Tillingbourne Junior School Parents and Carers Handbook

Tillingbourne Junior School Parents’ and Carers’ Handbook 2016 – 2017

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tillingbourne Junior School New Road Chilworth Guildford GU4 8NB

Headteacher Ms Jo Oliver

Chair of Governors Jessica Cobb Vice Chair of Governors Helen Johns Telephone: 01483 504384

Chair of Parent Teacher Association Mr Tadhg Bowe E-mail: [email protected] www.tillingbourne.surrey.sch.uk Junior School for children 7 to 11 Years. Pupil Admission Number: 90 On roll: 341 (June 16) Contents

2 | P a g e OUR VISION  We all work together to achieve the best we can  We learn in fun and challenging ways  We have a happy, safe and exciting school  We care about our world

OUR AIMS Children are successful at Tillingbourne School because they are:  Happy

 Curious

 Confident

 Aspirational

 Resilient

 Responsible

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES – TILLINGBOURNE JUNIOR SCHOOL’S CHARTER  Always do our best

 Respect the rights of others

 Look after our learning environment

RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOLS (RRS) Tillingbourne School is a Rights Respecting School. This recognises our achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of our policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships.

We instil in our children the belief in their fundamental rights:  The right to learn

 The right to be heard

 The right to be me

3 | P a g e LIST OF STAFF Ms J Headteache Oliver r Mr T Deputy Leads Assessment/Continuous Cheesm Headteache Professional Development (CPD), an r Class Looked After Children (LAC)/English as teacher an Additional Language (EAL) Mrs M SENCO Special Educational Needs/ Gifted and Lo Talented/ House Leader-Chinthurst Conte Mrs W Year 3 Leads Music Baird Miss L Year 5 Leads PE Dorringt on Miss C Year 5 Leads Geography George Mrs C Year 4 Curriculum Leader- English /Leader for Gumme Teaching and Learning /House leader- r Leith Mrs L Year 4 Leads Religious Education (RE) / Hammo Assessment nd Miss L Year 6 Leads ICT Johns Mrs C Year 5 Leads Personal Social Health and Mankel Economic Education (PSHE), Staff ow Governor Mrs A Year 5 Leads Art / School Display Regan Mrs Year 3 + Leads Food and Nutrition Anna Food and Every nutrition Mrs KristyFrench Leads MFL Hunt teacher Mrs S MartinYear 3 Focus support teacher Mr J Sports Sports Coach Sebo teacher Miss F Year 6 Leads Design and Technology (DT) Sherfiel d Mrs L Year4 Community information/ Parent-adult Tickner helpers/ Pupil voice : School Council /Rights Respecting Schools (RRS)council Mrs H Year 3 Curriculum Leader- Science / Lower Stocks school phase Leader/House Leader-St Martha’s Mrs L Year 6 Curriculum Leader- Maths / Upper Wills school phase leader/House Leader- 4 | P a g e Holmbury Mrs G Year 5 /6 Forest Schools Leader Witter Leads Eco schools Miss M Year 3 Leads History Wishart Miss O Year 6 SCITT Teacher Trainee Bathe Miss I Year 5 SCITT Teacher Trainee Agnew Mrs A Year 3 SCITT Teacher Trainee Boyd

LIST OF SUPPORT STAFF Name Role Mrs C Wijnja School Business Manager Miss L Hogg School Administrator/ Attendance Officer Mrs T Tarling School Administrator Mrs S Warren School Administrator Mr R Wilkinson Caretaker Mr T Brook ICT Support Mrs S Haynes Learning Mentor + Teaching Assistant Mrs H Crust Higher Level Teaching Assistant Mrs L Hern Higher Level Teaching Assistant Mrs S Cansell Senco Assistant + Teaching Assistant + lunchtime supervisor + Breakfast Club Mrs D Sylvester Librarian Mrs C Albrecht Home School Link worker Mrs K Ames Teaching Assistant Year 3 and 4 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs J Downing Teaching Assistant Year 3 and Year 4 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs A Fares Teaching Assistant Year 6 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs M Fox Teaching Assistant Year 3 and Year 4 + lunchtime supervisor Miss L Howe Teaching Assistant + lunchtime supervisor Mrs M Idiens Teaching Assistant Year 3 + lunchtime supervisor Miss S Keeley Special Needs Assistant Year3 Mrs J Marin Teaching Assistant Year 5 and Year 6 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs J McKean Teaching Assistant/Special Needs Assistant Year 3 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs S Ringrose Teaching Assistant Year 4 + lunchtime supervisor Mrs K Smithers Teaching Assistant Year 4 + Lead lunchtime supervisor + Breakfast Club Mrs Z Stannett Teaching Assistant Year 3 and Year 6 + lunchtime supervisor

Mrs D Wickenden Teaching Assistant Year 3 and Year 6 + lunchtime supervisor + Forest Schools Assistant Mrs J Winter Teaching Assistant + lunchtime supervisor

Mrs M Oltman- Lunchtime supervisor 5 | P a g e Tuckey Mrs L Mattin Catering Manager

6 | P a g e ADMISSIONS

Initial Enquiry Our Parents’ Handbook and weekly newsletters are on our website. Hard copies are also available for prospective parents to collect from the school office. We hope that prospective parents/carers will visit the school in action; visits can be arranged by appointment.

Admissions Policy and Entry Procedure Refer to our website for links to Admissions

Induction For Pupils In the preceding Summer term, the Lower Phase Leader will visit all feeder schools which have children joining Tillingbourne Junior School the following September. Children will also be invited to join their Yr3 class for a day in June/July. Ms Oliver and staff will meet parents/carers to discuss general school routines and to answer any queries parents may have at an evening meeting during June. Prospective parents will be invited to school events such as the Summer Fair. All relevant information will be on the school website. Tillingbourne School staff will liaise closely with all feeder schools to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible.

ADULT HELPERS Many adult volunteers help in school in a variety of ways. In September a letter is sent home asking for helpers in the classroom. This can be listening to children read or other classroom support. All regular helpers are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Some adults accompany school visits. All offers of help are gratefully received.

We ask all helpers and volunteers to read our document on Safeguarding of children at Tillingbourne.

ADVICE & SUPPORT The Headteacher and staff are always available, either informally or by appointment, to offer support or advice on any matter concerning your child’s education, and we hope you will feel free and welcome to contact us if we can help in any way.

7 | P a g e ASSEMBLIES Assemblies form a vital part of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education provided by the school and they play a major role in establishing ethos and standards of the school. A daily act of collective worship is a legal requirement. The pattern of assemblies is as follows:

Day Type of Assembly Monday Whole school assembly Tuesday Good work assembly Wednesday Year team assembly Thursday Music assembly / class assembly Friday Celebration assembly

ATTENDANCE

Attendance/Leave of Absence Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are ‘exceptional and unavoidable circumstances’. It is anticipated that such situations will be rare and thus parents/carers must clearly illustrate why the request is considered unavoidable and exceptional and can only be undertaken during term time. Please note that NO term time holiday will be authorised. Parents will appreciate that much careful planning goes into lessons, and it can be very disruptive to children’s education if they are absent during term time. Progress is likely to be adversely affected if attendance drops below 95% in any academic year. Permission for leave of absence from learning for any reason other than illness during term time should be sought in advance, using a form available from the school office. Pupil attendance is regularly monitored and supported by the Education Welfare Service and they will follow up with the families of any individuals whose pattern of attendance is causing concern.

Absence Authorisation All absences need to be explained to the school either by a written note, phone or e- mail. Otherwise the absence will be deemed to be unauthorised.

First Day Absence Checking As staff have no way of knowing whether a child is ill or has not arrived at school for another reason, parents are asked to advise the school, as early as possible, on the first day of absence. Following registration, parents will be telephoned if a child is absent without explanation, so that the school can check the child is safe. We prefer that siblings and friends of children do not deliver absence messages.

Late Arrival If children arrive late for school, after registration at 8.50 a.m., they should report to the school office and the register will be marked accordingly. Children arriving after this time must be signed in by a parent/carer in the school office. In the interests of safety, we need to know exactly how many children are in school at any time. Punctuality is important;

8 | P a g e children who are regularly late regularly miss the vital initial input to the first session and this impedes their academic progress.

Medical Appointments If children need to leave school to attend a medical appointment in the school day, the school should be informed in advance, where possible. Children need to leave school accompanied by an authorised adult. Children, who leave during the school day for pre- arranged appointments, or because of illness, will be signed out in the absence book in the office. All parents must report to the office first and a member of staff will collect the child from class. This allows us to have an accurate list of children in school in the event of any emergency.

ABSENCE (STAFF) School staff may be out of school for two reasons:  Teachers and support staff need to take part in professional development activities and may be away from school if these are off site. We try to ensure that any one member of staff is not away too often but as teachers have several roles, this can sometimes be difficult. In the case of planned teacher absence, we try to use our regular supply teachers or internal cover.

 Staff are sometimes ill. At short notice, we may need to use supply staff not known to the children. All supply teachers undertake DBS checks before they are allowed to work in Surrey schools.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Tillingbourne offers a breakfast club every school morning from 7.45 to 8.30. The cost of this is £4.90 per session and includes a healthy breakfast. We also offer an after school club which is run by Koosa Kids. This club runs from 3.20 until 6.00 and costs £11.25 per session. *Please note charges are at time of print Details of other clubs are sent out each term and are published on the website. Some activities are free and there is a small charge for others. Where numbers are limited, places are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and a waiting list is kept. Any parent who has a particular knowledge or skill and would like to run an after school club is very welcome to discuss this with the Headteacher. Parents running a club would need to have an appropriate qualification, particularly for some sports, and be subject to DBS checks.

BEHAVIOUR IMPROVEMENT

RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOLS – A Unicef Award As a Rights Respecting School we have a working party which includes pupils, parents, staff, governors and members of the local community. This process is closely aligned with our positive behaviour management strategies. 9 | P a g e Behaviour At Tillingbourne we have high expectations of behaviour of everyone in our school community. All children are supported to have a clear understanding of good behaviour. Our Behaviour Improvement Policy outlines how this is achieved.

Praise, Encouragement and Reward Every opportunity is taken to praise, encourage and reward children for a whole range of achievements and actions. Tillingbourne School’s philosophy is that praise and encouragement are essential if we are to nurture happy and well-motivated children; these are far more powerful and more positive influences than, and should always be used in preference to, punishment. A house point system encourages collective responsibility and rewards achievement and effort. There is a weekly Celebration Assembly, at which the ‘Star of the Week’ from each class is praised. ‘Stars of the Week’ are also noted in the weekly newsletter. School teams give a match report to the rest of the school; children with individual achievements are invited to share them. Pupils share particularly good work at Good Work Assembly.

School Houses There are four houses: Holmbury (red), Leith Hill (blue), Chinthurst (yellow) and St Martha’s (green) and house points – between 1 and 3 - are given to children as rewards. A tally is kept in each classroom and the weekly house total is announced in the Friday assembly. The house which has gained the most house points during the week is praised. Each half term the house with the most points is awarded the house cup. The children are encouraged to realise the value of contributing to their house’s total points and the importance of working as a team. A Year 6 boy and girl from each house are elected by pupils as their house captains.

Year 5/6 responsibilities Pupils in Year 6 carry out various responsibilities including running clubs for Year 3 pupils. They also have responsibilities as Play Leader who help develop constructive play in the playground. Year 5 have responsibility to help run the school stationery shop.

BULLYING Bullying will never be tolerated at Tillingbourne School. The Behaviour Improvement Policy details how we deal with this issue. Incidents of bullying are extremely rare because the school promotes a climate of care and respect for one another, and personal, social, health, economic and citizenship education is given a high priority. All need to know that unkindness is unacceptable if we are to maintain our happy community and that we all have a responsibility to ensure that others’ right to feel safe is enforced. However, if unpleasantness does occur, it is addressed straight away and parents are kept informed if the matter is serious or not resolved immediately. The staff are aware of the subtle nature of some bullying and are constantly vigilant; parents and pupils are urged to inform us at once if they know of any behaviour which causes concern.

10 | P a g e CHANGE OF ADDRESS/CONTACT DETAILS/CHILD’S CIRCUMSTANCES We ask parents to inform the school immediately if their child moves to a new address. This would not usually affect the child’s right to attend the school but it is vital that we have up to date contact details for every child and his/her family. Should your child undergo any changes in circumstances please inform the school.

CHARGING Although the school cannot charge for school-time activities, we will invite parents and others to make voluntary contributions equal to the cost of the activity. Such contributions are voluntary by law, although the only way the school can subsidise them is to take money from other areas of the curriculum and the number and quality of enrichment activities we can offer depends largely on the support of families. As the pressures on school budgets increase, without parental contributions the school may need to cancel some of these valuable opportunities. Where parents are unable to make such contributions because of financial circumstances, they are asked to inform the Headteacher or School Business Manager who will treat the matter in the strictest confidence; as a caring school community, we would not wish to deprive a child of a valuable learning experience through lack of funds. However, if sufficient parents are unable to contribute, the visit may not go ahead, so we ask all parents to contribute as much as they can. If you receive Income-related Employment and Support Allowances you may be eligible for free school meals. You may also be able to receive help with paying for residential trips, before and after school clubs and holiday activities. Even if your child prefers to bring a packed lunch rather than to have a school meal, please do apply as it helps both you and the school financially. Residential educational activities undertaken as a part of the school's curriculum work inevitably will carry a charge for board and lodging. Parents will be invited to contribute towards the remaining cost of such visits in the same way as for day trips. For parents of children eligible for pupil premium funding, a contribution will still be requested. Parents are asked to speak to the Headteacher or School Business manager, in strictest confidence, if they fall into this category and are unable to meet the full costs. Our aim is that every child should have the opportunity to benefit from these important, developmental experiences. Musical instrument tuition is offered and the cost is met by parents and carers. We aim to offer instrument teaching in Yr 4 for all pupils as part of the curriculum however we ask for a voluntary contribution towards the cost of the tuition. Currently they are learning the trumpet and the clarinet. Forest Schools Swimming Parents and carers are also asked to contribute to materials where children wish to take items home e.g. contribution towards ingredients for cookery. More details on our charging & remission policy can be found on our school website.

CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING All staff who deal with children have a very clear duty to report any concern they may have about any child’s well-being. There are well-established national procedures for dealing with such a situation. All staff, governors and visiting instructors have been cleared by the Disclosure and Barring Service as having no record which would prevent them from working 11 | P a g e with children. The Headteacher is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at Tillingbourne Junior School and the Deputy Head, SENCO and Learning Mentor are also fully trained. If a child is subject to a court order, then parents or carers must make that known to the Headteacher. Should parents have any concerns about a child regarding Child Protection they need to speak with the Headteacher. Should these concerns be about the Headteacher, parents are required to directly contact the Chair of Governors.

COMMUNICATION Parents can communicate with the school by telephone, by letter, by e-mail, by talking to teachers or by talking to the Headteacher. We ask parents to come into school via the main entrance to talk to us about any matter at any time. A member of staff may be available to see you immediately or an appointment will be made to see a specific person at a time that is mutually convenient. Once a year, as is a statutory requirement, parents are sent a written report, detailing their child’s progress in every subject and suggesting future targets. In addition, face-to-face consultations with your child’s class teacher are held twice a year.

CONCERNS/COMPLAINTS POLICY Tillingbourne Junior School has adopted the Surrey Model Complaints Policy of which the following is a summary. A full copy is available on request from the school office or electronically on line in the policies section of our website. The relevant Class Teacher should attempt to resolve all complaints by parents or pupils involving the education and well-being of pupils in school. By addressing issues early, before they grow, we hope that most concerns will be dealt with effectively at this stage. However, if the relevant Class Teacher is unable to resolve the complaint, it will pass to the Headteacher. If the complaint is about a member of school staff, this should be dealt with by the Headteacher. If the Headteacher is unable to resolve the matter, or the complaint is about the Headteacher, the complaint will pass to a panel of the Governing Body. Should the complainant still remain dissatisfied with the panel’s decision, the course of appeal for the complainant is directly to the Secretary of State or, in some circumstances, Ofsted.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Tillingbourne Junior School believes that the right to learn applies to everyone working in the school. Our members of staff are encouraged to keep up to date and to extend their knowledge through a range of in-service courses and private study. There are five days during the year when the school is closed to pupils, in order to facilitate whole staff development activities. In addition, teachers may attend specific professional development activities during the school day. On these occasions, their class will be covered by a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) or supply teacher.

CURRICULUM 12 | P a g e In Years 3 to 6, pupils follow the National Curriculum.  The topics through which these subjects are delivered are laid out, term by term, although this is subject to change in order to meet the needs of a creative curriculum in which pupils have opportunities to use their initiative.

 All pupils will participate in PE. If a child is to be excused from PE for an extended period of time, a doctor’s note is required. Parents are asked to ensure that their child has named PE kit in school every day. For health and safety reasons, children with pierced earrings will be expected to remove them for PE or, if the piercings are not yet healed, to tape them up with tape, supplied by their parent. It is usually best not to wear earrings on PE days.

 Off-site visits, theatre workshops and visiting speakers enhance the formal curriculum. A minimum donation is usually requested for these to be viable and they may have to be cancelled if insufficient support is forthcoming. Parents are notified in the weekly newsletter or by letter at the time, and asked to make their contributions through our on-line payment system. When starting school, parents will be asked to sign a consent form allowing their children to go on visits and residential trips.

 Children’s experiences are enhanced by the involvement of visitors from the community e.g. the police liaison officer, religious leaders, fire officers, NSPCC and road safety officers.

 Residential activities are offered to pupils in all year groups. Approximate costs are £85, £150, £190 and £340 respectively. As well as being fun, all these visits have a strong educational element, and are used to support the classroom curriculum. It is strongly recommended that all pupils take part in these activities. Parents experiencing financial difficulty should speak to the Headteacher or School Business Manager in confidence.

 Collective worship and Religious Education are non-denominational but broadly Christian in character and follows the Surrey syllabus. In practice, every attempt is made by all staff to allow for all religious perspectives, although particular emphasis is placed on the need to reflect on religious and moral issues to form an informed opinion and belief. The importance of living a life based on these principles is stressed and the issue of faith is explored in this context. All members of the school community are expected to respect others’ right to worship as they choose.

 Much of the Relationship and Sex Education curriculum is taught as part of Science and PSHCE and takes place progressively throughout the school. Parents will be informed of when this work will be covered and will have an opportunity to see the teaching materials used and to ask questions.

 Parents have the right to withdraw their children from school assemblies, RE and Sex and Relationship Education lessons however the biology curriculum is mandatory for all pupils. Parents are strongly advised against this as it can lead 13 | P a g e to misconceptions and therefore are asked to discuss this fully with the Headteacher before taking such a step.

Assessment Tillingbourne Junior School monitors every child’s progress through a planned programme of assessment, analysis and action. We wish to ensure that progress is at least good and that achievement matches potential. A detailed record of achievement is kept for each child. It is not the policy of the school to rank children or give them any feeling of pressure or failure, although we do identify children who have not made progress and intervene to try to accelerate future progress to eradicate the prior underachievement. The information gained from our assessments also helps us to keep parents properly informed and to monitor the effectiveness of our own teaching. Statutory assessments take place at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6).

14 | P a g e DAY TO DAY ROUTINE  Children are allowed in the school playground from 8.30 a.m. where they will be supervised. Should you need to bring your child to school before 8.30 a.m. they must be booked into Breakfast club or a before school organised activity club. From 8.40 a.m. pupils will enter the school buildings from the playground to put their belongings in their lockers and enter their classrooms. All children will need to be present in their classroom for registration at 8.50 a.m. In order to settle pupils quickly and avoid confusing children about who is responsible for them, parents are asked not to enter the school buildings. Should parents wish to talk to the school office or raise a specific, urgent matter with a teacher they need to come through the main entrance. Parents may telephone or email the school between 8.00 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. to pass on any information or concern they feel the class teachers should be aware of during the day  Pupils will play outside unless it is raining hard, so please ensure that your child has appropriate outdoor clothing with him/her each day. All pupils have lunch break between 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. Pupils eat in the dining room (school lunches) or in the hall (packed lunches) on a rota system. In the summer term packed lunches may be eaten outside. School lunches (hot and cold) are available, and must be booked each half term in advance and paid for in advance using the on-line payment system. Details are available from the school office. Healthy eating is promoted as much as possible. At the end of the day, teachers accompany their pupils into the playground and are available for a brief, informal chat, and will make an appointment with parents for any issue which requires more time.  Pupils can walk to and from home with parental permission.  If you are delayed when collecting your child, please contact the school office.  All gates and doors are open for arrival and departure, but are closed once school has started in order to keep children secure within school.

THE TIMING OF THE SCHOOL DAY

8.30am Children are allowed into the playground and are supervised 8.40- 8.50am Children allowed into school to put their belongings away and enter their classrooms for registration. 8.50am Registration 8.50am School gates close 9.00am Class teaching time 10.25am Assembly 10.40-10.55am Morning break 10.55am Class teaching time 12.00 –1.00pm Lunchtime, followed by afternoon registration 15 | P a g e 1.00 – 3.20pm Class teaching time 2.55pm Car park gate open for parents to park 3.15pm School gates to playground open 3.20pm End of school day/after school clubs start 6.00 p.m. ‘Koosa’ After school club finishes

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Tillingbourne Junior School has an Equal Opportunities Policy (Equality Act 2010) which applies to all staff, governors, visitors and pupils. Discrimination on grounds of age, gender, transsexual status, sexual orientation, race, colour, religion or beliefs, disability, nationality, ethnic or national origins will not be tolerated in any circumstances. The site offers as full access as possible to disabled pupils, parents, staff, governors or visitors and we are working to improve this. Pupils’ needs are met as closely as possible with amendments being made to the curriculum or presentation of work, in order to make it accessible. The Accessibility Plan required by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is available for inspection if required.

EQUIPMENT Children are expected to take full responsibility for their own classroom equipment. Please ensure that everything is named so that, if it is lost, it can be returned. Children should not bring personal items of value to school as staff cannot be held responsible for their security and safety. Parents are asked to provide a SMALL bag for children to keep in their locker. We do not have enough storage space to accommodate large sports bags. Any additional equipment is provided for your child, however one small pencil case may be bought into school which contains pencils, pens and a glue stick. Please support your child’s learning by not sending in ‘toy-type’ stationery equipment.

FOOD AT SCHOOL All children are asked to bring drinking water to school every day in a named, plastic sports bottle. Pupils may bring a mid-morning snack of fruit, a healthy cereal bar or cheese.

Popular, hot meals are available at school, provided by our kitchen. These must be ordered and paid for in advance. Parents who choose to send their child with a packed lunch are encouraged to provide healthy food and to provide a drinks container, with a re-sealable lid, which fits inside a sensibly sized lunchbox. Packed lunches should be brought in a separate container from break time snacks, so that lunch boxes do not have to be opened early. This helps to avoid spillages. Please do not send sweets, chocolate bars or nuts (including peanut butter), as some children and members of staff are allergic to them. 16 | P a g e Lunchtime supervisors oversee pupils eating lunch, and will report any pupils that they are concerned about e.g. because they do not seem to eat enough. Children will bring home anything that is left over so parents can see what their child has eaten over the day. See Section 13 (Charging) for information about eligibility for free school meals.

HEAD LICE Head lice is a recurring problem for all schools, and is very difficult to eradicate. Parents of any child found to have eggs will be asked to treat them that evening. Parents of any child found to have live lice will be asked to take him/her home for treatment immediately, in order to minimise the potential for spreading. If, at home, parents find that they need to treat their children, they are asked to let us know. Parents of other pupils in the year group will be advised to be particularly vigilant.

HOME-SCHOOL CHARTER ASK GOVS A copy of the home-school charter, which parents are asked to sign, is attached in Appendix C.

HOMEWORK Homework is anything that children do outside the normal school day, which contributes to their learning in response to guidance from the school. Homework encompasses a whole variety of activities instigated by teachers and parents to support children’s learning. For example, a parent who spends time reading a story to their child before bedtime is helping with homework. Homework is a very important part of a child’s education and can add much to a child’s development. We recognise that the time and resources available limit the educational experience that any school by itself can provide; children benefit greatly therefore from the mutual support of parents and teachers in encouraging them to learn both at home and at school. Indeed we see homework as an important way of establishing a successful dialogue between teachers and parents.

One of the aims of our school is for children to develop as independent learners. We believe that homework is one of the main ways in which children can acquire the skill of independent learning; however we also recognise that time spent with your child on a shared project can also be very valuable. Homework plays a positive role in raising a child’s level of attainment. We also acknowledge the important role of play and free time in a child’s growth and development. While homework is important, it should not prevent children from taking part in the wide range of out-of-school clubs and organisations that play an important part in the lives of many children. We are well aware that children spend more time at home than at school, and we believe they develop their skills, interests and talents to the full only when parents encourage them to make maximum use of the experiences and opportunities that are available outside of school.

The aims and objectives of homework are: 17 | P a g e  to enable pupils to make maximum progress in their academic and social development;  to help pupils develop the skills of an independent learner;  to promote a partnership between home and school in supporting each child’s learning;  to enable all aspects of the curriculum to be covered in sufficient depth;  to provide educational experiences not possible in school;  to consolidate and reinforce learning done in school and to allow children to practise skills taught in lessons; We also set homework as a means of helping the children to revise for tests and to help them develop good work habits for the future.

We set a variety of homework activities including English and maths homework routinely each week. Teachers produce sheets giving homework instructions. All tasks set should be appropriate to the ability of the child. If a child has special needs, tasks should be adapted so that all children can contribute in a positive way. Homework is differentiated to take account of the individual needs of pupils. We increase the amount of homework that we give the children as they move up through the school; however we do not expect homework to be done at the weekend.

Y Children should: 3  read out loud at least 5 times a week– either independently or with an / adult discussing books. Reading record books will be used by 4 children to keep a track of their reading  complete a weekly maths activity which should last around 20 minutes

 complete a weekly writing task which should last around 20 minutes Children should: Y  read out loud at least 5 times a week, an increasingly wide range of 5 texts – either independently or with an adult discussing books. / Reading record books will be used by children to keep a track of their 6 reading  complete a weekly maths activity which should last around 30 minutes

 complete a weekly writing task which should last around 30 minutes

Reading records: Parents and/or pupils should record the title and author of the book/text being read, and the child’s response to it. Children should record their own response, noting features such as a particular style the author adopted and any strategies used to create atmosphere or characterisation.

18 | P a g e We believe that spellings are more effective when learnt through spelling rules and patterns being taught. It is also valuable for children to tackle spellings as they arise through their writing. Each child will bring home the spellings which appear in the National curriculum for their year (some children may have lists from previous years). These words can be learnt and practised at home. Children will be assessed on their knowledge of these spellings throughout the year.

Through DB Primary, our ‘learning platform’ website, children can access work that they have started at school and add to it at home. We hope that this will also help parents to be more closely involved in their child’s learning.

If parents have any problems or questions about homework, they should, in the first instance, contact the child’s class teacher. If their questions are of a more general nature, they should contact the Headteacher.

ILLNESS /ACCIDENTS

Accidents The school has several designated first aiders and a number of other staff who are first aid trained. An injured child will be sent to the office for first aid. All first aid is recorded. Most injuries are minor and our first aiders make the decision, based on their knowledge, whether a parent needs to be sent for or informed. Should a child receive an injury to the head, a telephone call is made to inform parents of this in case of headaches or dizziness. If a child has a more serious accident, we will telephone parents to discuss the best course of action. On the rare occasions that it is necessary to call an ambulance, parents will be asked to try to reach school in time to travel with the child. If this is not possible, a member of staff will accompany the child to hospital.

Illness during the School Day If a child is ill during the school day, and is unable to stay at school, we will telephone the parents and ask them to come to collect him/her. Please ensure that the school has several up-to-date telephone numbers of a parent/carer/relative/friend who can be contacted during the school day.

Illness at Home If your child is ill, please telephone the school office before the start of the school day that they are absent. Please note that children should not be sent to school with a contagious illness, including conditions such as conjunctivitis and impetigo which may not result in feeling unwell, but will spread easily to other pupils. Following sickness or diarrhea children should not be sent back to school until 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.

19 | P a g e MEDICINES Members of staff are not permitted to administer medicines in school without a Parental Agreement Form being signed. Children can self-administer medicines if we have written authorisation from parents. Short term courses of antibiotics or medicines should, where possible, be given before children arrive and on their return home. All medicines must be handed into the office and must be in their original package.

MEDICAL CARE PLAN Children who have epipens will need to have two named epipens in school. One will be kept in a locked medical cupboard near the school office and one with the teacher in the classroom, in a named box. Should a child develop a condition that requires emergency drug administration e.g. nut allergy anaphylaxis, procedural and disclaimer forms must be completed. These are available from the school office.

Children are responsible for their own asthma inhalers. All inhalers should be clearly named and in original box, and taken home at the end of each term. Parents are asked to provide a second inhaler to be kept in the medical cupboard as an emergency backup, and to ensure inhalers are in date.

If a child is on maintenance drugs i.e. those which must be taken every day to stabilise a chronic condition, guidance does allow staff to administer these on completion of a disclaimer form which is available from the school office. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the school about any changes in administration of maintenance drugs.

School Nurse The school nurse can be contacted directly at the Jarvis Centre on 01483 783171. Pupils may also be referred to the school nurse by school staff.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS It is very important that we have a list of adults whom parents would like us to use as emergency contacts, ideally up to three people. In the case of an accident or illness, we use the list of contacts in order of the priority indicated by parents. It is helpful if the emergency contact is someone who can reach the school reasonably quickly and who is regularly available. Many parents make mutual arrangements with parents of their child’s friends. Mobile phone numbers can be particularly helpful in an emergency, but please notify us of any changes to ensure our records are up to date.

LOST PROPERTY

20 | P a g e Parents are asked to ensure that all personal property brought to school is clearly named. Found items which are clearly labeled will be returned to the owner. Other items will be placed in lost property in the main building. At the end of each half term, unclaimed, unnamed items will be donated to our clothing bank.

MEDIA At no time will any information, address or telephone number of a child be given to members of the media over the phone. In the event of a critical incident or emergency, the procedure for dealing with media intervention will be followed. There are times when the local papers may be covering a school event; we seek parental permission for a child’s image/name to be used when they join our school.

MEETINGS WITH TEACHERS Teachers are always happy to meet with parents to discuss their child. We ask that parents try not to have discussions with teachers at the start of the school day, as the work of the day has already begun. The office staff will be happy to give any message to the child’s teacher. Parents are welcome to arrange after school meetings at mutually convenient times, either by talking to the teacher at the end of the day, or by telephoning the school office. Staff meet formally every Monday afternoon. We would prefer not to arrange meetings with parents for a Monday for that reason.

MOBILE PHONES Children who have mobile phones should not routinely bring these into school. However if children require a mobile phone to keep them safe when walking home alone, it should be security marked, clearly named and handed into the school office immediately on arrival at school and collected at the end of the school day. The school will not be able to accept responsibility for any loss which might occur.

MUSIC LESSONS Individual and group music lessons are set up with peripatetic teachers on a private basis for a range of instruments.

NEWSLETTERS/WEBSITE Information including our weekly newsletter, trips, changes of dates, etc. are sent out via our Parentmail system. This enables us to communicate effectively and quickly with parents and carers. With this system we can also send out text alerts.

21 | P a g e Please ensure we have your most recent email and mobile details. A registration email will be sent to parents from PMX-Parentmail. Parents are also invited to use the school website which is a valuable resource for parents and children. http://www.tillingbourne.surrey.sch.uk

PARENTS’ EVENINGS AND REPORTS  Parents' evenings are held twice a year. For parents’ evenings, an appointment system operates, and details will be given in a preceding newsletter. Teachers allocate times based on parental requests and confer with colleagues to coordinate times for pupils of the same family, as far as possible.  Consultation appointments with the SENCO are arranged for children with Special Educational Needs.  Formal, written reports will be issued towards the end of the Spring term. Parents are asked to read and acknowledge receipt of the report, as it is a statutory requirement for the school to provide this report.  Parents are welcome to make an appointment, at any time, to meet the class teacher or Headteacher (or both), to discuss progress or any concerns they may have. It is most helpful, to both the pupil concerned and to the staff, if concerns are raised at an early stage, when they are easier to address.  At least one parents’ curriculum information evening is held annually to keep parents informed about developments within the school or nationally.

PAYMENTS (ON-LINE) We use an on-line payment system for parents/carers to pay for dinners, trips, breakfast club etc. The system enables you to make payments in installments. You will receive a letter explaining the system and giving you an access code.

POLICIES Policy statements are held in school and are available on the school website which include Admission, Safeguarding, Behaviour Improvement and Complaints. Parents are most welcome to ask to see them.

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA) Tillingbourne Junior School has a PTA which supports the school in a wide variety of ways. All parents are automatically members of the PTA. Both social and fundraising events are held and parents are encouraged to become involved as much as possible. The PTA Annual General Meeting is held in the Autumn Term. Events and activities organised by the PTA are detailed in the weekly newsletter, and parents are asked to support as many of these as they can. Many ‘extras’ have been provided over recent years as a result of the PTA efforts. 22 | P a g e SAFETY In order to keep your children safe, we operate a ‘secure school’ during the working day that allows entry to the main buildings only through the main door. All adults working within the school wear identification badges at all times. All visitors are asked to sign in, and are given an identification badge. The main doors have a security access locking system, which is controlled from inside.

Parents are asked to observe the following:  To deliver and collect children from the playground at the beginning and end of the school day.  Unless special arrangements have been made for a specific event, only enter the building through the main entrance and sign in.  To supervise children very carefully on school premises. Children should never be allowed to run freely in car park areas and should be accompanied at all times when walking to and from parked cars.  Not to bring dogs within the school grounds with the exception of the carpark area where dogs must be kept under strict control.

All adults working in school have a duty to report any concern regarding child welfare to the Designated Member of Staff who will in turn take advice from the appropriate authorities. There is a standard procedure to which we must comply, which may involve multi-agency working. The child’s interests are always placed first. Please note that we are obliged to report ALL concerns, no matter how small, and to act on them without prejudice.

SCHOOL CLOSURE In the event of a decision being made to close the school e.g. because of adverse weather conditions, local radio stations will be notified and a message will be posted on the school website. Our texting service will also be used, so please ensure that we have your up to date mobile phone contact details. Where there is loss of power or heating, the decision to close will be made depending on the circumstances particular to that day.

SMOKING The school has a no smoking policy, both inside the building and in the grounds. We ask parents to support this by not smoking at the school gate.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS At Tillingbourne Junior School, we try to ensure that all pupils have access to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum relevant to their needs. Special needs 23 | P a g e may be because a child has a physical disability, is very able, has learning difficulties, has a medical condition or has emotional and behavioural difficulties. We aim to identify ways in which all pupils can reach their potential and to provide a supportive framework for all pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), taking into account the nature and degree of each child’s needs. SEND pupils are integrated into classes with the support of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), teachers and teaching assistants as appropriate. Support may take the form of differentiated classroom activities, individual or small group support in or out of the classroom, specialist help from the SENCO or other specialists teachers. Tillingbourne is a school which welcomes pupils of all abilities and backgrounds and ensures that all have the best possible access to the curriculum, in line with the Equality Act of 2010. Currently, the school has an on-going accessibility plan which is reviewed regularly to meet pupil’s needs. In order to ensure that pupils with SEND are not treated less favourably than other pupils, our SENCO, Teachers and Teaching Assistants adapt the curriculum to meet individual pupil’s needs, holding regular discussions with parents and pupils about how to best meet each child’s needs. Targets and interventions are reviewed termly with SENCO, Class teacher, Teaching Assistants and Parents to discuss outcomes and next steps to support learning. Pupils in need of specific behavioural support will have Individual Behaviour Plans (IBPs) which are also reviewed termly. Parents are fully involved at the appropriate stages of the identification and assessment procedures. Pupils may have barriers to learning caused by social and emotional needs such as poor self-esteem, anger management problems, social and communication difficulties, emotional problems, friendship difficulties, bereavement, difficulties at home. In such cases, they may be referred to our ‘Learning Mentor’ who supports children to access their learning. Children may be supported on a one to one or drop-in basis, or within small groups. Parents will be informed and meetings for children will take place weekly or as required. Where appropriate, our Learning Mentor works alongside other agencies. Where a family is experiencing difficulties, that are impacting significantly on a child’s progress, the school may be able to offer support through our Home-School Link Worker, who is able to work with families and outside agencies. The school is committed to confidentially within the responsibilities of safeguarding children at all times.

TRANSPORT There is coach transport provided to certain villages to and from school. Please visit the Surrey County Council website for more information. Please ensure that your child understands that a high standard of behaviour is expected on the coach in line with expectations of behaviour in school. Children will only be permitted to travel on the coach if their behaviour is safe. CAR PARK At the front of the school we have some limited parking facilities for parents and carers. We ask that these are used with consideration for others and with the safety of the children as the key concern. Drivers are asked to only park in designated bays and to accompany children across the car park. Children need to be taken to or collected from the playground entrance gate or playground. Please aim to promptly leave the car park to enable space to be available for other parents who may be queuing to park. There are not enough parking spaces for everyone so patience is

24 | P a g e necessary. Other means to travel to school are recommended, which reduce reliance on one car for each family;  To walk, cycle or scoot to school if at all possible. Cycle and scooter racks are available. All cyclists and ‘scootists’ should dismount and walk in school grounds.

 To use car sharing arrangements where possible.

Children are not supervised before 8.30 a.m. and therefore parents and carers should not leave their children unattended on the school site before this time unless they are attending supervised clubs.

UNIFORM Uniform is available from Marks and Spencer on-line ordering service: www.mandsyourschooluniform.com  The school is keen to maintain high standards of dress and to contribute to the sense of belonging and the school ethos.  Summer uniform may be worn in the summer term and in September. Winter uniform may be worn at any time of year.  Children should have named PE kit in school every day.  Children are not allowed to wear jewelry at school, except for watches or items of religious significance, which will be removed for PE. If ears have been pierced for more than six weeks, earrings should be removed for PE – it is ideal if they are not worn at all on PE days. If a child has recently pierced ears, plain studs only may be worn, and must be taped up for PE. Pupils should supply their own tape. Children will not be able to swim with earrings in.  A string tie PE bag is required. This should be a sensible size (not too large, please) and clearly labeled on the outside.  Parents are asked to ensure that ALL items of clothing are clearly named.  Long hair should be tied back with a plain hair band or scrunchie.  Shoes with Velcro fasteners or buckles should be worn until your child can tie his/her laces. Prolonged wearing of trainers or boots is not considered to be good for growing feet – black or navy school shoes with low heels should be worn inside at all times.  Pupils will play outside unless it is raining hard, so please ensure that your child has appropriate outdoor coat/jacket with him/her every day.

VALUABLES Children should not normally bring money or valuable items to school however there are occasions where there are cake/ice cream/book sales. If it is necessary for a child to have money, it should be given to their teacher in a named purse/envelope and collected at the end of the school day. The school accepts no responsibility for loss of valuables in school.

25 | P a g e VISITS AND VISITORS All educational visits and visitors enhance and enrich children’s understanding of the school curriculum. Information with details of the visit or visitor, any specific lunch arrangements, clothing needs, likely time of return to school, request for voluntary contributions towards the cost and help will be sent to parents in advance. Consent will have been given through the generic form signed at the beginning of each school year. Parents will need to inform school in writing if they do not wish their chid to attend a visit. Teachers ensure that all medicines needed for specific children are taken on a visit. Teachers visit the site before the trip, undertake risk assessments and ensure that practical and safety needs can be met. In order to meet the recommended adult to child ratio, we sometimes ask for additional adult helpers, who will be made aware of their roles and responsibilities and asked to read our document on Safeguarding of children at Tillingbourne. As an inclusive school we endeavour to include all children in all visits wherever possible; however this may require adaptation to the timetable for individuals with specific needs.

26 | P a g e APPENDIX A: SCHOOL UNIFORM

Girls Boys Summer Red and white checked dress Grey shorts or trousers with white or polo shirt (no tie) Grey skirt or pinafore with white or polo shirt (no tie) Grey shorts or trousers with short or sleeved white shirt with red tie Grey skirt/shorts/trousers or pinafore with short sleeved white shirt with red tie

Red cardigan or jumper Red jumper

White, black or grey plain socks White, black or grey plain socks Black shoes Black shoes Winter Grey skirt/trousers or pinafore Grey trousers with long sleeved with long sleeved white shirt with white shirt with red tie red tie Or or Grey trousers with white polo shirt Grey skirt/shorts or pinafore with (no tie) white polo shirt (no tie) Red jumper/sweatshirt Red cardigan/sweatshirt White, black or grey plain socks White, black or grey plain socks Black shoes Black shoes PE White t-shirt White t-shirt Red shorts Red shorts Black jogging bottoms for PE Black jogging bottoms for PE White socks White socks Trainers Trainers Optional Red fleece with logo Items Red reversible coat with logo Red cap with logo Book bag with logo Black sweatshirt with logo for PE

27 | P a g e APPENDIX B: TERM DATES Academic year 2016/2017 Autumn Term 2016

Start of term Half term End of term

6th September 2016 24th October – 28th October 2016 21st December 2016

Spring Term 2017

3rd January 2017 13th February – 17th February 2017 31st March 2017

Summer Term 2017

18th April 2017 29th May – 2nd June 2017 19th July 2017

Inset Days 5th September 2016, 21st October 2016, 23rd June 2017

28 | P a g e