Willow Wood Community Nursery & Primary

Prospectus and School Information 2018 – 2019

Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School Bradbury Road , CW7 3HN Telephone: 01606 593896 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.willowwood.cheshire.sch.uk

Cheshire West and Chester Council http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 58, Nicholas Street Cheshire CH1 2 NP Tel. 0300 123 8 123

OFSTED July 2015 – Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School is proud to be a good school. Please read our OFSTED report to hear more detail about all the great practice that goes on in our school. We constantly receive positive feedback from our School Improvement Partner and external consultants about the high quality of the education that is provided by our school. We are proud that our pupils enjoy coming to school, that they are excited about their learning and that all groups of pupils achieve well.

2 Welcome We value all members of the school community equally and through sensitivity and support strive to ensure that each child feels valued and learns to value others. We encourage our children to seek high standards by providing education of the highest quality, enabling them to develop their potential as free thinking, responsible individuals.

We look forward to welcoming your child to Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School, whether as a new entrant starting school for the first time, or a pupil moving from another school or setting.

We are proud of our children and their achievements as well as the excellent relationships within the school and between the school and the wider community.

The OFSTED Inspection in July 2015 noted the many strengths of the school and endorsed the vision and determination of everybody connected to Willow Wood that our school is a great place to grow and thrive.

I do hope you find this booklet helpful and that after reading it you will understand a little more about our school. However, it can only be a brief snapshot of the work of the school and we warmly welcome you to spend time with us both before your child begins school and also during his/her education. We believe it is most important that you are satisfied your child will receive an excellent education and will be happy here at Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School.

Headteacher: Ms. Susan Tomlinson Deputy Headteacher: Mrs. J. Kay Deputy Headteacher: Mrs. K. Ullein Chair of Governors: Mrs S. Stretton

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Contents Welcome ...... 3 School Aims ...... 6 Curriculum ...... 6 The School ...... 7 Facilities ...... 7 The Curriculum ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Sporting Aims and Provision for Sport ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Other School Clubs ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Health/Sex/Drugs/Citizenship Education ...... 10 Religious Education and School Worship ...... 11 Special Educational Needs ...... 11 School Organisation ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The School Day ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Years Reception – 2 ...... 13 Years 3 – 6 ...... Hours Taught ...... 14 Teaching Organisation ...... 14 Infant Department ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Junior Department ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Teaching Assistants ...... 16 Support Staff ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. School Governing Body ...... 17 School Governors ...... 18 Pupil School Council ...... 18 General Information ...... 19 Admissions Arrangements ...... 19 Starting School ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Nursery Provision ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Our Uniform ...... 19 School Meals ...... 21 Snack Time ...... 21 Illness and Absences ...... 22

4 Charging Policy ...... 23 Residential Trips ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Assessment ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Homework ...... 23 Transfer to High School ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Parents and School ...... 24 Parental Involvement ...... 24 Pastoral Care ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Support for the School ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Our Behaviour Policy ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Communication with Parents ...... 26 Complaints Procedure ...... 28 Sharing Information with other services such as Health and Social Services ...... 28 Photographic Images ...... 29 Before and After School Club ...... 29 Arrangements for Children to be met from School ...... 29

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School Ethos & Values Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School has a warm, purposeful, calm, friendly atmosphere and welcomes all pupils and their families. Above all we value children, learning and partnership work and we endeavour to strive for excellence in all that we do.

As a school we aim to:

• Provide a centre of excellence for education to ensure that each child enjoys their learning and achieves their best.

• Provide a stimulating, well ordered, happy, safe, secure and inviting learning environment.

• Offer a broad, balanced, relevant and enriching curriculum that provides opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve and meets the needs of all pupils.

• Promote pupils’ moral, social, cultural, physical and spiritual development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and challenges of life and so that they become responsible citizens of the world.

• Encourage a self-belief and a can-do attitude in all our pupils.

Vision

Our vision is that the school will deliver an excellent standard of education and so make a positive difference to the lives of children and their families. We are determined to build on the “Good’ judgement in our last Section 5 OFSTED Inspection by securing and further developing outstanding elements of teaching and learning, nurture and care. Mission Statement “Learning Today for Tomorrow”

6 The School Facilities The school was built in 1966 and was originally an Infant and a Junior School. These two amalgamated in September 2007 to become Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School, which caters for children aged 3-11 years. Major capital investment in 2017 by the LA and DfE provided 2 new classrooms and a nursery which offers a state of the art Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) department for children aged 3-5yrs. An associated outdoor space provides an excellent learning environment and safe provision for our youngest pupils to enjoy.

From January 2018, pupils from Nursery to Year 4 are based in the Rainbow Building and Years 5 and 6 are educated in the Sunshine Building as they mature into independent young adults.

The school is on a large campus site, which offers generously proportioned classrooms, two multi-use halls and extensive outdoor areas, which offer an inviting environment for work and play. They include large playgrounds and playing field, wooded area, natural ampitheatre, a trim trail, a pond, covered seating areas and a dedicated EYFS outdoor learning environment. Pupils are actively involved in looking after the grounds and recently helped to build a quiet area and community garden. Winsford Education Partnership (WEP) Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School is a member of the Winsford Education Partnership. The Winsford Education Partnership consists of the 13 schools in Winsford; Wharton Church of Primary School, Winsford High Street Community Primary School, Primary School, Grange Community Primary School, Oak View , St Joesph’s Catholic Primary School, Over St John’s Church of England Primary School, St Chad’s Church of England Primary School, Over Hall Community School, Oaklands School, Hebden School and The Winsford Academy. The partnership works in collaboration to enrich the experiences of pupils across Winsford. As a member of this group the school takes full advantage of the numerous opportunities to join other schools for events and to ensure good transition between primary and secondary schools.

Community

Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School believes that it is important for the school to be rooted in its local community so it plays an active part in the life of the community and welcomes the community into the school.

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Willow Wood is endorsed a Families and Schools Together (FAST) school and offers the FAST experience to Y1 families during the spring term which strengthens relationships between families and our school. Curriculum Through a fully inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum we aim to stimulate the natural curiosity of every child and a love of lifelong learning. Our aim is to provide children with a good education and to create a positive climate for learning and to develop each child’s unique and full potential through a rich variety of teaching and learning experiences. Whenever possible we provide opportunities for learning by direct experience as we consider this to be the most effective way to learn. We are aware that children are individuals and we encourage them to set themselves high standards in pursuit of quality, no matter what their talents and capabilities. As well as encouraging tolerance and thoughtfulness among the children with a sense of personal responsibility we also encourage a go-for-it and a can-do attitude. As citizens of tomorrow, children will be inspired with a sense of ambition, purpose, optimism and self-belief that they can make a difference and contribute to making their world a better place.

A new National Curriculum was introduced for all maintained schools in England from September 2014 with associated assessment systems, which take place at the end of EYFS, Y1 (phonics), Y2 and Y6 SATs in reading, writing and mathematics and also spelling, punctuation and grammar at Y6. From next year times tables tests will be introduced at Y4, the current Y3 will be the first cohort to take this test. The National Curriculum establishes national standards for the performance of all pupils. It provides a national framework that promotes curriculum continuity and ensures progression in pupils’ learning. It facilitates the transition of pupils between schools and phases in education and provides a foundation for lifelong learning.

The 2014 National Curriculum comprises of the following core subjects:

• English

• Mathematics

• and the following foundation subjects:

• Art & Design

• Computing

• Design & Technology

• Languages (Spanish in KS2 at Willow Wood)

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•

• Music

•

Religious Education is taught through the locally agreed syllabus.

More information about the programmes of study can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum

At Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School we adopt an investigative focused curriculum based around key questions for the pupils to explore. This approach promotes questioning, collaborative, problem solving and thinking skills. Subjects are creatively linked and teachers present exciting activities which fire pupils’ enthusiasm. Whole school themes such as, ‘Heroes for Global Change,’ ‘Grand Designs’ and ‘Willow Wood Works’, generate a learning community approach and topics start with a wow beginning, which captures pupil interest and a wow ending which often involves parents and carers. Curriculum maps for each year group can be found on the School website.

Curriculum information is issued each term through the curriculum newsletter, which gives further information detailing what pupils will be learning through each theme, this is published on the website.

Pupils in Year 5 take part in the ‘Wider Opportunities’ initiative and all have the chance to learn a brass band instrument. Pupils are encouraged to continue this learning in Year 6.

Spanish is taught by a native Spanish speaker to KS2, this prepares pupils well for their transition to The Winsford Academy where Spanish is taught.

Outdoor learning is an important aspect to the curriculum at Willow Wood. Children enjoy the opportunity to explore the outdoor environment with their friends. They have lots of fun directing their own learning, improving their social, communication and physical skills as well as developing their self-confidence and connection with and respect for nature. School Sport and PE The main aims for school sport and PE are developing a healthy lifestyle, participation, enjoyment and a sense of improving as well as the opportunity to experience . Professional coaches, employed through Sportscape Leisure, and Beth Tweddle gymnastics ensure that pupils receive a high level of coaching across a range of games and PE, as well as being able to practise and embed their skills during the 2 hours of PE lessons pupils receive each week.

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Pupils learn that fair play and team work are the essence of team sporting activities and realise that in a team each member of the team has a role to play and are all valued for their participation. Teams need to learn to play together and to encourage each other in their play.

Through sporting activities pupils learn tactics and the ability to work with each other towards a common goal. Intra-school and inter-school sporting activities are held regularly and include football, and gymnastics. School actively participates in competition opportunities provided by the Winsford Education Partnership (WEP) and as part of the Winsford and School Sports Partnership.

All children are encouraged to develop their skills and give of their best at all times. In doing so they learn to enjoy the success that their efforts produce, or cope with losing, if that is the outcome. A positive approach is encouraged at all times to ensure all pupils understand and enjoy the value and benefit of physical fitness.

School was awarded Sainsbury’s SILVER School Games Mark in 2016 and again in 2017 and 2018. This rewards schools for the quality of their school sport provision and this year we are aiming for gold! Personal Social & Health Education\SEAL We believe that high quality PSHE education is a curriculum for life as it teaches children the skills they will need to lead a happy and successful life. School teaches Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) following the DfE curriculum. This curriculum is an embedded part of school life and helps children to develop the skills, attitudes and attributes to be a good citizen and contribute well to their own life and school life. The following topics are taught, New Beginnings, Getting On and Falling Out, Say No to Bullying, Going for Goals, Relationships, Good to be Me and Changes. This is a spiral curriculum and each topic is taught at the level right for the age and stage of the child. Sex & Relationship Education We believe that sex education should be part of a Science and Personal, Social and Health Education curriculum for all pupils in the school, likewise drugs education. In the normal course of events children’s questions are dealt with sensitively as they arise, taking care to match any information given to the maturity of the pupils concerned. More specific sessions for older children, led by the School Nurse, but under the direction of the class teacher, are held each year. The school has adopted the Christopher Winter programme to deliver high quality Sex and Relationship education in Y1-Y6 and staff have received specialist training, (http://cwpresources.co.uk/home.) Parent workshops are held to share the content of Sex and Relationship Education before this curriculum is shared with children. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from SRE and should inform Ms Tomlinson in writing if they wish to do so.

10 Religious Education and School Worship Religious Education is taught in accordance with the agreed local syllabus for Cheshire West & Chester with the emphasis placed upon the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of the beliefs and practices of Christianity and other world religions.

In line with the programme of study KS1 pupils have the opportunity to explore Christianity and one other religion. By the end of KS2 pupils have studied the beliefs of Christianity and two other world religions (in greater depth). All pupils are encouraged to respect the beliefs and values of others and to express their own opinions in a thoughtful and imaginative way.

Parents have the right to arrange for the withdrawal of their children from school worship and Religious Education if they so wish through informing the Headteacher, in writing. Alternative provision will be made for pupils who are withdrawn. Assessment All children are rigorously assessed throughout their learning journey. Teachers make assessments about children’s learning during every teaching session and these judgements form on-going Teacher Assessments, which help Teachers to plan next steps in learning and targets for their pupils.

During the Nursery and Reception years children are assessed with reference to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum using the Early Learning Profile to monitor progress. Staff develop a “Learning Journey” for each child which captures their development in photographs and words and this is shared with parent\carers on a regular basis and at least termly.

The transition to Year 1 is carefully planned to ensure continuity of learning for our young learners and this process is overseen by our Early Years Leader, Mrs Coates. Teacher Assessments continue to be made and shared with parents\carers at least termly. Year 1 pupils take the national phonics screening test at the end of Year 1 to inform parents\carers if their child has reached the nationally expected standard.

Progress continues to be closely monitored during Year 2 and at the end of KS1 National Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) are undertaken in English and Mathematics. These are marked internally, moderated externally and reported to parents\carers.

To help us to monitor progress during Key Stage 2, in addition to Teacher Assessments, we use a variety of methods. At the end of KS2 National Standard Assessment Tests are undertaken in English (Reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling) and Mathematics. These are marked externally and reported to parents\carers.

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Writing assessments are marked internally and moderated with other schools and the LA.

Targets for improvement are set regularly with pupils. Progress towards their targets is reviewed by staff in regular Pupil Progress meetings. We expect pupils to work hard and achieve their best. Each child’s acquisition of skills is tracked using ‘Target Tracker’ where 6 steps of progress are expected each year. Children’s progress is shared with parent\carers during parent evenings

Formal parent\carer evenings are held during the autumn and spring term, to discuss progress, targets and how parents\carers can support their child’s learning at home. We expect parents\carers to attend these meetings to support their child’s progress. An electronic booking system has been introduced and school will contact you to make a suitable appointment if you make or keep your appointment.

In the summer term a celebration open evening is held during which parents\carers can admire all the work their child has completed and appreciate all the effort and progress that their son\daughter has made.

Detailed, written reports are issued to parents at the end of the summer term in which parent\carers of all pupils are fully informed of their own child’s test results and progress. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) We are proud to be an inclusive school, which celebrates diversity and the contribution and achievements of all pupils. We aim to provide an inclusive education by adapting what we offer to meet the individual needs of pupils.

Right from the day a pupil begins in the Nursery or Reception Class we monitor progress very carefully in order to ensure that those with learning difficulties and disabilities can be quickly identified. School enjoys a close working partnership with other professionals and parents are always consulted and involved in any decision to involve other agencies in their child’s learning, such as the School Doctor, Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapists, Visually Impaired or Hearing Impaired specialist advisors.

The school is fortunate in having highly qualified staff who have a wide experience of meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and parents\carers should feel confident in working with the school to support their child’s learning. If your child requires additional support the class teacher and SEND Co-ordinator (SENDCo) will discuss their needs with you and your child may be placed on the SEND register. Termly review meetings are held for pupils with additional needs when parents\carers have the opportunity to meet the class teacher and school’s SENDCo in order to review their child’s progress towards their targets. Other professionals who are working

12 with their child meet with parents after formal assessments. A copy of the SEND Policy is available on the school website or from the school office.

In line with our Accessibility Action Plan the entrance to the school has been redesigned to accommodate wheelchair access, we have WC facilities for the disabled and a sound field system has been installed in both school halls for those with hearing difficulties.

Pupils with special educational needs are admitted into Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School in accordance with our inclusive school admissions policy. A clear and defined system for identifying and acting upon special educational needs and disabilities is set out in the Code of Practice on the identification and assessment of special needs. This code incorporates the graduated response system, which is operated within Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School. Any complaints about the provision or organisation will be dealt with through the procedures outlined in the whole school complaints policy.

Please see information on the School Provision for SEND on the website and if you have any queries please do note hesitate to contact our SENDCo, Mrs S. Atkinson. The School Day

Nursery

• 8.45am – 11.45 a.m.

• 12.15pm - 3.15 p.m.

Reception – Y2

• 8.50am – 12.00 noon

• 1.00pm - 3.00 p.m. Y3 – Y6

• 8.50am – 12.15pm

• 1.00pm - 3.00 p.m.

The external gates are opened for 8.40am and the classroom doors (Rec-Y6) are opened at 8.50am. Pupils are requested not to arrive at school earlier than 8.45am as they are unsupervised. Pupils may enter their classroom through the classroom door between 8.50am and 9.00am and settle quietly to an early-morning learning or Read and Respond (RaR) activity. Learning begins promptly at 9.00am. It is very important that all pupils arrive at school at the correct time as lateness causes disruption to learning. Punctuality is strongly encouraged but if your child does arrive

13 late then they will need to enter school through the main school office in the Rainbow Building and their name will be recorded as late in the attendance register.

Good attendance and punctuality is rewarded on a weekly basis. The whole school target for attendance is 96%, in line with the WEP attendance policy, which governors have adopted.

Access to the school is via the pupil gates. Please note that the car parks are out of bounds for pupils at all times of the day. If you do need to arrive at the Main School Office please walk on the footpath provided.

Parents are always welcome to call in and see the Headteacher, Deputy Headteachers or class teacher either just before 8.50 a.m. or at the end of the day, for a quick chat (if they are available) or to pass on a message. If you require a longer conversation please arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time. We encourage parents and carers to communicate with us before a small worry becomes a big worry and we will do the same!

At the end of the school day please wait for your child near to their classroom door and please be considerate when parking your car. Younger children (Nursery-Y3) must be met from school by a responsible adult, if you will not be meeting your child, please inform your child’s class teacher as to who will be collecting them. We will not release your child to an unknown adult.

Older junior pupils are told they must come back into school to inform their teacher if they are expecting someone to meet them and no one is there. We can then make the appropriate telephone calls. Your child will not be allowed to walk home alone unless you have given written permission (Y4-Y6). Hours Taught In a normal school week the children are taught for the following number of hours:

Reception – Y2: 22 hours

Y3 – Y6: 23 hours 40 mins

The above time excludes time devoted to acts of collective worship, breaks and class registrations. Teaching Organisation This year there are 14 single age classes across school and the Resourced Provision (Lilac Class), which caters for pupils with complex learning difficulties. Work is carefully planned to meet the needs of each child and Teachers work together to ensure there is consistency and progression through the years.

14 Headteacher • Ms S. Tomlinson

Early Years Foundation Stage/Reception • Miss N. Coates (Early Years Leader)

• Mr P. Burgess

Year 1 • Miss K. Hughes

• Mrs K. Ullein (Deputy Headteacher)

Year 2 • Mrs T. Graham

• Mrs J. Wilcockson

Year 3 • Mrs J. Bevan

• Mrs E. Williams

Year 4 • Mrs J. Kay (Deputy Headteacher)

• Mr C. Shone

Year 5 • Miss S. Reynolds

Year 6 • Mr A. Aspinall

• Mrs L. Grigg (Upper School Leader)

Resourced Provision • Mrs E. Capper

Music Specialist • Mrs K. Millar

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Teaching Assistants

We are extremely fortunate to be able to employ a fantastic team of Teaching Assistants who are able to meet pupils’ learning needs through small group work, one-to-one as well as supporting them socially and emotionally.

• Mrs R. Bailey • Mrs W. Cresham • Mrs L Chapleo • Mrs K. Clarke • Mrs N. Cooper • Mrs S. Ditchfield • Mrs J. Draper • Mrs R. Green • Mrs J. Hough • Mrs K. James • Miss L. Jones • Mrs P. Lee • Mrs T. MacKay • Mrs H. Pye • Mrs S. Ridgeway • Mrs N. Turnbull • Mrs Y. Webb • Mrs L. Webster • Mrs M. Yates

Family Workers/Emotional Literacy Support • Mrs A. Harries

• Mrs L. Nelson

• Mrs L. Chapleo

School Business Manager • Mrs H. Tolley

Administrative Officer • Mrs T. Smith

Administrative Assistants • Mrs K. Bowyer • Ms S. Gregory

Site Manager • Mr A. Kirk

16 Caretaker • Mr K. Wright

Cook • Mrs K. Jones

Kitchen Assistants

• Miss L. Norris • Vacancy

Mid-day Assistants • Mrs H. Abbott • Mrs S. Gregory • Mrs K. Hadley • Mrs A. Hatton • Miss A. Hancock • Mrs A. Lunt • Mrs H. Osborne (Supervisor) • Miss E. Pratt • Vacancy

Cleaners • Mrs D. Goodier • Mrs J. Gollins • Mrs J. Hamlett • Mrs S. Humphries

School Governing Body The Governing Body is the key strategic decision-making body of the school. It is their role to set the school’s strategic framework and to ensure all statutory duties are met. The three core functions of the Board are:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

• Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

(Governance Handbook 2015)

Governors represent different sections of our community and hold office for a period of four years. They may stand for re-election. The Governing Body was re- constituted during the autumn term 2014.

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Governors meet formally once per term as a minimum. There are two Committees, Leadership & Resources and Children & Learning, which meet at least once per term. Governors have links with classes, particular areas such as SEND and safeguarding, and areas of school improvement work; records of governor visits are presented at governors’ meeting. School Governors LA Conservative

• Mrs M. Hanna (Vice-Chair)

Community • Mrs S. Stretton (Chair) • Mrs J. Hopkins • Mrs J. Kay • Mrs S. Mellor • Mr R. Stoneley

Parent Representative • Mrs K. Hadley • Vacancy

Staff (Staff) • Mrs E. Capper

Staff (Head Teacher) • Ms S. Tomlinson

Clerk to the Governors • Mrs J. Mallaband School Council At Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School we believe that listening to the ‘Pupil Voice’ is vitally important and we view the pupils as leaders in school. We have an active School Council comprising of two children from year groups 1 to 6 who are democratically elected by their peers. Each School Council member serves for one year.

The School Council is led by the Chair of the Council, who is appointed by School Council members. Other members take on key roles such as Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Communication Officers. The work of the School Council is supported by the Headteacher, a Teaching Assistant and minutes are taken by a member of the Admin Team.

The School Council meets fortnightly to discuss a variety of issues and undertake specific research projects. They are given the opportunity to feedback to their

18 classes, to the whole school via assemblies and to School Governors. Over the recent years members from the School Council have been involved in leading anti- bullying work, improving the school grounds, the new build project, vision statement and logo developments for example.

General Information Admissions Arrangements Children are admitted into nursery at the beginning of the term following their third birthday. Parents can use their entitlement to 15 or 30 hours free childcare in our excellent early years setting which, is staffed by a specialist Teacher and Teaching Assistant and offers a high level of education and care. Please contact the school office for more information. Children are admitted into the reception class in the September following their fourth birthday in the September. Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School operates a part-time phased induction over the first few weeks, which ensures that children settle well and make a positive start to school. We plan a careful induction programme, which includes pre-school visits, home visits and visits to local nursery settings to ensure a smooth transition for our youngest children. Children who attend our nursery visit the reception class and join in activities on a regular basis.

For more information on admissions please see the admission page on the school website or contact the Admissions Team based at Wyvern House; The Drumber, Winsford, CW7 1AH. Parents may contact the Contact Centre on telephone *0300 123 7039* or via e-mail at [email protected] to obtain further details or look at Cheshire West and Chester website https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/education-and- learning/school-admissions/school-admissions.aspx

Our planned admission number is 60, which means that school can admit up to 60 pupils in each year group. Our good school is thriving and admits close to the limit each year. Uniform The staff, governors and parents wish the children to be dressed in smart to enhance the sense of pride and belonging to Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School and to ensure that pupils are comfortable and ready for learning.

Items of school uniform can be purchased from the School Office in the Rainbow Building.

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• sweatshirt or cardigan

• Red or white polo type shirt with

• Grey or , or pinafore dress (red/white summer dress)

• Black sensible school shoes

P.E. kit:-

• Black / white T-shirt / pumps for indoor P.E. trainers & tracksuit for outdoor activities.

Thank you for providing your child with school uniform, which sends a clear message that you support our school, its aims and high standards. Through encouraging your child to wear the correct uniform, including sensible black school shoes (for safety), you are supporting the school in the setting of standards and helping your child in learning to take pride in their appearance and their school.

All clothing should be clearly labelled with your child’s name, so that it can be returned to them promptly.

In the interest of Health and Safety jewellery is not to be worn in school, children must not wear inappropriate footwear and no nail varnish please. Small stud earrings are allowed however they must be removed by the child or covered up for PE lessons including swimming.

We promote school sport and PE and pupils will take part in 2 hours a week physical activity including P.E., games, wake and shake, daily walking (Smile for a Mile). For health and safety reasons children must be suitably dressed. Pumps with elastic rather than laces are safest for young children who cannot tie laces securely.

Swimming lessons are a normal timetable subject for Junior children, as we believe that swimming is an important life skill as well as an enjoyable form of exercise. The National Curriculum target is to swim 25 metres by Y6 and pupils do benefit from being taken swimming by their family outside school hours. Close fitting trunks or a full one-piece costume must be worn.

For outdoor learning sessions, pupils require wellies, trainers, leggings, tracksuits, jeans, hats, gloves, warm coats, depending on the season. We like the children to be warm as they experience all weathers!

Children will only be excused from physical activities on receipt of a note from their parent/carer.

All P.E. and games kit should be clearly marked with a name and kept in a bag, which will hang easily on a cloakroom peg.

20 Parents are asked to please note that the Local Authority does not accept any responsibility for loss of, or damage to, personal property whilst on or left at the premises. School Meals Healthy schools meals are prepared on the premises each day by our school cook and her team. We plan for dinner times to be a happy, social occasion where pupils can learn good table manners and chat to their friends. We have a great team of MDAs and TAs on hand to support the children. We teach the children how to use a knife and fork correctly and support from home is invaluable with this important life skill.

Many of our families are entitled to Free School Meals (FSM) and it is important that you claim them. Please call 0300 123 7039 for further information or contact Wyvern House, The Drumber. The number of Free School Meals claimed results in additional monies for our school (Pupil Premium), which funds a whole host of staff to work with your children and enrichment activities such as small group tutoring. (See website for further details)

All infant pupils (Rec – Y2) receive a school meal free of charge under the government initiative known as Universal Free School Meals. It is crucial that if you are entitled to a FSM that you still make a claim so that the school budget does not reduce. We want to provide our children with the best.

For Junior pupils dinner money is payable on Monday mornings – please send to school in an envelope labelled with your child’s name, class and amount enclosed. Dinners can be taken as and when required if money is sent into school. Dinners paid for but not taken through absence are credited so no loss of money is involved. (If paying by cheque, please make cheques payable to *“Cheshire West and Chester Council”*). The current charge for school meals is £2.30, from September 2018, per meal. There is no credit system available so dinners must be paid for as they are eaten. We do not want our families to run up large debts so we keep a careful eye on this. Governor policy is to request that families provide a packed lunch if no payment has been received for 2 weeks.

Children may bring sandwiches for lunch. For hygiene and safety reasons please leave glass bottles at home and no fizzy drinks. As a healthy school we encourage the pupils to eat healthy food and no sweets should be included in lunch boxes. Uneaten food is returned home in the lunch box so that parents\carers are aware of how much their child is eating at school. Snack Time Infant children are provided with fruit, as part of a free fruit for schools initiative funded by the Government, and milk, provided by Winsford Town Council, they may

21 bring their own healthy snack if parent\carers wish. Junior children are encouraged to bring their own healthy option (e.g. fruit) for their snack at morning break time or they may purchase a healthy snack from the school kitchen. Attendance We expect good attendance and punctuality and employ Mrs J. Matthews, Attendance Manager to ensure that our children are here to learn as much as possible as for children to make as much progress as possible they need to be in school as much as possible. All the local Schools within the Winsford Education Partnership (WEP) have a shared approach to improving attendance, which has been approved by the Education Welfare Officer and the Local Authority. Pupil attendance is rated, red, amber or green every term and reported to parents. The School has used a variety of ways of rewarding good attendance and punctuality. Good class attendance is celebrated in weekly celebration assembly. We understand that your child cannot help being ill but hopefully these rewards will allow your child to strive for the best attendance they can. The Government has changed the law so that there is no longer the concept of taking holidays in term time. Headteachers may only authorise a planned absence in extreme circumstances such as bereavement and terminal illness. If this affects your family please request an appointment with the Headteacher and complete the appropriate paperwork. No absences can be authorised retrospectively so please come and talk to us. Unexplained absences are marked as unauthorised in the school registers and the statistics are published nationally. Please make doctor and dentist appointments outside school hours whenever possible.

Good attendance is viewed to be above 96%. An attendance rate of below 90% is rated as persistent absence by the government. For 2017-18 our whole school attendance figure was 95.2%, this year we will be working together to reach 96% or more! Illness and Absences If your child is unwell it is essential you let us know on the first day of the illness, before 9.10 a.m. by sending a note, or by telephoning 01606 593896. A member of the school Admin Team will then be able to pass a message to the class teacher briefly stating what is wrong and how long your child is expected to be absent for. Unfortunately, without this information we are compelled to regard the absence as unauthorised.

If your child is taken ill at school you will be contacted and asked to collect your child. Please inform the school if there is any change in your emergency contact details. If you child has a sickness\diarrhoea bug then they need to be kept off school for 48hrs after the last episode of sickness\diarrhoea to prevent the spreading of germs. Thank you for your co-operation as this policy follows advice

22 from the School Health team and NHS. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy- and-baby/pages/diarrhoea-vomiting-children.aspx

Please make dental and doctor’s appointments after the school day or during the holidays wherever possible. However, if children do have medical appointments during school time, a parent/carer must come to school to pick them up.

If a child needs regular doses of medicine and these cannot be timed to coincide with out of school hours then the child is best kept at home unless a parent is prepared to come to school at the due time.

Please complete the correct paperwork if your child requires medication during the school day. Mrs N. Turnbull is our lead First Aider and can help you with any queries regarding your child’s medical needs. We aim to get children back into school life as soon as possible after they have been unwell or faced a medical challenge such as a long-term illness or a broken limb. Charging Policy During each academic year, educational visits are planned for our children as an integral part of the curriculum. These trips support, complement and enrich the curriculum of the classroom and offer the children exciting, meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities. The success of such visits depends upon the willingness of parental support. Visits undertaken in school time are financed by voluntary contributions and no pupil will be excluded from a visit because of a parent\carer’s inability to contribute. In practice, however, parent\carers should be aware that where insufficient contributions and funds are available, the visit may have to be cancelled. Arrangements are available to pay in instalments, if preferred, and should you have any difficulty in paying, please contact the School Business Manager or Headteacher for confidential advice as soon as possible. Residential Trips In years 3, 5 and 6 pupils attend a much-loved residential visit, linked to the theme being studied. These trips are viewed to be part of the curriculum and all pupils are expected to attend. The visits are always very popular and allow the children to learn many new skills as well as becoming more independent and confident. Parent\carers need to be aware that these visits are subsidised by school but cost around £100 per child. Please talk to Ms Tomlinson if you are concerned about the cost. After School Clubs Willow Wood provides a rich range of opportunities for children to extend and develop their interests and talents through attending an After School Club such as, choir, gardening, art and design, iPad and netball. Many of these clubs are staffed by our Teachers and TAs and so are free. Others such as Sports and Dance Clubs are offered through private providers and incur a small weekly charge.

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Transfer to High School Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School enjoys an excellent relationship with The Academy in Winsford, the school where most of our children go on leaving us at the end of Year 6. Close links have been formed with the smooth transfer of your child in mind. Throughout Year 5 and 6 the pupils attend workshops based at The Academy in preparation for this transition to . We also welcome members of staff from high schools into school to meet with their new pupils and so our staff can pass on relevant information. Home Learning Challenges Homework is viewed as an important opportunity for pupils to consolidate, extend and enrich learning in school. Following consultation with the School Council, homework is now referred to as, ‘Home Learning Challenges’.

In the early years the Home Learning Challenge is to read every day and complete any tasks that are set by their Teacher. As the children get older they are still expected to read daily and complete a range of challenges at home. For example, by Year 2 the children will have reading, weekly spellings, times tables and some individual work. In the Juniors, they may be given weekly spellings to learn, times tables, some maths work and work related to the current topic.

By Year 6 children will have approximately 30\45 minutes of homework each evening which might include reading, topic work, spellings, times tables, maths and science. We hope that parents\carers will encourage their children by praising them for good effort in their homework and support their child as necessary. If your child has spent the designated amount of time but the homework is incomplete then they need to stop at that point and let their Teacher know. Further details are shared at ‘Meet & Greet’ sessions and in the termly curriculum newsletters. Please do not hesitate to ask your child’s class teacher for clarification if required.

Parents\Carers and School Parental Involvement Good partnerships between parent\cares and the school form the basis of a child’s good progress through school. As a school, we recognise the importance of the home as the first learning environment for our children and we wish to build on that early learning and develop strong links with our families.

Our open door policy means exactly that. Continual dialogue and the sharing of information and expertise supports the child’s learning at every stage. We encourage parent\carers to take an active part in school life and get involved as

24 much as they are able. Here are a few examples of ways in which parent\carers get involved in the life and work of the school:

• Signing the Home-School Agreement

• Participating in FAST (Y1)

• Helping in classrooms

• Helping in the school grounds

• Baking with small groups of children

• Accompanying groups on educational visits and taking part in the annual family day out (nursery to Y2)

• Participating in training to support children’s learning.

Please note that to protect our children’s safety all parent\carers who help in school on a regular basis will be required to undergo a DBS check and to sign a confidentiality agreement. Information gained about children in school should remain in school, if parents\carers have any concerns they should talk to the class teacher in the first place.

Regular events are held when parent\carers are invited to share in their child’s learning experiences, e.g. class assemblies, craft afternoons. We are very pleased with how well attended these events are. Safeguarding We are very conscious of the responsibility we have for the children whilst they are in our charge and aim to provide the level of care that any responsible parent would. The children are supervised at playtimes and dinnertimes and pupils are expected to move around school in a calm and orderly manner.

In cases of illness in school, we always try to contact parent\carers by telephone to arrange for you to collect your child. First Aid is available for minor accidents in school. For cases of real emergency, it is vital that we have up to date emergency contact details of two parents\carers\family contacts for every child. If necessary school will dial 999 to call an ambulance, just as you would for your child.

Because of the day-to-day contact with children, schools are particularly well placed to observe outward signs of abuse, changes in behaviour or failure to thrive or progress. Parent\carers should be aware, therefore, that where it appears to a member of staff that a child may have been neglected or abused, the school is required, as part of Child Protection procedures, to report their concerns to the

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Social Care department. The school will discuss their concerns with you, unless doing so is viewed as placing the child at further risk of abuse.

School employs two Family Workers, Mrs Anita Harries and Mrs Laura Nelson, who work with families who may require additional support from time to time. The Family Worker’s role is to provide practical and emotional support to families or pupils at Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School and this can be facilitated at school, within the community or in your own home. Direct work is usually completed over a short period of time and where the need for more specialised support is identified the Family Worker will refer to relevant services. Some of the areas of support may include advice and support around behaviour, drug or alcohol use, relationship breakdowns, mental health, bereavement and parenting skills. Bringing up children is the hardest and most important job in the world and we would encourage you to contact Anita and\or Laura in confidence if you would like support or advice on any aspect of parenting or emotional support. We often receive positive feedback on the good quality service that is offered by our Family Workers.

Willow Wood also offers emotional support to pupils through our ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support) programme run by the Family Workers and Mrs Lydia Chapleo (TA). Friends of Willow Wood School (FOWWS) The school is extremely fortunate in having tremendous support from parents\carers, pupils, friends and staff. The Friends of Willow Wood School meets regularly to plan a wide range of events throughout the year, which will benefit our pupils and the school community. All parents\carers are encouraged to actively support the FOWWS. Further information about the work of the ‘Friends’ can be found of the FOWWS Facebook page.

If you are interested and would like to help in any way please speak to Mrs Tolley in the school office. We would encourage you to get involved and have fun at the same time as supporting your school. Money donated by the FOWWS goes directly to purchasing resources for your children such as the purchase of a stage for pupils to perform on. Behaviour Policy Willow Wood Community Nursery and Primary School is a caring and considerate school. We expect children to be honest, hard working, well mannered, respectful and punctual. We endeavour to promote good behaviour with praise and encouragement. We have high standards of expected behaviour, which we strive to maintain and we encourage the children to develop self-discipline. Visitors often comment on pupils’ exemplary behaviour as OFSTED did, ‘Pupils behave well. They are unfailingly polite and welcoming.’ (July 2015) We believe that we must all work

26 together for the benefit of our children and trust that you will support us wholeheartedly in this aim.

Whole school rules are kept to a minimum and reflect our aspiration to develop a caring community. They are displayed and discussed with the children regularly.

Our Golden Rules are:

• Look after each other and be a good friend

• Be polite and respect yourself and others

• Look after our school

• Listen carefully

• Try our best in all we do

These rules help us to ensure we have a safe, caring, purposeful and happy school for all our children and staff.

Respect and care for people and property is encouraged and the atmosphere that prevails is that of an extended family. We rely on an atmosphere of co-operation and mutual trust. Good behaviour is rewarded through our House system and also weekly in Celebration Assembly. All pupils and staff are members of a House and it is a weekly highlight to discover which House Team has gained the most points for excellent behaviour and endeavour.

Unacceptable behaviour is dealt with by staff in a consistent way. If problems arise parent\carers are contacted at an early stage. Parent\carers are encouraged to do likewise if they have concerns. Mrs Kay and Mrs Ullein, DHTs are responsible for leading on behaviour in school, so please feel free to contact them for further information. A copy of our Behaviour Policy is available on the website.

We value the support of parent\carers in helping us to maintain good discipline in the school. Communication with Parents and Carers Good communication is vital to promote harmony and understanding. Please contact us early on if you have any concerns by telephone, e-mail or arranging an appointment through the School Office.

There is a parent\carer meeting in the autumn and spring terms, when progress can be discussed and individual pupil targets will be shared. A comprehensive annual report on each child’s progress is provided for parent\carers towards the end of the school year.

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A newsletter is sent home regularly and published on the School website informing parents of events, achievements, visits etc. and any developments to the School curriculum and policy. Please look at your child’s class page for a wealth of information about your child’s exciting learning journey. www.willowwoodprimaryschool.co.uk

The Freedom of Information Act requires publicly funded bodies, including schools, to be clear about the information they publish. We have produced a publication scheme setting out all the information we publish on a regular basis and where to find it. Please ask the school office to let you see the scheme or provide you with a copy free of charge.

Parent\Carers are encouraged to take part in school life and are most welcome to come into school at the end of the school day if they wish to talk with their child’s teacher or to make a convenient appointment. Complaints Procedure If you become concerned in any way about your child’s education it is important that you tell us as soon as possible as we are keen to resolve concerns quickly and effectively. As a first step you should discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher. If you are still concerned after talking with the teacher you should arrange to meet with the Deputy Headteacher and if necessary the Headteacher. If your concern is about the Headteacher then you should contact the Chair of Governors.

The staff and governors will do all they can to resolve your concerns and ensure you are happy with your child’s education.

If you remain dissatisfied with how your concern has been addressed then you need to follow our Complaints Policy which is on the website and available from the School Office. Again, the Headteacher and Governors will be keen to deal with your complaint in an effective and timely manner. Sharing Information with other services such as Health and Social Care Schools hold information on children for a variety of purposes. This information is likely to be academic, social or personal. For most children, for most of the time, this information is confidential to the school and the Local Authority. However, sometimes we need to consult other services to help or support children. If situations arise where the sharing of this information becomes necessary, the consent of parent\carers, or the young person (subject to age and maturity) will be sought. Only very rarely, where there appears to be a serious threat to a child’s welfare, would we disclose information without first seeking permission. (Please ask in school for more details on this issue, if required).

28 Photographic Images Photographs are used to enhance teaching and learning, placed in pupil books and on displays to evidence learning. All parents will be asked to sign a general consent form. Parents and relatives of pupils should note that any photographs or video film they take at school events are likely to contain images of other children who will not have given permission to be filmed or photographed. Such images should not be circulated more widely than the family; i.e. they should be for the family’s use only. Any such photographs or video film must not be distributed more widely e.g. placed on Facebook or other forms of social media. Breakfast Club School operates a Breakfast Club, which is open from 8am each school day. The Club offers a healthy breakfast and a fun start to the day so that pupils are ready for learning when they enter the classrooms. If you wish your child to attend please contact the School Office to see if there is space on the register. After School Club - Sunflowers School runs its own After School Club to cater for working parents. It is based in the Sunshine Hall and offers excellent standards of care along with fun and exciting activities to enhance children’s learning and development through play. The provision was rated as good during its recent inspection.

The Club is open 3.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday term time only, offering a service to all children aged from four to eleven years and their families.

Fees are inclusive of a snack tea. For more information and current prices, please ask in the school office. Arrangements for Children to be met from School Please ensure that children are collected promptly at the end of the day and notify us of any unavoidable delay. When your child starts school please let us know what regular arrangements will be made for your child to be met from school. If those arrangements change, please let us know. If your child is to be collected by someone different, please tell your child’s teacher in advance and provide us with some form of identification and/or a password.

When collecting children from school, by car, please park further down Bradbury Road or in Crook Lane or Esk Road. Please do not park on or opposite the hatched lines outside school. Please do not park close to the junction of Crook Lane and Bradbury Road.

We would suggest that you wait for the children inside the playground as the pavement outside the school is very narrow. Please be aware that the school

29 premises and grounds are a strict no-smoking area. Dogs are also not allowed on the school premises. Your co-operation in these matters is much appreciated.

The information included in the prospectus relates to the year 2018\2019. Although correct at the date shown below, there may be changes during the school year and in subsequent years.

September 2018

(School name updated February 2019)

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