Dear Parents It is a pleasure to welcome you to our school. I hope the information in this brochure will help explain how the school works and fosters a positive and fruitful partnership in educating your child. We aim to provide a happy caring working environment for your child in which to learn. Teachers, staff, governors and I are committed to working together to provide the highest quality education and to enable your child to develop both personally and socially. If you need any further help with a particular matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. We look forward to working with you for the benefit of your child. We have a website which can give you up-to-date information in the form of newsletters and photographs around the school at www.greatsteeping.org.uk Please enjoy your virtual tour! I hope that you and your child will enjoy your time spent at Great Steeping Primary School. Yours Sincerely Mrs Alison Ackrill & Miss C Spencer 1 General Information Great Steeping is a village primary school wholly maintained by Lincolnshire County Council for children aged four to eleven. Approximately 1010 children attend the school. We have an admission limit of 16 children in each year group. In September 2017, 8 children started in our Reception class. Admissions Starting School for the first time in Reception From 16th November 2020, you apply online at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions . The closing date for applications is 15th January 2021. The school will be holding open sessions for parents to complete the application pack on the school’s computers. The offer date will be 16th April 2021. We follow the Lincolnshire County Council Primary School Admission policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools. A full copy of the policy is available at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions. If we have more applicants than places available, then the following oversubscription criteria apply in the order listed: A. Looked after children and all previously looked after children (1). B. A brother or sister attending the school at the time of the application, or who will be attending the school at the expected time of admission (2). C. Nearest School: measured by straight line distance (3). D. Increasing order of straight line distance (4) (Please refer to the full policy on the above website for definitions and notes.) 2 Mid- Year Admissions – Any Year Group If you wish your child to start at our school, you will need to complete a mid year application form. You can apply online at: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions or contact the School Admission Team at Lincoln on 01522 782030. Extended Provision We are fortunate to have an After School Club run by Mr Casswell and Mrs Warner called Great Kids Club which is open every day during term time until 6pm. There is of course a charge for this. They also run a Holiday Club at the school; it is open every holiday except Christmas, from 7.45am until 6pm. They also run a Before School Club from 7.45am – 8.30am every morning. There is a cost for this service. Community Links – on hold due to COVID-19 We have a Parent and Toddler group, which meet every Thursday afternoon in the school hall from 1.30pm – 2.50pm. The cost is £1 per family. This is a very popular session. Safeguarding & Child Protection At Great Steeping Primary School, there is nothing more important to us than the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare of our pupils. For this reason, we regard the need for safeguarding children from all harm as vitally important. Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 also gives maintained schools a statutory duty to promote and safeguard the welfare of the children, and have due regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State. Therefore, this school recognises its legal and moral duty to promote the well-being of children, and protect them from harm and respond to child abuse 3 Aims of the School Our primary aim is to maintain a happy and safe working environment which stimulates the children’s interest in the school and the school activities. Academically It is the school’s basic aim to offer a broad and balanced curriculum and equip each child with skills and interests in order that he or she may develop to their fullest potential and talents. We wish to enable them to articulate themselves orally and in writing, to work confidently with numbers and to work at activities with a scientific approach, as soon as they are able and as well as they are able. Socially The school’s main aim is for each child to be a happy and secure member of a school that remains small enough to enjoy a family atmosphere. Through sharing, co-operation and the consideration of others each child will, as he or she grows, develop a responsibility to themselves, to others and to the school. 4 The Teaching Staff The teaching staff comprises of five full time teachers. Mrs L Peck & Mrs E Wilkinson - teach Reception children. Miss E Dunkin – teaches Year 1 and 2 children. Mr C Inkley - teaches Year 3 and 4 children. Mrs A Ackrill – Head Miss C Spencer – Head and teaches Year 5 and Year 6 children two days a week. Miss E Stanforth – teacher Year 5 and Year 6 children three days a week. Mrs L Peck – teaches PPA one day a week Miss E Stanforth – teaches intervention groups two days week. The school has four classrooms which means there are more than one-year group to some of the classes. This organisation is based purely on numbers and can change year on year, this decision is made by the leadership team of the school which includes the Governing Body. Non Teaching Staff Mrs P Edwards – school administrator Mrs B Clowsley – teaching assistant Mr J Casswell – teaching assistant/ midday assistant Mrs G Odlin – teaching assistant/ midday supervisor Mrs D Taylor – teaching assistant/ midday assistant Mrs D Hodson – caretaker and midday supervisor Mrs L Casswell – caretaker/midday assistant Mrs S Warner – teaching assistant/midday assistant Mr T Pryme- teaching assistant Additionally, mention must be made of several helpful parents and Governors who regularly give their time to help in school with various areas of the curriculum. Governors Mrs A Sunley- Chairperson & LEA governor Mr S Foster- Parent governor Mrs A Ackrill- Head Teacher Miss C Spencer- Head Teacher Miss E Stanforth -Staff governor Mrs K Mowbray- Co-opted governor Mrs C Parish- Co-opted governor - Parent Governor -vacancy Mrs D Willoughby– Clerk to the governors 5 School Organisation. The time spent teaching during a normal school week (excluding daily assemblies and breaks) is approximately 23.5 hours. The school is organised to achieve the best possible class structure for the children in our care. These change from time to time depending on pupil numbers and their needs. At present we have four classes. The school benefits from a good sized hall, a library and a computer suite. The outdoor environment at Great Steeping School is attractive and well used. The school has four classrooms which means there are more than one-year group to some of the classes. This organisation is based purely on numbers and can change year on year, this decision is made by the leadership team of the school which includes the Governing Body. Session Times- altered due to COVID-19 At 8.30am the children are supervised on the playground by an adult. At 8.45am the school day starts and finishes at 3.00pm. Lunch for Key Stage 1 pupils is 12.00-1.00pm, for Key Stage 2 pupils from 11.50-12.30pm. Attendance Please contact the school by phone or email if your child is absent for any reason on the first morning and subsequent mornings for how long your child is absent for. The school discourages parents from taking children out of lessons for medical appointments. If however this is necessary prior notice is needed. The law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must be in exceptional circumstances and the Head Teacher must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave. Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time. Unauthorised absences may be reported to the Education Welfare Officer. Attendance for September 2018- May 2019 (of compulsory school age pupils only) 6 Number attending school: 117 Authorised absences: 2.96% Unauthorised absences: 0.27% Uniform- changed due to COVID-19 Our school uniform is designed to be practical but comfortable, and to give the children a sense of identity. It consists of green sweatshirts and black trousers or skirts, with a green/white cotton checked gingham dress for summer wear. Sweatshirts are obtainable from the school at a cost of approximately £7.50. Polo shirts and hats are also available from the school. For PE lessons the children need a white tee shirt, black shorts and plimsolls. For Games lessons, the children need a white tee shirt, sweatshirt, shorts or joggers. The children also need trainers for using the adventure playground. It is very important that all the kit is labelled clearly with the child’s name. Only the children in Y5/6 are allowed to wear jewellery to school and this has to be removed for all sports activities. We have our own uniform shop which is open on Thursday and Friday afternoon in the school office. An order can be emailed to school via our school website and the money placed in the children’s reading folder as well as attending the school shop.