to a pupil’s kit in winter.There are no uniform colours or designs of shorts/T-shirts expected so parents can use garments their children already have available.

P.E. bagsKit should be kept in a drawstring P.E. bag which can be easily hung on the child’s cloakroom peg. We would ask parents’ co-operation in not allowing children to bring other types of kit bags, as storage space is very limited and large holdalls lying around the cloakroom floor can be dangerous. A red P.E. bag with the school’s logo can be bought from the office, but any drawstring bag is acceptable.

LabellingWe ask that ALL items of clothing and footwear are marked with the child’s name to avoid loss and confusion, and that coats are fitted with a suitable hanging loop.It is especially important to name red sweatshirts/cardigans/fleeces as there are so many all looking the same. Children should be encouraged to check their name label when putting on a school sweater at school.

Lost PropertyCollections of lost property are kept in labelled boxes in both cloakrooms and parents are welcome to examine this on request. At the end of each term all lost property is set out on tables at the front of the school for parents to check and retrieve missing items.

Midday BreakSupervisionDuring the midday break children remaining on the school premises are supervised and led in their play by our team of Midday Welfare Assistants who work under the supervision of the Headteacher.

LunchA cooked lunch is available from the school or children can bring a packed lunch and drink. The cooked lunch includes a vegetarian option on request and a filled baked potato option daily.

Packed LunchesSandwich boxes need to be compact and stackable - a standard lunchbox with handle, or a rectangular plastic container such as an ice-cream container, for example - and should be clearly

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marked with the child’s name. These boxes are placed on shelves at the beginning of the day where they are stored until the midday break. Please note that due to currently having pupils with severe nut allergy, no nuts or nut spreads can be allowed. Thank you.

In accordance with our healthy eating policy, no sweets are allowed in packed lunches. This includes chocolate bars such as Snickers, Twix, etc. We urge parents to think carefully about providing balanced nutrition. A balanced lunch needs to include an element of protein, fruit and/or veg, some healthy carbs, but not too much sugar or fats. This is very important, not just to help children grow and thrive, but so that they are alert and comfortable in the afternoons. Please ensure that no glass/breakable containers are sent to school with your child’s lunch. As we do not have refrigeration facilities, you may wish to consider including an icepack in your child’s container.

Free School MealsChildren entitled to receive a free school meal are served with a cooked meal provided by a private catering firm. This meal is the same as that which may be purchased for other children and no one is able to tell which children have a free lunch, so there is no possibility of self-consciousness. If you think your child may be eligible for a free school meal, or would like to know more about this facility, please do not hesitate to contact the School office.

An additional benefit is that the school will provide a free school uniform of sweatshirt/cardigan, polo shirt and skirt/trousers for any child who is entitled to Free School Meals. Any requests for this will be responded to sensitively and in confidence. Also, we do not expect families in receipt of Free School Meals to make any voluntary contributions to trips or visits.

We urge anyone who is entitled to Free School Meals for their child to register for this benefit. PLEASE DO THIS EVEN IF YOUR CHILD DOES NOT WISH TO EAT A SCHOOL MEAL . The school receives substantial additional funding called a Pupil Premium based on the number of Free School Meals registered. This can make a big difference to the school’s budget.

EntrancesFor reasons of safety we prefer that children enter the school through our two pedestrian gates and the side doors. Please meet and collect your child(ren) from their class’s agreed doors. Each class has a specific exit. If you wish to enter the school at the end of the day we ask that you wait until the children have been dismissed by their class teacher. The shared areas are part of our teaching space and may still be in use until the children leave the premises. Furthermore, there are obvious safety implications if they become congested by adults at the end of the school day. This is particularly so when teachers are releasing the youngest children and ensuring that they leave with the correct adult.You are of course welcome to enter the school to discuss your child’s progress with her/his teacher and we encourage you to do so when the majority of the children are safely out of the building.

The school has a security system and doors are locked during the day using thumb turn safety catches. We ask you to ensure that you do not unlock the side door in order to exit if leaving after nine o’clock. Parents and visitors who are in school and need to leave the building during lesson time should use the main controlled front exit.

Icy WeatherDuring icy weather the following policy has been adopted:

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The caretaking staff will salt those parts of our paths that are close to the building and we know are likely to be slippery. We cannot salt the playgrounds or other areas. We would therefore recommend that staff, parents and pupils treat all path and playground areas as potential slip hazards and take appropriate precautions in cold weather. A notice to this effect will be posted outside school.

School Closure due to inclement weatherOur Policy is to try and stay open in snowy weather, but on occasion we may have to operate with reduced staffing. However we recognise that school being open is important, and will always endeavour to make provision.

The Headteacher will make a decision (when frost/snow fall is likely) as to whether to close the school. Should the school have to be closed we use the LA arrangements – please check www.milton-keynes.gov.uk or our own website www.loughtonmanorfirstschool.co.uk.

HomeworkAfter a hectic day at school, youngsters need time and relax and play. This enables them to return to school the next day refreshed and eager to learn. We do not, therefore, set a large amount of formal homework, and none at all for Nursery pupils. The most important regular homework is that we expect children to practise reading at home on a daily basis, just for 10-15 minutes. This plays a large part in your child’s reading development. The children are encouraged to take a book home each day to share and practise with an adult. Each child also has a Reading Practice Diary to record home practice. Parents are asked to make comments in this book which will encourage the child and be helpful to the teacher. Teachers check pupils’ reading practice diaries fortnightly and also make comments regarding progress.

From Foundation Stage 2 onwards, children bring home ‘key words’ or ‘words of the week’ to learn to spell. These words are related to their phonics lessons and /or based on the study topic theme at the time.

From time to time Key Stage 1 teachers will offer specific home activities related to topics, and in year 2 occasional maths activities. We hope you will want to work with your child on these, but they are completely optional and there is no pressure to complete them as with the‘set’ homework for older learners.

Home School AgreementsHome School Agreements are a statutory requirement for all schools. Our home school agreement was drawn up as an outcome of extensive consultation with parents and is intended to support the partnership between school and family to give children the best education we can, together.

Our home school agreement, a copy of which we have included in this prospectus, gives details about the school’s standards, ethos, behaviour policy and homework. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you want further clarification.

There is a space for parents, the pupil and the headteacher to sign the agreement. This is simply to show a serious intent to try and fulfil the requirements. There is no sense of this agreement being binding in any way, or a condition imposed by the school. We hope that children will want

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to sign following full discussion with their family, and only if parents are satisfied that they understand the intentions.

In addition, we have a specific Internet Safety agreement ‘Think Before You Click’.

School RulesThere are a minimum of school rules - made for the general well-being, safety and happiness of all children within the school. Classroom rules are agreed each year for each class through discussion with the children, worded appropriately for their age and stage of development, and are based upon ‘Our Recipe for a Happy School’, and these basic principles to which all staff and children are expected to subscribe: teachers must be able to teach and children be able to learn, everyone has a right to be happy and safe.

Our Recipe for a Happy School

We are kind and thoughtful We behave politely towards everybody We are gentle in our words and in our actions We care for the safety of others at all times We walk quietly in school We come to school to learn and work We look after equipment and resources

In additional to our recipe for a happy school, please bear in the mind the following:

Valuables, (money, watches, rings and jewellery), should not be brought to school as no responsibility can be accepted for their safe keeping.

We discourage the wearing of any jewellery for school. For safety reasons jewellery must be removed, by the child him/herself, before any physical education lesson as it could easily lead to a severe injury either for the child or for a partner. If there is a reason why a child cannot remove earrings then parents are expected to provide surgical tape to cover their child’s earrings during P.E. lessons, and to teach their child how to do this independently.

Children must not leave the playground without their parent/responsible adult known to them, at the end of the school day. If, when they are dismissed, the member of staff dismissing cannot see the person they are expecting to collect them, the child must come back into school and wait to be collected from the school library area. It is important to let the school know beforehand if anyone other than their usual adult is picking up a child.

MedicinesApart from asthma treatments we would prefer not to administer any medicines in school. We wish to take every precaution to ensure that children do not have access to medicines brought into school with the risk of an over-dose being taken accidentally.

If it does become necessary for your child to take medicine and your doctor has said that your child is fit to attend school, then please discuss the matter with your class’s attached teaching

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assistant. We have a medicines record to note treatment and dosage which you will be required to sign. Medicines are stored securely away from teaching areas.

Under no circumstances must any medicine be left in a classroom or in a sandwich box.

Illness and other AbsenceContact telephone numbersIt is vital that we hold an emergency contact telephone number, either home, a neighbour or your place of work, so that we are quickly able to contact you if your child becomes ill or has an accident at school. Please remember the importance of updating this if you should change your number or place of work.Emergency consent formOn your child’s starting school you will be requested to complete and sign a form enabling us to permit medical treatment in the unlikely event of an emergency or accident. This is purely an additional safety measure - we will always seek to contact you immediately should any problem arise.

IllnessIn the case of stomach upsets, e.g. vomiting or diarrhoea, please keep your child at home until you are sure that these symptoms have ceased. We ask you to keep a child away from school for twenty-four hours after vomiting has ceased as a precaution against spreading a ‘tummy bug’. At times of public concern relating to norovirus, the school will take the precaution of increasing the required absence to 48 hours to minimise the spread of illness. Such ‘bugs’ can affect staff as well as other pupils/families and cause widespread difficulties throughout the school. Similarly, with known infectious illnesses, it is important that your child should not return to school until after the infectious period is over - or you are unsure about this, your health visitor or doctor will be happy to advise. In cases of German Measles, or “Slapped Cheek” please inform the school immediately so that we can put up notices, so as to help pregnant women be aware that these potentially hazardous germs are ‘around’.

Informing school in the case of absenceWhen your child returns to school after any absence it is essential to send a note or speak with the class teacher in person. If the absence is likely to be longer than one or two days, please telephone the school. This information is required to be recorded in the class register. The Department of Education require schools to record all unauthorised pupil absences and publish this annually. Our absence information is included in this prospectus.

Similarly, if you have arranged a dental or medical appointment for your child during school time, could you please inform the teacher or the school secretary in advance.

It is important that families of school aged children take any holidays during school vacations. If this proves impossible to comply with, and there is an important reason for your child to be absent during term time, there is a form obtainable from the school office which is required to be completed requesting the period of absence. We urge families to avoid term time leave unless absolutely necessary. It is particularly important that children in year two should avoid being away from school during May when Statutory Assessments are being undertaken. (National tests and tasks known as SATs)

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We cannot allow a child to go out of school during the school day unless they are collected by their parent or another adult with the permission of the parent. If you do need to take your child out of school during the day please could you inform a member of our admin team so that the class register may be amended, and the checklist for pupils leaving/arriving during the day can be signed. This is a safety procedure to ensure we know exactly which pupils are on the premises.

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SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES School Year September 2013 - July 2014

Training dates (school closed): Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd September, Friday 25th October, Monday 21st July & Tuesday 22nd July.

Term Start date Finish DateAutumn term 1 2013 Monday 2 September 2013 Friday 25 October 2013Half term break Monday 28 October 2013 Friday 1 November 2013Autumn term 2 Monday 4 November 2013 Friday 20 December 2013Christmas break Monday 23 December 2013 Friday 3 January 2014Spring term 1 2014 Monday 6 January 2014 Friday 14 February 2014Half term break Monday 17 February 2014 Friday 21 February 2014Spring term 2 Monday 24 February 2014 Friday 4 April 2014Spring term break Monday 7 April 2014 Friday 18 April 2014Summer term 1 2014 Tuesday 22 April 2014 Friday 23 May 2014Half term break Monday 26 May 2014 Friday 30 May 2014Summer term 2 Monday 2 June 2014 Tuesday 22 July 2014

Schools will be closed on: Friday 18 April 2014 (Good Friday) Monday 21 April 2014 (Easter Monday) Monday 5 May 2014 (Spring Bank Holiday)

School Year September 2014 - July 2015Training dates (school closed): Wednesday 3rd September, Friday 24th October, Monday 20th, Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd July.

Term Start date Finish DateAutumn term 1 2014 Wednesday 3 September 2014 Friday 24 October 2014Half term break Monday 27 October 2014 Friday 31 October 2014Autumn term 2 Monday 3 November 2014 Friday 19 December 2014Christmas break Monday 22 December 2014 Friday 2 January 2015Spring term 1 2015 Monday 5 January 2015 Friday 13 February 2015Half term break Monday 16 February 2015 Friday 20 February 2015Spring term 2 Monday 23 February 2015 Friday 27 March 2015Spring term break Monday 30 March 2015 Friday 10 April 2015Summer term 1 2015 Monday 13 April 2015 Friday 22 May 2015Half term break Monday 25 May 2015 Friday 29 May 2015Summer term 2 Monday 1 June 2015 Wednesday 22 July 2015

Schools will be closed on: Friday 3 April 2015 (Good Friday) Monday 6 April 2015 (Easter Monday) Monday 4 May 2015 (Spring Bank Holiday)

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