Ysgol Prospectus 2020-2021

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Contents

1. Welcome/Croeso 2. About us 3. School details 4. Our Values and vision 5. Our Staff 6. Our Governors 7. Admission to Ysgol Acrefair 8. School Uniform 9. School meals 10. Out of school Care 11. Charging and remissions 12. Equality/accessibility 13. Curriculum 14. Class organisation 15. Homework 16. Assessment 17. Meeting the needs of learners 18. Pupil voice 19. Awards and Links 20. Sport and Health Education 21. Extra-curricular activities 22. School Discipline and Behaviour 23. Pastoral care 24. Attendance 25. Health and Safety/Safeguarding 26. Online safety 27. Complaints 28. Data 29. Term Dates/Training days

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Welcome/Croeso

It is with great pleasure and pride that I welcome you and your child to our school community at Ysgol Acrefair. We hope that the years spent here with us will provide happy and treasured memories and the foundations for an ambitious and inspirational future.

At Ysgol Acrefair we have four core values: 'Aspire, Inspire, Nurture and Respect'. These run through everything we do.

We are very proud of our caring and nurturing ethos and believe we provide an excellent education with strong links to our local community. We aim to provide a happy, caring and secure environment in which each child will develop their skills and talents to the full. We have high expectations of the children in our care and we aim to provide them with the best possible start to their school lives. We believe that we can do this best when close partnership and co- operation is built between home and school. Parents are encouraged to be involved in all aspects of school life.

We hope that this prospectus captures our school, but we always welcome visits so that you can see our school for yourself

At Ysgol Acrefair-

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Rebecca Turner

Headteacher/Pennaeth

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

2. Ysgol Acrefair- about us

Ysgol Acrefair is housed in a building, which was opened as a Secondary School in 1931. It is a large, bright building of the traditional Secondary Modern Style. It contains large classrooms and spacious corridors. It has a large hall with a stage for School plays and performances. The hall also serves as a gym. There is a separate dining room with canteen facilities. Outside there are large playgrounds and playing fields, a forest school site and a number of other outdoor learning areas where the children have the opportunity to learn, explore and adventure!

The school is situated just off the main road (A539) between and , about 6 miles from . It is an urban/rural area and the school serves the village of Acrefair, and a large area of the Plas Madoc Housing Estate which is just on the periphery of the village.

Not far away on the banks of the River Dee is the Ty Mawr Country Park and its idyllic surroundings, which is regularly visited by the School. There is also the Trevor Basin and the leading to Telford’s famous Aqueduct.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Situated on the School campus is the pre School Playgroup – Kiddies’ World, which although autonomous, has a close relationship with the School. Kiddie’s World offer a Nursery plus session in the afternoon if you would like your child to attend until 3pm.

We also run an after school club called 'Diddy Dragons' until 5.30pm and a free Breakfast Club that runs from 07:50 am. Our After School club caters for pupils aged 3-11. Diddy Dragons also operates during the school holidays.

Ysgol Acrefair has close links also with the Community, and the Governors actively encourage the use of the campus for Community use, e.g. Male Voice Choir hold rehearsals twice weekly in the School Hall.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

3 . School Details

YSGOL ACREFAIR Tower View, Llangollen Road Acrefair, Wrexham, LL14 3SH Tel: 01978 820616

HEADTEACHER Mrs Rebecca Turner

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS Mrs Tabitha Large

THE SCHOOL Ysgol Acrefair is a Community Primary School catering for Foundation phase and Junior age children. We also have Nursery age children on a part time basis – (0.5). The school is maintained by Council.

WELSH LANGUAGE CATEGORY Ysgol Acrefair is a category 5 English medium school teaching Welsh as a second language

Support Category Ysgol Acrefair is a Green A school. This means we know our school really well and need minimum support.

Our website address is: acrefair-pri.wrexham.sch.uk

Follow us on twitter @YsgolAcrefair

Download our school app for Iphone/Android from the app store search for Acrefair.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

4. Our Core Values and Vision

Our 'Core Values' and vision at Ysgol Acrefair

Together the staff, children and governors decided on the four core values that underpin all the work we do at Ysgol Acrefair. They are:

'Aspire, Inspire, Nurture and Respect'

Aspire

Our Core Value ‘Aspire’ promotes opportunities for all children to become ambitious, capable learners. We are aspirational for all of the children who attend Ysgol Acrefair and endeavour to ensure that our curriculum enables all children to enjoy and achieve their full potential.

Inspire

We will plan for learning opportunities which engage and inspire our children. Meaningful and purposeful learning will enable our children at Ysgol Acrefair to become enterprising and creative contributors.

Nurture

By being part of a nurturing environment and learning the importance of being part of a caring community we will enable our children at Ysgol Acrefair to become healthy, confident individuals.

Respect Developing the Core Value of Respect will enable our children at Ysgol Acrefair to become ethical and informed citizens

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

5. Our Staff

Classroom staff

Head Teacher Mrs Rebecca Turner Deputy Head Teacher Mrs Ceri Halley Foundation Phase Leader Mrs Wendy Steen Teachers Nursery – Mrs Wendy Steen Reception – Mrs Nia Brophy Year 1 – Miss Laura Cannadine ( maternity cover for Mrs Zoe Jones) Year 2 - Miss Katie Rosen Year 3 – Mrs Sarah Jackson Year 4 – Miss Katie Head/Mrs Helen Martin Year 5 – Mr Matthew Allman Year 6 – Mrs Ceri Halley Booster teacher/ALNCo– Mrs Helen Norman

Classroom Assistants Mrs Ann Duke (Reception) Mrs Nicola Wooding (Nursery/ Forest School) Miss Emma Jones ( Nursery/Year 3) Mrs Jane Roberts (Reception) Miss Hannah Davies (Reception) Miss Bethan Williams (Reception ) Miss Amber Scandariato (Y1) Miss Alison Regan (Y2) Miss Alison Dillon (Y4) Mrs Rebecca Brown (Y4) Miss Laura Edwards (Y5) Mrs Jo Koscinska (Yr6 and 1-1 )

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Our Support Staff

Secretary/admin Mrs Sam Wright School Cook Mrs Carolyn Richards Catering Assistants Mrs Elizabeth Edwards

Mid-day Supervisors Miss Hannah Davies Miss Emma Jones Miss Amber Scandariato Mrs Susan Evans Miss Bethan Williams Mrs Jane Roberts Mrs Nicola Wooding Mrs Jo Koscinska

Breakfast Club supervisors Mrs Jo Koscinska Miss Laura Edwards Miss Alison Dillon

Caretaker Mr John Beckett

Cleaners Mrs Diane Edwards Mrs Elizabeth Edwards

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6. Our Governors

Governors Mrs Tabitha Large – Chair

Mrs Mavis Davies– Vice Chair - LEA

Mrs Rebecca Turner– Head teacher

Mrs Nicola Davies-Bottomly -LA Miss Diane Powell -LA

Mr Paul Blackwell – Additional Community (local councillor) Mrs Lesley Edwards – Community Mrs Mavis Davies - Community Mrs Katie Davies - Community Mrs Tabitha Large -Community

Mrs Helen Norman - Teacher Rep. Miss Zoe Woodward – Teacher Rep Miss Amber Scandariato – Staff Rep

Mr Ian Mclaran – Parent Governor Mrs Ruth Jones- Parent Governor Mrs Annabelle Lawton – Parent Governor Mrs Leanne Edwards– Parent Governor

Mrs Camilla Povey – Clerk to the Governing Body

Head of Education (WCBC) Mrs Karen Evans Ty Henblas, Queens Square, Wrexham, LL13 8AZ Tel: 01978 297505

GwE Supporting Improvement Advisor Mrs Catharine McNamara

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7 .Admission to Ysgol Acrefair

SCHOOL ADMISSION PROCEDURES

The process for admitting children to Ysgol Acrefair is administrated by Wrexham County Borough Council . This is now an online process for Nursery, Reception and High school admissions. If a child is transferring mid-year then the school will refer the parents to the admissions team in Wrexham .

Nursery Education is provided each morning. Please note that Nursery children are admitted in the September following their third birthday.

Admission for full time Reception children is in the September following their fourth birthday.

Should parents wish to move their child/children mid- year then a ‘mid-term transfer’ form will need to be completed. These are available from Wrexham County Borough Council.

Being a primary school the pupils transfer with ease at seven to the Year 3 class. Having reached the end of Year 6 they generally transfer to Ysgol Rhiwabon or Ysgol Dinas Bran. The excellent link, which exists between Ysgol Acrefair and the Secondary Schools makes the transfer at 11 years of age an easy one for the children.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

8. School Uniform and Clothing

Children are encouraged to take pride in being a member of our school community. We have an official school uniform that consists of the following: * green polo shirts, * blue sweatshirts/cardigans with school logo * black or grey trousers / skirts * black shoes. ( not trainers)

Children also need P.E. and games clothing : Plain black shorts plain white T Shirt /or with school logo suitable trainers or pumps.

Polo shirts, sweatshirts, cardigans and school PE kit can all be purchased online at RAM Leisure in Wrexham. Children will also need to have a set of clothes for Forest School activities including waterproof coat and a pair of wellingtons. The class teacher will inform you when your child be attending forest school sessions. Jewellery is discouraged for safety reasons but small stud earrings may be worn and will need to covered/removed for PE sessions.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

9. School meals

These are prepared on the premises. They are lovely healthy set meals and are prepared according to Welsh Government guidelines and Wrexham BCC's menu.

Dinner money can be paid daily or weekly and must be paid in advance. This can now be paid online. You will be issued with a password etc when your child starts at school with us.

Infant meals - £2.40 Junior meals - £2.40

10. The School day/Out of school Care

Breakfast Club

A breakfast club is run every day for children of all ages. Children may be dropped off from 07:50 am and will be offered a healthy breakfast and drink. Children are supervised by staff and will be taken into classrooms at 8:40 am to join the rest of the school. For more information please ask at the school office. We currently charge £1 per child if they arrive before 8:20 am. The club is free if children arrive after 8:20am. Please note we do not accept children after 8:30 am.

Diddy Dragons After School and Holiday Club

Our after school club runs every day from 3:15pmto 5:30 pm . Children need to be pre-registered to attend the club and we appreciate them being booked onto the club in advance if possible. For more information on charges etc please contact the school office. There is a reduced charge for families with more than one child attending. Our Holiday club runs during the school holidays and must be pre-booked. We have a Facebook page Diddy Dragons, which has lots of information too.

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THE SCHOOL DAY

The school day begins at 8.50 am and ends at 3.15 pm. It is vital that pupils arrive on time in the mornings. Children are asked not to arrive at school before 8.40 a.m unless they are attending Breakfast Club. A member of staff will be on duty from 8.40 a.m until 3.30p.m each school day. All children may enter the school building from 8:40 am onwards and go straight to their classrooms where they will be supervised by their teachers. All children have a morning break at 10.40 to 11.00am. Lunch is from 12.15pm to 1.15pm, for Foundation Phase and Key Stage 2

11. Charging and Remissions

Educational visits/activities covering all aspects of the curriculum will be organised to take place largely during school hours and will involve all relevant pupils. However, each visit/activity will be dependent upon the necessary funds being available to and/or the response of voluntary contributions.

No child will be excluded from such activities simply on the basis of non-contribution but at the same time cancellation may be necessary due to lack of funds. For further information please see the full Charging and Remissions Policy as determined by the school's Governing Body.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

12. Equality/Accessibility

We recognise the right of equality of opportunity for all individuals, staff and pupils, irrespective of their ability, gender, language , status, race, religious beliefs or age. We view this policy as an integral part of our whole school ethos and approach. This is reflected in how other policies are planned and implemented.

We have developed and regularly review and monitor our strategic equality plan. This plan is based on equality and opportunity for all and the right for all children to be the best that they can be.

13. Our Curriculum

Our curriculum is broad, balanced, differentiated and relevant to the needs of each individual. Since 2015, we have re-imagined our curriculum in which children develop their skills and knowledge through exciting contexts for learning and through 'rich tasks'. We employ a variety of teaching methods as we recognise that children have different preferred learning styles. Children may work as groups, pairs or individuals and are encouraged to be responsible and to take pride in their work. We are currently working on developing our curriculum in line with the welsh government developments to introduce the New Curriculum for .

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

We value our skills based curriculum which places great emphasis on practical, enquiry led learning in which children are encouraged to explore things for themselves and to become aware of how they are learning new skills and gaining new knowledge.

As a 'Lead Creative School' we value the skills and learning experiences that can be taught and enhanced through the creative arts. Our creative curriculum encourages learners’ natural sense of curiosity and enquiry as well as offering opportunities to teach transferable skills across the curriculum. The development of literacy, numeracy, problem solving and ICT skills ,is a strong feature of the curriculum. We believe that this enquiry led approach to learning promotes the development of thinking skills.

The school has developed its resources and accommodation in order to deliver an exciting and challenging curriculum. We have interactive whiteboards , laptops and cloud book computers in every classroom as well as a large central set of laptops.

The school has a large 'Secret Garden' for Key Stage Two, and extensive grounds which have been developed to include a large Forest school area and outdoor classroom, fruit trees, , a wildlife area, vegetable plots, a secure pond and a woodland area. The grounds are used throughout the year to enhance the

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' curriculum, including forest school activities. Similarly, outdoor areas for the Foundation Phase classes have been developed, enabling children to learn through practical activities. Children’s learning is given a meaningful context with regular off site experiences including annual residential trips for every class in Key Stage Two.

Foundation Phase 3-7 years old

A curriculum has been developed in Wales known as the Foundation Phase. We have embraced the philosophy of a more developmental curriculum in which children can learn through first hand experiences appropriate to their stage of learning. The children explore new learning opportunities through seven areas of learning:

Personal & Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity

We provide opportunities for the children to learn how to relate to adults and other children. They are encouraged to co-operate and share and to show consideration for other people. We foster independence but ensure that the children also know when to ask for help. We encourage the children to care for themselves, for one another and for the environment. Multicultural understanding is approached through craft, music, role play, visits and visitors to the school, stories and songs.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Language, Literacy and Communication

We aim to develop all aspects of language so that the children are able to become good readers and writers. Speaking, listening, reading and writing are all closely inter-related, with the emphasis during the early stages of the Foundation Phase being on developing speaking and listening skills. As your child progresses from nursery to full-time education in the reception class, reading will be introduced in guided group reading session using a variety of reading schemes. The Phonics Bug scheme supports the development of phonic skills, used in reading and writing. We ask parents to support reading development, encouraging fluency and expression and to provide good reading role models by reading to children themselves.

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Mathematical Development

A large part of this area is carried out through practical activities. These activities provide opportunities to develop cognitive thinking and can be used independently or through co-operative play. The outdoor environment is used frequently to further develop skills which have been introduced in the classroom.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

We encourage children to find out about their immediate environment and the wider world. The children are given opportunities to explore, construct and discover and to talk about families, the community and the environment. Adult guided activities include cooking, tasting and smelling different foods, planting and growing in outdoor classrooms and in our forest school and celebrating festivals of the world. The curriculum is enriched by providing lots of opportunities for educational visits off-site in conjunction with topics being studied.

Creative Development A selection of creative activities is made available to the children every day in individual classrooms and in shared areas for continuous provision. Some activities are guided by staff while others may be completely child initiated. Children may also use creative activities as a means of recording some of their experiences such as illustrating what they have seen during a sensory walk, responding to music through dance, working with a local artist etc.

Physical Development

At Ysgol Acrefair ,we promote regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. Through practice, pupils develop muscle control, co-ordination, awareness of others and the space in which they move. Children also have to think and use their judgement to solve problems when taking part in physical activities which help to build self-confidence and develop imagination. Children are encouraged to use small and large equipment, from pencils to bicycles, to develop fine and gross motor skills with increasing control.

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Welsh Language Development.

Our children are encouraged to use the Welsh language on a daily basis. They respond to and initiate incidental greetings and discuss the weather and simple likes and dislikes. Great importance is given to celebrating St. David’s Day and Welsh literature, music and the arts feature prominently throughout the year in topic- linked activities. We introduce the children to people and places of interest within Wales with frequent trips to ares of local historical and cultural interest.

Key Stage Two 7-11 year olds

Children in Years 3-6 follow the Welsh National Curriculum for Key Stage Two. It provides our children with exciting opportunities to develop the skills of learning alongside the acquisition of knowledge and, in this sense, builds upon the enriching experiences of the Foundation Phase. Whilst our thematic curriculum helps children to make links between different areas of learning, some lessons focus on separate, individual subjects (Science, R.E., Welsh, P.E., Music and some aspects of English and Maths), The Literacy and Numeracy Framework and Digital Competency Framework provide a continuum for the development of literacy (oracy, reading & writing) , numeracy and ICT skills across all curriculum areas. The statutory subjects taught in KS2 are English, Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music, Physical Education, Welsh, Design and Technology, Personal and Social Education and Religious Education. We believe that children are more motivated and engaged in school life when they are given a context or reason for their learning and, while more emphasis is placed on the formal recording of ideas in Key Stage Two, many activities are still based on practical, interactive experiences and rich real life problem solving tasks and experiences where children can apply their skills in exciting contexts.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Visits by ‘experts’ and off-site visits are used to engage the children’s interest in a new context. We take advantage of the opportunities offered by visiting theatrical companies, poets, artists and musicians and pupils are encouraged to share their learning with others by planning presentations for parents and/or other classes at the end of each topic.

All Key Stage 2 pupils are encouraged to participate in residential trips to develop personal and social skills and have a go at some adventurous activities. For example, In 2019 Year 4 went to Glan Llyn , and Year 6 to Cardiff.

TEACHING METHODS AND CURRICULUM ORGANISATION

We believe that it is all-important to make the learning environment in the classroom as beneficial as possible. This is achieved by: -

 Ensuring the children understand the learning intention(s) of the lesson or activity  Exhibiting pupil’s work, creating an attractive, interesting atmosphere and ensuring the best possible resources to promote learning.  Giving the pupils the opportunity to take an active part in the learning process through individual, pair or group work.

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 Ensuring learners are engaged by using a wide range of teaching and learning strategies that cater for differing learning styles.  Use of effective questioning to extend and clarify learning  Lessons that allow pupils to develop the Key Skills of communication, mathematics, IT, problem solving, and creativity.  Regular assessments, shared with pupils, which assess against the learning intention(s) of the lesson and inform next steps.

If you would like to learn more about the way that children learn at Ysgol Acrefair, please ask for a copy of our Learning Adventure Policy.

Religious Education and Collective Worship

Religious Education is compulsory for all pupils at Ysgol Acrefair . However, parents may withdraw a child from religious education by informing the Governing Body in writing. The R.E. syllabus is of a broadly Christian nature but recognises the teachings and practices of other major religions. The religious education curriculum forms an important role in promoting the spiritual, moral and social development of pupils in the school. A daily act of collective worship is held for all pupils in the school. Collective worship at our school is wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Parents also have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship in school, if they so wish. Assemblies are also held by other outside agencies such as St Mary's parish church, NSPCC, Canals and Rivers Trust etc

Parents wishing to withdraw their children from such activities are asked to do so in writing.

We hold Friday Family Services on a regular basis where classes take it in turns to lead. Parents are invited in for this.

Sex and Relationships Education

Sex and relationships education is taught informally, in a factual and sensitive manner as appropriate to the age and development of the child. In Year 6 , a programme of lessons is offered by our school nurse and class teacher. Parents will have the opportunity to withdraw their children from these lessons if they wish.

Welsh and Y Cwricwlwm Cymreig

All pupils receive weekly teaching in the Welsh language and are encouraged to use the vocabulary taught in Welsh lessons in as many different contexts as possible, including other curriculum subjects. Staff and pupils use Welsh greetings and instructions incidentally throughout the school day and Welsh is promoted as a living, relevant language. We aim to develop an understanding of what it is to be Welsh and to celebrate the Welsh culture through the Cwricwlwm Cymreig. It has a strong focus throughout all curriculum areas; the children explore the work of Welsh artists and writers as well as the history and geography of Wales.

Welsh is taught as a second language as part of the National Curriculum, with emphasis on conversational fluency in preparation for further development in the secondary school. Pupils will begin to write very simple phrases in Welsh from the age of 5 such as “Dyma Fi” – “Here I am”. As children progress through the school particularly at KS2

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' children will be expected to write Welsh stories, poetry and factual passages with support. An interest in Welsh culture is developed throughout the school through the learning of Welsh history, songs, verses and hymns, welsh assemblies and special events such as St David’s Day. The task of learning Welsh is not an easy one but parents can assist the school greatly in this respect. Here are some suggestions. When it is practical and possible, we should try to encourage a child to:-

1) Speak Welsh regularly. Speaking comes first and foremost. 2) Read or share Welsh books 3) Watch Welsh programmes on television

14.Class organisation

The school consists of the Foundation Phase department (Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) and the Key Stage Two department ( Years 3-6).

We are lucky to have a non-maintained setting 'KiddieWorld' on site for children aged 2 upwards including Early entitlement and Flying Start provision. We also have an on- site todddler group based in our Activity centre. For further information please contact Kiddieworld on 01978 810242.

Children start our school Nursery in the September following their 3rd birthday. At the beginning of the school year in which they turn 5 , children are admitted into our reception class full time.

We are a single entry school and are able to admit 30 pupils per year group. We currently organise our classes into 8 single age classes. Our Nursery pupils attend on a part time basis each morning from 8:50 am until 11:30 am .

Transition The school has many procedures in place to help ensure that each pupil’s transition into a new class is as smooth as possible. Children entering our Nursery and Reception classes have opportunities to visit their new class as part of an extensive induction programme which begins in the summer term before they start school and parents receive booklets detailing all they need to know about class routines and expectations. Similarly, all children enjoy a ‘taster’ morning in their new classes in the summer term of each year. We have established very strong links with The Ysgol Ruabon and Ysgol Dinas Bran where the majority of our pupils transfer after Year 6. Staff from the secondary school visit Year 6 pupils in their primary school setting. A transition project has been developed for the summer term of Year 6 and the autumn term of Year 7 to prepare pupils for some of the challenges ahead of them and several visits to the High Schools allow our pupils to meet children from other

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' primary schools and to explore the issue of transition through a range of exciting activities.

15. Homework We value the learning which takes place outside of school hours and actively encourage participation in community groups such as Beavers, Rainbows and local sports clubs. We pride ourselves on a very positive relationship with parents and homework is another key feature in fostering valuable home-school links, with parents/carers working alongside children to provide them with the necessary guidance and support. The nature and quantity of homework is set with the age and ability of children in mind; while Nursery and Reception children make use of the Home Lending Library and 'Weekend Friends' scheme, reading books are sent home from Reception class onwards, with spellings and Maths activities also being introduced progressively throughout the Foundation Phase.

In Key Stage Two, we ask parents to continue to support reading, spelling and multiplication tables. From time to time, creative tasks and research tasks may be set as homework, either to consolidate or to prepare for work covered in school.

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16. ASSESSMENT, RECORDING AND REPORTING On entry to school, pupils are assessed on the Foundation Phase Profile in order to provide a baseline for future progress. The school follows statutory requirements to assess children at the end of Year 2 against Foundation Phase outcomes in Personal, Social Education, Language, Literacy & Communication and Mathematical Development. Similarly, at the end of Year 6, teacher assessment is used to award each child a national curriculum level for English, Mathematics, Science and Welsh. However, throughout each year group, teachers will make continuous assessments of every child’s performance; we provide opportunities for all children to show what they know, understand and can do. The assessments take many different forms such the marking of pupils’ work, observations of pupils, the use of standardised tests and involving pupils in simple assessments of themselves and of their peers and the subsequent setting of their own targets. Collectively, these procedures help teachers and the Senior Leadership Team to track pupil progress and identify the learning and teaching required to ensure a process of continuous development. Pupils in Years 2-6 will take the National Reading and Numeracy (procedural & reasoning) tests each May. Standardised scores will be available for parents at the end of the summer term. A class meeting is held at the start of each school year in which parents can meet the teacher and be informed of general class routines, such as homework and P.E. times. Each class also hosts a termly coffee morning where parents/carers are invited in to share the children's learning and to look through their books and ICT portfolios etc. Written reports are provided at the end of the year which detail each child’s progress and identify targets for improvement. Parents have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress on an individual level with the class teacher in each term during parental consultation meetings. However, teachers are happy to discuss concerns at any time during the school year providing that a prior appointment is made via the class teacher or school office.

17. Meeting the needs of learners

More Able and Talented (MAT)

In our school we aim to provide a curriculum that is appropriate to the needs and abilities of all our children. We plan our teaching and learning in such a way that we enable each child to reach for the highest level of personal achievement. We recognise and support the needs of those children in our school who have been identified as ‘more able' and ‘talented’ according to national guidelines. In these

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' guidelines the term 'more able and talented' is used to describe pupils who require extended opportunities across the curriculum in order to develop their abilities in one or more areas. Approximately 20% of the school population may be 'more able', while the top 2% could be considered 'exceptional'. Those children who are 'more able' often have very well-developed learning skills. The term ‘talented’ refers to a child who excels in one or more specific fields, such as sport or music, but who does not perform at a high level across all areas of learning.

In addition to testing through National Tests, and CAT and ongoing teacher assessment, the following are also utilised as identification methods for placement on the MAT list:

School checklists Teacher nominations Self nominations - checklists Peer nominations Parental Information

Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

Many children at some stage in their Primary School years experience difficulties in specific areas of learning.

At Acrefair School, our aim is to identify and assess, as early as possible, all children who have a special educational need. This results in the school being able to make provision for them so that an appropriate level of work and the right amount of support is provided to allow them to access the curriculum.

Children with an identified need will have specific targets to work towards and will have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) drawn up. Close liaison between the teacher, parents and our Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCO) ensures that all parties work together to try to achieve the targets. Parents are given a copy of the IEP and are involved, during Parent/Teacher consultations to review the progress that has been made.

Some children will need additional support for a short period of time, while others may need it for substantially longer.

We are very proud of the excellent range of expertise and specialist provision that we are able to offer our pupils at Ysgol Acrefair. Our children with ALN consistently make very good progress .

Parents are always welcome to discuss any concerns with teachers or with the ALNCO – Mrs Helen Norman. Further information is also available in the school's 'Additional Needs Policy'

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EAL- English as an Additional Language

Wrexham's EAL service works closely with the school to support children with English as an additional language.

Pupils with disabilities Arrangements for the admission of pupils with disabilities is in line with the disability discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. The school building currently has One entrance available for wheelchair access. Disabled pupils are most welcome to attend this school and will not be treated less favourably than other pupils. We would endeavour to gain extra support from County to make integration into the school community as smooth as possible.

18.Pupil Voice At Ysgol Acrefair we value highly the pupil voice in the work and development of the school and as such have a wide range opportunities for pupils to contribute. Our groups include a very active School Council, Eco Council, Digital Leaders, Criw Cymraeg, Sports Ambassadors, Playground Buddies and our KiVa anti-bullying team.

19. Awards and Community Links We currently hold the following awards:

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Healthy Schools - Phase 10 Eco Schools- Gold Award Catch-up Excellence Gold award KiVa School Status Lead Creative School ASD Aware school We are currently working towards gaining Investors In Families, Dyslexia aware

At Ysgol Acrefair we believe that community links are very important and impact strongly on the development of pupil's social skills, their ability to interact with adults and their growing self-esteem. As part of further developing our role in the community we aim to:  be at the heart of the community  have a welcoming ethos  involve ourselves with community groups/events and local businesses etc  share our facilities with the community  work together on community projects  engage in multi-agency working to provide a range of services for both pupils and their families

20. Sport

We have been developing the profile of sport/fitness at Ysgol Acrefair , both as a curriculum subject and as an extra-curricular activity. Besides our own school hall and yard facilities, we are able make use of the extensive school playing field , tennis courts and all weather pitch. The residential trips in Key Stage Two provide great opportunities for outdoor and adventurous activities. Whilst the majority of P.E. lessons are taught by class teachers, pupils also benefit from specialist coaching and teaching from outside agencies, including local secondary schools and independent coaches. The sporting achievements of pupils is celebrated in our ‘Sporting Superstars’ display board and, throughout the year, pupils have the opportunity to attend after-school clubs for, netball, athletics, football, yoga, cricket etc .The school enters teams in a variety of local sporting competitions during the year.

Swimming lessons Years 4/5/6 will visit Leisure centre to learn to swim in accordance with the requirements of the National Curriculum. Parents are asked to contribute towards the cost of transport.

21. Extra-curricular activities Ysgol Acrefair takes pride in the quality and range of after-school clubs that are offered. We feel that it enriches the educational experience of all the children in the school and there is a high demand for places in many of the clubs. No children are

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' excluded for their gender or ability but, for some clubs, the school has to ask for a small charge if a specialist coach is employed. We are always looking for ways to expand our range of activities. At the moment, our current programme includes Tae Kwondo, netball, football, yoga, art club, computer club, KS2 choir, and Drama club.

Musical Instrument Tuition The school currently buys into the Wrexham Music Cooperative to provide a range of instrumental lessons.

22. School Discipline and Behaviour

Care for the children is the responsibility of all staff but each child is placed in the specific care of a class-teacher. We have high expectations of children’s work and behaviour. We reward positive behaviour and set clear boundaries so that children know what is acceptable. The school encourages self-discipline and self-esteem and looks to parents for support in this. Where punishment is necessary this only takes the form of a reprimand or withdrawal of certain privileges. The school’s Behaviour policy is available for further information. .

At Ysgol Acrefair we have only 3 school rules but these permeate through every aspect of school life and are based on our core value of Respect Our Respect Rules are: At Ysgol Acrefair, we:

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

* Respect everyone

* Respect property

* Respect time

23. Pastoral care

Administration of Medicines

School will only administer medicine in line with the school's 'Administration of Medicines Policy' . All medicines must be handed into the school office and be clearly named with the child's own name. Parents must complete a medicine form detailing dosage and timings etc. Without this permission, staff will not be able to administer the medicine to your child.

If a pupil has a serious or recurring medical problem PLEASE inform us on the admittance form and make clear to class teachers what they need to do if the child is ill e.g. asthma. In some cases we will work with parents and medical professionals to draw up an individual care plan e.g. allergies, feeding tubes, diabetes care etc.

Routine Checks

Certain health checks/routine immunisations/dental health screening etc will be undertaken at school by the relevant health professionals. The school nurses makes regular visits to the school. They test the children’s sight and hearing. If you have any questions or concerns, our school nurses Sandra Eastwood and Janet Hill will be happy to meet you in school or visit you at home. Just contact the Head teacher.

Illness/Accidents in school Although we do the best we can, in cases where we suspect illness, parents are contacted by telephone. Cuts and grazes are dealt with by the class teachers/first aiders. Despite trying to avoid them, occasionally a child has an injury, which requires hospital treatment. If you are not immediately available your child will be taken by a member of staff to the hospital while we make contact with you or a close relative.

Emergency Contact Details

In case of emergency, a telephone contact number must be provided for each child. Hospitals prefer a parent to be present when providing treatment to children. it is vitally important that we are kept informed of any address/telephone number changes.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

24. Attendance

It is vital the your child attends school as often as possible. Attendance is monitored very carefully at Ysgol Acrefair and our target for all our children is at least 96%.

If a child is absent from school ,Parents must let us know as soon as possible the cause of absence from school on the morning of the absence by phone/email if possible.

Parents may request up to 10 days holiday each year from school., however this will not be authorised by the headteacher where the child's attendance gives cause for concern or is under 94%. It is very important that your child attends school punctually and regularly. In the event of the child being persistently late or absent with no reasonable explanation, our Attendance Officer ), Ricky Jones will be informed. Absences of pupils for which no valid explanation has been provided will be treated as unauthorised. Birthdays, looking after other children, shopping trips within school hours, visiting relatives and long weekend breaks , will not be acceptable reasons for absences. Information about school holidays and In-Service Training days can be found at the back of this prospectus.

If your child is absent from school please inform the school by telephone in the first instance. A note will be required explaining the reason for absence on the child’s return. A member of the school office staff may call you on the first day of absence to enquire as to a reason for absence. For permission to leave school premises during the school day, e.g. to attend an appointment, it is essential that a letter is sent to the class teacher or a phone call made to the school. Appointment cards are available from the school office. Returning to school after illness Children returning to school after illness should clearly be fit to do so and free from infection. If in doubt the school is happy to advise.

Dentist/doctor appointments should where possible be arranged out of school hours, however should this be impossible then advance notice of the appointment

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' must be given. Pupils must be collected from the front entrance and will need to be signed in and out. We will require evidence of all appointments.

25 -Health and Safety

Security and Safeguarding

The security of pupils is of paramount importance to us. We must ensure that pupils adhere to school rules regarding health and safety. The school is fenced and has CCTV. Security locks are activated at the beginning of the school day (8.50a.m.). Teachers are on duty from 8.40a.m.Adult supervision of children is on all yards at all play and lunch times. Staff will ensure that all children are collected at the end of the school day . Foundation Phase children will be handed over to their parents/carers at the end of the school day. We ask parents to inform school if their child is being collected by someone other than their designated carers.

The staff car park is for the use of staff only and is clearly signed as such, with the exception of parents/carers with a registered disabled badge.

Smoking

The school has a no smoking policy. The staff all recognise the damage that smoking can do including the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited in the school playground.

Dogs For obvious reasons in protecting pupil health, we request that dogs are not bought into the school grounds, this includes the school field.

Safety of Pupils As many pupils no longer walk to school, there is traffic congestion at both school entrances at the start and the end of the school day. Cars irresponsibly parked put pupils at risk and also cause upset with our neighbours. The school has requested that the police prosecute anyone parking illegally at our school entrance. The staff car park is for the use of staff only and is clearly signed as such, with the exception of parents/carers with a registered disabled badge.

Members of the teaching staff supervise the children during breaks and by seven supervisory assistants during the lunchtime. A fire drill is carried out regularly and the school is maintained in a safe condition. P.E. equipment is regularly inspected and lessons are supervised responsibly.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Child Protection

The Head Teacher is the designated child protection officer for the school. In her absence, it is the Deputy Head Teacher Mrs Ceri Halley. Mrs Tabitha Large and Mrs Nikki Davies- Bottomly are our designated Child protection governors.

All staff and volunteers have a current DBS certificate and also receive annual safeguarding training. The school co-operates with Children’s Services to ensure the safeguarding of all pupils. If concerns are raised about a pupil or family, contact is made with Children’s Services and, if advised, a referral for Child Protection or Child In Need will be made.

The school has a Data Protection policy which details the arrangements for secure storage of pupil records and images. Parents are invited to give permission for photos to be used in school, on the website or in the press each year. Parents are permitted to take photos and videos at most school events but are requested not to upload photos onto the internet, including social media. Parents are also strongly advised not to discuss pupil wellbeing on social media. Please report all concerns to the class teacher or Headteacher promptly

26. Online safety ICT Appropriate use of the Internet ICT has become a life skill and computer skills are vital to access life long learning and employment. Safe and appropriate use of technology is embedded throughout the curriculum atYsgol Acrefair. Pupils are taught the importance of safe, responsible and legal use of ICT at all times,

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts' minimising risks to data and themselves. We believe that it is advisable for parents to consider our policy and strategies when allowing your child access to the internet at home. Remember the dangers:-  Some material published on the internet is for adults and not suitable for children  Some people use the internet to publish information on crime, weapons and racism  bullying can occur in all forms.  Email, Facebook and chat communications could also provide opportunities for adults to make contact with pupils for inappropriate reasons.

Use of Digital Images

Pupils and members of staff may use digital cameras/ipads etc to record evidence of activities in lessons in and out of school. These images could be used for presentation or used to celebrate success through publication in newsletters, on the school website or in the public media. The school complies with the data protection act and we request permission from parents/carers before taking images of your child. You will be sent a form to complete in the September of every year, or on admission to the school.

27. Complaints

Ysgol Acrefair welcomes any parents/carers into school to discuss any concerns they may have. An appointment can be made via the school office and most issues can be resolved quickly. In the unlikely event of the issue being unresolved, parents/carers have the right to take the matter to the governing body. The school has a complaints policy which is accessible via the website and includes the complaints procedure if required.

Parents are requested not to discuss complaints about school issues and especially staff on social media. Please make an appointment to see the Headteacher instead. Thank you.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Attendance Data

Attendance information is gathered from the daily register. Authorised absences include being away due to illness, a hospital appointment or special circumstances, such as bereavement in the family. Unauthorised absences occur when, despite the School’s efforts, an absence cannot be explained or the reason for being absent is not one that we are able to authorise, for example, shopping trips in school time. Attendance Statistics have not been included this year (n2019 -2020) due to Covid - 19

In order that sessions missed through unauthorised absences are kept to a minimum we request that parents ring school on the day of absence to inform us of the reason for non-attendance. If we have not heard from parents by 10.00 a.m. they are contacted, by phone, by the school secretary. We work closely with our cluster attendance officer Ricky Jones to monitor, review and take steps to improve attendance where necessary.

Term Dates

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'

Training days for 2020-2021 are as follows: Monday 4th January 2021 Tuesday 5th January 2021 Monday 12th April 2021 Tuesday 13th April 2021 Monday 19th July 2021 Tuesday 20th July 2021

Wrexham Academic 2019 - 2020 2020 - 2021 2021 - 2022 Year Dates AUTUMN TERM Training Day Term Opens Mon 2 September Tue 1 September 2020 Tue 1 September 2021 Half Term Close 2019 Fri 23 Oct 2020 Fri 22 Oct 2021 Half Term Open Fri 25 October 2019 Mon 2 Nov 2020 Mon 1 Nov 2021 Mon 4 November 2019 Term Closes Fri 20 December 2019 Fri 18 December 2020 Wed 22 December 2021 SPRING TERM Term Opens Mon 6 January 2020 Mon 4January 2021 Thu 6 January 2022 Half Term Close Fri 14 February 2020 Fri 12 Feb 2021 Fri 18 Feb 2022 Half Term Open Mon 24 February Mon 22 Feb 2021 Mon 28 Feb 2022 Term Closes 2020 Fri 26 March 2021 Fri 8 April 2022 Fri 3 April 2020 (NB. Good Friday 10 April (NB. Good Friday 2 April (NB. Good Friday 15 April 2020) 2021) 2022) SUMMER TERM (Easter Sunday 12 (Easter Sunday 4 (Easter Sunday 17 April 2020) April 2021) April 2022) Term Opens Mon 20 April 2020 Mon 12 April 2021 Mon 25 April 2022 May Day Fri 8 May 2020 Mon 3 May 2021 Mon 2 May 2022 Half Term Close Fri 22 May 2020 Fri 28 May 2021 Fri 27 May 2022 Half Term Open Mon 1 June 2020 Mon 7 June 2021 Mon 6 June 2022 CTD Thu 25 June 2020 Thu 24 June 2021 Thu 30 June 2022 Term Closes Mon 20 July 2020 Tue 20 July 2021 Wed 20 July 2022 TOTALS Training Days Training Days Training Days Please note: training dates from September 2013 will be decided by the individual school within their consortium. For all enquiries regarding these dates please contact the school.

'Every Child Matters, Every Day Counts'