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St. James’ C.E. Primary School

2015/16

St James’ C.E. Primary School is a Voluntary Aided Church school.

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CONTENTS

Page 3 Letter From the Chair of Governors

Page 4 Mission Statement and School Aims

Page 5 Letter from the Headteacher

Page 6 Staff

Page 7 School Building & Grounds

Page 8 Admission procedure and Class Organisation

Page 9 How the School meets the needs of all the children

Page 10 Pupil progress and Attainment

Page 11 Attendance and Holiday Dates

Page 12 School Life

Page 13 School Uniform

Page 14 Pupil Voice

Page 15 Contact details

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It is a great pleasure to write this introduction to the school brochure as Chair of the

Governors of St. James C.E. Primary School.

St. James’ is, of course, a church school and among the particular priorities in such schools

we rate highly the creation of a loving, caring, and disciplined community.

I know that all of the staff, and the Governing Body, are committed to these aims.

St. James’ is a school which I am convinced any family will be glad to be part of, and to which

parents who care can confidently plan to send their children.

I believe our school has built up a very experienced, competent and happy staff team, and a

marvellous sense of purpose in educating children for the very difficult world in which they

have to grow up.

Continuing to build on the excellent foundations laid in the past, we constantly strive for

excellence, not only in the academic field, but also in bringing to their full potential, the gifts

and talents of each individual child.

St. James’ has witnessed to the importance of Christian education for over one hundred

years. I am convinced that our school will continue to witness to our striving for excellence

in all things for many generations to come.

Revd Rodney Middleton B.D

Chair of Governors

Our School Governors are:

Revd R Middleton (Chair) Mrs J Cutler

Mrs J Holmes (Head teacher) Mr D Rogers

Mrs V Foster Mrs C Bond

Dr D Martlew Mrs L Heaton

Mrs L Finney Mrs D Robinson

Mrs G Haydock Mr J Evans

Mr W Wiswell Mr J Heavey

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Children’s Mission Statement

“Through God’s love we enjoy, we learn, we achieve”

Mission Statement

The Governors and staff of St James’ are committed to the development, safety, education

and well-being of the pupils of this school.

It is our belief that a good education, based upon Christian principles and value, gives pupils

the best start in life.

We consider our commitment to our pupils may be best shown by the provision of a

stimulating, yet caring, learning environment where each child is valued both as an individual

and as a contributor to the common good.

To this end, we dedicate ourselves to fostering intellectual, aesthetic, emotional and social

growth: to raising standards: to quality teaching and to developing each pupil to his / her

fullest potential.

School Aims

St. James’ C.E. Primary School is a caring school, striving for excellence.

We aim to

provide a happy and secure environment which provides challenge and opportunity for

each pupil

enable each child to develop his / her fullest potential in all areas

make the most of all the opportunities offered both within and outside curriculum

areas

foster attitudes of respect and tolerance for others

encourage good manners and good behaviour

foster the basic Christian ethos of the school

Equality Statement

At St James’ we are committed to inclusive education through the fair and equal treatment

of all. We accept and agree with the Salamanca Convention: every child has a fundamental

right to education which is free from discrimination, bias and advantage. This is constantly

described through our culture, policies and practices. Reasonable adjustments will be made

to accommodate all pupils regardless of race, religion, cultural background or disability.

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A welcome from the Head Teacher

On behalf of the Governors and staff of St. James’ C of E Primary School it gives me

great pleasure to introduce you to our school through our brochure. The school serves the

local community and all children are encouraged to learn to live together and to treat

other people with care and consideration.

The vision, for all who work in our school, is to provide a wide range of high-quality

educational and life experiences so that our children can attain their full potential within

a happy and Christian environment.

Our dedicated team work extremely hard to ensure that the education we offer is the best

we can give.

Our school is a happy and vibrant place, one where all children feel safe and secure and

able to give their best. We are very proud of our care and nurture of pupils and the results

we achieve together, working alongside our parents.

St James’ is a church school and Christian values are embedded within the school ethos

and curriculum. There is a daily act of worship which reflects the Christian nature and

foundation of the school.

We hope you find this brochure informative and useful and that it helps you to gain an

understanding of how St James’ is organised and an appreciation of the exciting

opportunities on offer to the children in our care.

The best way to find out about our school is to come and visit, to see us in action and to

meet the staff and children. You can also find out more about our vision via our website

www.stjamesceprimary.co.uk where you will have access to a growing number of school

documents.

We look forward to welcoming you to our school and to a happy and successful

partnership with all our children and families.

Yours sincerely

Jan Holmes

Head Teacher

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Staff List

Head Teacher: Mrs J Holmes (Designated Senior Person for safeguarding)

Business Manager: Mrs S Shipley

Admin Officer: Mrs D Brownbill

Caretaker: Mr J Knowles

Cleaner: Mr B Jenkins

Teachers:

Name Year Group Responsibility

Miss H Jones Reception Science Leader

Miss E Dolan 1 Art Leader

Miss L Paton 2 Geography & ECO leader

Miss E Jones 3 Senior Leadership team, SENCO

and PHSE Leader

Mrs G Forrester 4 Computing and Ethos team leader

Mrs K Jones 4 Design & Technology Leader

Mrs V Foster

Deputy Head Teacher & KS1

Leader

5 Senior Leadership team,

Mathematics leader, Music Leader,

Deputy DSP for safeguarding

Miss A Gomes

KS2 Leader

6 Senior Leadership team, KS2

Leader, English leader and History

leader

Mrs L Jones PPA Teacher P.E. Leader and after school club

leader

Learning Support staff:

Mrs C McDonald Mrs J Unsworth

Mrs D Robinson Mrs T Andrews

Miss G Norcross Mrs J Rowbotham

Mrs D Wright Mrs S Hammond

Mrs S Shaw Mrs H Brougham

Mrs D Twiss Miss C Halsall

Other Support Staff:

Mrs N Dawber (Pastoral care and nurture

manager) )

Mrs B Maddison (Out of Hours Club) Mrs D Rogers (Out of Hours club & mid-

day assistant)

Mrs B Lee ( Mid-day assistant) Mrs D Yarnold ( Mid-day assistant)

Miss N Slinn ( Mid-day assistant) Mrs C McDonald ( Mid-day assistant)

Miss G Norcross ( Mid-day assistant) Mrs J Unsworth (mid-day assistant)

Mrs S Devenport (Cook) Ms J Slinn (Kitchen Assistant)

Mrs J Gabbitas (Kitchen Assistant)

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School Building and Grounds

The main part of St. James’ C.E. Primary School was

built, by the parishioners in 1907. The School is a good

example of a Victorian styled building and still

retains many of its original features.

The Key Stage One wing and front extension have been

added more recently. The school consists of 7 classrooms,

3 resource rooms, an intervention room, a staff room, a

main administration office, the Head teacher’s office, a

hall, (inclusive of a dining hall), a newly fitted kitchen, a

library and a caretaker’s office.

The school is fortunate enough to have a

playground for each Key Stage and a large

playing field, which incorporates our

woodland area.

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Foundation Stage – Admission Policy

The school follows the admissions Policy which

facilitates admissions to school in September of

each year of children who are four and whose fifth

birthday falls between the 1st of September and the

31st of August. Children admitted into the Reception

class attend for

half days for a week

at the start of the

term to help them

settle in. Parents

wishing to apply for

a place can do so by

completing an application form, which can be obtained from

either school, the Education Department, or online. Parents

and prospective parents are always welcome to look around

the school. Please contact the school to make a convenient

appointment. For more

details about admission to St.

James’ School parents may

wish to see the School

Admission Policy.

Class Organisation

Pupils are grouped in form classes for registration,

pastoral care and

curriculum subjects.

Pupils are taught in

year groups with a

named teacher in

charge of each

class. There are also

learning support

staff that help in classrooms. Our Year 1 Classroom

Our Year 2 Classroom

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How the School meets the needs of all children

St. James’ C.E. School is an inclusive school. We believe that every child should have the

opportunity to attain the highest possible achievements. Some children are able to achieve

their own targets within normal lessons, whilst others may benefit from extra support. The

support is given at varying levels, depending upon the need of an individual.

For those children who find some concepts difficult, their work is planned at a slightly

different level by the class teacher. This enables the child to consolidate their knowledge

and maintain their confidence.

For some children extra reinforcement is helpful. This is usually carried out by a learning

assistant assigned to the class. The learning assistants are trained in delivering English and

Mathematics interventions.

For a few children these strategies may not completely satisfy their needs. These children

will be given specifically developed programmes tailored to meet their individual needs.

Specialist external advice and support may also be sought for example from speech

therapists or occupational therapists. At this level parents and guardians are closely involved

in the decisions that are made.

Gifted and talented children are given extension work to deepen their knowledge and grasp

of concepts. They may be invited to specialised workshops to work with other young people

of the same age who display aptitude in the same field.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published a Code of Practice on the identification

and assessment of special needs. The school has agreed to these requirements.

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Pupils’ Progress and Attainment

Parents will receive an annual written report. We wish to use our annual report as a proactive

means to motivate our children as well as giving a retrospective view of a child’s

performance. Hence targets will be included on the report to help children in the next stage

of their education. This report will give an indication of the progress children have made in

the statutory curriculum subjects as well as commenting on their social and personal

development.

We use many methods to assess and record work;

Baseline assessment observation

Regular testing by various methods

National Curriculum tests

Annotating significant pieces of children’s work

Noting down things children say

Using assessment sheets

Children recording and evaluating their own work

Photographing and photocopying work.

We have an ongoing assessment system which links to the new curriculum. Teachers track

children’s progress and record attainment against these assessments. Termly reports are

issued to parents that show achievement, effort and targets for future learning. These are

then discussed with parents during parents’ consultation meetings.

School Results 2015

Key Stage 1

Numeracy

National

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Reading

National

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Writing

Actual

National

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L2+ 100% 92% 87% 90% 90% 86%

L2B+ 80% 80% 80% 81% 73% 70%

L3+ 27% 24% 33% 31% 17% 16%

Key Stage 2

Numeracy

National

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Reading

National

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Writing

National

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L4+ 100% 86% 97% 89% 97% 85%

L5+ 42% 42% 42% 49% 47% 33%

L6+ 3% 9% 0% 0% 10% 0%

Year 1 Phonic Check – 83%

Foundation Stage Good Level of Development – 61%

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Attendance

The school day starts at 9am and ends at 3.15pm. Children are expected to attend school

regularly and punctually. This ensures that progress is maintained and that children do not

miss out on valuable learning opportunities. Holidays should be taken in school holidays

except under very exceptional circumstances and proof of this should be provided by

parents. Any holidays taken without the school’s (head teacher’s) agreement will be coded as

unauthorised.

Every School Day Counts and Every Day is Important!

The governors have agreed to adopt the L.A.’s system of ‘Fixed Penalty Notices’ for

unauthorised absences.

HOLIDAY DATES 2015 - 2016

AUTUMN TERM 2015

Open Thursday 3rd September 2015

Close Thursday 22nd October 2015

Open Monday 2nd November 2015

Close Friday 18th December 2015

SPRING TERM 2016

Open Tuesday 5th January 2016

Close Friday 12th February 2016

Open Tuesday 23rd February 2016

Close Thursday 24th March 2016 (Easter weekend)

Open Tuesday 29th March 2016

Close Friday 1st April 2016

SUMMER TERM 2016

Open Monday 18th April 2016

May Day Monday 2nd May 2016

Close Friday 27th May 2016

Open Monday 6th June 2016

Close Tuesday 21st July 2016

Inset days

1st September 2015

2nd September 2015

23rd October 2015

4th January 2016

22nd February 2016

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School Life

Rewards

A weekly behaviour and achievement award is

given to members of each class who have

demonstrated showing Church values through

their behaviour or have produced some excellent

work. The children are given their awards in a

special celebration collective worship, given a

certificate and a special badge to wear on their

uniform. We also celebrate good manners and

behaviour at lunchtimes, class attendance, TEAM

work, outside achievements and everybody’s

birthday.

After School Clubs

During the school year we offer a range of after school / lunchtime clubs and activities.

These will usually be for a fixed number of weeks and be open to specified age groups. We

will let you know about any activities open to your child and ask you to give permission for

them to attend. We do ask that once a child has started to attend he / she continues to take

part for the remainder of the term. At present the range of activities on offer includes

Choir, Netball, Dance, Gymnastic, Reading, Arts & Crafts, Cookery, and iPad Club.

Sometimes we buy in specialist consultants to deliver some of our clubs hence there may be a

small cost for some activities.

Homework

Homework is now a statutory requirement and pupils are encouraged to complete such work

given by class teachers. We believe that parental encouragement is important and this

partnership between home and school can only assist the child in making progress. We have

introduced school planners and any concerns by all parties can be noted in the school planner.

If you feel there are any problems with homework set please do not hesitate to contact the

school.

Welfare of Children

Overall responsibility for the social/pastoral care of the pupils is the Head teacher’s,

although class teachers assume an immediate responsibility for the care of children in their

class. The Key Stage Leaders and SENCO offer assistance in meeting the pastoral needs of

pupils. Parents concerned about any social/welfare problem affecting their child may make an

appointment to see the class teacher or Headteacher.

In cases of illness or emergency parents are contacted and invited to collect their child and

take them home or to hospital. If this is not possible the Headteacher or delegated staff

will take the child home and, if necessary, collect the parents and take them to the hospital.

It is important that any change of address and/or telephone number is immediately

given to the school office so that our emergency contact numbers are up to date.

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DRESS AT SCHOOL – SCHOOL UNIFORM

School Uniform has been agreed in consultation with the Governors and

parents in an effort to produce distinctive but serviceable and readily

available items of school wear. Co-operation is sought from parents to ensure

that pupils attend school correctly dressed. We also ask parents not to send

children to school in trainers but in appropriate footwear.

All items of uniform and equipment must be marked clearly with pupil’s

names and lost property should be reported promptly to the class teacher.

Every encouragement is given to all pupils to take care of their belongings and parents are

asked to reinforce this.

Shoes should be flat healed, and black or dark in colour. Boots or trainers are unsuitable and

are not permitted. School uniform may be purchased directly from school who order direct

from Topaz Embroidery, (Topaz shop, 284 Church Road, Haydock, St Helens WA11 0LF Tel:

01942 375940) or from Singh’s School wear, Bridge Street, St Helens. Uniform can also be

purchased through the Tesco.com website (tesco.com/ues).

Winter uniform Summer uniform

Red sweatshirt / cardigan / fleece (Logo) As Winter uniform

Grey trousers / skirt Red and White

White Polo Shirt (logo Dresses

Sensible Black / Dark Shoes

Grey / White / Red tights/socks

PE Kit

White t-shirt (logo available)

Red shorts

Black pumps - not trainers for PE (soles are too rigid for apparatus work)

Trainers/ football boots / tracksuits as required

Earrings are to be removed for PE (except covered studs) teachers cannot assist with this.

P.E. AND GAMES

Physical Education is an important part of the curriculum. All children will have both indoor

and outdoor P.E. lessons. (We suggest that PE kits are kept in a drawstring bag and are

taken home for washing each half term, as a minimum). Tracksuits and trainers may be worn

for outdoor games. It is also important that children do not wear their P.E. clothing for the

rest of the day. In the interests of hygiene P.E. kit should be changed out of at the end of

the P.E. lesson.

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Pupil Voice

Alongside our Head Boy, Head Girl and Prefects we are very proud to say that we have active

councils in school made up from pupils of all ages.

School Council

The council is consulted on all matters pertaining to the school and is an ideal way for

everyone to raise issues in a meaningful way. The council is also involved in social and fund

raising activities. Council members are elected annually and hold office for one academic

year. Council meetings are held on alternative weeks.

ECO Council

We also have a strong Eco Council who support

activities such as saving water and electricity. They

meet regularly to discuss and plan current events.

Ethos Groups

The Ethos group meet weekly after school on a Tuesday evening and work together to

promote the Christian Ethos of our school. They develop and maintain reflective areas

around school and contribute to collective worship.

Librarians

Our librarians work hard to

maintain and promote our library

in school. The librarians are

elected from Year 6 and work to

promote the love of reading

across school. They also support

younger pupils with their reading.

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Contact Details

TELEPHONE

The school telephone number is 01744 678545. During office hours the office staff will

usually answer the telephone but there may be occasions when the answer phone is switched

on. Calls received via the answer-phone will normally be returned during the school day. We

regret that the school telephone is not normally available to pupils either for incoming or

outgoing calls.

E- MAIL

All e mails should be addressed to stjamesce@sthelens.org.uk will be passed onto the

relevant person.

Other information regarding the school can be found on our school website at

www.stjamesceprimary.co.uk