Blackheath Primary School s1

Blackheath Primary School Prospectus 2016/2017

Blackheath Primary School Britannia Road, Rowley Regis, West Midlands. B65 9NF Telephone: 0121 559 1033 Email: [email protected] Website: www.blackheathprimary.org.uk Contents Page

Welcome 3 Our Visions, Aims & Values 4 About our School 5 Parent Partnerships 6 Governing Body 6 Joining The School 7 The Curriculum 7 Curriculum Topics & Memorable Experiences 8 Educational Visits & Extra Curricular Activity 9 Music/Drama 10 Opportunities to Volunteer 10 Assemblies 10 Homework 10 Inclusion & Equality 11 Other Information 12-18 Term Dates 19 National Curriculum & Assessment 20

WELCOME 2 Welcome to Blackheath Primary School This Prospectus has been put together to help you gain an understanding of how our school is organised, and to appreciate the exciting opportunities on offer to children in our care. All schools have their own distinctive ‘feel’ which makes each one unique. We believe that the ‘special feel’ at Blackheath Primary is to do with our caring and friendly atmosphere. Our school continues to develop in many exciting ways, providing an even more enriching experience for our pupils.

The best way to find out about our school is to come and visit, to see us in action and meet OUR staff and children. A telephone call to the school office on 0121 559 1033 is all that is needed to arrange this.

We look forward to welcoming you to our school, and to a happy and successful partnership with all our new children and families.

Mrs Nahal Mrs Rushton Headteacher Chair of Governors

OUR VISIONS, AIMS AND VALUES

3 VISION

Our vision for Blackheath Primary School reflects a passionate commitment to learning and recognition of the uniqueness of individual learners;

‘The development of the whole child is at the heart of everything we do’.

Blackheath Primary School promotes a positive and welcoming environment that nurtures excellence and enjoyment in teaching and learning. We aim;

 To provide a safe, secure and stimulating ethos in which all members of the school community achieve their full potential.  To encourage social maturity and promote the school’s code of conduct.  To celebrate the successes of every individual within the school.

We want our school to be a place where everyone is happy, and enjoys their learning experience.

VALUES

We expect EVERY member of the school community to show RESPECT at all times

R - RESPONSIBILITY (Everyone’s)

E - EMPATHY (Show understanding)

S - SMART (Appearance in everything)

P - POLITENESS (Be polite at all times)

E - EMPOWER (Let me learn/lead for myself)

C - CARE (Show you care about yourself, each other and your environment)

T - TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More)

4 ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

The school building is modern, spacious and on two levels, allowing excellent access to all pupils and adults. We have an additional building near to the main school called ‘Littleheath’ for our nursery children. We benefit from a large hall, a well-equipped library and interactive corridor spaces. We have extensive grounds with hard surface areas, a spacious playing field, playground apparatus, children’s outdoor gym, school peace garden and a Forest Schools area.

ORGANISATION

Children in Nursery access morning or afternoon sessions (mornings: 8.30-11.30am, afternoons: 12.30- 3.30pm). Children in Reception and Year 1 to Year 6 attend school full time from 8.50am to 3.20pm. The school is organised into 4 academies.

Academy Year Group Academy Head/Senior Leader Explorers Nursery and Reception Academy Head: Mrs J Reay Senior Leader: Mrs J Morgan Creators Year 1 and Year 2 Academy Head: Mrs Roberts Senior Leader: Mrs Bott Challengers Year 3 and Year 4 Academy Head: Miss Perks Senior Leader: Mrs McElwee Innovators Year 5 and Year 6 Academy Head: Mrs Sangha Senior Leader: Mr Hytch

Timings of the school day

Nursery 8.30-11.30am (morning) 12.30-3.30pm (afternoon)

Reception to Year 6 8.45 School doors open 8.50 Registration 10.30 -10.45 Break 12.00 - 1.00 Lunch 2.30 KS1 afternoon break 3.20 School finishes

PARENT PARTNERSHIPS

5 We welcome parents and carers into Blackheath Primary School believing we are partners in the education of your children. There are many opportunities for parents to become involved in the life of the school and to gain a greater understanding of its work. Parents’ support and expertise can be used in many ways and is greatly valued. Police checks and DBS checks are carried out on all adults working in school including regular volunteers. If you are able to help, please talk to your child’s teacher.

COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS

We communicate with parents in various ways for example through our newsletters, questionnaires, workshops and events. Parents are regularly invited to assemblies, inspire days and to Parents’ Consultation Meetings. Every year parents are invited to attend our special events including Sports Day as well as children’s performances. Staff will always be happy to meet with parents and carers to share any concerns. The school has a Home School Agreement to support the partnership between home and school, and foster shared dialogue. The school’s website has a wealth of information including our newsletters, headteacher blog and copies of key policies.

PARENT AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION

The PFA exists to support the life and work of the school and is open to all members of the school community. The PFA provides invaluable support to the school through organising many fundraising events involving parents and the wider local community. Money raised provides extra facilities and equipment for the pupils. The group hold regular meetings in school, with dates and details published in the school’s newsletter.

GOVERNING BODY The Governing Body of the school is made up of people with a range of skills. The school governors are a group of individuals, who are elected, nominated or co-opted and are representative of parents, staff, The Local Authority and the local community. School Governors work with the Headteacher and are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the school. Meetings are held at least once each term and committees meet in addition to main body meetings. If you are interested in becoming a school governor, please contact Mrs Adele Reynolds, Clerk to Governers.

JOINING THE SCHOOL ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

6 The Local Authority (LA) is responsible for the control of admissions to Blackheath Primary School (http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/schooladmissions). Blackheath Primary School are responsible for their Nursery admissions. Please contact the school office to obtain the relevant form. Nursery places will be allocated in the summer term and will follow Sandwell LA's admission guidance.

APPEALS Every effort is made to make a place available for your child in our school. However, schools have a limit on the number of children they can take. If a place is not available on application you have the right to appeal to The Local Authority. Appeals are heard by an independent panel.

STARTING SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME Starting school is a very important time for you, your child and the school. We all need to work together to make the transition a smooth and rewarding one. We have an induction programme in place for all new children.

THE CURRICULUM The school curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that we plan for our pupils. The central aims of our curriculum are to work in collaboration to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve; to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. The curriculum of the school is organised so that children are stimulated, encouraged and challenged to develop their individual potential and personality to the full. The school’s curriculum promotes and sustains a thirst for knowledge and understanding, and a love of learning. It covers a wide range of subjects and provides opportunities for academic, technical, creative and sporting excellence.

Each half term a theme is introduced through a ‘Curriculum Launch Memorable Experience’ which is designed to engage children in their learning. Homework menus are sent home at the beginning of the topics. PE, MFL and RE are often taught as discreet subjects to allow coverage of the main objectives and age appropriate skill development.

7 CURRICULUM TOPICS AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES

(please note these may be subject to change)

Year Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Sprin Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2 Group g 1 E Nu Topic Why do you love What is a Reflection? Wher Are eggs alive? Can we How many rse me so much? e does explore it? pebbles on the x ry snow beach? p go? Memorable Tea Party with Snow White visits to Craft Living eggs – Gruffalo hunt Trip to the l Experience parents / read a story works hatching – follow a seaside or o carers hop chicken eggs map to the Seaside day r park worklshop e Topic Do you want to Why do squirrels hide Why Do cows drink Will you read Who lives in a r be friends? their nuts?? don’t milk? me a story? rock pool? snake s s have legs? Memorable Visit from people In house – making Anima Visit a farm Fairytale Trip to the A Experience Rec who help us scarecrows l man performance seaside c ept with or charachetr a ion reptile visit d s e m y C Topic Splendid Skies Moon Zoom! Dinos Bright Light, Big Paws, Claws Memory Box aur City and r Planet Whiskers e Memorable Visit to Conkers Explore Alien Crash Site Dinos Trip to Animal Man – Teddy Bears a Experience Adventure Centre on school grounds aur ThinkTank via Mammals picnic with Man Birmingham encounter families Year t Visit – Landmarks One o dinosa r ur artefa s cts works A hop c Topic Wriggle and Bounce Beat, Towers, Street Land Ahoy! Crawl Band Tunnels and Detectives C and Turrets h Boogi a e Memorable In house Bouncy castle/Ball pit Visit Trip to Warwick Exploring local Visit a Marina, Year d Experience investigation experience brass Castle area with a boat lake or Two e around peace band/l map RNLI station m garden earn unusu y al instru ment C Year Topic Scrumdiddlyumptious! Tremors Might Predator! Urban Tribal Tales Three y Pioneers h Metal a s l Memorable Visit to Tesco Visit from fossil man Work Falconry Graffiti Artist Visit to Kinver Experience Farm to fork with a experience experience Edge l metal e artist

8 n Topic I am Warrior Burps, Bottoms and Traide Misty Road Trip Blue Abyss Bile rs and Mountain USA! g Raider Sierra e s r Memorable Visit from Roman First Aid Course Make Fieldwork - Trip American Visit to Sea Life Experience Warrior/ Explore a to Clent Hills themed day Centre s Roman artefacts Viking boat Year A Four c a d e m y I Topic Beast Creator Stargazers Time Alchemy Island Pharaohs Allotment Travel n ler n Year Memorable Minibeast Visit to Leicester Space Time Visit to Egyptian ECO bus - o Five Experience Encounter inc Centre capsul Jewellery history planting and sketching e Quarter/Compu experience recycling v minibeasts Works ter explorers a hop workshop t Topic Frozen Kingdom Revol Gallery Rebels o ution Memorable Theatre trip or Trip to Post SATs trip r Experience Trip to Tamworth Snow Dome Black School Production s Count ry Muse A Year um c Six a d e m y

WHOLE SCHOOL THEMED DAYS/WEEKS Throughout the year, themed days are woven into the curriculum to extend the breadth and balance of opportunities we offer our pupils. These include – Anti-Bullying Week, Safety Day, Arts Day, World Book Day, Culture Week, Sport & Health Week, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Christmas, Easter, Eid, Heritage Day, charity days, career days, British Values Week, subject focus days, Patron Saint days and others which are nationally recognised or celebrated.

FOREST SCHOOLS Forest Schools is a Scandinavian initiative designed to encourage and inspire individuals through an 9 innovative, educational approach to outdoor play and learning in a woodland environment. As a school we are very fortunate in having our own woodland area and a teacher trained to deliver the Forest Schools programme to our Explorers Academy children.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS School trips and visits are an integral part of the education of children at Blackheath Primary. Half termly ‘memorable experiences’ linked to the children’s learning take place for every year group. Trips include class visits aimed at bringing learning alive and providing first-hand experiences. Children in Years 2 and 6 have the opportunity to take part in residential visits.

EXTRA CURRICULAR CLUBS As a school we offer pupils the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities after school. At any time a wide range of clubs is on offer – our programmes of clubs and activities available is revised termly depending on the time of year and other commitments children may have. Some of the clubs we offer are; Let’s Play Games, Gymnastics, Fashion and Design, Get Creative, Boogie Nights, Yoga, Newspaper Gang, Guitar, Football, Drama, Ballet, Film Club, Exploring Food, Archery, Lego Club and Football. Breakfast club runs daily at the cost of £2.00 per day and you do not need to book a place – just turn up!

SPORTS All children take part in weekly PE lessons and after school sporting clubs are offered to pupils. Children in Year 2 benefit from swimming lessons at a local indoor pool. We use Sports Premium to fund other sporting activities. We also have a children’s outdoor gym on the school field. Children in Year 5 have the opportunity to take part in Yoga sessions delivered by an expert yoga teacher. Reception children have access to a balance bikes programme called ‘Speedy Tots’. Speedy Tots teaches children to learn to ride a bike, increasing levels of physical activity and spatial awareness in a controlled environment.

MUSIC/DRAMA We provide opportunities for children to take part in a wide range of musical, drama activities and performances where they are encouraged to sing, compose and work creatively with sound. Children in Year 3 have free music lessons, which the school fund as we strongly feel every child should have the opportunity to learn an instrument. We have a weekly composer or songwriter of the week to encourage children’s cultural appreciation. A range of opportunities are provided within and beyond the curriculum for children to showcase their musical skills and talents through our school choir, annual ‘Blackheath’s Got Talent’ show, KS2 production, school plays and class assemblies.

10 OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO VOLUNTEER We promote and encourage pupils’ active citizenship and positive contribution to the school and wider community. We offer lots of opportunities for pupils to take on new responsibilities and be involved in successfully supporting the life and work of the school. These include our Pupil Leadership Team, School Council, Green Hat Thinkers, Eco Committee, Maths Champions, Digital Leaders, Bankers, Prefects, Playground Leaders and Playground Buddies. Pupils tell us that they enjoy the opportunity in rising to the challenge that additional responsibility brings and to volunteer to help make their school an even better place.

ASSEMBLIES A rounded programme of daily assemblies help to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and provides clear guidance on what is right and what is wrong. Parents are invited to special assemblies (Harvest, Remembrance Day, productions, concerts etc) and year group assemblies. If you do not want your child to take part in religious assemblies, please inform the class teacher in writing.

HOMEWORK Homework can make an important contribution to a child’s progress at school. As well as reinforcing learning in the classroom, homework helps children to develop the skills and attitudes they will need for successful independent lifelong learning. Weekly activities focus on basic skills to reinforce and consolidate skills taught. In addition, children have a half termly ‘homework menu' of activities linked to their current theme, from which to choose one activity to complete. This provides an opportunity for children to work creatively with parents.

INCLUSION AND EQUALITY

EQUALITY At Blackheath Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers receiving services from the school, irrespective of race, gender, disability, faith or religion or socio-economic background. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and able to participate fully in school life.

SAFEGUARDING 11 Blackheath Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Staff work hard to maintain an environment where children feel safe and secure. The curriculum is designed to ensure opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse. Children know that they can approach any of the adults in school if they are worried and that they will receive a consistent supportive response. If you would like to know more about our policy or procedures for Safeguarding, please speak to Anna McElwee (Deputy Headteacher) or Kate Hill (Parent Support Worker). If you have any concerns about the well-being of a child please inform us in confidence immediately.

BEHAVIOUR We believe that children learn best in a well-organised, calm and secure environment where purposeful and self-disciplined behaviour is expected. We want every child in our school to feel confident, happy and safe. Our whole-school 'Behaviour Recovery' system emphasising praise, recognition and reward exists to promote and celebrate sustained effort and hard work, and contributions towards the school community. We ask parents and pupils to sign our home school agreement which is our code of conduct, in line with our school RESPECT values.

All forms of bullying and harassment are considered to be unacceptable and are not tolerated within the school environment. All incidents will be taken very seriously and followed up in accordance with our Anti-Bullying Policy which is available via the school’s website.

CATERING FOR THE NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN - SEN/DISABILITIES At Blackheath Primary School, we believe that every child is unique and special, and we aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all. We are committed to developing cultures, policies and practices that are inclusive.

We have systems to identify when children have barriers affecting their learning and tailor specific interventions to enable pupils to overcome them. Where children are identified as needing additional learning or behavioural support, the school adheres to the 2014 New SEND Code of Practice. Through assessments and/or observations a teacher may feel a child needs to be placed on the Special Needs Register. With support from the Effective Learning Leader (SEND), provision is carefully planned.

12 OTHER INFORMATION

PARENT VOLUNTEERS We welcome parents to work alongside the staff in school and such involvement is invaluable for all concerned. There is an open invitation for parents to let us know when they can come and how they can help. All volunteers working in school are required to have an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check with an Children’s Barred list check (formerly Criminal Records Bureau or CRB).

SCHOOL UNIFORM What a child wears to school reflects his/her learning. It also portrays the school’s ethos and shared positive values. We have a smart uniform that we expect all pupils to wear. Boys Girls Royal blue sweatshirt Royal blue sweatshirt or cardigan

White polo shirt White polo shirt

Grey or black trousers Grey pinafore dress or skirt

Plain black shoes (no trainers) Grey or black trousers

In the summer an alternative of grey or black short Plain black shoes (no trainers) trousers can be worn White socks/Grey or blue tights

In the summer an alternative of a blue and white checked or striped dress can be worn

Blackheath Primary School Uniform is available to purchase online from Ace Embroidery. A small amount of stock will be kept in school and parents will be able to try before they buy if they wish, but we do request that purchases are made online with Ace directly. Details on how to access the online service will be provided in September.

Uniform costs

Sweatshirt £7.50 Cardigan £8.50 White Polo with School Logo £5.00 PE T shirt £4.00 PE Shorts £3.50 Fleece £10.00

13 Reversible Fleece Jacket £21.50 Book Bag £3.00 Junior Book Bag £6.50 PE Bag £2.92

Adult sizes are also available and special discounted uniform packs are available at certain times of the year. Water bottles can be purchased directly from the school office at £1.20

PE & SPORTS KIT It is essential that your child has their PE kit in school so that they can take part in their PE lessons which is compulsory requirement. We would appreciate all families’ support with this. Jewellery must not be worn for PE and ear studs should be removed or covered up. Long hair should be tied back. Uniform for PE Sports bag (clearly labelled with child’s name)

House colour t-shirt (blue, green, yellow or red - children should know their house)

Black or navy shorts

Black pumps for indoor use/trainers for outdoor use

Tracksuits or jogging bottoms and jumper for winter months

HEALTHY EATING We are an accredited National Healthy School and are committed to promoting and monitoring healthy food at break and lunch times. All of our menu’s are compliant with the new schools food standards. Some of our curriculum topics cover healthy eating and children have the opportunity to cook.

SNACK TIME You may like your child to have a mid-morning snack. We welcome fruit and vegetables, and would ask you not to send your child with chocolate, crisps or sweets of any kind. Children in the Foundation Stage and KS1 are provided with fruit every day as part of the National Fruit Scheme. We have a tuck shop which sells snacks at break time for KS2 pupils. Items are about 20p each.

MOBILE PHONES Children are not allowed mobile phones in school, unless they are in Year 5 or 6 and walk home by

14 themselves. A form will need to be completed and the mobile phone must be handed in to the school office and collected at the end of the day.

WATER Research shows that our brains need water to stay active and alert. All children are encouraged to bring water into school on a Monday, in a spill-proof plastic bottle that they can take home at the end of each day to rinse and refill. Water is available.

SCHOOL MEALS Schools are legally required to provide meals that comply with the School Food Standards. These standards are intended to ensure that children get the nutrition they need across the whole school day and govern all food and drink on offer within the school. All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are offered a Free School Meal. Some children in KS2 may be eligible for Free School Meals, please speak to the school office to see if your child is eligible. Menus are supplied to parents in advance so that meals can be pre-ordered; parents can choose not to take-up a school lunch for their child, in which case children should bring a healthy packed lunch into school.

MILK Milk is offered free of charge to pupils under the age of 5. Parents must register with ‘Cool Milk’. Details are on the school website. Children who are pupil premium are offered milk at lunchtimes.

Parent Pay

From September 2016 we will be accepting payments online for items such as dinner money, school trips, breakfast & after school clubs. Using a secure website called ParentPay you will be able to pay online using your credit or debit card. ParentPay will be our preferred method of making payments to school. Parent Pay’s messaging service Parent Mail will be used to communicate newsletters, trip letters etc via emails and texts.

What are the benefits to parents and pupils?

 ParentPay is easy-to-use and will offer you the freedom to make online payments whenever and wherever you like, 24/7  the technology used is of the highest internet security available ensuring that your money will reach school safely – offering you peace of mind  payments can be made by credit/debit card or also through PayPoint

15  full payment histories and statements are available to you securely online at anytime  your children won’t have to worry about losing money at school  Parents can choose to be alerted when their balances are low via email and/or SMS text –

More information about parent pay can be found www.parentpay.co.uk

LOST ITEMS Naming all items reduces the risk of losing anything. Any items of lost property are put in a central ‘Lost Property Box’ in the reception - if your child has lost something then please check there. We only keep lost property for 2 weeks as it is often difficult to identify items that are not named. If it is unclaimed at the end of 2 weeks, we donate the items to charity. All children take a reading book and library book home. The reading books are from our newly purchased scheme. If your child does lose their book, we will ask for a contribution of £2.00.

ABSENCE If your child is unable to attend school or nursery for any reason, please telephone the office to let us know. If your child has sickness or diarrhoea, we ask that he/she does not return to school for 48 hours as this type of illness can be very infectious. We monitor attendance regularly and may refer children to the Local Authority for poor attendance. To encourage high levels of attendance, certificates are awarded to children at the end of the Autumn, Spring and Summer for 100% attendance; 100% over the school year; and also to classes who achieve 100% attendance in any week.

PUNCTUALITY The school day begins at 8.50am and we ask that children arrive promptly to ensure a positive start to their learning (8.30am for morning Nursery and 12.30pm for afternoon Nursery). Doors are open at 8.45am and close at 8.50am. Please ensure your child is not late for school. Children who arrive late (after 8.50am) are asked to report to the school office on arrival. Any late attendance is monitored closely and recorded on the end of year school report to parents.

HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME From 1 September 2013, new DfE regulations have come into force regarding leave of absence for children from school. The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must be in exceptional circumstances and the Headteacher must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave. The School’s Attendance Policy is available to download on our website. 16 TIMES OF THE SCHOOL DAY Children should not arrive unaccompanied before 8.30am when the school gates are unlocked. Football/use of apparatus and other games are not allowed before school because of younger children and adults’ presence on the playground at this time. Children in Nursery, Reception, and Year 1/2 enter school via their classroom entrance onto the playground. Year 3/4 enter from the doors facing Britannia Road and Year 5/6 enter from the doors facing Ruskin Avenue. Doors are open at 8.45am and close at 8.50am. This is where they will exit at 3.20pm. A member of staff will be on the playground from 8.40am. Children are the responsibility of their parents/carers until they enter the building from 8.45am.

MEDICAL & OTHER ISSUES When children start school, parents are asked to complete a form outlining any medical history including any allergies suffered that we should be aware of. It is important that this record including contact details is kept up-to-date. Basic first aid is given at school when necessary by qualified First Aiders. If your child receives any first aid treatment, they will bring a first aid report slip home. If an accident needs hospital attention we will make every effort to contact parents. We ask parents to ensure all contact details are kept up-to-date.

MEDICINES The school has responsibility for the safety and welfare of pupils and regularly reviews arrangements to ensure that the medical needs of the pupils are met at school. There may be times when children attending school need to take medication. Any such medicines needed by a child during the school day should be brought to school in the smallest practicable amount by the parent/carer, not the pupil, and be delivered personally to the Office Manager or Business Manager. These medicines must be in the original bottle/ packaging in which prescribed, clearly labelled with the pupil's name, contents, dosage and the date. Parents will be asked to complete a written request for the school to administer medication. Medicines in school are kept in a locked cupboard or in a refrigerator, away from the pupils. A record is kept of all medicines administered. It is parents responsibility to ensure the medication is in date. If a child is prescribed medication 3 times daily, we ask parents to administer the medicine before school, after school and at bedtime unless they have specific medical instructions about timings of the day.

17 ASTHMA INHALERS Asthma inhalers are prescribed medication. Parents are asked to complete an Asthma card and give permission to use the spare inhalers in school in the event of an emergency on their child’s entry into school and yearly thereafter as children may need immediate access to their inhaler (blue relievers). They are kept on the child’s person or in a safe and readily accessible place. Inhalers should be taken to sporting events/offsite activities and used prior to or during exercise if an episode of asthma occurs.

SUN PROTECTION During warm summer months, all children should have a named sun hat in school which they will be encouraged to wear when playing outside. School staff are not permitted to apply sun cream to children, but we would ask that you apply a long lasting sunscreen before school in sunny weather. Children may reapply their own sun cream which must be provided in a clearly named container. Children should not bring sunglasses unless they have a medical condition.

SAFEGUARDING – PROTECTING CHILDREN We have a Safeguarding Policy which explains how the school works to ensure that children are thriving and safe. We take safeguarding and the protection of children very seriously. If we have any concerns about a child’s welfare it is the Headteacher’s responsibility to contact Social Services. If you have any concerns about the well-being of a child please inform us in confidence immediately. SMOKING/PETS We operate a no-smoking policy - smoking and e-cigarettes are not permitted anywhere within the school or grounds. Pets including dogs should not be brought onto the school site.

MONEY Please ensure that all monies sent to school are in a sealed envelope marked with your child’s name, amount and the purpose of the money.

COMPLAINTS Any complaints about school matters should first be discussed with class teachers or brought to the attention of the Head of Academy, then Senior Leader for the Academy and then the Headteacher. If the complaint is not resolved, a formal complaint may be made firstly to the Governing Body and secondly to the Local Authority. The procedure to register a complaint is available from the school office.

CHARGING POLICY

18 At Blackheath Primary School, we are constantly seeking to enrich the children’s learning experiences through trips; by inviting visitors and experts to talk to the children; and by running activities and workshops. The children always feed back that these activities bring learning to life and are some of their most memorable experiences of primary school. Where possible, we look for free activities or apply for grants that will enable the school to provide enrichment opportunities at no cost to families. We do fund many of the activities but may ask for parental contributions.

FAMILY SUPPORT Please contact our Parent Support Worker, Kate Hill via the school office if you would like advice on any aspect of parenting. We operate a parent 'drop-in' session on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 9-10am. Appointments can be arranged outside of these times to accommodate parents needs.

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT We have outdoor equipment that the children can use at playtime, lunchtime and during curriculum time. This includes climbing apparatus, a tyre park and a children’s gym. All children are given safety advice on how to use the equipment safely. The equipment has been chosen for its suitability for each age group, and the special “soft” flooring is designed to minimise injury should a child fall from the equipment whilst using it. However, no child will be allowed to use the equipment unless there is adult supervision. If you do not want your child to use the equipment, please inform the school in writing. SAFETY AROUND SCHOOL The staff car park is for staff and school visitors only. For the safety of our children we ask that under no circumstances should parents access the staff car park, this includes for breakfast and after school clubs. We also request that parents travel and park responsibly around school, showing consideration to neighbours and the safety of pedestrians.

2016-2017 TERM DATES

Autumn term 2016  Term starts: Monday 5 September 2016  Half term holiday: Monday 24 October to Friday 28 October 2016  Term ends: Friday 16 December 2016  Christmas holiday: Monday 19 December 2016 to Monday 2 January 2017 Spring term 2017  Term starts: Tuesday 3 January 2017  Half term holiday: Monday 20 February to Friday 24 February 2017  Term ends: Friday 7 April 2017 19  Easter holiday: Monday 10 April to Friday 21 April 2017 Summer term 2017  Term starts: Monday 24 April 2017  Bank holiday: Monday 1 May 2017  Half term holiday: Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2017  Term ends: Tuesday 25 July 2017  Summer holiday: From Wednesday 26 July 2017

Teachers Training Dates 2016/ 2017  Monday 5th September 2016  Monday 31st October 2016  Tuesday 3rd January 2017  Monday 27th February 2017  Monday 24th April 2017

FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-16 RATES OF AUTHORISED & UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE Attendance Unauthorised 48.6% Authorised 88.6%

NATIONAL CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT 2015-2016 Results 2016-2017 Targets

Early Years Foundation Stage Area of 2015 2016 2017 Learning ELG 2+ (Expected/Exceeding) actual actual Target GLD 71% 71.7% 70%

Y1 Phonics 2015 2016 2016 2017 School Nationa Target l Y1 Phonics test 76% 77% 81% 78%

20 Y2 Phonics repeat 72% 80% 67% 80%

Key Stage 1 2015 2016 2016 2017 (Levels) School National Target Reading Expected 80% 76% 74% 75%

Reading Exceeding 30% 26% 24% 25%

Writing Expected 72% 69% 66% 70%

Writing Exceeding 13% 14% 13% 15%

Maths Expected 78% 79% 73% 80%

Maths Exceeding 25% 26% 18% 25%

Key Stage 2 2015 2016 2016 2017 (Levels) School National Target Reading Expected 92% 73% 66% 75% Reading Exceeding 43% 20% tbc 20% Writing Expected 87% 85% 74% 80% Writing Exceeding 28% 8% tbc 10% GPS Expected 82% 76% 72% 75% GPS Exceeding 58% 22% tbc 20% Mathematics Expected 93% 85% 70% 80% Mathematics Exceeding 37% 17% tbc 20% Reading, Writing, Maths combined Expected 68% tbc 70% Reading, Writing, Maths combined Expected 5% tbc 10%