Dear Parent/Guardian s1

WELCOME

Dear Parent/Guardian

We are very pleased to welcome you to Willow Tree Primary School. We hope that this will be the first step on the road to a long and happy partnership with the school.

Within this community we provide a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum encouraging each child to become an expert learner. We endeavour to give each child not only the opportunity to develop their intellectual and physical skills, but also their personal and spiritual qualities enabling them to become caring, capable members of society.

We believe that a close home/school partnership is an essential factor in the education of children and consequently we place great importance on the dialogue between families and school.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family into our school community.

Ms Sue Stanley Headteacher

1 CONTENTS Welcome to the school 1 Contents page 2 School details 3 School aims 4 School Staff 5 Governing Body 6 Admissions & appeals 7 School organisation 8 Curriculum 10-12 Curriculum support 15 Able pupils 15 Anti-bullying policy 21 Assessment results 24/25 Behaviour policy 21 Charging policy 18 Collective worship (assemblies) 22 Complaints 16 Curriculum time allocation 16 Ethnic minority achievement 15 Equal opportunities 14 Extra curricular activities 22 First aid 17 Friends of Willow Tree 17 Helping in school 18 High school transfer 8 Home/school liaison 21 Home School Agreement 22 Home learning 16 Instrumental tuition 14 Jewellery 20 Late arrival and absence 9 Medicine 17 Newsletter 17 Parental support 20 Pastoral support 17 School council 23 School location 23 School meals 16 School security 23 Sex education 13 Special educational needs 14 Sporting aims 22 Term dates 26 Uniform policy 19 This information has been produced by the Governing Body of Willow Tree Primary School in accordance with the requirements of the Education (School Information) (England) Regulations 1998 and amending regulations. It relates to the 2009-2010 academic year and may be subject to changes before or during the academic year to which it relates or in relation to subsequent years

WILLOW TREE PRIMARY SCHOOL

ADDRESS: Priors Farm Lane, Northolt, Middlesex, UB55DY

E-MAIL: [email protected]

TELEPHONE: 020 8845 4181

FAX: 020 8845 2253

HEADTEACHER: Ms Sue Stanley

DEPUTY HEAD: Mrs Pam Baker

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS: Mr Martin Mallam

The school is a community school, providing education for children aged from three to eleven years old. The criteria for admission is set by the LEA, with the number being admitted to the Reception class each year as ninety. The number being admitted to the Nursery is one hundred.

Parents who are considering sending their children to the school are invited to walk around the school in order to see it during its normal daily routine. Appointments can be made by telephoning Mrs P Holland, the office manager on 020 8845 4181.

Prospective parents who wish to obtain a place for their child in the school complete an application form and return it to the school or directly to the LEA.

3 SCHOOL AIMS

At Willow Tree we aim to provide the very best for every child. We offer a high quality education within a caring and stimulating environment.

We place a great emphasis on the social and moral development of the children and providing an education which prepares them for their place in the world. We want children to feel safe and secure in the school and to display behaviour that they will be proud of. We ensure that children have access to adults to whom they can seek out and confide in as necessary.

We aim to provide an atmosphere of co-operation with our parents because we rely on home school liaison in order for every child to take advantage of what the school has to offer.

By the time a child leaves us at age 11, we will expect that your child will have achieved a level of reading, writing and maths which is appropriate to his/her ability. We also hope that your child will be independent, respect himself and others, be self-motivated and will become an expert learner. This will provide a firm foundation on which to move on to secondary education.

Above all we want your child to come to school and be happy!

A copy of the full aims of the school is available from the school office upon request.

4 STAFF LIST

Headteacher: Ms Sue Stanley Office Manager: Mrs P Holland Deputy Head: Mrs P Baker Bursar: Mrs D Harcourt Assistant Head: Miss M Conway Admin Asst: Mrs L Terry Reception: Miss J Henriques

Nursery: Mrs P Hill Rec: Miss S Moyle Mrs E Louw Miss D Limliman Mrs L Pleasant Miss S Davey Mrs J Omar Miss Y Khan

Yr 1: Miss M Wilson Yr 2: Ms R Roebuck Mrs L Krishnan Mrs H Parikh Miss J Fraser Mrs Rafiq Craske Mrs T Vallijee Miss J Doorey

Yr 3: Mr P Brennan Yr 4: Mr R Thaxter Mrs S Studd Mrs M Abreu Mrs R Kennedy Miss G Berwick Ms J Angel

Yr 5: Miss C Perry Yr 6: Mrs L Cole Miss T Brown Mrs S Magan Mr J Howman Ms D Sahota

Additional Teachers: Mrs R Fleming Music Mr L Gleeson PE Mrs L Davies & Ms C Rodrigues French Mrs S Tripp Ethnic Minority Achievement

Support Staff: Mrs L Harvey Mrs Y Holder Welfare: Miss J Henriques Mrs E Parker Mrs D Hill Mrs A Edwards Miss S Hammond Library: Mrs S Harris Mrs T Keen Ms E Callnon Mrs B Chavda Mrs U Patel Site Manager: Mr R Harman Mrs A Melvin Ms M Durrant Mrs S Wall Ms A Glasgow Cleaner in Charge: Mr B May Mrs S Jeffs Mrs M Wright Mrs C Redford Ms S Sarkissian Senior Midday Supervisor: Mrs R Bunker Mrs M Smith Ms K McGovern Mrs J Woods Miss K Mellon Mrs J McDermott Mrs K Dyer

5 GOVERNORS

CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS Mr M Mallam (LEA Gov)

VICE CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS Mr K Garwood (Community Gov)

LEA GOVERNORS Mr M Mallam Mr F Barnes Dr. M Hunjan Vacancy

PARENT GOVERNOR Mr M Bunker Mrs L Peterson Mr U Toure Vacancy

COMMUNITY GOVERNOR Mr K Garwood Mrs D Varney

STAFF GOVERNOR Mrs P Baker Mrs L Cole Mr R Harman

CLERK TO THE GOVERNORS

Parent Governor Electoral Process When a vacancy occurs a nomination paper is sent out to all families. Nomination forms are seconded and signed by the nominee to indicate acceptance of nomination. You may not nominate yourself, but a partner or spouse can nominate you.

If there are more nominations than vacancies, there is a vote, in which case a written statement of 250 words (maximum) is produced by all candidates. Each parent has one vote per vacancy, regardless of how many children are in the school.

6 ADMISSIONS POLICY

The local education authority is responsible for deciding and administering the admissions policy for this school. Parents have the right to express a preference for the school which they wish their child to attend.

If the child lives within the catchment area of the school he will have priority for a place. If there are more children living in the catchment area than places available, the local authority will allocate places according to the following over-subscription criteria in order of priority. The same criteria will be used to allocate any vacancies remaining after all catchment area children have been given places.

1. brother or sister in the school. 2. exceptional medical reasons relating to the child 3. exceptional personal circumstances 4. distance to the school measured by the safest walking route.

More detailed information on the authority’s admission arrangements are contained in the booklet “Information to parents about Choosing a School.”

APPEALS In the event of an unsuccessful application, parents have the right to ask the LEA for an appeal. Requests are made to the LEA. If the appeal is unsuccessful, parents have the right to have their case heard by an independent panel whose decision is final.

NURSERY The catchment area rule does not apply to the Nursery. Please contact the administrator for the specific admission policy.

NEW ARRIVALS We integrate new children into the school in a planned way to minimise anxiety. The needs of the child are carefully considered and specific systems are set up. If the child’s first language is not English, whenever possible they will be placed in a class in which there is a child who speaks the first language. All new children are provided with a buddy who will support them in their first few weeks.

7 SCHOOL CLASS ORGANISATION

Nursery: Children are organised in to a morning and an afternoon group, each session lasting 3 hours. The Nursery has capacity for fifty children in each session.

Reception – Year Six: Children are organised in classes of thirty within each year group. All classes are single age group and mixed ability.

Each class is taught by a qualified teacher. Nursery, Reception and Year One classes have high levels of additional support assistants and classes in Year Two-Six have support assistants in the mornings.

There are three phases within the school with a built in leadership structure to help parents with issues they may have. If at any time you want to speak to a Year Group Leader or a Phase Leader please contact the reception desk and they will be happy to make an appointment.

Phase One: Nursery, Reception and Year One Phase1 Leader: Mrs P Hill Phase Two: Year Two, Year Three and Year Four Phase 2 Leader: Ms R Roebuck Phase Three: Year Five and Year Six Phase 3 Leader: Mrs S Magan

HIGH SCHOOL TRANSFER

At eleven years of age children apply for the High School of their choice using a single preference form. Parents are invited to attend an information session prior to this procedure taking place.

THE SCHOOL DAY Nursery: 8.45 – 11.45 Morning session 12.15 – 3.15 Afternoon session

Reception – Year 6: Classroom doors are open 8.55 – 9.05 Registration from 8.45 and children 9.05 – 9.20 Assembly should go into class on 9.20- 9.40 Maths arrival at school. 9.40-10.40 First teaching session 10.45 – 10.55 First break 10.55 – 12.00 Second teaching session 12.00 – 1.00 Lunch break *see below 1.00 – 2.15 Third teaching session (an infant break is taken) 2.15 – 3.15 Fourth teaching session

*11.50 – 12.50 Lunch break for Rec/Y1 12.00 – 1.00 Lunch break for Y2/3/4 12.10 – 1.10 Lunch break for Y5/6

8 LATE ARRIVAL AND ABSENCE

Children who arrive after 8.55 am and before 9.10 am are required to enter the classroom from their patio. After 9.10am children must sign in at the office on arrival and provide a reason for their lateness. If a child is absent, a parent or guardian is required to telephone the school office on the first morning of the absence and on subsequent days by 10 am. This is recorded by the school, in which case an absence note is not required. Absences which are not satisfactorily explained are deemed unauthorised. Authorised absences 2009/2010 5.5% Unauthorised absences 2009/2010 0.8%

9 FOUNDATION STAGE Mathematical Development: CURRICULUM Children develop their understanding of In the Nursery and Reception years - number, measurement, pattern, shape called the Foundation Stage, and space, through lots of exploration. children follow a curriculum which aims to help them reach the Early Learning Goals in six areas of learning. Children access each of these areas through structured play activities and through individual, small group and whole class Knowledge & Understanding of the activities. The main aim of the world: Foundation Stage is to help them Children are given opportunities to solve encounter new experiences and to problems, make decisions, experiment, seek understanding in order to predict, plan and question in a variety of extend their skills, develop their contexts. They find out about their confidence and build on what they environment and people and places that already know. Children deepen their have significance in their lives. understanding by playing, talking, observing, planning, questioning, Physical: experimenting, testing, repeating, Children practise their fine and gross reflecting and responding to adults motor skills and increase their and each other . understanding of how their bodies work. They also look at keeping healthy and The curriculum underpins all future safe. learning. Creative: The six areas: Through a variety of art, design, music, technology, movement, dance and role Personal, Social & Emotional: play, children explore and share their Children are provided with thoughts and ideas and feelings. opportunities to become a valued member of the group and community so that a strong self-image and self- esteem are promoted. We provide children with opportunities enabling them to learn to cooperate, work alongside each other and to work harmoniously. Children are also helped to develop a love of learning.

Communication, Language & Literacy: Opportunities are given for children to talk, listen and develop their vocabulary. Children learn about using words and experience a wide range of good books.