emmer green primary school prospectus 2013-2014

Emmer Green Primary School ‘Sowing the Seeds of Success’

Emmer Green Primary School

School Prospectus

2013 - 2014


Contents

Welcome to the School

Our School vision

Teaching Staff and Class set up

Our Curriculum

Long Term Plans for each year group

Approach to Reading

Pupil Premium

Rights Respecting School

Behaviour Charter

Student Leadership

2012 – 2013 Results

Governors

PTFA

Extra Curricular Opportunities

Policies

Special Educational Needs

More Able and Talented

Behaviour and Discipline

Anti- Bullying Policy

Admission Agreements

OFSTED Report - http://goo.gl/LhMw5

http://www.emmergreenprimary.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SEN-policy-2011.pdf

http://www.emmergreenprimary.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/More-Able-Talented-Policy.pdf

http://www.emmergreenprimary.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Behaviour-and-Discipline-Policy.pdf

http://www.emmergreenprimary.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Anti-bullying-Policy-EGPS.pdf

http://www.emmergreenprimary.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Admissions-Policy-EGPS.pdf

http://goo.gl/LhMw5


Welcome to Emmer Green

I am very pleased and proud to welcome you to Emmer Green Primary School where

children are happy, confident and very willing to learn.

The team spirit, drive and enthusiasm of the staff is outstanding. We pride ourselves on

our ‘one team’ approach. Teachers are passionate with a strong belief in being lifelong

learners who continuously develop their own subject knowledge. Non teaching staff play an

equally crucial role in the learning and progress of our children. The admin team are

essential in welcoming and supporting the organisation of the school.

We are not complacent where standards are concerned and we set ambitious targets for

every child. Our results over time show that progress is excellent. The environment, high

quality resources and learning opportunities are fantastic to meet the needs and

aspirations of our children. We have very high expectations and provide challenging

lessons. The curriculum is exciting because of the learning opportunities we create. We

have themed days and weeks built in to the school year and ensure that every child will

experience at least two trips every academic year including the whole school to the

pantomime! We dress up and re-enact periods in history to bring learning alive. Pupil

feedback confirms that these are the experiences our children cherish and remember.

We are an inclusive school and tailor the curriculum to suit children of all abilities from

the most able to pupils with high level needs. Emmer Green Primary School is a community

school and we are a close ‘family’ of staff, children, parents, governors, PTFA and local

community. Visitors to the school are always complimentary of our ethos and working

environment.

Visits are warmly welcomed so don’t just take our word for it.

Tonia Crossman

Headteacher


Our School Vision

At Emmer Green Primary School we aim to create a happy, secure atmosphere which

encourages self-confidence, co-operation and self-discipline.

Emphasis is placed on caring for others and on respect for both people and property.

Our mission is to provide a happy, united school where all

reach their potential in a

supportive, respectful and stimulating environment

“Sowing the seeds of success”


Teaching Staff

Mrs Tonia Crossman Headteacher

Miss Aimee Crofts Deputy Headteacher

Mrs Claire Waite Deputy Headteacher

Mrs Stephanie Williams Foundation Stage and Year 1 Team Leader

Miss Heidi Tegg Foundation Stage FHT

Mrs Jennifer Wells Foundation Stage FJW

Mrs Kirsty Walls Year 1 1KW

Miss Hannah Watt Year 1 1HW

Mrs Elizabeth Winfield / Mrs Stephanie Williams Year 1 1EW

Miss Catie Fenner Year 2 2CF

Miss Heather Maddock Year 2 2HM

Miss Shona Ross Year 2 2SR

Miss Hayley Crombie Year 3 3HC

Mrs Katie Hughes / Miss Stephanie Hood Year 3 3KH

Mrs Sarah Phelps Jones Year 3 and 4 Team Leader

Miss Natalie Mitchell Year 4 4NAM

Mrs Sarah Phelps Jones / Mrs Sara Gater Year 4 4SPJ

Miss Nichola Mullins Year 5 and 6 Team Leader

Mrs Linda Bibby Year 5 5LB

Miss Michelle Rogers Year 5 5MR

Miss Kara McManus Year 6 6KM

Miss Nichola Mullins Year 6 6NM

Miss Heather Roberts Special Educational Needs

Mr Paul Gillespie Reading Recovery Teacher

Mrs Clare Mayo Specialist Music Teacher

Mrs Susan Barry MFL teacher


Our Curriculum

At Emmer Green Primary School, we provide a curriculum which is exciting, creative and

challenging. We engage all children in learning through an inspiring and cross curricular

approach to our teaching.

We follow the National Curriculum which sets out programs of study for the all the

subjects. Core subjects are English, Mathematics, ICT and Science and non core subjects

are; Art, Design and Technology, Geography, History, a modern foreign Language – French,

Music, Religious Education, Physical Education and Personal, Social and Health Education.

Core subjects such as Literacy and Mathematics are taught daily to the children in a

variety of different ways to ensure all learning styles are catered for and challenged. In

addition to this, we have a maths and literacy week each year which aim to inspire the

children further in these areas and to put what they are learning into context, some past

themes include:

Literacy

Superhero week

Shakespeare Festival

Film week

Mathematics

Emmer Green Village

The Zoo

London

Science is taught practically where possible. In science, children learn to explore, explain

and understand the world in which they live. Great emphasis is placed on caring for and

protecting the environment. Good use of the school grounds is made to reinforce such

learning.

ICT is an integral part of the children’s learning at Emmer Green. Although the children

have a designated ICT lesson where skills are taught and practised, ICT is used in all other

areas of the curriculum to help bring the curriculum alive and engage the children.

Foundation subjects are taught throughout the week in a number of different ways. One

such approach is topic based, where children learn about a topic such as The Romans in a

number of different subject areas such as History, Art and Design and Technology. On the

following pages you will find the topics covered at Emmer Green.


Some topics are supported by an inspirational dress up themed days, where drama is used

to relive historical experiences and create a buzz around learning.

In addition, we also have a number of specialist teachers in school. We have French

teacher who teaches French in Year 3 upwards for 40 minutes a week and cooking

teachers who take small groups to the cooking room to cook and bake a range of foods to

share with the rest of the class or take home. The complexity of the food they cook

increases as they progress through the school. The Foundation stage start with simple

baking but by the end of Year 6 the children design and cook a three course meal for a

teacher.

We are also very proud of the Music we offer at Emmer Green, as well as having a

dedicated music teacher, we offer a range of extra opportunities to learn an instrument

and sing in a choir. We also have a school orchestra.


Long Term Curriculum Plans

Year A Foundation

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 Term 5 Term 6

Under the

Sea

Celebrations

My Heroes

At the Farm

Space

Mini-beasts

Year 1 and 2


Movement

Night and

Day

Materials

Our World

Growing

Out and

About /

Mini-beasts

Kings and

Queens

Norway

Great Fire of

London

Our School

Grace

Darling

Mini-beasts

Year 3 and 4


Romans

Home and Away

Plant World

Romans

Home and Away

Animal World

Year 5 and 6


Britain Since the 1930’s

Space

Jamaica

Reading


Long Term Curriculum Plans

Year B (Current Year 2013-2014)

Foundation


Under the

Sea

Celebrations

My Heroes

At the Farm

Space

Dinosaurs

Year 1 and 2


Movement

Night and

Day

Materials

Our World

Growing

Out and

About /

Dinosaurs

Kings and

Queens

Norway

Great Fire of

London

Our School

Grace

Darling

Dinosaurs

Year 3 and 4


Tudors

Around the world

Plant World

Tudors

Around the world

Animal World

Year 5 and 6


Victorians

Aztecs

Earth Studies


Our Approach to Reading

How is reading systematically taught at Emmer Green Primary School?

Foundation Stage

The ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme is used for a daily 15 minute phonics session. This

is used throughout KS1 to ensure a systematic and comprehensive programme of

learning.

Jolly Phonics songs are used to supplement ‘Letters and Sounds’ planning. Lessons all

aim to address different learning styles i.e. kinesthetic, auditory and visual

learners.

Children are streamed into phases for phonics to ensure there is appropriate

challenge and support.

Children are tracked and monitored throughout phonics lessons to ensure they move

on when ready.

Planning is shared with all staff to ensure opportunities are created to apply

phonics in guided writing or shared reading sessions in Literacy.

Books are banded into colours to ensure that they match the child’s reading level.

Children are assessed using Benchmarking; this ensures children progress onto the

next band of reading books when they are ready.

Guided reading is timetabled daily: books are also colour banded to ensure this

allows opportunities to apply the sound covered in phonics lessons.

1:1 reading with the teacher or Nursery Nurse or Learning Support Assistant

occurs at least once a week.

Colour banded books are sent home twice a week with opportunities for parents to

hear their child read and comment in the reading record book.

Staff including Nursery Nurses and Learning Support Assistants are trained to

teach letters and sounds.

Staff are all trained to teach guided reading.

A Reading Evening is offered to parents during the first term to explain the

systematic teaching of reading.


KS1

The ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme is used for a daily 20 minute phonics sessions.

This is used throughout KS1 to ensure a systematic and comprehensive programme

of learning.

Lessons all aim to address the different learning styles i.e. kinesthetic, auditory

and visual learners.

Children are streamed into phases for phonics to ensure there is appropriate

challenge and support.

Children are tracked and monitored throughout phonics lessons to ensure they move

on when ready.

Planning is shared with all staff to ensure opportunities are created to apply

phonics in guided writing or shared reading sessions in Literacy.

Books are banded into colours and matched to the child’s reading level.

Children are assessed using Benchmarking; this ensures children progress onto the

next band of reading books when they are ready.

A daily ‘Reading Recovery’ programme is offered to selected children by a

specialised accredited Reading Recovery teacher.

Guided reading and independent reading is timetabled daily

Colour banded books are sent home twice a week with opportunities for parents to

hear their child read and comment in the reading record book.

Staff including Learning Support Assistants are trained to teach ‘Letters and

Sounds’.

All staff are trained to teach guided reading.

A Reading Record book is used to comment on reading progress but also to

communicate and encourage reading at home.

Every classroom is equipped with a well stocked book corner


KS2

Year 3 phonics programme incorporating catch up for children in phase 5

Guided reading and independent reading is timetabled daily with independent

readers and use of banded books where necessary

Well-resourced guided reading collections for each year group

Intensive reading for children requiring extra support

Reading Recovery style intensive programmes for children requiring intervention

Mentor texts timetabled for whole class book talk and reading activities

Literacy units begin with reading activities related to genre to ensure good

understanding of the texts

Buddy Reading for Year 4 provided by Higher ability Year 6 readers

Level 6 Reading club to study texts and understand answering questions to include

sufficient detail and reference to the texts

Reading records for children in Year 3 & 4 are used to comment on reading progress

but also to communicate and encourage reading at home

Reading record for children in Year 5 & 6 are to keep a record of their personal

reading and for parents listening to reading at home

The Junior library provides a range of fiction and non-fiction books and is run by

our trained Year 5 librarians

Year 6 pupils independently run ‘Book clubs’ to study a chosen text

Every classroom is equipped with a well stocked book corner


The Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is a fund allocated to schools to support children who are eligible for

free school meals. Schools are expected to spend this premium to raise the attainment of

these pupils.

During the academic year of 2012 – 2013 we had 37 children entitled to benefit from this

funding, below are just some of the ways we used the premium at Emmer Green Primary

School

Reading Recovery Program

Every Child a Counter Program

One to One tuition

Extra adult support during lessons

Intensive catch-up sessions with a Teacher / Learning Support Assistant

Emotional Literacy Sessions

Emotional Well Being Development Worker sessions

As a result of these inventions these children made the following progress during the

academic year

Progress Number of

children

%

Reading Expected or

Exceeding

27 73%

Exceeding 13 35%

Writing Expected or

Exceeding 30 81%

Exceeding 17 46%

Maths Expected or

Exceeding 23 62%

Exceeding 11 30%


Rights Respecting School

We have been recognised as a school who is working towards the ‘Rights, Respecting

Schools Award’

Will Jackson, from Unicef visited the school and spoke to members of the School Council

and Eco Team. We were then awarded a 'Record of Commitment' certificate

The award (RRSA) recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the

Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A

rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights

and respect in all its relationships: between adults and pupils, between adults and between

pupils.

We started our journey by each class creating their own whole class charters. Each

charter is different, but they all contain rights selected from the charter which are

agreed to be most important for that class. Each class is individual; therefore the

charters are meaningful to them.

At Emmer Green we are very proud of our class charters and understand that with our

rights, come responsibilities.


Behaviour Charter

At Emmer Green Primary School we have:

The right to be educated

The right to be healthy

The right to be treated fairly

The right to be heard

The right to be safe

Therefore we have the responsibility of:

Being polite and respectful to adults

Being kind to other children

Trying to solve arguments in a calm way

Respecting things that we own or belong to others

Acting quietly around school

Behaving sensibly and safely at playtimes

Looking after the school and its grounds

We understand that with rights, come responsibilities.


Student Leadership

At Emmer Green we believe strongly in the importance of developing leadership skills in

our children, we therefore have a number of student led groups which aim to support

other children at Emmer Green and share ways in which we as a school can improve.

Below are statements from our student leaders describing their roles and responsibilities

within the various groups.

Our Buddy System

“A buddy means looking after Foundation Stage children and comforting and helping them every day. Only Year 5 and 6 children have the privilege to be a buddy. Being a buddy is a big responsibility and you have to be able to put your buddy before yourself. Every day we put on a big smile and help our buddies get sorted in the morning. At break and lunch time they usually play with their friends but we are there for them if they need us. We haven’t just done stuff for the younger buddies; the younger buddies have done stuff for us. Big or small the younger buddies help us everyday. If we are having a bad day the younger buddies can always cheer us up. Also the younger buddies have invited us to special occasions because they feel that they can trust us. It is important for them to have an older buddy so that they can trust older students when their buddies have left for secondary school. It is also important for the younger buddies to develop a relationship with lots of people throughout the school. The Foundation Stage teachers organise terrific events for us to do together. Also the Foundation Stage teachers are so great that at some break and lunch times that’s all the younger buddies can tell us about. Some of the activities the Foundation Stage teachers organise are clay, drawing, making necklaces and many other wonderful things. Everybody loves being a buddy!”


School Council

“Here at Emmer Green, we have a very strong school council that work together to make this school a better place. We organise and hold school events, put together interesting activities for our classmates and raise money for the school. The council consists of a boy and girl from each year, with the older children leading the younger children in coming up with ideas and taking part in meetings. We are very devoted to our jobs and meet every week to discuss future events or issues appearing in the school. We plan something for almost every occasion and always have an idea to spare.

The whole council are very friendly and helpful, and always try their best to make

everyone’s lives at Emmer Green a whole lot more enjoyable.”

Eco-Team

“We are an action team that help to make the school more eco friendly. We promote our

eco rules by turning off lights when we leave the classroom and we save unwanted paper

and use it for scrap. We keep all our eco rules around the school so everyone can help to

make the school greener.

We have an eco code that we made up ourselves:

We are the eco warriors,

our job is to keep the school green.

Planting and weeding,

recycling and cleaning,

let’s all work together as a team!

We want everyone in the school to think about the environment and make Emmer Green

Primary School a better place to be.”


Digital Leaders

“We are the IT specialists at Emmer Green! We help lead ICT within the school, we run

assemblies on E-safety, run ICT clubs at lunchtimes and afterschool, train the teachers

and children on how to use new software and equipment, try out new ideas and decide if we

should use it in the classroom and trouble shoot IT issues.

It is our goal to make IT even better at Emmer Green!”


2012-2013 Results Foundation Stage

Good Level of

Development

achieved*

54%

*Children are defined as having a ‘good level of development’ at the end of Foundation Stage if they

achieve at least the expected level in the Early Learning Goals in all aspects of Personal, Social and

Emotional, Physical Development, Communication and Language, Mathematics and Literacy.

Maths Reading Writing

Early Learning Goal

achieved or

exceeded

83%

83%

63%

Key Stage 1

These tables show the percentage of Year 2 children achieving levels in the Teacher

Assessment KS1 SATs in 2012.

A 2b is considered to be average at the End of Key Stage 1

A Level 3 is considered to be above average at the End of Key Stage 1


Level 2

97% 95% 93%

Level 2b+ 90%

92% 85%

Level 3 58%

63% 30%


Key Stage 2

These tables show the percentage of Year 6 children achieving levels in the Teacher

Assessment KS2 SATs in 2013.

A Level 4 is considered to be average at the End of Key Stage 2

A Level 5 and above is considered to be above average at the End of Key Stage 2

A level 6 is considered to be average at the End of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

*2 Levels of progress since Key Stage 1


Level 4+ 95%

97% 97%

Level 5+

46% 58% 53%

Level 6+

9% 2% 0%

*Children

making

expected

progress

94% 91% 100%


Governors at Emmer Green

The Governing Body at Emmer Green is responsible for the strategic direction of the

School, working closely with the Head Teacher and her Senior Leadership Team.

The Governing Body meet at least five times a year and consists of the Head Teacher, two

teachers, one non-teaching member of staff, four parents, three local education authority

representatives and three Community governors. Each governor holds office for four

years.

In addition to full Governing Body meetings; Finance, Premises and Curriculum committees

meet on a regular basis.

Parent governors are parents of registered pupils and are elected by parents of children

at the school by secret ballot.

Our Governing Body is led by the Chair, elected by the Governing Body from within its

membership. The Chair is supported in their work by the Vice Chair.

The Governing Body at Emmer Green has three key roles, namely;

Strategic

As a Governing Body, we set the general direction of the school, looking at how it should

best develop. This is done by reviewing and agreeing policies, targets and priorities and

monitoring and reviewing aims and objectives.

In this area, we consider the following;

Ensuring the school has clear aims and values that are supported by the whole school

community.

Ensuring there is evidence of this in the day to day running of the school.

Focus on raising standards of achievement, establishing high expectations and promoting

effective teaching and learning so that every pupil achieves their full potential

Decide with the Head Teacher, staff, pupils and parents the direction of the school

development planning progress.

Ensure that the resources the school receives are directed to the school’s priorities as

determined in the School Improvement Plan (SIP).

Help to set and review the policies that provide a broad framework within which the Head

Teacher and staff should run the school.

Ensure that there are systems in place to monitor progress toward targets and gather


evidence accordingly.

Use the evidence to review progress against targets to see whether policies and practices

are effective.

Check on the schools achievements and progress over time and in comparison with similar

schools.

The Governing Body should be one of the key players in the school improvement planning

process. Governors should be involved in the review of the SIP and drawing up of plans for

the coming year.

Critical Friend

As a Governing Body, we work with the Head teacher and create a clear understanding of

the challenges faced in managing the school. We are able to question and challenge.

In this area, we consider the following;

Recognising and celebrating the achievements of the school

Recognising where the school is not achieving as it should

Providing support and encouraging strategies to bring about improvement

Striking an appropriate balance between supporting and challenging.

The role of “critical friend” involves monitoring and evaluating how the school is

progressing. The governors at Emmer Green have built a trusting relationship with the

Headteacher and staff in order to achieve this.

Monitoring means:

Evidence gathering to show progress has been made towards agreed targets.

Using the SIP to know the actions to be taken and the outcomes expected.

Asking questions about progress and challenging to ensure objectives are met.

Making judgements about results

Ensuring action is taken once concerns are identified.

Using a search analysis of pupil achievements to provide a focus for the evaluation of

teaching and learning.

It is not our role to make judgments about teachers. It is, however, the role of the

governors to ensure that monitoring of teaching takes place and the necessary actions are

taken to develop and support the quality of teaching.


Accountability

A school is a business and its stakeholders are the pupils, parents and the local community.

As a Governing Body we have a professional attitude and use our collective skills to benefit

all stakeholders. We gather views, ask questions and decide what is best for the school.

We are answerable to parents and the wider community.

We have a general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting

high standards of educational achievement. This gives rise to a wide range of specific

responsibilities which in turn requires us to establish a range of procedures.

In this role, we;

Are required to conduct ourselves with a view to promoting high standards of educational

achievement.

Have the right to discuss, question and refine proposals while respecting the professional

roles of the Head Teacher and other staff, and their responsibilities for the management

of the school.

Are prepared to account for the school’s performance and to explain its decisions and

actions to anyone who has a legitimate interest.


Named Governors 2013 – 2014

Chair

Mr G. Roberts

Vice Chair

Mr J. Miller

LA Nominated

Mr R. Willis

Mrs A. Hendry

Mrs A. Smith

Community Representatives

Mrs A. Grashoff

Mr G. Roberts

Mr J. Miller

Head Teacher

Mrs. T. Crossman

Staff

Miss A. Crofts

Mrs C. Waite

Mrs. J. O'Riordan

Parents

Mr J. Cowles

Mr P. Greenham

Mrs S. Power

Mrs K. Trigg


PTFA

PTFA stands for Parents, Teachers and Friends Association and is made up of parents

who have children at the school, but also, as the name suggests, the teachers, staff and

other ‘friends’ of the school. We care about the school and recognise the excellent job the

teachers do. However, as with most schools, there are not sufficient funds for the school

to do or buy everything it needs, and certainly no spare cash for luxury items such as

extra books and computers, as well as playground games to name but a few.

We run a range of on-going fundraising activities, such as spendandraise.com and the

School Lottery (50 Club). We hold several major events each year, including a Barn dance

in October and our successful Christmas and Summer Fayres.

We are also responsible for organising and planning:

Junior Discos

Bags 2 School collection - send your clothes jumble, soft toys and any textiles to

school on nominated collection days. The school will receive money in return for

these items which are then recycled.

Secrets Room - On nominated days pupils are invited to purchase gifts

for Mothering Sunday and Christmas

Christmas Shopping Evening. Local small retailers come into school and parents are

invited to purchase an entry ticket to browse/purchase items.

Ice Cream Sales

Second Hand Uniform Sales - Throughout the year PTFA members organise second

hand uniform sales for parents either to purchase or donate grown out of clothes.

By organising events throughout the year, the money raised by the PTFA make a real

difference to your child's school experience at Emmer Green.


Extra Curricular Opportunities

At Emmer Green, we have a strong tradition of providing a variety of exciting clubs which

enhance our children’s learning. These clubs are run by external coaching companies, staff

or parents and usually take place after school.

Every year group is offered at least three clubs each year, except for Foundation, who are

offered clubs in terms 5 and 6.

In 2012-2013, these are the clubs our children participated in:

Sports Arts ICT

Basketball

Fencing

Football (school team)

Football

Gym

Handball

Hockey

Kwik Cricket

Multi Sports

Netball (school)

Swimming Gala Team

Tag Rugby

Tri Golf

Adventure Club

Circus Skills

Dance

Musical Theatre

Scottish Highland Dancing

Spy Club

Street Dance

Digital Leaders

Pupil Led

Art Club

Reading buddies

Digital leaders

Animation

Librarians

Music Core subjects Other Clubs

African Hand Drumming

Choir

Orchestra

Recorders

Creative Writing (school)

Creative Writing (More Able

&Talented)

Discovery Club

Maths Club (school)

Bikeability

French

Librarians (school)

emmer green primary school prospectus 2013-2014

Documents

school year

community school

united school

inclusive school

school vision teaching

seeds of success welcome

learning opportunities

team approach