Learning Together and Having Fun Our Vision is for a school which is a caring community, where every child and adult is accepted as an individual constantly striving to raise standards of achievement efficiently managed and makes the most of its resources outward looking and forward thinking developing partnerships with parents and the wider community a committed eco-school committed to using ICT and emerging technologies to promote learning ensures equality of opportunity for pupils and staff Our aim is to create a happy, exciting and secure learning environment to enable our children to realise their full potential and to provide opportunities which will stimulate and motivate high standards of achievement, attainment and encourage excellent standards of behaviour. Our AIMS We are constantly looking to improve standards and provision for all our children. We pride ourselves on being a happy school where children feel comfortable and secure in their environment. The school aims to provide a rich, relevant and broad education, allowing pupils of all abilities to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for each stage of their education. We aim to provide an environment which is stimulating, where children will: acquire knowledge and understanding have ample opportunity to develop skills acquire a sense of responsibility, obligation and a spirit of caring towards the community realise the meaning of integrity and discipline be encouraged to think for themselves co-operate with others be challenged to aspire to the highest social, personal and academic standards possible. develop independence and self esteem be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others and have respect for religious beliefs and moral values The staff The School Council The Governing Body The Friends ……...... of Llwydcoed Primary School! “Learning Together and Having Fun” Llwydcoed Primary School is an English Medium, Local Authority primary school. We are a happy and successful school that meets the needs of all our learners. We provide our learners with a broad and balanced curriculum as well as a set of values which develop responsible, caring individuals. The school caters for pupils from 3-11 years of age. Every school has a published admissions number which states the maximum number of pupils a year group can accommodate. Our published admissions number is 15. From September 2015, children may join the school the term after their 3rd birthday. School Contact Details Llwydcoed Primary School Corner House Street Llwydcoed Aberdare CF44 0YA Tel: 01685 871110 Fax: 08458 726410 Email: [email protected] Moodle https://rctmoodle.org/llwydcoedpri Rhondda Cynon Taff Local Education Authority The Director of Education The Education Centre Ty Trevithick Abercynon Mountain Ash CF45 4UQ Tel: 01443 744000 Llwydcoed Primary School – Governing Body L.A. Governors Mrs A. Hosgood Chairperson Mrs S. Evans Parent Governors Mrs E. Bowen Mrs E. Bennett Mr D. Owens Community Governors Mr C. Morris Mrs V. Jones Teacher Governor Mrs R. Bridges Non-teaching Governor Miss K. David Headteacher Governor Mr Andrew Wilkinson Our School Governors play a vital role in school management and meet at least once a term at the school to discuss issues related to the school and education in general. Once a year a Governor’s Report is provided for parents and a general meeting will be called, if requested, where there is an opportunity to discuss any queries or matters of concern. Our Staff Headteacher Mr Andrew Wilkinson Deputy Headteacher Mrs Natalie Drew Higher Level Teaching Foundation Phase Assistants Miss Kelly David Dosbarth Hapus (Nursery) Teaching Staff Miss Rhian Shellard Dosbarth Heulog (Reception / Year 1 / Year 2) Lower Key Stage 2 Mrs Rachel Bridges/ Dosbarth Enfys Mrs Alison Robbins (Year 3 / Year 4) Upper Key Stage 2 Mrs Natalie Drew Dosbarth Seren (Year 5 / Year 6) Peripatetic Music Teachers. Mr Matthew George Teaching Assistants Ms Cerys Owen Miss Gemma Hayton Mrs Susan Jones Miss Joy Burke School Clerk. Mrs D. Seldon Caretaker. Mr A. Robinson. Lunchtime Supervisors. Mrs. Amanda Griffiths Mrs. Ann Morgan. Miss Eirwen Jones Miss Joy Burke (Casual Supervisor) Breakfast club and lunchtime catering staff (Employed by Catering Direct) Mrs C Donaldson Miss P. Owen After School Club Staff Miss Kelly David (Employed by the After Mrs Bethan Reynolds School Club Committee) School Times School Begins 9:00am Morning Ends 11:45am Dosbarth Hapus (Nursery) 12:00 noon Dosbarth Heulog (Reception / Years 1 and 2) 12:15pm Dosbarth Enfys (Years 3 and 4) and Dosbarth Seren (Years 5 and 6) Afternoon Begins 1:10pm School Ends 3:30pm (3.25pm for Nursery children) Morning Break 10.30am to 10:45am Afternoon Break 2:15pm to 2:25pm Please note: Children should arrive at school between 8:50am and 9:00am (unless they are attending Breakfast Club, - see below). Children are taken into school at 9:00am and, for their safety, all external doors are then locked. Children who arrive late (e.g. after a medical appointment) must report to the secretary so that they can be added to the register for the day. There is no access to wheeled vehicles during the times children are walking up or down the school drive. Please respect this rule as it is for your children’s safety. Breakfast club Breakfast Club is open to all children and starts at 8.10 am. If you wish your child / children to attend you will first need to complete a registration form. Children cannot be admitted to breakfast club after 8.35am. 12. Term Dates and Holidays 2016/2017 Academic Year Terms Begins Half Term Starts Half Term Ends Term Ends Autumn Thursday 1st Monday 24th Friday 28th Friday 16th 2015 September 2016 October October December 2016 2016 2016 74 days Spring Monday 3rd Monday 20th Friday 24th Friday 7th 2016 January February February April 2017 2017 2017 2017 54 days Summer Monday 24th Monday 29th Friday 2nd Friday 21st 2016 April May June July 2017 2017 2017 2017 67 days TOTAL 195 days INSET Days 5 INSET Days will be taken during the school year when the school will be closed to pupils. May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 1st May 2017 when the school will be closed. Attendance All schools have to record reasons for absence and to make a note of all unauthorised absences. What to do if your child is absent from school If a child is absent the school requires the parent or guardian to telephone the school to explain the absence. This absence will then be categorised and recorded as appropriate. If a parent or guardian is unable to telephone the school then a letter explaining the absence is required when the child returns to school. Pupils who return to school without a reason for their absence will be issued with a school absence letter. Children should only be kept home when they are too ill to attend school. Family holidays during term time Parents should not expect, or be led to expect, that the school will agree to family holidays during term time. Although the school have discretionary powers under Regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995 to grant an authorised period of leave to take a family holiday in term time, parents/carers do not have an automatic right to withdraw their child(ren) from school. Such permission is granted by the governing body or Headteacher. Out of courtesy, we ask permission to be requested prior to booking a holiday. Holiday request forms may be obtained from the school clerk. Only in exceptional circumstances may the amount of leave granted exceed 10 days. Attendance Information (Pupils aged 5 – 11)) Attendance Authorized Unauthorized Absence Absence School Year 2015-16 94.7 3.8 1.5 Attendance % (Pupils aged 5 – 11)) Autumn Term 95.8 2015 Spring Term 95.0 2016 Summer Term 93.3 2016 In a bid to reduce/eradicate unauthorised pupil absences the school attendance policy, which has been approved by the Governing Body states that: Repeated unauthorised absences/lateness The school will contact the parent or guardian of any child who has an unauthorised absence. If a child is repeatedly late or unauthorised, the parents or guardians will be asked to visit the school and discuss the problem. If the situation does not improve, the school will then contact the LA support services (AWO), who will visit the home and seek to ensure that the parents or guardians understand the seriousness of the situation. Fixed Penalty Notices To comply with The Education (Penalty Notices) (Wales) Regulations 2013, the school will operate in accordance with the local authority’s Code of Conduct for fixed penalty notices for regular non-attendance at school. It remains the discretion of the head teacher to authorise absences in line with The Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 attendance codes and supplementary guidance provided by the local authority. The criteria for issuing fixed penalty notices: • Where a pupil has accrued 10 or more sessions of unauthorised absences in the current term; • Where a pupil has been persistently late on 10 or more occasions in the current term, arriving more than 30 minutes after the registration period; • Where a parent refuses to engage with a school in the interest of improving their child’s school attendance levels; • Where a pupil is repeatedly caught truanting in public places during school hours; • Where a holiday in term time has been requested but has been unauthorised. Given the need to ensure high attendance, the LA have reviewed the impact of holidays taken in term-time. They are now asking headteachers not to authorise requests for a holiday in term-time. There is no right that enables parents and carers to take a child out of school for a term-time holiday.