Stifford Clays Primary School Prospectus 2018/2019

Stifford Clays Primary School Whitmore Avenue, Stifford Clays, Grays, Essex. RM16 2ST Telephone: 01375 373866 Website: www.stiffordclaysprimary.thurrock.sch.uk Interim Head of School: Mrs F Burdett Link to School App: https://www.schudio.com/free-school-app/

Stifford Clays Primary School is operated by South West Essex Community Education Trust Limited which is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number: 07693309. The registered office is at William Edwards School, Stifford Clays Road, Grays, Thurrock, Essex, RM16 3NJ.

School Ethos

To encourage pupils to develop confidence, self-respect and a knowledge and understanding of the diverse communities around them and provide a working atmosphere where good relationships between staff and pupils contribute to effective and enjoyable learning experiences.

Our aim at Stifford Clays Primary School is to ensure that all the children have the best possible opportunities to enable them to master skills and develop attitudes they will need, for the rest of their lives. We also want them to enjoy their time in school and feel safe and secure.

We recognise it is important to provide children with an environment which is stimulating, caring and supportive and one which meets the needs of every individual. The children are encouraged to be independent and responsible. This leads to them developing self-confidence, respect and the appreciation of other views and opinions.

Those who visit our school, often comment on the friendly quiet working atmosphere which exists and enables our children to thrive. This is helped by having staff that are dedicated and committed in their role, not only in achieving high standards but also to provide a rich and varied curriculum.

We offer a wide range of balanced learning activities to cater for all children, this enables them to grow into good positive citizens. We also offer an extensive range of extra-curricular activities both academic and sporting.

We believe that in order for children to achieve their best, there needs to be a positive and transparent relationship between home and school.

Core Beliefs

Our intent is for Stifford Clays Primary School to be a warm, caring environment in which each individual will feel secure and trusted, having the necessary support to leave the school with a real sense of achievement and self-worth. Personal, social and health education are areas considered key to the development of the whole child and those which will have a profound impact on them for the rest of their lives. We also aim to encourage a sense of moral, spiritual awareness, recognising that self-esteem and thought for others is of paramount importance. We do not discriminate on the basis of colour, culture, origin, religion, sex or ability.

All children will be given the opportunity to achieve their full potential through high quality teaching. We will encourage our children to be confident, responsible, courteous and happy individuals.

At Stifford Clays Primary School we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers receiving services from the school. We aim to develop a culture of inclusivity and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and able to participate fully in school life.

The achievement of various groups of pupils is carefully monitored. We use this data to support pupils, raise standards and ensure inclusive teaching. We tackle discrimination by the positive promotion of equality, challenging bullying and stereotypes and creating an environment which champions respect for all. At Stifford Clays Primary School we believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.

Core Values

Respect: We build trust and respect, valuing the rights and feelings of people within our community.

Aspiration: We know what our goals are and we aim to achieve excellence within them, we want to be successful.

Responsibility: We can be trusted to carry out tasks independently and take control of our own actions.

Kindness: We value the richness our community has to offer, we are caring and thoughtful towards people in our community.

Honesty: We can be relied upon to tell the truth.

School Overview

Interim Head of School: Mrs F Burdett

Status and Character: Academy Primary and Nursery School Boys and Girls age 2 – 11 years S

Number of Pupils on Roll at May 2018: -- 743 (including nursery)

Senior Leadership Team

Interim Head of School: Mrs F Burdett

Assistant Head Teacher: Mrs J Fisher Inclusion

Assistant Head Teacher: Ms H Green

Full staff details can be viewed on our website: www.stiffordclaysprimary.thurrock.sch.uk

School Hours

Key Stage 2 School Hours: - morning session 8.50am – 12.20pm (Wed. – 12.10pm) (Year 3 – Year 6) morning break 10.30am – 10.45am afternoon session 1.15pm – 3.15pm

Key Stage 1 School Hours: - morning session 8.50am – 12.10pm (Wed. – 12noon) (Year 1 – Year 2) morning break 10.30am – 10.45am afternoon session 1.10pm – 3.10pm

Reception School Hours: - morning session 8.50am – 11.45am afternoon session 1.10pm – 3.10pm

Nursery (Saplings) Hours: - morning session 8.45am – 11.45am afternoon session 12.30pm – 3.30pm

Pre-school (Seedlings) Hours: - morning session 8.45am – 11.45am afternoon session 12.30pm – 3.30pm

Drop-Off and Collection Procedures

Seedlings & Saplings Nursery Children

Drop-Off Parents bring their child to the demountable classroom located to the right of the KS1 building. Entrance can be gained via the nursery gate in Whitmore Avenue. You will be met by early year’s practitioners where they will receive you and your child.

Collection Parents collect their child from the demountable classroom located to the right of the KS1 building via the nursery gate in Whitmore Avenue.

Key Stage 1 Children

Morning Drop-Off Children must be brought to the playground between 8.45am and 8.50am using the KS1 car park entrance. Adults will be on the gate and playground to guide children to their class assembly point from where their teacher will lead them into school at 8.50am. No parents are allowed on the playground in the mornings.

End of School Pick-Up At 3.10pm Key Stage 1 classes finish lessons for the day and get ready to go home. They then walk to the KS1 playground accompanied by their class teacher or adult. This will allow teachers and parents to engage in short conversation where necessary. Parents are asked to wait in the KS1 playground keeping any siblings with them well supervised.

Key Stage 2 Children

Morning Drop-Off Children can be dropped off at the first gate at the green or the second gate in the school from 8.40am. There is no need for parents to be in the playground in the morning as there will be sufficient supervision in place. There will be an adult standing on both gates at all times ensuring no child can leave or unauthorised people can enter. The bell is rung at 8.50am when children walk into school in class groups. On arrival in class, pupils are registered and lunchtime arrangements completed.

End of school Pick-Up The gates will open at 3.00pm to enable parents to enter the school playground and collect their child/children. All children will be lined up, giving parents an opportunity to have a brief chat with the class teacher if needed. Parents must stand behind the white lines to allow staff to bring the children out into the middle of the playground safely, ready for collection.

If you also have a child in KS1, arrangements can be made for them to be escorted by staff to the KS2 playground for collection.

If you arrive after the school gates have closed please ensure you escort your child to the main office where they can be registered.

There is great value to both parents and children from walking to school. This is frequently promoted and always encouraged. A crossing patrol operates in Whitmore Avenue and barriers by St. Peter’s Church have made the pavement safer for pedestrians. If it is essential for parents to drive to the school, cars should be parked sensibly according to road markings. Illegally parked cars are being reported to the police by residents and the school, your child’s safety is our priority. The police will continue to use traffic enforcement officers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN’s) to parents parking illegally. Admissions Procedure

Admission to Primary School At Stifford Clays Primary School, we believe the early stages of a child's life to be most important in laying foundations for future learning. We have long recognised the disadvantage to spring and summer born pupils regarding the length of time spent in Key Stage 1.

All Reception pupils start school in September and are offered a full time place which they are gradually introduced to.

All parents who wish their children to attend our school must apply to Thurrock Council’s Admissions Department early in the year (a date is published) preceding the Academic Year that the child is due to be admitted into school. The Local Authority encourage applications to be made on the Thurrock Council Website.

Admissions to our school are in line with Thurrock Admission arrangements as follows: When there are fewer applications for places in a particular school than the published admission number for that school all legitimate applications will be met with the offer of a place there. Where there are more applicants than places, the following oversubscription criteria (admission criteria) will be used for deciding which applications have priority. These criteria are set out below in the order in which they are applied.

1. Looked after children and previously looked after children. Children in public care and children previously looked after will automatically be given first priority over other categories where priority is claimed on the application form and validated by the local authority. 2. Special reasons Priority for admission may be given where there are exceptional social, medical or educational reasons for admission to a particular school. These reasons must be supported by evidence from a relevant professional (e.g. a doctor or a social worker) and must be submitted with the application for admission. The purpose of this criterion is to give priority to pupils with a specific need that can be met specifically at one school rather than another. The threshold for a successful application under this criterion is high and such cases are likely to be rare since all schools are able to offer support and facilities for a wide range of needs. 3. Children transferring from partner infant schools. This is for Year 3 admissions only. 4. Catchment area siblings. Children whose normal place of residence is in the catchment area of the school at the closing date for applications, and who will have a sibling at the school at the point of admission, in distance order with those living closer having higher priority. 5. Catchment area children. Children whose normal place of residence is in the catchment area at the closing date for applications in distance order with those living closer having higher priority. 6. Non-catchment area siblings. Children whose normal place of residence is outside the catchment area of the school at the closing date for applications and who will have a sibling at the school at the point of admission in distance order with those living closer having higher priority. 7. Non-catchment area children. Children whose normal place of residence is outside the catchment area at the closing date for applications in distance order with those living closer having higher priority.

Appeals - Parents have the right to appeal against a decision made regarding admission. Any appeal should be made in writing, addressed to: Admissions, Education Department, PO Box 118, Grays, RM17 6GF.

Admission to Nursery Stifford Clays Primary School 2-4 year old provision admits children from the term following their 2nd birthday within the academic year.

How to apply. A nursery application form can be obtained from the school office or from the school website.

If applications exceed the number of places available, Stifford Clays Primary School will apply the following criteria in making allocations in the following order.

1) Existing nursery pupils not yet accessing their full entitlement of funded hours 2) Looked after children. Children who are in care or previously in care or interim care of a local authority pursuant to sections 31 and 38 of the Children’s Act 1989, or children who are accommodated by a local authority pursuant to section 20 of the Children’s Act 1989. 3) Children living within the existing priority admission area for the School a) Pupils who have brothers or sisters (siblings*) attending the School at the date of admission. b) Proximity of the pupil’s home to the School’s Pupil Entry Gate (by straight line measurement in metres) with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority. 4) Students who live with parents, guardians or carers who are employees of the School Provided that the employee has been employed at the School for a minimum of two years at the date of application for admission and/or are recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage. 5) Pupils living outside the existing priority admissions area for the school: a) Pupils who have brothers or sisters (siblings*) attending the School at the date of admission. b) Proximity of the pupil’s home to the School’s Pupil Entry Gate (by straight line measurement in metres) with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority.

In the event of over subscription the School will maintain a waiting list. Pupils on the list will be ranked in order of priority for admissions irrespective of the date of application.

*Although this list of criteria will be the adopted order by which places are allocated, the school withholds the right to make exception to these guidelines and apply discretion allocating spaces based on circumstances e.g. special needs, family circumstance, 2 year funding

Admission to nursery class does not guarantee a place in the reception class. The local authority manages school admission for statutory age children and must be applied for separately to Thurrock Council.

Charges will be made for services beyond the free entitlement, including lunchtime provision and additional half day according to the school policy for charging for extended nursery provision. The consent of parents and a willingness to meet extra charges will be sought before any bookings are finalised.

SCHOOL TERM & HOLIDAY DATES – ACADEMIC YEAR 2018/2019

SEPTEMBER 2018 OCTOBER 2018 NOVEMBER 2018 DECEMBER 2018

M 3 10 17 24 M 1 8 15 22 29 M 5 12 19 26 M 3 10 17 24 31

Tu 4 11 18 25 Tu 2 9 16 23 30 Tu 6 13 20 27 Tu 4 11 18 25

W 5 12 19 26 W 3 10 17 24 31 W 7 14 21 28 W 5 12 19 26

Th 6 13 20 27 Th 4 11 18 25 Th 1 8 15 22 29 Th 6 13 20 27

F 7 14 21 28 F 5 12 19 26 F 2 9 16 23 30 F 7 14 21 28

S 1 8 15 22 29 S 6 13 20 27 S 3 10 17 24 S 1 8 15 22 29

S 2 9 16 23 30 S 7 14 21 28 S 4 11 18 25 S 2 9 16 23 30

JANUARY 2019 FEBRUARY 2019 MARCH 2019 APRIL 2019

M 7 14 21 28 M 4 11 18 25 M 4 11 18 25 M 1 8 15 22 29

Tu 1 8 15 22 29 Tu 5 12 19 26 Tu 5 12 19 26 Tu 2 9 16 23 30

W 2 9 16 23 30 W 6 13 20 27 W 6 13 20 27 W 3 10 17 24

Th 3 10 17 24 31 Th 7 14 21 28 Th 7 14 21 28 Th 4 11 18 25

F 4 11 18 25 F 1 8 15 22 F 1 8 15 22 29 F 5 12 19 26

S 5 12 19 26 S 2 9 16 23 S 2 9 16 23 30 S 6 13 20 27

S 6 13 20 27 S 3 10 17 24 S 3 10 17 24 31 S 7 14 21 28

MAY 2019 JUNE 2019 JULY 2019 AUGUST 2019

M 6 13 20 27 M 3 10 17 24 M 1 8 15 22 29 M 5 12 19 26

Tu 7 14 21 28 Tu 4 11 18 25 Tu 2 9 16 23 30 Tu 6 13 20 27

W 1 8 15 22 29 W 5 12 19 26 W 3 10 17 24 31 W 7 14 21 28

Th 2 9 16 23 30 Th 6 13 20 27 Th 4 11 18 25 Th 1 8 15 22 29

F 3 10 17 24 31 F 7 14 21 28 F 5 12 19 26 F 2 9 16 23 30

S 4 11 18 25 S 1 8 15 22 29 S 6 13 20 27 S 3 10 17 24 31

S 5 12 19 26 S 2 9 16 23 30 S 7 14 21 28 S 4 11 18 25

= Holiday = Bank Holiday = Non-Pupil Day

Autumn Term: Monday 3rd September 2018 – Friday 21st December 2018 Less 10 days Half Term 22nd October – 2nd November

Spring Term: Monday 7th January 2019 – Friday 5th April 2019 Less 5 days Half Term 18th – 22nd February

Summer Term: Tuesday 23rd April 2019 – Friday 19th July 2019 Less 5 days Half Term 27th – 31st May, Bank Holiday 6th May

Non-pupil Days: Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th September 2018, 3 more TBA

Staff Training And Non-Pupil Days

Five non-pupil days are arranged throughout the year and parents are notified. Staff use these days for 'whole staff training' or for major re-organisational tasks.

Other training takes place throughout the year whereby members of teaching and educational support staff attend courses as appropriate to school development. Teaching staff hold weekly in service training to continually develop their practice. The Senior Leadership Team meets weekly to monitor school improvement.

Leave of Absence During Term Time

With regards to those parents who intend to withdraw their child from education in term time, a “Leave of Absence” form (available from the School Office or in the “Policies” section on our Website) must be completed. It is important to clarify that parents do not have the right to remove children from school for holidays. Whether or not a request is granted it is at the discretion of the school and our policy is in line with that of the Local Authority. It should be noted that leave of absence will NOT be granted during times when children are taking school tests, e.g. SATs or school assessments. Parents can face prosecution if their child has unauthorised absence from school.

Our Attendance System

We are required by law to record all absences. PLEASE inform the school on the day if your child is not going to attend school. If no reason is given for absence, the law states an unauthorised absence mark must be given and the figure published. We operate a policy of ‘First Day Contact’ where the school tracks the attendance of each child. If a child is absent and the school is not aware of the reason, we will contact parents and relatives (as given on the contact form) to establish their whereabouts. It is therefore essential to notify the school office prior to your child being absent or on the day of absence. If the whereabouts of child has not been determined a home visit will be made. We have introduced regular monitoring of attendance and report weekly in assembly on the classes that achieve the highest attendance, which we hope will motivate all children to improve their attendance and be at school on time every day. We have developed a 3 stage support system to help improve attendance for all pupils. This can be found in our attendance policy which can be viewed on our school website or be made available via the front office.

Good attendance is clearly very important and we urge parents not to withdraw their child from school and only do so when it is absolutely necessary for example, due to illness. It is even more crucial they attend regularly now that we teach some subject areas such as Mathematics in blocked units, as two weeks missed through absence can potentially set a child back and have a serious effect on their learning. Revision for Year 6 SAT tests begins in January and it is vital they don’t miss any time, to ensure that they are able to perform at their very best in May when they sit their tests. The rest of the school do their year group assessments tests around this time, often in June.

Please make every effort to ensure your child arrives at school in time to meet friends in the playground and enter the classroom ready for registration and the beginning of a new school day. Children hate being late as it generally unsettles them. If things go wrong and you know your child will be late, please telephone the Office as soon as possible so we can inform the teacher. A record of lateness is kept and is passed on to the Pastoral Leader to address any punctuality concerns.

Rates of Authorised and Unauthorised Absences for Stifford Clays Primary School From 1st September 2017 to 31st March 2018

% of sessions (½ days) missed due to authorised absences: - 3.1% % of sessions (½ days) missed due to unauthorised absences: - 1.1%

School Uniform

The Governors and staff have adopted the wearing of school uniform which is deliberately kept simple. All children are expected to wear the correct uniform. We believe uniform, in addition to looking smart, helps the children “belong” to our school.

General wear: Blue trousers (NOT jeans or track suit bottoms) Blue skirts Blue pinafore dresses Navy jumpers or sweatshirts (ideally crested) Navy blue cardigans Navy fleeces White collared shirts/blouses, polo-shirts School ties are available to purchase from the school office Summer wear: Blue knee length shorts (NOT Bermuda/beach/sports type) Blue gingham summer dresses (NOT sun-top style) School crested cotton baseball caps are available to buy from the School Office PE wear: Blue shorts White T-shirt Plimsolls or trainers Dark coloured tracksuit in cold weather

Sensible plain black shoes or trainers should be worn (no flashes or colours on trainers please). A pair of trainers/plimsolls and dark coloured tracksuit (in cold weather) are necessary for outside games lessons for ALL pupils, including Reception classes. PE in the hall is generally taken barefoot. For reasons of safety, long hair needs to be tied back and earrings removed. PLEASE LABEL ALL CLOTHING. Please provide your child with sunscreen and headwear during the summer months as shade is limited.

Uniform with or without our school logo is available from Tesco at very reasonable prices, although parents do not have to buy items from here. This can be accessed by going to the following Website: www.tesco.com/ues choosing Thurrock and searching for ‘Stifford Clays Primary School’. You will then be able to login or register to purchase uniform from the site.

Jewellery and Valuables Apart from watches we do not allow the wearing of jewellery except for religious reasons. After attending recent health and safety training it has been decided that no earrings or studs should be worn while the children engage in PE. The rear of stud earrings could pierce an artery in the neck. Please ensure that your child’s earrings are removed before they come to school on a day that they will be taking part in PE. If a child has had their ears pierced recently, we will not allow the child to engage in physical PE for a minimum of 6 weeks.

No large sums of money should be brought to school for private use and mobile phones should not be brought into school unless absolutely necessary and agreed by the headteacher. These must be handed to the School Office, labelled or in a marked envelope, where they will be held until the end of the day for collection. The school cannot be held responsible for the loss of any valuables.

Health And Welfare

A precise record of each pupil's personal details is recorded on admission. This includes health problems, home circumstances and contact numbers (should we need them if a child becomes ill). It is important that parents notify the school of any changes, especially regarding the three areas mentioned.

It is also helpful if we are informed of any circumstances that may affect a child's progress or behaviour. For example, a bereavement, divorce or separation of parents or problems concerning a brother, sister or other family member.

Please notify the school as early as possible if your child is ill, particularly if your child has an infectious condition such as German Measles. If a pupil becomes ill whilst at school we will do our utmost to make them comfortable and contact parents or other authorised contact.

If a child requires medication during school time it is essential that clear verbal and written instructions are given to first aid staff. Medicine brought into school must be in its original container, clearly labelled. It will be kept in the Medical Room in a locked cabinet. The only staff members authorised to administer medicines are Nursery Nurses and staff in receipt of the First Aid at Work Qualification.

Children in Key Stage 2 are expected to take their own medication where possible, supervised by a member of staff. All inhalers must be clearly labelled and are kept in the child’s class for immediate access. Children who need their inhaler at lunch time must bring it to the first aid station prior to lunch. All doses are administered by the child and supervised by an adult.

Please ensure your child’s inhaler / medication is replaced at the appropriate time. Staff cannot take responsibility for reminding children to take their medicine, or in its administration.

Head lice

Whose Responsibility is it? The responsibility to check children’s heads regularly is that of the parent or guardian. The school nurse does not come into school to examine children for head lice because it has been proved that checking heads in school does not work unless parents treat at home.

From time to time head lice outbreaks occur within the school community. To combat this, the school liaises closely with the health authority and parents. If infestation occurs in a class, a head lice alert will be sent out to all pupils in the class. If a child is seen to have ‘live’ lice, parents will be contacted immediately to inform them of the infestation. They will be given the option of collecting their child so that they can be treated and returned to school if time permits.

Special Educational Needs

We are committed to meeting the needs of all children to enable them to achieve their full potential; we recognise that it is not uncommon for a child at some time in their school life to experience a difficulty with learning.

When children enter our school, after allowing for a period of settling in, we aim to identify and assess those with possible special educational needs (SEN) at the earliest opportunity through on-going records, observations and teacher assessment. Any concerns about a child’s progress are first identified by the class teacher and reported to the SENCO. At this point, parents will be invited in for an informal meeting to discuss their child’s educational needs. Initially, additional support will be provided by the school and subsequently if required, a child may be seen by outside specialist staff or a member of the Local Authority Educational Psychology team. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Mrs Fisher co-ordinates this provision. Our Special Educational Needs Policy pays regard to the National Curriculum and adheres to both the new SEN Code of Practice 2014 and the Disability Discrimination Act.

Pupils on the SEN register have a Personalised Learning Plan and intervention target form that monitors and assesses progress towards a child’s specific targets. We also have a strong Pastoral Team, which provides focused support for children with social, emotional or mental health difficulties, ensuring that the school and parents work closely together to support children develop these skills.

As a school, we are committed to working in close partnership with parents to identify, address and support children with their additional needs. Parents are encouraged to play a positive role as partners in supporting their child’s learning by, for example, hearing them read daily, helping them learn spellings and tables and making sure they complete homework that is set to support their learning. If parents have any concerns about their child’s progress, we encourage them to inform the school as early as possible so that we can all work together to meet the needs of their child.

Child Protection Procedures

The school has a Safeguarding Children policy. The Trust Board has a duty to ensure that appropriate procedures are in place for the protection of children from all forms of abuse and sexual exploitation. All staff are aware of the procedures to be followed in relation to the policy including the need, when appropriate, to inform outside agencies (e.g. Social Services or the Police) before parents.

As a caring school with direct responsibility for children, our first concern must be your child's safety and welfare in all its aspects. Therefore, there may be occasions when we have to consult other agencies even before we contact you, particularly in relation to child protection/abuse concerns. Should this be necessary, we want to reassure you that any concerns we have about your child will be discussed with you after we have spoken to the children’s services unless otherwise directed.

Safeguarding children training is delivered annually to all staff, this covers abuse, neglect, child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, PREVENT and processes to ensure children are not missing from education. Staff who join our school mid-year are expected to carry out safeguarding training within the first 7 days of appointment. The procedures we follow (a statutory duty) are laid down by the Area Child Protection Committee.

Pastoral Care and Discipline

Promoting Positive Behaviour: Our school is a community in which behaviour is based on mutual respect and consideration for others. It is the class teacher’s responsibility to closely monitor the behaviour of their class and where required adapt the learning environment to enable children to be successful and motivated learners.

We are committed to meeting the individual needs of all children, including supporting them to follow our school rules by helping them to develop their behaviour, emotional and social skills. We are an inclusive school and are aware that there are many reasons why a child may be displaying behavioural difficulties in school. The support they receive will be individualised to meet their needs. We are also committed to working in partnership with parents as we recognise the wealth of information they can share about their children and the positive impact it can have on a child’s behaviour if both school and home work closely together.

In school we use a variety of rewards and sanctions to promote good behaviour including the use of stickers and certificates informing them of their child’s good behaviour. Sanctions vary depending on the age of the child and the nature of the incident through the implementation of our yellow and red card behaviour system. This system is based on a model which encourages children to reflect on their behaviour and make the right choices through the use of warnings before a yellow or red card is given. If a child receives a yellow or red card, this will result in the loss of break and/or lunchtime. Wherever possible we deal with behaviour issues straight away, once a child has apologised and has had a sanction administered, the issue is considered closed, although we do keep a record of both instances of good and poor behaviour. Each day is always a fresh start.

The values, standards and attitudes of the school are made clear to children through both example and discussion. If a child displays continued anti-social behaviour, a meeting is arranged between the teacher, parents and SLT member to together come up with a plan to support the child in changing their behaviour. SWECET policy permits exclusion from school in cases of serious and persistent indiscipline. A statement of this policy is available at the school and on the school website.

The school encourages good behaviour and actively responds to bullying in all its forms. We hold regular assemblies involving the children to make it clear that bullying is not acceptable at Stifford Clays Primary School and to illustrate strategies to cope with any bullying behaviour that they experience. Our Anti-bullying Policy has recently been rewritten with involvement from the children themselves.

The school feels that positive behaviour is applicable at all times of the day and we work very closely with the team of Lunchtime Supervisors and Learning Support Assistants to maintain consistency and high standards in managing children’s behaviour.

Pastoral Support

To further improve support and home school liaison, a Pastoral Support Worker has been employed by Stifford Clays Primary School. Their role is to offer support to children and families who are experiencing any worries, issues or problems that affect the children’s welfare, happiness, safety and achievement in school.

Our Pastoral Support Worker, Mr Bubb, is a confidential contact for anyone, child or adult, who has worries concerning any aspect of school and this is an additional service to the contacts that are already available. He can be contacted via the School Office.

We also have a member of staff who is a fully qualified counsellor and provides counselling and mentoring support throughout the week. They deliver a range of intervention strategies to help children develop their behavioural, emotional and social skills. These interventions are delivered on a 1:1, pair or small group basis dependent on a child’s individual needs.

School Council

The school has a very active School Council that consists of one boy and one girl from each class from Year 2 to 6. Each child serves on the School Council for half a year and then the other Councillor from their class takes over. The Councillors are elected by their peers. Recent achievements of the School Council include raising money for new playground equipment, installing a new adventure trail, successfully campaigning for additional water fountains, paying for basketball hoops to be installed, visiting Thurrock Council chambers to meet the mayor and representing the school at Thurrock’s Holocaust Memorial Day. The School Council meets every fortnight, usually for twenty minutes.

Prefects Our School is fortunate to have a hard working team of prefects who support general routines around the school. They are easily identified by their red and blue ties and prefect badges. The group consist of three or four children from each of the year groups 2-6. Each prefect has at least two timetabled duties a week that include, corridor control, welcoming new children and assisting with lunch time clubs. Prefects meet monthly with Ms. Green where new initiative are discussed. To be a prefect, children must submit a letter of interest detailing why they believe they are suitable for the post. Re-elections are held each July to fill any new posts or replace children that have left.

Learning Outside of the Classroom and Bringing Outside learning into the Classroom (LoTC)

Throughout the year we arrange Educational Visits out of school and invite various Theatre, History, Poetry and Science groups to perform to all or part of the school. In order for these experiences for the children to take place we look to you as parents for financial support.

The School Governing Body has adopted the policy of the LA for charging and remission, which is in keeping with the Education Act of 1989. Governors reaffirm the principle that no charges can be made for education in school hours and that there is no constraint on the school’s freedom to seek voluntary contributions from parents. No pupil is discriminated against on the grounds of their parent’s inability to pay, but it is unlikely that visits will take place if parents indicate an unwillingness to contribute. The school will always allow parents to pay such costs over the weeks prior to the visit. Admission and travelling costs of teacher/parent helpers are met by the School. We encourage parents to help out at these events. There is no discrimination against a pupil whose parents do not contribute. However, parents must always complete the consent request via email from Evolve, our safeguarding children outside the classroom platform.

Year 4 Residential

Year 4 children are given the opportunity to go on a three day residential trip. The children take part in a number of outdoor activities such as abseiling, climbing, archery and rafting. The children learn how to work effectively as a team as well as make their own beds and keep their rooms tidy. It is a good chance for them to develop their independence and enjoy the natural environment.

Year 6 Residential

Year 6 children have the opportunity to take part in a Residential Activity Holiday in the Summer Term. In recent years, the children visited a PGL site, Le Pre Catelan, in France from Monday to Friday where they took part in various trips and activities. There is a high level of supervision and all activities are taken by qualified instructors. In 2018, children will be visiting the PGL site on the Isle of Wight. Our decision to change the destination was made after consultation with parents of children taking part in the trip.

Extra-Curricular Activities And Sporting Provision

Provision for Extra-Curricular activities We are very proud of our extensive range of extra-curricular activities on offer to the children. We wouldn’t be able to offer this level of provision without the goodwill on the part of the staff that run the clubs, giving freely of their time. Where clubs are offered from staff who require payment, a small charge is made to parents. We have now engaged a private sporting provider, Sports Quest who will also provide clubs at a cost to parents.

A timetable of the clubs on offer is sent out to parents at the start of each term and is also available to view on the school website. The clubs which are held at different times; during lunchtimes, before and after school, have included: cricket, football, rugby (for both boys and girls), gymnastics, netball, badminton, athletics, cookery, first aid, art and drama. Although some of the clubs are restricted to particular age groups, because of the demand, we do try and ensure there is something for everyone.

Children can only participate in extra-curricular activities with the consent of their parents, unless the activity takes place during lunchtime. Parents will also be asked to give consent when the child has been selected to represent the school in competition / events away from school. We also encourage parents wherever possible to come along and support their child at these events.

School Dinners

The current cost of a school meal is £2.05. This may increase after review. Parents will be informed of any change in good time. Please ensure all school meals are paid in advance. Failure to do so may result in your child not receiving any unpaid meal. If you have problems meeting the cost of the school lunch, please provide a packed lunch. School meals are provided by Catering Academy, a private school meals provider. The school has no power to provide lunch for pupils whose parents have not paid. We believe that ‘Healthy Eating’ will improve standards of education and behaviour. Children bringing a packed lunch need a suitable, named container. Please ensure that your child’s packed lunch is a suitably balanced nutritional meal. Chocolate and sweets are not permitted. We ask that no drinks or glass bottles are brought to school. Drinks will be provided at lunch times and water is available on tables. The Menu is updated regularly and current menus are available to view on our school website.

Tuck A healthy tuck offer is provided by Catering Academy to Key Stage 2 pupils at a small cost. Details can be found on the school website. If you choose to provide your child with tuck for morning break we ask you to follow the school healthy eating guidelines.

ONLINE PAYMENTS We are a cashless school and payments for school dinner money and school trips are now payable online. To access our online payment system please use the link on the school website. This can be found under the heading School Dinners and Tuck.

Arrangements For Parents To Visit The School

It is essential that parents and all other visitors report to the School Office first and leave via the office entrance to ensure the safety of our pupils. Parents are most welcome to visit the school by prior arrangement with the Head of School, Assistant Headteachers, School Office or Class Teacher. We operate an ‘open door’ policy and are available at short notice whenever possible.

Opportunities to ‘drop in’ after school are available throughout the year. Appointments are offered for parent/teacher consultation during the Autumn and Spring Terms and at other times if needed. An Annual Report of Pupil Progress is sent home during the Summer Term and will be discussed.

We recognise the vital importance of working in partnership with you in supporting the education of your child. The Governing Body are also here to assist you and may be contacted through the School Office.

Outdoor Learning

Outdoor Learning is a broad term that includes: outdoor play in the early years, school grounds projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities, personal and social development programmes, expeditions and team building.

Outdoor Learning happens in the natural environments where participants can see, hear, touch and smell the real thing, it also happens in an arena where actions have real results and consequences. Outdoor Learning can help to bring our subjects alive while also providing experiential opportunities for fulfilling the National Curriculum aim "to enable pupils to respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities, to manage risk and to cope with change and adversity."

Curriculum Aims

The curriculum is the totality of a child’s learning experiences during their time with us at Stifford Clays Primary School. Our curriculum is broad, balanced, utilises new technologies and is skills driven, preparing our students for secondary school and for the realities of adult life in the 21st Century.

Our curriculum meets all the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and all relevant government legislation and is considerably enriched by learning experiences beyond the classroom. Aims:  To ensure that all of our children reach their educational potential.  To develop high standards of reading, writing and in mathematics.  To develop high standards of scientific enquiry.  To enable our children to express themselves confidently and clearly.  To enable our children to become critical thinkers.  To enable our children to make healthy lifestyle choices.  To enable our children to become competent users of ICT and new technologies.  To enable our children to develop an understanding of Britain’s cultural heritage.  To enable our children to understand that we live in a culturally diverse world and to have an appreciation of the contribution made by different sections of society.  To enable our children to become globally responsible citizens and to make choices that consider the future of the planet.  To develop a sense of spirituality in our children.  To develop a sense of self-esteem in our children.  To develop a strong moral sense in our children.

To achieve these aims, the curriculum is planned to be:  Broad so that it provides a wide range of knowledge, skills and experiences.  Balanced so that each subject has sufficient time to contribute effectively to learning.  Relevant so that pupils’ learning is linked to the real world.  Coherent so that topics can be linked to make the whole learning experience more meaningful.  Progressive so that what is taught builds in a systematic way upon what has already been learned.  Adapted so that what is taught and the tasks that are set are matched to the aptitude and ability for each pupil.  Accessible so that there is equality of opportunity for all.

Curriculum Maps

The curriculum maps allow you to see what your child will be learning during the next academic year. Our curriculum is designed to ensure it meets the needs of all our children and prepares them for life in modern Britain. If you would like to know how to support your child in any of the topics described, please speak to your child's class teacher.

To ensure creativity and innovation, we use the Cornerstones curriculum to supplement our delivery of the National Curriculum. Our Subject Leaders monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum using Focus Education Subject Leader handbooks. This enables our leaders to ensure they have a secure and consistent approach to subject leadership.

For more detailed information please visit the school website: www.stiffordclaysprimary.thurrock.sch.uk

Homework EYFS In our EYFS, children take home games, books and story sacks to share with family and friends.

Key Stage 1 & 2 As a school we work in partnership with our parents and seek to involve them in the education of their children in as many different ways as possible. One of the ways in which we do this is through setting the children engaging and purposeful homework tasks which may take the form of a shared learning experience between themselves and their parents.

Objectives / Aims of Homework • To consolidate and reinforce skills learned at school. • To take advantage of learning opportunities in the home environment. • To encourage children to develop self-discipline to study on their own. • To promote independent and / or co-operative learning. • To provide a practical opportunity for parents to become involved in the academic development of their child. • To prepare children for the more demanding nature of homework at secondary school.

Weekly homework In mathematics for Year 1-6 and in English for Years 2-6, the school uses the IXL program which enables the children to practise key skills at home via the Internet. All children have a login and password for the site. Each week their class teacher will set them maths homework and in Year 2-6 they will also be set IXL English homework every other week. To provide a balance of homework tasks, children in Year 2-6 will be set a written English task. In Year 1 and 2 children will be set English homework weekly, which is appropriate for their age and which consolidates their learning. Individual year groups decide what day of the week homework is handed out and when it is to be handed in.

Holiday homework Every half term, children take part in a creative learning project typically linked to their upcoming topics. So for example children might complete a project on World War 2 and present their work in a variety of ways – for example : A PowerPoint presentation, a poster, a model, a written account, a film or a collage. This homework is typically handed in on the first day back after a holiday.

Examples of agreed homework in various key stages: EYFS: Phonics activities KS1: Phonics and spelling, number bonds. KS2: IXL maths and English homework, comprehension tasks, Spelling lists and mathematics times tables.

Assessment

The school acknowledges that both summative (testing) and formative assessment (ongoing) are important to arriving at a judgement of where a child is, relative to age related expectations. As such, the school formally tests pupils in years 3, 4 and 5 and matches the results of these tests against teacher assessments. In year 2 and 6, testing is termly as these children sit end of Key Stage tasks and tests and it is important to familiarise them with the type of questions that they will encounter. The school administers all statutory tests as follows: Year 1: phonics screening test. Year 2: grammar punctuation and spelling (GPS), reading, writing and maths tests and tasks. Phonics rescreening for some children. Year 6: GPS, reading, writing and maths tests and tasks.

On a day-to-day basis, the primary method of gathering assessment data is through formative assessment, whereby teachers plan to teach objectives from the National Curriculum, mark pupils work thoroughly and make a judgement as to whether or not the child has achieved that objective.

Teachers keep detailed records of achievement for each child with a computer program that allows for analysis and target setting using the relevant age related expectations of the National Curriculum. Teachers meet half-termly to review pupil progress in each year group. They set up interventions to ensure that children remain on track in their learning. Each term, parents in year 1-6 receive a summary of their children’s achievements and the areas that they need to work on in the form of a gap analysis.

Parents receive a detailed report of their child’s progress in the Summer Term. There is an opportunity in these reports for parents and pupils to respond. Discussions of progress take place with the class teacher at appointed times throughout the year. At these meetings, teachers and parents discuss appropriate targets for pupils to aspire to in English and Mathematics.

The school’s marking policy allows all children to understand what they are doing well and what they need to do in order to improve. This policy is discussed with the children, who take an active part in responding to teachers’ comments and questions in their books and in correcting their own work.

Parents and Supporters Association

Known as the ‘Parents and Supporters Association’ (PSA), the Association provides a valuable role in raising much needed additional funds for the school. Throughout the year, the Association organises a wide range of events such as Discos, Race Nights and Fun Days.

The PSA is very receptive to trying out new events so if you have any ideas or feel that you could help in any way, please do so, you will be most welcome, we are always delighted to see new faces.

Links With The Community

We aim to involve members of the community in the life of the school and we have good liaison with St. Cedds Church, the local police, fire service, Thurrock Council, Thurrock Museum, Chafford Gorge, St. John’s Church, St Anne’s Residential Complex and many other groups.

The school has in the past had links with numerous charities and organisations including Juvenile Diabetes research Foundation (JDRF), Barnardos, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Brain Tumour Research, The British Heart Foundation, Comic Relief, The Samaritans Purse (Operation Christmas Child) and the British Legion. Various fundraising events are arranged as opportunities arise.

We hold a Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day event lunch for elderly local residents each year, and a service and fish lunch on Good Friday.

School Private Fund

This fund is raised through Sponsored Events, sales of school uniform and photographs and donations. Proceeds are spent on buying extra items of school equipment, sportswear for teams, membership of various associations, supporting charities and paying for art, music, theatre, poetry, science, technology and history groups to visit the school

Questionnaire – Why We Collect Parents’ Views

Parent View allows parents and carers to give their views about our school online via the Ofsted website. We also send a number of questionnaires asking for your views on specific issues throughout the year.

Complaints Procedure

Since 1st September 2003 Governing Bodies (GBs) of all maintained schools and maintained nursery schools in England were required, under Section 29 of the Education Act 2002, summarised in Annex A, to have in place a procedure to deal with complaints relating to the school and to any community facilities or services that the school provides. The law also requires the procedure to be publicised. The school’s complaints procedure is available on request. Copies of the procedure can be found on the school website.

Availability of Information

Under the 1989 regulations, information circulars and administrative memoranda are available from the School Office during normal working hours.

Please help us by notifying the school immediately of any change in your home address, home telephone number, mobile number, work number or email address. It is very important you do this so that we can contact you throughout the day if, for example, your child is sick, or in cases of an emergency.