Chorlton Park Primary SchoolProspectus

A warm welcome toChorlton Park School

When we recently asked a group of Chorlton Park pupils how theywould describe their school, the words that came up time and timeagain were ‘happy’, ‘friendly’, ‘fun’, ‘big’, ‘welcoming’, and ‘eco-friendly’. You won’t get a better picture than that from leaguetables or Ofsted reports - although we do very well in those too!We were delighted to be judged as ‘outstanding’ in our most recentOfsted inspection in November 2009.

What’s different about Chorlton Park is that our children remain atthe centre of everything we do and we never lose sight of this.

The best way to get to know our school is to come in and soak upits atmosphere and we’d love to welcome you in person. In themeantime, I hope that this prospectus gives you a taster and tellsyou all you need to know about what one of our pupils describedas ‘better than the rest, better than the best’.

You and your child are embarking on an exciting journey. We’rehere to help you navigate the path from early childhood throughto pre-teens. Together we’ll watch your child develop into arounded, resilient and happy young person - ready to succeed andthrive in the modern world.

David WatsonHead Teacher

Contents

A learning community that excels 2

From little acorns 5Foundation stage

A journey of discovery 6The curriculum and the school day

Listening, supporting, encouraging 9Removing barriers to education

Beyond the curriculum 10Developing the whole child

An outward-looking community 13Community and parents links

Guiding principles ofChorlton Park SchoolWhat can I do that I’ve not yet done?Where can I go that I’ve not yet been?Who can I be that I’ve not yet been?What can I imagine that I’ve not yetimagined?What can I accomplish that I’ve notyet accomplished?

At Chorlton Park we all worktogether to make learningirresistible. Find out more atwww.chorltonpark.manchester.sch.uk

Chorlton Park Primary School 1

2 Chorlton Park Primary School

A learning community that excels

You don’t have to spend long at Chorlton Park to get asense of how positive its pupils are. They benefit froma challenging education as well as a caring andinclusive environment, and we think this shinesthrough in their attitude to school.

We’re a large primary school – the biggest in Manchester – but you don’tneed to worry that your child will get lost in the crowd. Our children areaware that they are part of a big, exciting community, but each age group(or ‘phase’ as we call it) has its own mini community, which includes differentclassrooms, outside play areas, teachers, support staff and even their ownareas in the school.

Whether they are working in a small group or as part of a larger team, we’llbe there to encourage your child to be independent. We’ll celebrate theirachievements and help them to grow into well-rounded people who areprepared for the next stages of their lives.

We have high academic expectations, and making sure all our children reachtheir potential is key to everything we do. Our school is built on the beliefthat it is happy and secure children who achieve the most.

We can only achieve our goals because of the strong relationships betweenour pupils, parents, carers, staff, governors and the wider community.

‘Thisoutsta

ndingschoo

l is an

extremely ha

ppy, harmon

ious

learning com

munity succ

essfully

providing ed

ucation and ca

re of the

highest qua

lity for ever

y pupil.’

Ofstedreport

2009

‘Pupils are exceptionally well caredfor in the welcoming environment.Each one is known and valuedas an individual so they feel secureand radiate pleasure in all they do.’Ofsted report 2009

‘Pupils’ enjoyment of schoolis clear for all to see, and isa major factor in theiroutstanding achievement.’Ofsted report 2009

Chorlton Park Primary School 5

From little acorns...Foundation Stage

We have some highly-experienced early years staff whoare in demand for their expertise across the northwest and beyond. These talented members of staff drawon their knowledge of a range of teaching and caretechniques and strategies to give our children a soundstart to school life.

Our Foundation Stage begins at three and a half, and consists of two nurseryrooms: Acorn and Oak, and three reception classes. Our nursery rooms eachhave 45 children who are split into three smaller groups of 15. Each year 45children begin reception in September, with a further 45 joining in January,which takes each class to around 30 children.

We have lots of ways to make sure your child settles well at school, and getsthe most from their time here. There’s a well-planned settling-in period forevery child, making the transition to school as smooth as possible.

Our priorities for children in Foundation Stage:

• Personal, social and emotional development

• Communication including language and literacy

• Mathematical development

• Knowledge and understanding of the world

• Physical development

• Creative development

‘From the moment they arrive eachday, the bright stimulatingenvironment captivates the childrenand invites them to explore andinvestigate indoors and outside.’Ofsted report 2009

6 Chorlton Park Primary School

A journey of discovery...What we do at school

We are proud to say that we are a school that’s sharplyfocused on the future. We’re at the forefront of newdevelopments in ways of teaching and using moderntechnology as a tool for learning. Our 21st Centuryapproach isn’t about gigabytes and google though.Chorlton Park is different because of the ways we use newtechnology and educational theory to make every child’sexperience here as effective and enriching as possible.

Personalised learningOur personalised approach to learning encourages personal developmentand promotes high standards while keeping our curriculum broad andexciting. What we’re aiming for is children who can use and apply theiressential literacy, numeracy and ICT skills confidently in the classroom and ineveryday life.

If you’ve not been in a primary school for a long time you may be surprisedby how we approach teaching and learning. It might sound odd, but weconcentrate on the learning and not on the subjects. We know that the bestlearning happens when connections are made between subjects and the childis excited and motivated so we teach literacy, numeracy and ICT in a way thatweaves it into a broader range of subjects. When looking at the Tudors, forexample, your child may be studying what looks to you like history, but aspart of this topic they will be developing their reading, writing and IT skills.

We call these topics ‘big questions’. They encourage pupils to approachsubjects from different angles, across disciplines and learning styles. Moreimportantly they help our children to produce some exciting and innovativework. Year 6 children were recently challenged with the big question: ‘Howdid World War II affect the children of Chorlton Park?’, while Year 1 tackled‘Are you afraid of the dark?’. Ofsted highlighted this as one of our strengths:“The ‘big question’ discussions link with subjects imaginatively, so pupilswant to find out more whilst acquiring skills and knowledge”.

‘Outstanding teac

hing that really

capturespupils’ i

nterestsand

activelyengages

them in learning

ensuresthat the

y make excellent

progress.’

‘Imaginative use o

f information and

communication te

chnology(ICT) is

a real strength of

the school.’

Ofsted report 200

9

Chorlton Park Primary School 7

Literacy, Maths and ICTChildren need a rich cultural environment to help develop confident reading,writing and speaking skills. We build up reading skills progressively, fromphonic word building through to independent research activities. Childrenare encouraged to read at home and borrow books from our well-stockedlibrary. Our ‘Have you got the reading habit?’ campaign got even the mostreluctant readers excited about books with poetry competitions andperformances and other great events.

Children at Chorlton Park are taught to develop a range of strategies to solvemathematical problems. Using both paper and pencil methods and mentalmaths, we concentrate on instilling a real understanding of number anddeveloping a high level of mental agility. We find ways of teaching numeracyto suit the child, giving them the confidence to enjoy and achieve in maths.

Access to the latest technology has become vital in the 21st Centuryclassroom. We’ve invested in great ICT resources and as a result have gained areputation for innovation in this area. We have two dedicated ICT rooms andat least one networked computer in each classroom. We also have interactivewhiteboards in every room, which has revolutionised the way we teach.Teachers now have a range of computer tools to help bring many subjects tolife and pupils love contributing to the very lively blogs each year group haveon our website. Children throughout the school also have plenty ofopportunity to make their own films, animation and multimedia productions.

Religious EducationWe teach knowledge and understanding of religious beliefs and customsdrawn from the world’s major religions. We aim to develop children’s moraland spiritual awareness, and encourage them to respect the rights of thosewhose beliefs differ from their own. Acts of collective worship take place atassembly time. Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their childrenfrom part or all religious education and collective worship that we provide.

Sex EducationAge-appropriate sex education is taught to Year 6 pupils as part of PHSECitizenship. Parents and carers are informed about when this will take place,and can opt to take their children out of these classes.

The structure of our day8.50 Children arrive, parents and carerswelcomed into classrooms9.00 Doors close, school secured and theschool day begins9.10 Morning assembly (whentimetabled)10.10-10.30 Playtime for Key Stage 110.40-11.00 Playtime for Key Stage 211.30 Lunchtime for Foundation Stage11.45-12.45 Lunchtime for Key Stage 112.45-1.45 Lunchtime for Key Stage 22.15-2.30 Afternoon play for Key Stage 1Afternoon assembly (whentimetabled)3.20 End of school day3.30+ After-school clubs

8 Chorlton Park Primary School

‘Excellent care procedures show thateach pupil really matters as anindividual; staff know pupils andtheir families well.’Ofsted report 2009

Chorlton Park Primary School 9

Listening, supporting, encouraging...Removing barriers to education

Every child is unique: each has unique abilities, skillsand talents. Our job is to make each child’s educationrelevant and tailored to them, so that all are challengedand encouraged to reach their full potential. We teach abroad and balanced curriculum, and our children aretaught in mixed ability classes within a variety ofgroups and sets. We are proud to have created a schoolclimate where everyone is treated fairly, and there ismutual care, tolerance and respect.

All children are encouraged to aim high and reach for the stars. We believe allchildren should have dreams and that we should nurture these. At ChorltonPark aspiration isn’t just for the high-flyer and our personalised approach tolearning means all children can be challenged to achieve their goals.

No child should be excluded or disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture orreligion, family background, special needs education, gender or ability. Wework in partnership with parents, carers and children to make suredifferences are embraced, understood and respected.

We work hard to remove barriers to learning so we can quickly identifychildren with special needs and disabilities. If this is the case we work withparents or carers and their child, alongside appropriate agencies, such ashealth services, to provide the best learning opportunities for that child.

Children who are gifted and talented are also given special support.Extended partnerships provide specialist teaching and opportunities theschool alone cannot provide, for example additional activities for gifted andtalented pupils or the chance to learn a musical instrument.

If a child has English as an additional language we plan their work to makesure their home language and English skills are developed. We work with allchildren to teach them respect for others’ home language and culture.

‘Very well focused and targetedsupport enables pupils from a widerange of cultural groups and thosewith special educational needsand/or disabilities to make excellentprogress and perform better thantheir counterparts nationally.’Ofsted report 2009

10 Chorlton Park Primary School

Beyond the curriculum...Developing the whole child

We live in a complex world. 21st Century childrenneed to be tolerant, resilient and emotionallyintelligent. We want our children to become considerateand thoughtful individuals, and we go beyond thenational curriculum in order to encourage this.

A word about behaviourOur school has high expectations about how children should behave. Our policyis simple: good behaviour is rewarded; poor behaviour has differentconsequences. Our simple and effective way of dealing with behavioural issues isclear to all children. Each class has three coloured circle displays, and childrenwho break a class or school rule are moved from green to amber and if necessaryto red. Sanctions appropriate to the child and their behaviour are applied.

Our children are taught through stories and role play that bullying is notacceptable at Chorlton Park. Any incidences are dealt with promptly andsupport is offered to the children involved.

Buddies and councillorsOur pupils are taught to be considerate and think about others. Thebuddying scheme, where older children support younger ones in theclassroom and at playtimes, is a great way to instil a responsible attitude.

The School Council, made up of elected representatives from each class, hasreal power in the management of the school. The council has recentlychanged school dinner arrangements and inspired a revamp of the toilets!

Healthy and greenWe are part of the Manchester Healthy Schools Award which aims to improvethe health and wellbeing of pupils and staff. The Healthy Schools Scheme is anational initiative that covers social and emotional health, healthy eating,and exercise. At Chorlton Park this whole school initiative covers everythingfrom our famous ‘Fruity Fridays’ to our Eco Warriors who patrol the schoolfor waste, and are champions of recycling.

After school clubs and activities

The learning doesn’t stop at the end of the schoolday. A thriving and ever-developing programme ofafter school activities covers everything from awide range of sports, choir, Braziliandrumming, art, dance andeven beatbox!

‘Outstanding

spiritual, mo

ral,

socialand cu

lturaldevelo

pment

offerspupils

variedopport

unities

to reflect on

emotions and

experiences.

’

Ofstedreport

2009

‘Each class has a ‘LEAF’ chill out zone wherepupils can sort out any problems. Pupils fromall backgrounds form friendships and mixhappily together, and respect the diversebeliefs, customs and lifestyles represented inthe school. They are considerate and show akeen sense of right and wrong.’Ofsted report 2009

‘Relationships with parents areexcellent. The school ispassionate about involving them.’Ofsted report 2009

Chorlton Park Primary School 13

An outward-looking communityCommunity and parents links

The success of Chorlton Park is dependent on greatrelationships with parents and carers, ourinvolvement in our local community, a strong andcommitted board of governors, and a dynamic andactive Parent Teacher Association (PTA).

It’s really important for us to work together with all parents and carers tomake sure they are happy with the education we provide for their children,and to make sure we’re aware of any issues that might affect their child.

We hold regular workshops and coffee mornings for parents and carers, whichfocus on specific issues or policies, and produce a parents’ survey every twoyears. We also produce a weekly newsletter to keep parents and carers up todate with school news. Our website and blogs are up to date and include thecurriculum, our inspection reports and school policies, as well as news and lotsof children’s work and opportunities for interacting with school.

We also recognise what a great resource our parents and carers are. Aregular cross-school project called ‘Aspirations Week’ sees parents and carerscome into school to talk about their jobs, and share experiences about thework they do. This allows parents and carers to actively engage with ourpupils, and enriches the learning experiences of our children.

The relationship is two-way. Parent support advisers are there to help parentshaving difficulties or who just need to share an issue. We even provideParenting Survival Courses run by the parent support advisers based at school.

The PTA is an important part of school life. It puts on a dazzling array ofevents from discos to melas, car boot sales and book sales to the summer andwinter fairs. These make a significant contribution to school funds and are abrilliant way of making our school into a real community.

Our Board of Governors works with the school to provide leadership. Theyact as critical friends, helping to improve and develop the school. The Chairof Governors is currently Amanda Edwards.

‘The school is

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to

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cal community

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all pupils thri

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spect for

the different

cultures and li

festyles

in Britain and

the wider worl

d.’

Ofsted report 2

009

We’d love to hear from you...If you’d like more informationabout the school or to arrange to comeand visit us, please get in touch.

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Mauldeth Road WestChorltonManchesterM21 7HH0161 881 1621dwatson@chorltonpark.manchester.sch.uk

‘Pupils’ outstanding personaldevelopment and well-being arecentral to the success of the school.’Ofsted report 2009

www.chorltonpark.manchester.sch.uk