st. joseph’s rcva · st joseph’s rc va primary school, highfield prospectus 2018/19 4 our...

St. Joseph’s RCVA Primary School

Highfield Prospectus 2018-2019

St Joseph’s RC VA Primary School, Highfield

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Dear Parents I am delighted that you are considering sending your child to our school and I hope to get to know you and your family over the next few years. At St. Joseph’s, we work hard to create a loving, caring, Christian environment, where children receive the highest quality education. We aim to get all of our pupils off to a flying start in the early years through the development of basic skills and a creative approach to encourage our pupils to become lifelong learners. We are very proud of our fantastic pupils, dedicated staff, parish links and superb building. We encourage all prospective parents and pupils to visit our school to experience this. We hope this prospectus provides all the information you need. If you have further questions, or would like to arrange a visit, do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely

Joanna Bircham

Head Teacher


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About our school St. Joseph’s, Highfield is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic primary school for children of all abilities within the age range 4 – 11. Contact us Address: The Head Teacher

Whinfield Way Rowlands Gill Tyne and Wear NE39 2JE Telephone: 01207 545972 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.stjosephshighfield.org Our motto: Work hard, love and learn Our logo: Our Mission Statement

At St Joseph’s RC Primary School: We create a caring, Christian environment, which is centred on the love and respect Jesus taught us. We lay foundations for whole life learning to develop every aspect of our children, as individuals.

Aims of the school

to create a safe and loving family environment in which Gospel values are lived out.

to enable each member of the school community to realise his or her full potential in all aspects of an enriching curriculum.

to celebrate a positive attitude as well as effort and progress, so that pupils feel equally valued and recognise their self-worth.

to recognise and celebrate that each child is unique. to develop and encourage effective partnerships and create partnerships

between home, school, parishes and the wider community.

mailto:[email protected]


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Our School Family Overall the school is great and the staff…are caring and do a fantastic job’ – Parent

questionnaire 2016

100% of our parents/carers agreed that their child/children feel safe and are happy at

our school – Parent questionnaire 2016

Teaching and administrative staff Headteacher Ms J. Bircham Deputy Headteacher Mr J. Haws Senior Teacher Miss S. Robson Class Teachers Miss S Bailey Mrs K McCusker (maternity leave)

Mr L. Exley (maternity leave cover plus PE) Mrs M Millican Teaching Assistants Mrs L. Rutter Mrs D. McKenna Mrs R Kyle HLTA Mrs C Gregory School Administrator Mrs M Tate Lunchtime Supervisors Mrs A.Giles Mrs S. Jones Mrs C. Scott Regular Supply Staff Mrs D Herron Mrs G Carr Governing Body Chair Mrs C. Lauder Vice Chair Mr P Bradley Foundation governors Fr J James Mrs L Burkinshaw Mr N Codling Mrs C MacGregor Mrs C. Reid Local Authority Governor Dr. R Buckley Teacher governor Mr J. Haws Headteacher Mrs J. Bircham Parent governor Mrs C. Widmer Ms J Robinson LA School Inspector Mr Stephen Jones Clerk to the governors Mrs C Todhunter


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Contents About our school – mission statement, aims, staff and governors 3 Accessibility 6 Admissions 6 Assessment and Reporting 6 Absence 7 Behaviour 7 Our building 8 Charging and Remission Policy 9 Child Protection 9 Catholic Life of the School 9 Collective Worship 10 Complaints Procedure 10 Continuous and Sustained Improvement 10 Curriculum 11 - 15 Curriculum Complaints Data Protection

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Equal Opportunities 15 Extra-curricular activities 16 Forest Schools 16 Friends of St. Joseph’s Committee 16 Health and Safety 17 Healthy Schools 17 Homework 17 Jewellery 18 Hair 18 Head Boy and Head Girl, vice captains and school councillors 18 House Team System 18 Lunchtime Arrangements 18 Medical Care 19 Parents and Carers 19 Performance Information and Achievement Promoting British Values Rewards

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Rules 25 School Council 25 School Day 25 School Organisation 25 School Term Dates 26 School Travel Plan 27 School Uniform 27 School – out of school care 28 Special Educational Needs 28 School Sports Provision 28 Teaching and Learning 28 Where to find us 29


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Accessibility We are committed to providing a fully accessible environment which values and includes all pupils, staff, parents/ carers and visitors regardless of their education, physical, social and cultural needs. We are further committed to challenging attitudes about disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion. We plan accessibility for all pupils, staff, parents / carers and visitors to St. Joseph’s Primary school through our accessibility plan – a copy of which can be obtained from the Head Teacher. The school has a level drop off point at the entrance, accessible reception facilities, access to essential curriculum areas, access to the outdoor learning environment, access to dining facilities, three accessible toilet cubicles and a designated parking bay. In order that children with disabilities are not disadvantaged, the school liaises with the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and the Local Authority when necessary to make sure all adequate provisions are made. Admissions Our admissions policy is available on our school website. Our planned admission number is 17 for all year groups from Reception to Year 6. Induction meetings are always provided for new entrants and their families and we very much look forward to welcoming you to one of those meetings. If you are considering choosing our school for your child, please contact us for further information and a tour of the school. Please telephone 01207 545972 to make an appointment. Assessment and Reporting to Parents and Carers Our Reception staff assess pupils on entry using a simple baseline assessment. They then track pupils’ progress, using the Early Years developmental age bands and then make a final assessment at the end of Reception using the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. Each child’s learning, skills and development are assessed against 17 criteria known as the Early Learning Goals. The Profile is used to inform parents and the next teacher of the pupils’ progress and his or her next steps for learning. Formal assessments take place in Year 2 and Year 6 and the results of these are shared with parents. In Year 1 there is a straight forward phonics screen to check progress in this important skill. All pupils are assessed through teacher observation, questioning, marking, staff and cluster book scrutiny and moderation, as well as intermittent tests, to monitor progress and plan for future learning. Interim reports are provided in Autumn and


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Spring term meetings with parents where targets for the next term are shared. Progress since Year 2 and attainment are reported to parents in the end of year report, following which a third parent consultation is offered if required. The quality of children’s learning improves where there is a genuine partnership with parents, allowing a two-way flow of information, knowledge and expertise. At St Joseph’s we value the work parents do as the first educators of their children and hope that they will continue to play an active part in the education of their children throughout their primary years. We are usually available after 3.00pm, if you wish to talk about day to day problems and appointments can also be made if you need to discuss anything in detail. Our main concern at 8.30am is for the well-being of the children, therefore trying to discuss anything other than urgent problems with the teacher, as the children are coming into school, is not usually a good idea. Absence We are required to keep detailed records of pupil attendance and distinguish between authorised and unauthorised attendance. It is vital that parents keep us informed about their child’s absence. Please contact the school by 8.40am if your child is anticipated to be late or absent for any reason. If the school is not contacted, we will ring parents to ensure the child is safe at home. Repeated absence, resulting in absence of under 95%, will be monitored closely and followed up by the Head Teacher and may be reported to the local authority if it falls further, in line with our policy. Parents should not take pupils on holiday during term time because this could interfere with their education and progress. From September 2013, in line with government guidelines, all holidays taken in term time will be recorded as unauthorised absence unless there are exceptional circumstances for the holiday as agreed by the Governing Body prior to the holiday being booked. Should a leave of absence be taken without prior authorisation, a Penalty Notice may be issued by the Local Authority. The Penalty Notice is £60 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days and £120 per parent, per child if paid after this date but within 28 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice could result in the Local Authority starting legal proceedings against you for the offence of failing to ensure your child’s regular attendance at school.


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Behaviour We believe that good discipline arises from respect for self and others. We encourage and expect our children to adopt positive attitudes towards themselves and all members of the school community. This ensures the smooth running of the school and that all pupils fulfil their potential. Qualities such as caring and respect are fostered and self discipline, independence and responsibility encouraged. We expect high standards of behaviour at all times. Positive behaviour is rewarded and all of our pupils understand the consequences of bad behaviour. Sanctions include time out of play and loss of privileges. We always inform parents/ carers of problems with behaviour at the earliest opportunity. The Governing Body reserves the right to exclude pupils on a temporary or permanent basis if necessary. However, we aim to develop positive behaviour in all pupils and every opportunity is taken to support pupils to remain in our school community. We take the safety of our pupils very seriously and have a clear anti-bullying policy. We encourage parents who have concerns to contact us at the earliest opportunity. Our building Our school is unique as we share our amazing site, with Highfield Community Primary School and Action for Children Children’s Centre Nursery. Our pupils experience the close-knit family atmosphere of a small school, while benefitting from facilities usually only available in larger schools. All members of our school benefit from being part of a vibrant learning community, in which pupils and staff can share ideas and grow together. The building is designed around an impressive shared main area which contains the administrative offices, staff room, the main hall as well as St. Joseph’s intervention rooms and Highfield Community Primary school’s intervention areas. Branching off from this area are the two schools, with their respective classrooms and storage areas. All main classrooms (Reception/1 to Year 5/ 6) are situated along one main corridor with a shared library area and access to the outdoor garden. Each classroom has a small outdoor learning area. The playgrounds are situated directly behind the school and are accessed from the cloakrooms adjoining each classroom. In addition to the hard surface yards, children have access to an adventure playground, field and a multi-use games area.


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Charging and Remission Policy The Education Act 1988 prohibits charging for activities during school time. We aim to provide a range of activities to enhance children’s learning, which mean that from time to time parents / carers will be asked to make voluntary contributions towards the cost. No child is excluded from an activity through inability to contribute. However if insufficient funds are available through contribution the activity may be cancelled. The school fundraises regularly in order to subsidise the cost of educational visits. Child Protection St. Joseph’s RC Primary School, Highfield, the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff and volunteers are required to undergo an Enhanced Check for Regulated Activity by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Training in safeguarding is delivered every year in line with recommendations and staff and volunteers are fully aware of all safeguarding procedures in school. All new staff undergo a period of induction in all policies and procedures in our school. All school policies and procedures have safeguarding as a fundamental expectation. All visitors to the school will be asked to show photo ID and sign the visitor book. Mobile phones are to be switched off by visitors on entry to the building. Staff can check or use mobiles in the Head Teacher’s office, staff room or admin office during their break times, when not in contact with pupils. Personal cameras should not be used in school. Please see our code of conduct for further information. Catholic Life of the School ‘A nurturing environment by school and church’ – parent questionnaire 2016 Our Catholic Life is at the centre of our school. Pupils contribute to our vision and mission and our key values are promoted through everything that we do. We encourage our pupils to be active members of the local community and parish and be responsible world citizens. Our pupils respond to all charitable fundraising with enthusiasm and commitment. Our pupils have caring, friendly and considerate relationships with other pupils and adults and are happy, confident and secure. The moral, social, emotional and cultural needs of our pupils are at the heart of everything that we do.


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Collective Worship Children take part in daily collective worship in whole school, key stage or class groups. Through collective worship children develop an understanding of the structure and purpose of liturgy, explore the Gospels with reference to aspects of moral and social teachings and are encouraged to reflect and respond. Children regularly prepare and lead their own worship and parents and carers are encouraged to join us as often as they can. The Governors are required to remind parents of their right to withdraw pupils from religious worship and education. Parents are also reminded that the school exists to give a Catholic Education to its pupils and it is therefore expected that parents be in sympathy with the aims of the school. We are always keen to share and celebrate milestones for the children who enjoy other faith teachings and parents are encouraged to let us know about significant events within their child’s religious development outside of St Joseph’s. Complaints Procedure The Headteacher and class teachers are always available to discuss any concerns parents may have about their child’s education or well-being. Where a discussion fails to satisfy a parent they are entitled to refer their concerns to the Governing Body. A complaint should be made formally and in writing to the Chair of the Governing Body, details of which are available from school. Further information and advice for parents is available from: Dryden Professional Development Centre, Evistones Road, Low Fell, Gateshead, NE9 5UR. Continuous and Sustained Improvement We are firmly committed to constantly improving the education and facilities offered to our pupils and families. We do this in several ways:

We have extremely high expectations of ourselves and our pupils.

We regularly consult with our pupils about their learning and happiness at school.

We listen to our pupils through our Rights Respecting School Council of elected class representatives.

We consult parents and carers regularly through questionnaires.

We hold regular parental information meetings and keep our parents up-to-date through our newsletters and website.

We have a termly programme of monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning.


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The School Curriculum

The Early Years Foundation Stage – Reception class The Early Years Foundation Stage is designed to build a foundation for future learning by encouraging and promoting all of the skills needed to develop the unique child as a lifelong learner. These are called the characteristics of effective learning.

Characteristics of Effective Learning

Playing and exploring – engagement

Finding out and exploring

Playing with what they know

Being willing to ‘have a go’

Active learning – motivation

Being involved and concentrating

Keeping trying

Enjoying achieving what they set out to do

Creating and thinking critically – thinking

Having their own ideas

Making links

Choosing ways to do things

There are seven areas of learning which form the Early Years curriculum, 3 prime areas of learning:

Physical Development

Communication and Language

Personal, Social and Emotional development

and 4 specific areas of learning

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design There is a strong emphasis on learning through play, both child-initiated and adult-led. The curriculum is delivered indoors and outdoors through a combination of whole class activities, adult led focussed activities and child-initiated activities across the seven areas of learning and development.

Key Stage 1 and 2

Our curriculum is planned in compliance with the National Curriculum, in line with Gateshead LA guidelines. We aim to offer children a broad and balanced education, teaching with regard to the individual needs, attainment and interests of pupils and


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the resources of the school. Every individual has full access to Religious Education and all National Curriculum subjects: As a small school, we take a whole school approach to curriculum planning. We have an exciting two year cycle of topics for our mixed age groups. In addition to this, we have whole school themed weeks such as Healthy Schools and Sports Week, STEM week, Book and Film Fortnight, Anti-bullying Week. We learn about our diverse nation through celebration days based around the religions of Britain and plan fund-raising events to support our global neighbours. Please see our website for information and photos of our curriculum learning. In both Key Stages, the core subjects are taught as discrete lessons, with curriculum links made where appropriate. Foundation subjects are taught through a creative curriculum approach, making use of cross curricular links where possible. Topics are enhanced by visits and visiting speakers into school. Curriculum Plans for each year group are available on our website and are given to parents termly. Children are taught: The core subjects – English, Mathematics, Science and RE (core in a RCVA school) The foundation subjects – Computing, Art and Design, Design and Technology, PE, Music, History, Geography. We teach German from Years 3 -6. We also teach PSHCE – Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education including age appropriate sex and relationships education. English Speaking and listening, reading, handwriting and writing including spelling, grammar and punctuation are all taught in line with the National Curriculum. We do regular St. Joseph’s Writing sessions, to improve our fluency and stamina for writing longer pieces. We teach daily phonics lessons in Reception and Key Stage 1 using the Letters and Sounds approach and Readwrite Inc for pupils who need to consolidate their learning. We use reading books mainly from the Oxford Reading Tree scheme to build on phonic skills and develop fluent reading. We use circle time, class discussions, response partners, drama and poetry recital to improve our all-round communication skills, which are key to success in English. Mathematics Our pupils are taught Mathematics in line with the National Curriculum. We aim to develop our pupils’ mental skills early so they have the skills and confidence to calculate, reason and problem solve. We constantly reinforce understanding of


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place value, pattern and relationships, often using practical apparatus such as Numicon. All skills learnt are applied to real life tasks and situations. We use calculators, ICT programs and apps to consolidate skills and to allow our pupils to explore pattern in larger numbers. Religious Education As a Catholic school, St Joseph’s is a faith community centred on Jesus, in which the faith is integrated with life. We believe that faith needs to be both formed and informed through education and example. At St Joseph’s we foster an ethos of love, truth, care and forgiveness so that children can experience first hand God’s message of love, and in turn pass it on to others. Through curriculum Religious Education we encourage children to explore and deepen their knowledge and understanding of our faith and promote in them a desire to follow the way of Jesus. Children follow a structured Religious Education teaching programme; ‘Come and See’, which covers all aspects of the teaching of curriculum Religious Education. We have a supplementary RE curriculum through which we teach diversity and belief by learning about other faiths. Science We teach Science in line with the new National Curriculum encompassing all aspects of early Biology, Chemistry and Physics. We have regular Science and Engineering weeks and Healthy School weeks to promote Science across the whole school community. Our parents who are scientists or use Science in their jobs volunteer to share their skills with us running workshops which promote scientific understanding and encourage our pupils to view Science and Engineering as exciting career choices. Computing Computing is a new National Curriculum subject and we teach control, programming skills and an understanding of algorithms through the use of programmable toys and simple programs which support our pupils’ understanding of how programs and devices work. Our pupils learn logical reasoning and are given opportunities to solve problems. They learn to understand computer networks such as the internet. Internet safety is paramount in our school and we aim to help our pupils keep themselves safe in a ever-changing technological landscape. For more information please see our internet safety policy on our website. Design and Technology Our pupils are taught to design, make and evaluate using a range of different materials. We enter the Primary Engineer and Greenpower engineering projects annually. Art and Design Our pupils learn to be creative and express themselves through a range of techniques and media. They appreciate and learn from the works of famous artists and artists in our local community. We have Art weeks in which we concentrate closely on developing skills and techniques.


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PE Our children develop skills in dance, gymnastics, games, athletics and outdoor adventurous activities. All of our pupils receive a year of swimming in Year 5. All Key Stage 2 pupils have a daily run known as the St. Joe’s Jog and we are currently developing our active playtimes through OPAL learning. We use our Sports funding to enable our pupils to experience a range of different sporting opportunities such as judo, quads, multi-skills, skipping and tag rugby. We participate in interschool sports competitions organised through St. Thomas More secondary school. We link PE with our Healthy Schools programme and hold Healthy Schools weeks based on the Blaydon Races, the Olympics, Paralympics and the World Cup. We encourage walking, cycling and scooters to school and have Bike ability safety lessons. For more information on how we develop sport through our sports funding, please see our website. Music As a Catholic school music is fundamental in helping us express our feelings and beliefs. We develop the skills of listening, playing, performing and composing through class lessons, singing classes with Sing-Up and instrumental tuition. All pupils in Year 6 learn to play the flute. We have a vibrant choir and produce two annual shows and take part in the parish pantomime. History and Geography In History we learn about chronology and the sequence of historical events. We use artefacts, books and the internet to research and invite visitors to give us eye witness accounts of the past. We visit museums for hands-on experience of the past. We learn about our local area in the past and how the way we live our lives today was influenced by the events and changes of the past. We recently won a bid to study the Whinfield Coke ovens, a historical site on the same road as our school. In Geography we learn how the small village of Highfield is part of a larger local, national and international community. We learn how the local environment has shaped us as humans and how humans impact upon our environment. We use maps, atlases, books, photographs and the internet to research and make links. German German is taught to Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 following the National Curriculum. We learn how to speak, translate and write in German, wherever possible using the wider curriculum to stimulate ideas and help our pupils learn in a familiar context. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development is the term used to embrace the

broader dimension of the whole ethos towards the education of the whole child. It


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ranges from teaching in RE and citizenship through to the wide range of extra-

curricular and out-of-school activities on offer. These vital dimensions of life and

growth are present across the entire curriculum.

Sex and Relationships Education We have adopted the diocesan policy for Sex and Relationships Education. Aspects of Sex Education may be covered incidentally through the curriculum within a suitable context and in line with the moral attitude of a Catholic school. The School Nurse talks about puberty and changes to Year 5/6 boys and girls separately. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from all parts of Sex Education offered, except for those elements taught as part of the National Curriculum Science. Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education Each key stage has a PSHCE curriculum which is followed carefully. As part of our wider school curriculum we hold Healthy Schools, Anti-bullying and Show Racism the Red Card weeks. We offer counselling to pupils who need to work through individual problems and issues, through our partnership with North East Counselling Services. We are working towards our Rights Respecting School award from Unicef, through which we are learning about the rights of children. Curriculum Complaints You have particular rights to make complaints about:

Curriculum provision

Implementation of the National Curriculum

Exemptions from the National Curriculum

Operation of charging policies Data Protection We handle data with the utmost care and attention to your privacy and the privacy of our pupils and staff. Please see our website in the GDPR section for all of our documents and policies regarding data protection. Equal Opportunities We believe it is every child’s right to have full access to the school curriculum and to make the most of their educational opportunities, regardless of religion, gender, race, or ability. We seek to establish, through all aspects of school life and work, a positive atmosphere in which all children feel valued. We will encourage children to build on their strengths and appreciate their individuality. We ensure that children who are identified as more able are provided with opportunities to develop in these areas and provide extension work within class or outside school.


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Extra-Curricular Activities A range of extra-curricular activities is offered to pupils of different ages. We regularly change the activities on offer but regular clubs include: circuit training, multi-skills, tag rugby, cookery and nutrition, computing club, study club, dance club, art club, singing club, drama club and nature detectives. Reception class clubs are offered in the Summer term, once pupils have the maturity for more structure at the end of the school day. Forest Schools Miss Robson, our current Year 2/3 teacher is a fully trained level 3 Forest Schools’ leader and we have access to an amazing Forest Schools site on our shared premises. Through Forest Schools our children learn outdoor skills and how to manage risk in a safe but challenging environment. Friends of St. Joseph’s Committee There is an active Friends of St Joseph’s committee which arranges social and fund raising activities. All parents are automatically members of Friends of St Joseph and we encourage you to become actively involved. For further information about the Friends of St. Joseph’s, please contact Ms Janet Robinson [email protected] Health and Safety The health, safety and welfare of all the people who work or learn at our school are of fundamental importance. We aim to provide a safe, secure and pleasant working environment for everyone. The governing body, along with the LA, takes responsibility for protecting the health and safety of all children and members of staff. Wherever possible we like to include the children in our discussions around our responsibilities and there is regular dialogue with our School Council and Health & Safety Governor to help maintain and improve our school environment. Healthy Schools Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 receive a free piece of fruit everyday and those in Key Stage 2 are encouraged to have a healthy snack at break times. Sweets and crisps are not allowed at break times. Drinking water is available at all times and children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day. All children are provided with a water bottle or you can provide your own water bottle, which can be taken home every day. Homework Homework activities are given to consolidate and extend learning and to encourage children’s organisational skills.

mailto:[email protected]


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Reception Class

Reading books, key words and sounds are given weekly to practise at home. Year 1

Spellings and mental Maths work are set weekly for a test on a Friday.

Key words and sounds are given weekly to practise at home.

Reading books and reading activity books are given for daily practice. Year 2

Spellings and times table/ mental maths work are set weekly for a test on a Friday.

Reading books and reading activity books are given for daily practice.

Maths work to consolidate the week’s learning is given on a Friday to return on a Thursday.

Key Stage 2

Spellings and times table/ mental maths work are set weekly for a test on a Friday.

Reading books and reading activity books are given for daily practice.

Maths work and Grammar work to consolidate the week’s learning is given on a Friday to return on a Thurday.

Pupils may be asked to research a new curriculum area at home. Jewellery For safety reasons jewellery should not be worn in school. Children who are to have their ears pierced are encouraged to have this done at the start of the summer holiday, so that the earrings are ready to be removed at the start of the school year. Hair Children’s hair should be neat and tidy to avoid potential accidents and prevent distractions when working. All long hair must be tied back. House Team System On entry to St Joseph’s each child is allocated to a ‘House team’. St Bede (red) St Oswald (blue) St Cuthbert (yellow) St Aidan (green) Inter- house competitions and activities take place during the year, which encourage children from different year groups to work together and encourage each other. Children earn house points for improved work and gold stars for good behaviour and on-going following of our rules. During each week’s celebration assembly, each house that has reached its target is awarded golden time.


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Head Boy and Head Girl. House Captains, Vice Captains and School Councillors House captains and vice captains are elected from Year 6 pupils to lead, encourage and represent the four house teams. Our Head Boy and Head Girl apply to the Head Teacher and Senior Leadership Team for the position. They represent our school at events, help show visitors around school and act as ambassadors for the school. Lunchtime Arrangements All dinner money should be brought into school on a Monday morning in a clearly named and sealed envelope. The child should put it in the appropriate box in their classroom. Cheques should be made payable to Gateshead Council. The current cost of a school meal is £2.30 per day (£11.50 per week) for children from Year 3. Parents receiving certain benefits will be eligible for free school meals and we encourage you to apply for this if you think you are eligible, as a successful application provides a free school meal and further funding for your child. Application should be made to Gateshead Council. Currently Reception, Year 1 and 2 pupils receive a free school meal. However for those who may be eligible it is still worth applying to the Council for free school meals because of the additional benefits which then become available for your child. Children may bring a healthy packed lunch – no sweets or fizzy drinks. This should be brought to school in an appropriately labelled bag or box. Packed lunches are stored in areas designated for each class and are collected on the way to the hall. Lunchtime supervisors will supervise the children in the yards and school hall during lunchtimes. During bad weather children are supervised within their classrooms. Playground friends from Year 5 support our pupils in playing fairly and getting along. Medical care Children’s health is regularly monitored by the Gateshead School Health Service. Parents will be informed prior to any health checks and of the outcomes of these checks. Minor injuries will be attended to in school by the appointed first aiders. In the event of more serious accidents we will contact one of the emergency contact numbers held in school. In the event that emergency contact cannot be made medical assistance would be sought. It is therefore vital that we have up to date information regarding emergency contact numbers, doctor’s details and medical details for our records. If children are ill please keep them at home until they are well enough to return to school or when the doctor advises a return to school. In the case of stomach bugs including vomiting and diarrhoea, the pupil must not return to school until at least 24 hours after the last bout of sickness / incidence of diarrhoea. We also ask that you do not send over-the-counter medicines or tablets into school; however a nominated person may come into school to administer medicines at break times if required.


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Exceptions to this are made for medical conditions requiring immediate medication such as asthma, diabetes or severe allergic reaction and for prescribed medicines. In these cases the appropriate amounts of medicine can be kept in the school office and administered according to the prescribed dosage. Inhalers are to be kept with the children themselves. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that the school is kept fully aware of these conditions and that medication is in date, labelled and that the dosage is correct. In the case of allergies the Headteacher should be given a doctor’s note detailing allergies and medical guidance for any reactions. Parents and Carers We value parents and carers as the first educators of our pupils. We regularly consult with parents through the use of questionnaires and feedback. We run information meetings to raise parental awareness of early phonics in Reception and Year 1, Maths in KS2 and assessment procedures in Year 6, as well as aspects of the curriculum and religious development. Termly curriculum planners are sent out by each teacher informing parents of curriculum topic areas to be covered and the different ways that parents can support learning at home

Performance Data and Achievement

The most recent fully validated data is available up to the academic year 2016 –

2017. The most up to date, as yet invalidated data will be available on our website

from September 18. Due to our smaller than average cohorts, it is important to view

our data in light of the cohort size, so this is given for your information.

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile 2017

16 pupils. Each child = 6.25%

Good level of development = awarded expected or exceeding grade in all Prime areas and

Literacy and Mathematics

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

School 47.1% 68.8% 59% 66.7% 71%

National 52% 60% 66% 69.3% 71%


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Year 1 2017

Phonics Test

20 pupils Each child = 5%

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Cohort Size 19 18 17 18 20

St. Joseph’s 61% 88% 82% 76.7% 85%

England 69% 74% 77% 80.5% 81%

Year 2 2017

18 pupils Each pupil = 5.5% %

Subject Expected Standard Greater depth / Higher Standard

Writing 67% 22%

Reading 78% 22%

Maths 67% 22%

Year 6 2017

Floor Target = 65% combined R, W, M

19 pupils Each child =5.3%

Subject Expected Standard Greater depth / Higher Standard

Writing 74% 21%

Reading 79% 21%

Maths 63% 16%

Combined R, W, M 63% 11%

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

77% 26%

Key Stage 1 – 2 Average Progress Scores

Subject School National

Reading -1.1 0.0

Writing -1.7 0.0

Maths -3.0 0.0


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Key Stage 2 Average Scaled Scores

Subject School National

Reading 105 104

Maths 103 104

Grammar, Punctuation And Spelling

105 106


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Promoting British Values

Our Mission Statement

Our school reflects British values in all that we do.

We encourage our children to be creative, unique, open-minded and independent

individuals, respectful of themselves and of others in our school, our local community

and the wider world.

We aim to nurture our children on their journey through life so they can grow into

safe, caring, democratic, responsible and tolerant adults who make a positive

difference to British Society and to the world.

What are British Values?

Schools have been asked to explain how they promote British values. So what are

‘British’ values? There are certain values that have been attributed to being British,

by the government and some institutions, and these fall into the following broad

areas:

Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty and Tolerance & Respect.

How does St. Joseph’s promote ‘British Values’?

We seek to promote British values in our policies and practice here. Our activities

and the way we manage learning and behaviour, clearly reflect British values. We

promote these values in the following ways:

Democracy

• Provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of, and promote respect for, public

institutions and services - by discussing these whenever appropriate in curriculum

work.

• Teach pupils how they can influence decision-making through the democratic

process - for example in our Unicef Rights Respecting School Council work.

• Include in the curriculum information on the advantages and disadvantages of

democracy and how it works in Britain - for example when considering periods of

history where democracy was not as fully developed as it is now.

• Encourage pupils to become involved in decision-making processes and ensure

they are listened to in school - again through the work of the Rights Respecting

School Council.

• Hold ‘mock elections’ so pupils learn how to argue and defend points of view -

when electing representatives from each class, when appointing ‘Buddies’, House

Captains and Head Boy and Head Girl to work in school.

• Help pupils to express their views - through English lessons and opportunities to

present work and opinions.


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• Model how perceived injustice can be peacefully challenged - through our

interactions with pupils and the school’s behaviour system and discussing

scenarios in assemblies and class PSHCE work.

The Rule of Law

•Ensure school rules and expectations are clear and fair - by discussing these with

pupils and establishing classroom rules with the pupils themselves.

•Help pupils to distinguish right from wrong - during everyday interactions and

discussions of stories, fables and other literary materials.

•Help pupils to respect the law and the basis on which it is made - by showing how

rules help everyone to interact in an orderly and fair manner and protect the

vulnerable in society.

•Help pupils to understand that living under the rule of law protects individuals

•Include visits from the police in the curriculum - we have regular sessions with our

Community Police Officer PC Topham.

•Teach pupils aspects of both civil and criminal law and discuss how this might differ

from some religious laws.

•Develop restorative justice approaches to resolve conflicts - as part of sanctions in

our approach to behaviour.

Individual Liberty

•Support pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence -

through all areas of teaching and learning in school.

•Encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour, as well as knowing their

rights - through all of their interaction with adults and each other in school.

•Challenge stereotypes - through PHSE work and assemblies.

•Implement a strong anti-bullying culture - as enshrined in our policies for Anti-

Bullying and Behaviour.

Respect and Tolerance

•Promote respect for individual differences in all areas of learning and interaction.

•Help pupils to acquire an understanding of, and respect for, their own and other

cultures and ways of life - through our Religious Education work and PSHCE.

•Challenge prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour - through discussion and use of

illustrative materials as well as our approach to behaviour in school.

•Organise visits to places of worship including our own parish church and visits to

other local churches and other diverse places of worship as appropriate to the

curriculum.

•Develop critical personal thinking skills - throughout our curricular work.


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•Discuss differences between people and their family situations, through our PHSE

and broader curricular work and through visitors to school sharing their

experiences.

•Develop an understanding of the rights of the child through our work towards

Unicef’s Rights Respecting Award.

Rewards As well as house points (see above) pupils are nominated weekly for star pupil award. A badge is presented at assembly and the star pupil’s name is written in our silver book. Pupils also receive gold stars for excellent effort and these gold stars are counted towards bronze, silver, gold and platinum certificates. Rules

Be safe, be kind, work hard

Rights Respecting School Council Elections are held at the beginning of every year for school councillors. Children can nominate themselves and a class election is held. The school council meets to discuss items of concern or interest in connection with school life. School Day Early Years Foundation stage/ Morning 8.30 – 11.40am Key Stage 1 Afternoon 12.45 - 3.00pm Key Stage 2 Morning 8.30 - 11.45am Afternoon 12.45 – 3.00pm All children have a break from 10.20-10.40 am and a short break of up to 10 minutes is taken in Key Stage One where appropriate on an afternoon. The total teaching time per week is 23 hours and 45 mins


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School Organisation The school is currently organised into four registration groups covering the seven years of primary education (age 4-11). The school has an annual intake of 17 pupils and therefore has mixed age classes. Allocation to the different classes, which are split – currently Year 3, is done mainly by age or the particular needs of individual children, in full consultation with parents. Below is the organisation for 2017- 2018.

Class Teacher

Reception / Year 1 Miss Bailey

Year 2 /3 Miss Robson

Year 3 / 4 Mr Exley and Mrs Millican

Year 5/ 6 Mr Haws

Classes are also supported by experienced teachers and teaching assistants. In order to utilise the specialist qualities of staff, classes may be taught by other members of staff, including the Head Teacher. Our pupils transfer to secondary school at the end of Year 6, usually to St. Thomas More RC School in Blaydon. The school gains many benefits from being part of the St. Thomas More Partnership of Schools. Continuity of learning is ensured by close liaison with St. Thomas More, throughout the primary years. We also work closely with our partner parish school, St. Agnes in Crawcrook to develop our shared catholic mission and so that pupils can build relationships before transferring to secondary school


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Term Dates 2018/19 Autumn term

Start of term Half term Last day of term

Monday 3 September

2018

Monday 22 - Friday 26 October 2018 Friday 21 December 2018

Spring term


Monday 7 January 2019 Monday 18 - Friday 22 February 2019 Friday 5 April 2019

Summer term


Tuesday 23 April 2019 Monday 27 - 31 May 2019 (Bank

holiday 27 May)

Friday 19 July 2019

In addition to the above dates, schools will be closed to pupils on Monday 6 May 2019 (Bank Holiday).

Two days within the above terms are to be used for professional development for staff. Monday 3rd September and a further date to be arranged. These dates are to be determined and agreed by individual school governing bodies.

In addition, one occasional day within the Summer Term 2019 is to be utilised for the purpose of closure for possible election purposes, this day to be used near the end of the summer term and agreed by individual school governing bodies.

The start of the Autumn Term 2019 is proposed as Monday 2 September 2019.


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School Travel Plan We encourage our pupils to walk or travel by bike or scooter to school. Please insist that your child wears a helmet for this. There are secure storage facilities for bikes, scooters and helmets at school. Parents (other than those with disabilities) are not allowed to enter the school grounds by car between the hours of 8.15 and 4.30pm when the gates are kept shut. We encourage parents to park sensibly and with consideration for pedestrians when leaving their cars in the street. A school bus is available to transport pupils travelling to and from Blackhall Mill and Chopwell. The bus collects from, and drops off the children in the school grounds. Please note that as this is a regular scheduled service bus, the pupils are unsupervised on the bus and do not wear seat-belts. Members of the public can use the service. It is therefore important when making the decision to use the service that parents consider the maturity of their children as the school is not responsible for safeguarding or health and safety when travelling on this service. School Uniform Our school uniform is: Grey pinafore/skirt/trousers Pale blue polo shirt* Royal blue sweatshirt/cardigan/jumper* Black school shoes (no trainers or sandals) Blue and white striped or checked dress or grey shorts may be worn in the summer term. *school logo polo shirts, sweatshirts, cardigans, fleeces, coats and hats may be ordered from the school office PE Kit Children should have their full PE kit in school every day. School PE kit (including PE bags) is available from the school office. This consists of a white school logo t-shirt and navy blue shorts. Children also need trainers or PE plimsolls and a navy or blue tracksuit of joggers and a sweatshirt. School tracksuits can be purchased as an optional extra. Pupils who have swimming lessons need to bring a swimming costume or swimming trunks (not shorts) and a towel. Pupils with long hair also require a swimming hat. Please wherever possible can all kits be brought in a soft drawstring bag or named carrier bag as these are easier to fit into lockers and on pegs. Out of school care High Hopes breakfast and after school club run from 7.30 – 8.30am (children then join their peers in the playground before school) and 3.00 – 6.00pm. This provision is inside the school building and is shared with Highfield Community Primary School. Further details can be obtained by contacting the Action for children Nursery Manager, Mrs E. Borrowdale Tel: 01207 544799


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Special Educational Needs and Disability At St Joseph’s we aim to provide an education which allows every child to reach their full potential. We closely monitor and track children’s progress, allowing us to quickly identify children who are underachieving. Using an Individual Learning Plan, tailored support is put in place to meet these children’s diverse learning needs. The school follows the procedures set out in the SEND Code of Practice. We aim to keep parents informed at all times about their children’s targets and progress towards these. Where necessary, the school utilises other specialist support agencies to support teaching and learning; Educational Psychologist, Behavioural Support etc. Schools Sports Provision All of our pupils receive a year of swimming in Year 5. We use our Sports funding to enable our pupils to experience a range of different sporting opportunities such as judo, quads, multi-skills, skipping and tag rugby. We participate in interschool sports competitions organised through St. Thomas More secondary school. We link PE with our Healthy Schools programme and hold Healthy Schools weeks based on the Blaydon Races, the Olympics, Paralympics and the World Cup. We encourage walking, cycling and scooters to school and have Bike it safety lessons. All pupils in Key Stage 2 have a daily run called the St. Joe’s Jog and we are currently further developing active playtimes through OPAL play. We have a football pitch, multi-use games area, an adventure playground and a large school hall. For more information on how we develop sport through our sports funding, please see our website.

Teaching and Learning

‘Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and teaching is good and sometimes outstanding’ Ofsted October 2013

We believe in high quality teaching and learning so that our children reach their full potential. We place a strong emphasis on social, moral, spiritual and cultural education through our RE and PSHCE curriculum. We aim for all of our pupils to have a firm grounding in basic skills and an understanding of the wider world beyond Highfield. We strongly value creativity and the arts.

Where to find us St. Joseph’s school is situated in the lower part of Highfield near Rowlands Gill. Travelling towards Consett on the A694 Enter the village of Rowlands Gill and turn right onto the B6315 signposted High Spen, Greenside. Travel up Strathmore Road and continue onto Smailes Lane. Take a left turn after Highfield Social Club onto Whinfield Way. The school will be visible on the right. Travelling from Consett on the A694 Enter the village of Rowlands Gill and turn left onto the B6315 signposted High Spen, Greenside. Travel up Strathmore Road and continue onto Smailes Lane. Take a left turn after Highfield Social Club onto Whinfield Way. The school will be visible on the right.

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