tiverton school ashington grove coventry · 2019. 11. 10. · last updated september 2019 1...

Last updated September 2019 1

Tiverton School Ashington Grove Coventry CV3 4DE Telephone 024 7659 4954 Fax 024 7659 1575 Email [email protected] Website www.tiverton.coventry.sch.uk Headteacher Alison Neale Chair of Governors Mrs Jane Bicknell Tiverton School is a primary school for children aged three to eleven who have a range of learning difficulties; the school has a specialism in teaching children with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Maintaining Local Authority Coventry

Kirston Nelson Director of education, adult education and libraries People Directorate Coventry City Council


CONTENTS PAGE NUMBER 1 Welcome to Tiverton School 3 2 Our Values and Aims at Tiverton School 4 3 Who’s Who at Tiverton? 3.1 The Governors 7 3.2 School Staff 7 3.3 Primary Care Trust, Education Authority, Social Care 9 3.4 Working in Partnership with Parents 10 3.5 Friends of Tiverton 11 4 School Facilities 4.1 School Environment 12 4.2 Where We Are, How to Find Us 13 5 About Us 5.1 Admissions Policy and Procedures 14 5.2 The School Day 14 5.3 Class Organisation 14 5.4 Induction and Transition Procedures 15 5.5 Attendance 16 5.6 Guidance for Parents in the Event of School Closure 17 5.7 Schools Council 18 5.8 Transport to and from School 18 5.9 School Meals 18 5.10 Personal Property 19 5.11 Charges and Remissions 19 5.12 School Uniform 19 5.13 Illness and Medication 20 5.14 Safeguarding Children 20 5.15 Educational Visits 21 5.16 Partnerships with Other Schools 21 5.17 Community Links 22 5.18 Term and Holiday Dates 22 5.19 Dates for your Diary 23 5.20 Access to School Policies 25 5.21 School Website 25 5.22 Complaints Procedure 26 6 Curriculum 26 6.1 Early Years 28 6.2 Assemblies 28 6.3 Sport and Leisure 29 6.4 PARRC (Planning, Assessment, Recording, Reporting and Celebrating) 30 6.5 Extra-curricular Activities 30 6.6 Sex and Relationship Education 31


1 Welcome to Tiverton School

Welcome to Tiverton School and thank you for reading this prospectus to find out more information about our school. I hope you will find the information you require and that you will find it useful in helping to prepare your child for the beginning of a very important journey in starting school. We are very proud of Tiverton School and what we offer to our pupils and their families, always aiming to put children at the heart of what we do. We value very highly the partnerships we develop with parents and others, and know that we can maximize the effectiveness of learning, enjoyment and achievement for all pupils by working together. With your support, we are confident that we can achieve this. We are committed to providing a caring environment which ensures that a range of opportunities will be provided for the academic and personal development of every child and one which stimulates them to learn and achieve with enjoyment, confidence and success. Whilst I hope you will find the information in this prospectus useful, I strongly recommend that all prospective parents visit Tiverton to see at first hand what we offer our pupils and their families. I look forward to meeting you Alison Neale

Alison Neale Headteacher Details in this prospectus are correct at the time of printing


2 Our Values and Aims at Tiverton School

1 We believe that each child should be valued equally and treated with dignity and respect for the positive contributions they make to the Tiverton community

And therefore we aim to: • Empower pupils through recognising every child’s potential to learn and giving them

sufficient quality, uninterrupted time to respond to personalised learning opportunities • Ensure all our pupils are treated equally, whilst celebrating difference and diversity between

pupils as a strength • Remove barriers to learning in order to facilitate active participation for all, in a way that

reflects individual preferences and levels of need • Celebrate and share with parents and other members of the wider team the achievements

of each child through praise, stickers, certificates, achievement assemblies and awards • Develop each pupil’s communication skills, placing equal value upon different methods of

communicating

2 We believe that Tiverton School promotes lifelong learning for all within the school community in an atmosphere of support, security and respect

And therefore we aim to: • Provide a nurturing, well-resourced environment in which there are high expectations for

the learning of pupils, staff and other members of the wider school community • Provide personalised, fun learning opportunities in which pupils can achieve in relation to

challenging and realistic “door-opening” targets set for and with them • Monitor the progress of all our pupils and challenge underachievement • Facilitate the process of PARRC (planning, assessment, recording, reporting and celebrating)

as a cyclical one in which assessment for learning is central • Enable all staff to become reflective practitioners, constantly striving for self-improvement

within an atmosphere of support, security and respect through an effective induction and professional development process

3 We believe that everyone has a right to feel safe, valued and confident in a learning environment which promotes health and well-being

And therefore we aim to: • Embrace the outcomes of Every Child Matters within all school policy and practice • Provide the necessary support, care and guidance to build confidence, self esteem and

independence • Prepare pupils and staff well to facilitate smooth transitions into school, moving on from

school and within school

• Promote respect for the culture, religion and beliefs of others and a sensitivity to the needs of others


4 We believe that all children are entitled to a dynamic curriculum which provides excitement, relevance and stimulation for learning

And therefore we aim to: • Create a centre of excellence for our staff and pupils • Provide a personalised, creative and flexible curriculum which is well-resourced and meets

the individual needs of every pupil • Develop a personalised curriculum which provides a vehicle through which pupils can

develop key skills; parents, pupils and the multidisciplinary team will be active partners in the process of ascertaining “door openers” for pupils

• Observe our pupils’ responses to inform curriculum development and learning opportunities inside the classroom and beyond

5 We believe that our pupils are entitled to a safe, ordered and attractive learning environment both inside and out which facilitates security, challenge and high expectation

And therefore we aim to: • Ensure that a clean, ordered learning environment facilitates our pupils to be as

independent and confident as possible • Display children’s work creatively to support and reflect learning across the range of pupils

in our learning community • Incorporate up-to-date technology at individual and whole-school level to support learning,

teaching and communication • Reflect the range of total communication strategies used by our learners throughout the

learning environment

6 We believe that a valued multi-disciplinary team working collaboratively and in a spirit of mutual respect will enable the best outcomes for the pupils we serve

And therefore we aim to: • Support parents through regular parents’ meetings and enable them to offer mutual support

to each other • Facilitate an effective means of communication within the wider team so that all team

members are fully informed of difficulties, change, progress and achievement • Ensure that the holistic development of the child is paramount and is best provided for by a

skilled, multi-disciplinary team around the child • Support all parents as active participants in the education of their child and promote

effective communication between home and school in a written form, verbally, face to face and using the school’s website and learning platform


7 We believe that we should foster links with the wider community in order to enhance awareness, understanding and positive attitudes

And therefore we aim to: • Develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in our pupils which will enable them to function with

maximum independence within the wider community • Develop and sustain relationships between Tiverton and other elements of the wider

community, encouraging community members to share in our resources and facilities • Develop extended school provision, working with partner agencies to enable pupils access to

high quality provision beyond the school day. We acknowledge that this involvement will influence the achievements of children and their families

• Provide inclusion opportunities for our pupils with a range of partner schools, including welcoming pupils from local schools into Tiverton as part of a mutually beneficial process

• Provide opportunities for pupils to access residential experiences as appropriate


3 Who’s Who at Tiverton?

3.1 The Governors Jane Bicknell Local Authority, Chair of Governors, Jacquie Grisedale Co-opted Governor, Vice Chair of Governors Janice McGranaghan Co-opted Governor David Spurgeon Co-opted Governor Vacancy Co-opted Governor Caroline Blower Co-opted Governor Rachel McCann Staff Governor Alexis Garton Parent Governor Loretta Spain Parent Governor Ellie Malone Parent Governor Alison Neale Headteacher Governor 3.2 School Staff Teaching Staff Rachel McCann Willow Class Caroline Blower (0.8)/ Chris Dubock (0.4) Maple Class Rachel Cox Sycamore Class Mandy Hatton Ash Class (Pupils with PMLD from across school) Jackie Shipley (0.6)/ Ivonne Hernandez (0.6) Oak Class Marisa Piedade Aspen Class Philippa Jones Silver Birch Class Family Liaison and Support Staff Manager Olwyn Hamill Senior Classroom Support Staff Location Allison Searle Willow Class Chris Dubock Maple Class Alice Garner Sycamore Class Tracey Livermore Ash Class (supporting across the school PM) Andrea Balac Oak Class Vacancy Aspen Class Donna Wood Silver Birch Class


Classroom Support Staff Location Hazel Cain Willow Class Chloe Smith (temp) Willow Class Bethany Garner Maple Class Will Mann Ash Class (supporting across school pm) Danielle Brooks Sycamore Class Jigna Vadgama Sycamore Class Roy Slade Oak Class Chris Creek (temp) Aspen Class Ruksar Butt (supply) Aspen Class Ruth Greenhow Silver Birch Class Part Time Classroom Support Staff Location Julie Meehan/ Sally Blencowe Oak Class Teaching Assistant apprentices Location Anna Batkowska Maple Class Saneela Salamat Silver Birch Class Administrative & Clerical Staff Lyn McGrath Finance and Administrative Manager Tracey Bawden Administrative Assistant Julie Trill Resources Assistant Vicki Kavanagh Business Administrative Apprentice Lunchtime Supervisory Assistants

Michelle Quinn Hajra Mangera Debbie Nevin Tinder Gill Jessica Henry + 3 vacancies

Kitchen Staff Amy Hayes Site Service Officer Richard Webb


ICT Consultant Mark Clark

3.3 Primary Care Trust, Education Authority, Social Care School Nurses Claire Clay Consultant Paediatrician Dr Chakraborty – Consultant paediatrician Speech and Language Therapist Sarah Aitkenhead Physiotherapists Laura Ball Occupational Therapists Sophie McKeown Dietician Suzanne Holloway Children's Community Learning Disability Team Work in support of some children with challenging behaviour both at school and in the home. Education Service Coventry Improvement Partner Amanda Clugston Sensory Support Service Susan Morgans- visiting teacher Educational Psychologist Dr James Gillum- Principal psychologist Special Needs and Pupil Support Mrs Jeannette Essex- Head of Student Services, Education and Inclusion Service Mrs Sharon Cassidy- Lead for SEND Management Services, School Admissions and Benefits Mrs Jacki Richards (SEN Officer) Children and Families First worker Jeanette Walsh


Social Care Children’s Disability Team Various social workers from this team are involved with the individual cases of some children and families at Tiverton. 3.4 Working in Partnership with Parents At Tiverton School we employ a Family Liaison Manager- here are just some of the ways in which she can work with and support families:

The Family Liaison Manager in our school is Olwyn Hamill You can contact Olwyn at school on Monday pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and

Fridays on 024 7659 4954 or [email protected] Olwyn’s main role is to support the well-being of children and families, working closely

with other professionals to support families in the best way. If you need specific support (eg filling in forms), Olwyn can support you or put you in

contact with people who can help you with this. In some circumstances Olwyn will visit families at home, though generally meetings will

take place in school or at other agencies Olwyn arranges monthly coffee mornings for families and friends, sometimes as informal

gatherings and sometimes with speakers of interest to families and friends Following training from the Citizens Advice Bureau, Olwyn is able to offer practical

guidance in matters such as council tax, housing, consumer issues, uniform costs, debt, benefits and family problems. She can also make a fast track referral to Citizens Advice to meet with an expert advisor or for help and support in filling out DLA forms or Benefit forms.

In particular, Olwyn can help you to o access short breaks activities o access referrals for individual support at short break activities for children who

have been assessed for this and meet the criteria o access direct payments for families who have been assessed for this o access grants from charities o access training from other agencies to help you understand and support your

child e.g. behaviour, sleep o make referrals for assessments by other agencies o access support for brothers and sisters

A key part of Olwyn’s role is working closely with a number of other professionals, acknowledging the strengths and skills that each member of the team brings. We know we can support children and families at Tiverton best by working closely with other agencies, valuing each with their own area of expertise.

We believe there is maximum benefit to pupils when school and families work in partnership and an understanding that parents know their children best. Before pupils start at Tiverton, there is usually a visit to home carried out by the class teacher and another member of the class team in order to share important information about the pupil and the school. At this time, a pupil profile is completed to gain maximum information about the pupil so their needs can best be met in school as soon as they start. This information is use to write an individual

mailto:[email protected]


communication passport, which is updated at least once a year to ensure up-to-date records are maintained.

Regular parents’ and families’ meetings are held throughout the year in school, giving parents a chance to meet informally with other parents and members of the extended family. A series of outside speakers is arranged to provide information and support to parents in the areas they have requested; in the past this has included speakers on sleep, support for managing children’s behaviour, diet and various resources and equipment for children. Specific training has also been provided for parents in school - this has included “Me Time” and Makaton signing training, Share sessions and Cygnet training for parents of children with a diagnosis of ASD. Parents and families are fully consulted and involved in the groups so that we can support them in areas they are interested in. The Family Liaison and Support Staff Manager at Tiverton has a key role in supporting parents and families, signposting parents to other agencies and liaising with other involved agencies.

Parents and families are welcomed into school to discuss their child’s progress at Annual review and regular parents’ evenings. Families are welcome at other times, though if they wish to have lengthy discussions with class staff, these are best organised outside teaching times to minimise disruption to all pupils in the class.

Termly newsletters and regular letters are sent to parents from school to keep parents fully informed of school activities. All pupils also have a home school diary which is used to communicate information particular to a child - parents are encouraged to write and share information using this. It may also be appropriate for further phone conversations to take place between home and school; school staff are not available to take calls during lesson time, but they will try their best to return calls later, or a message may be left via the office staff.

Parents receive an end of year report in July; for pupils who have a statement of special educational need, annual review reports will be sent home in advance of the annual review meeting at the appropriate time of year. Throughout the year, we value families’ feedback on their children’s progress and achievement, as well as areas for future learning need.

Families are warmly invited to all Friday afternoon assemblies at 2.30pm, where achievements of pupils are celebrated. Families are also invited to special assemblies and celebrations during the year - especially at Harvest, Christmas and Easter times and leavers’ assemblies in the summer.

We have a school website (details on the front page of this prospectus) which is regularly update as a means of sharing information with parents and the wider family. 3.5 Friends of Tiverton The “Friends of Tiverton School” is a registered charity, which raises funds to promote the work of the school by providing additional equipment and activities for use by all pupils. All parents are warmly welcome to join this group. In the past this group has provided support for developments to the school grounds, Christmas presents for pupils, large pieces of garden and play equipment, cameras and a wide range of resources for the sensory room. A committee of parents, friends and staff organise various social and fund raising events and school based activities to support the work of the school. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend


these events; an important benefit of “Friends of Tiverton” is bringing pupils, staff, families and friends together to promote partnerships for the benefit of the pupils and school. 4 School Facilities

4.1 School Environment The main school entrance and reception area has a security system which helps to ensure that only authorized people enter the building. The school comprises the following areas:

An Early Years area (orange) containing: o 2 classrooms o A flexible space o A group room o A shared toilet/ hygiene suite area o An additional hygiene suit o Outdoor areas for each classroom

Three key stage areas (KS1- purple, Lower KS2- yellow, Upper KS2- blue) containing: o Two classrooms, each with 2 toilets accessible from the classroom o An additional purpose built classroom for children with PMLD (including ceiling

hoists) o A hygiene suite o A flexible area o A group room o Outdoor areas for each classroom

Medical room

Therapists office and therapy room

School hall

Sensory room

Sensory integration room

Soft Play room

Food Technology room

Library

Warm water pool

Four admin offices

Staff room

School kitchen (for preparation of school meals)

Several areas for storage of resources

Areas for storage of large equipment and chairs/ standing frames

Large, fenced playground, partly grassed and partly hard surfaced

Sensory garden area with raised flower beds


4.2 Where We Are, How to Find Us

Tiverton School Ashington Grove Coventry CV3 4DE


5 About Us 5.1 Admissions Policy and Procedures Most pupils admitted to Tiverton School have a statement of Special Educational Need or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which names Tiverton School. Pupils who attend Tiverton School have severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties and may also have some physical or sensory impairment, or an autistic spectrum disorder. From September 2015 pupils starting in Early Years have a broad spectrum of Special Educational Need. Before naming Tiverton in the statement or EHCP the Local Authority will consult with the school. The Local Authority allocates places at the nearest appropriate school if there are places available. If a parent requests a school that is not their closest school, the Local Authority may allocate a place if there is one available, but in those circumstances will not provide home to school transport. Very occasionally, pupils may be placed by the local authority at Tiverton on an assessment placement, usually while the local authority completes a Statutory Assessment. Once the Statutory Assessment is complete, pupils may remain at Tiverton or they may move to a different school named on their statement or EHCP. (Assessment placements are normally used either for very young children or for children who arrive in Coventry from abroad.) 5.2 The School Day 9.00 Start of school 9.20 Start of first lesson 10.30 Start of break- drink and a snack and playtime 11.00 Start of second lesson 12.00 Lunch time 12.45 Lunch time clubs or playtime (outside or indoors) 1.30 Start of afternoon session 3.20 End of school day 5.3 Class Organisation The children at Tiverton School are grouped by age, taking careful consideration of individual and group needs. Each class offers a flexible provision that centres on the unique needs of each child, recognising the need for all children to be taught in an environment of encouragement and security where their achievements are valued and they each feel they have a part to play in their group and the school as a whole. Tiverton School has four class bases to which pupils are assigned primarily on the basis of age and to reflect the key stages as defined in the National Curriculum. Willow Class meets the needs of all nursery and reception pupils through the Early Years Foundation Stage. Maple and Sycamore classes contains mainly Key Stage 1 pupils (year 1 and 2), Oak, Aspen and Silver Birch contain mainly Key Stage 2 pupils (year 3, 4, 5 and 6). There may, however, be some deviation from this to reflect pupil numbers or to meet specific needs of individual pupils. Each class base is staffed by a class teacher, a member of senior support staff and two additional members of support staff.


Ash Class is organised to meet the needs of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD); pupils with PMLD from across the school belong to their age related class and attend this class for morning registration and every afternoon. These pupils all work together in Ash Class from 9.30am until 1.45pm, where higher staff ratios enable intensive programmes of work to meet the specific individual needs of this group of pupils. This includes intensive sensory, physiotherapy programmes, hydrotherapy, sensory room sessions, body awareness and Tac Pac, access using switches and augmentative communication aids and other activities to meet their holistic needs. These pupils remain in Ash Class for lunch to enable sufficient time and support for feeding programmes to take place, before returning to their age-related base for the afternoon session. 5.4 Induction and Transition Procedures Tiverton School attaches great importance to preparing and welcoming all new parents and pupils. Parents and carers are encouraged to visit the school, with other involved professionals if appropriate, before taking up a place at Tiverton, so that an effective induction into the school can be planned. At this time parents are provided with a school prospectus and a school DVD. For pupils starting at Tiverton in September, where possible they will be invited to transition days during the previous summer term- there is one class-based transition session for parents to attend with their child and a further New Children’s Family Day led by the Family Liaison Manager and the school’s Makaton tutor. Before starting at Tiverton, a home visit takes place by the prospective Class teacher and the Family Liaison Manager. Parents are given a paperwork pack at the summer term transition day for them to complete, these forms are discussed during the home visit. The contents of the pack include:

Welcome letter

Procedures for gathering information

Privacy Notice

Vital Information form

Consent form

EDVIS12

Series Consent & EDVIS13

About Me form

Home/School Agreement with letter for signature (update signature & date annually)

Free School Meals application details

School uniform price list

Dates for diaries

Term dates

Friends of Tiverton information

Special needs nursing leaflet

Home to school travel assistance service (personal transport budgets)

Discussion of these forms the basis of the home visit, support will be given to complete them where required. The following are also completed during the home visit:


Take photo of child at home (if not already taken at school)

Give parents details of timetable of activities and days for other professionals working in school

Explain arrangements for start date/ agree pattern of attendance

Promote parents coffee mornings

Give parents information on school uniform if needed

Give parents information about home-school diary

Witness/check birth certificate for name spelling and date of birth

Where required, confirm who has PR (All Mothers and married Fathers (married to the Mother that is) automatically have PR. For unmarried Fathers, if the Father’s name is on the child’s birth certificate and the child’s birth was registered after 01.12.2003, he will automatically acquire shared PR with the Mother. Otherwise, unmarried Fathers can generally acquire it by agreement with the Mother or by Court Order.)

Where appropriate check the immigration status of the family

Provide the contact number for transport and ensure parents know it is their responsibility to liaise with this department as needed. (024 7683 4004)

For pupils starting school in Key Stage 1 or 2 in September or mid-year, liaison is usually made with their previous educational provider to gain as much information as possible and parents are invited into school to visit with their child. Where appropriate a gradual transition between schools or settings is arranged to best meet the needs of the individual pupil. When pupils move between classes, two visits to their new class are arranged during the summer term prior to the move in September - this is for pupils to start to get to know new staff and new classrooms. At this time, the individual communication passports are updated and used for effective transfer of pupil information between staff and classes. Parents are informed of class arrangements for the following academic year during the previous summer term. For Year 6 pupils moving onto secondary school, planning for this process starts as early as the annual review meeting which takes place in Year 5. Parents are asked to express a preference for their child’s secondary school during the autumn term of their child’s final primary year (year 6). Having been informed of the secondary placement by the local authority in the spring, a comprehensive induction package is available to support pupils and their families through this process. A series of visits to the secondary school are arranged for pupils and parents and specific pupil information is transferred to the receiving school to ensure this transition is as smooth and consistent as possible. 5.5 Attendance If your child is ill or unable to attend school for any reason, please telephone the City council transport department on 024 7683 4004 before 8.00am to cancel the transport for that day and telephone Tiverton School to explain your child's absence. We need to have this information to complete the school registers correctly. It is a legal requirement that all pupils of school age attend school every day of the school term unless they are ill or have a medical appointment.


Please keep school informed of hospital appointments, admissions to hospital, dental appointments or other clinic appointments. The school year requires statutory pupil attendance for 190 days. Consequently there remain 13 weeks during the school year when family holidays may be arranged. Parents are strongly discouraged from organising family holidays during term time but, if it is absolutely necessary, parents must complete a holiday request form available from school. This form should be requested well in advance of the date and returned to school well in advance seeking authorisation for the request. A letter will then be sent from the headteacher either authorising or not authorising the request. Where forms have not been completed, pupils will be recorded as having an unauthorised absence from school. The headteacher may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The headteacher will determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted. It is for the headteacher to determine if the requests for leave of absence are reasonable. Each request will be judged on a case by case basis, and the headteacher will use their discretion sparingly. The headteacher will not confine their discretion by applying policies which prevent assessment of each application on its individual merits. Where family holidays or leave of absence are taken without the permission of the school, parents can be given a Penalty Notice for periods of unauthorised holidays. In line with DfE guidance, all requests for leave of absence will be provided with a written, dated response, giving the reasons for the decision Children who are absent for more than 10 days following the expected date of return or after 20 days of unauthorised absence may be removed from roll and there can be no guarantee of the preferred school place being available on their return. Unauthorised absences are liable to Penalty Notice Fines or prosecution for non-attendance. 5.6 Guidance for Parents in the Event of School Closure On occasion, especially in extreme weather, it is necessary to close the school to pupils. This decision is taken by the Headteacher on the basis of safety and accessibility of the site and the surrounding area. Assessment for closure of the school depends also on the availability of heat, light, power and water, and availability of staff and school meals. When the school is closed to pupils, this information will be relayed to parents via local radio (Free radio and BBC Coventry and Warwickshire) and on the radio websites. This information will also be available on the Coventry city council website on www.coventry.gov.uk/schoolclosures. Any school closure information is also displayed on the Tiverton School website for parents to access and using the school’s twitter account.

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/schoolclosures


5.7 Schools Council “We believe that each child should be valued equally and treated with dignity and respect for the positive contributions they make to the Tiverton community”. One of the important ways in which we seek to consult with Tiverton pupils and seek their opinions is through our School Council. The School Council is elected each year by the pupils themselves and meet regularly to discuss issues of importance to them, as well as being consulted about key decisions affecting them throughout the year. Symbolised agendas for meetings are given to School Council members in advance of the meeting, which they may take home to share with their families. A visual timetable for the meeting itself is used, and the meeting always includes an informal drink and snack session as decided by the members. The School Council feed back their decisions to the school via assemblies and to Governors via the minutes of their meetings. We also have an eco schools council who have been working very hard towards successfully gaining the Green Flag award. Their work has involved developing our own school eco code, and involvement in the “switch it off” light campaign, saving water, recycling, gardening, climate issues etc. 5.8 Transport to and from School Most pupils, if they are eligible under the council’s transport policy, travel to and from school on transport organised by the Local Authority and are supervised by an escort. At 9.00am classroom staff collect the children from each bus and any messages are exchanged. At 3.20pm Tiverton staff escort the pupils from classes out to meet the transport contractors for their journey home. Any changes to transport arrangements must be given by parents in good time to the school transport department on 024 7683 4004. Tiverton School is not responsible for transport arrangements. 5.9 School Meals All full time pupils stay in school for midday lunch, which is provided on site every day. Pupils may bring their own packed lunch if they wish and all children eat together with their class, whether packed lunch or school meal. Pupils who require special diets are catered for and dietary requirements will be discussed with all prospective parents on a home visit by school staff prior to the child starting school. Many parents on Income Support may be eligible to apply for free school meals; parents wishing to enquire about their eligibility for free meals should contact the school office for further details. NB If you or your partner receives Working Tax Credit you do not qualify to claim free school meals, regardless of income. From September 1st 2014, all key stage 1 children (year R, 1, 2) are also entitled to a free school meal. All dinner monies should be paid weekly and sent into school on Mondays, in a sealed envelope with the child’s name clearly written. Please send correct money. If your child is absent during the week, the money will be credited to the next week and any overpayments repaid. Payment for school meals can be given in advance for up to half a term. Parents may pay by cheque.


Packed lunches should be in lunch boxes clearly marked with the child’s name, and any drinks should be in plastic containers rather than glass bottles. Water is always served with lunch and is available throughout the school day. 5.10 Personal Property The following items should be brought to school as appropriate:

A named bag with spare clothes for those pupils who may need them

Nappies for pupils who require them - these may be sent in daily or in advance to last for a longer period of time. In such case, please ensure that the child’s name is clearly written on the nappy packet

PE kit should be sent into school at the beginning of term (shorts, T shirt and pumps- all named and in a named bag). This will be kept in school and sent home at holidays to be washed.

Swimming kit on the required days, as requested by classroom staff All personal property brought into school should be named clearly - no responsibility can be taken for unnamed property that is lost. 5.11 Charges and Remissions The Governing Body of Tiverton School recognises the valuable contribution that the wide range of curricular and extra-curricular activities, including trips, clubs and residential experiences can make towards pupils’ education. The Governing body aims to promote and provide such activities both as part of the school’s broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils in the school and as additional optional activities. Tiverton School governing body will not charge for the following:

an admission application to Tiverton School

education provided during school hours (including the supply of any materials or other equipment)

education provided outside school hours if it is part of the school’s curriculum (including the National Curriculum) or part of religious education

It is important to note that no child will be excluded from an activity simply because his or her parents are unwilling or unable to pay. If insufficient voluntary contributions are raised to fund a visit, then it will be cancelled. This will be made clear to parents and carers in initial correspondence with them regarding the contribution. Parents who wish to see Tiverton’s charging and remissions policy can find this on the school website or by contacting the Headteacher. 5.12 School Uniform All pupils are expected to come to school sensibly and appropriately dressed to enable maximum independence for dressing and personal care. Although school uniform is optional, green sweatshirts with the Tiverton logo are usually worn and can be purchased from Cat Ballou, 1-3 The Burges Coventry CV1 1HN. Tel: 024 76555499 . All pupils must change for PE and


are requested to bring the following items of clothing to school: T-shirt, shorts and pumps if required by the pupil. It would be helpful if all clothing could be clearly marked with your child’s name. The wearing of jewellery is strictly prohibited for health and safety reasons. 5.13 Illness and Medication Parents of pupils requiring regular medication should notify school in writing of the details of the medication and dosage. It is vital, also, that parents let us know of any changes to any medication or treatment recommended by a doctor for pupils. Consent for the school nurse, or her representative should be given in writing by parents. Please ensure there is a sufficient supply of your child’s medication for school use. We cannot give non-prescribed medicine to any pupil. Pupils must be kept at home for at least 48 hours after sickness or diarrhoea, and should not be sent to school if parents suspect that they are unwell. School should be informed immediately of all contagious and infectious diseases. 5.14 Safeguarding Children

At Tiverton School, we follow the procedures set out in “Keeping Children Safe in Education” (DfE, 2016) and Local Authority guidance and inter-agency procedures agreed through the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board. The school’s safeguarding and Child Protection policy is available on the school’s website or a hard copy may be obtained through the school office. The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Alison Neale, Headteacher and Deputy Designated person is Olwyn Hamill. It is always our intention to be proactive in protecting children, working with other agencies to do so when appropriate. This will usually be with consent from parents, but there may be occasions when, in order to protect the welfare of a child, the school may consult with other agencies without a parent’s prior knowledge. At Tiverton School we will not tolerate any form of bullying or intimidation and if such a situation arises it will be dealt with immediately and firmly. Any incidents of bullying will be instantly reported to a member of the Leadership Team and detailed information recorded and reported to Governors. The school will not tolerate any incidents of racism in any form and will report any such incidents to Governors and the Local Authority. Use of Positive Handling From time to time, physical intervention is required from staff to ensure the safety of pupils, other people and property. Team Teach offer “Training for children and adult services in positive handling strategies through a whole setting holistic approach, working with leadership and management, actively committed to reducing restraint and risk”. If staff become aware of, or have a need to become involved in, situations where a child may be at risk of hurting themselves or others, or if the behaviour of a child seriously disrupts good order in the school or causes damage to property, staff may need to take steps to intervene


physically. In such circumstances staff will follow the school's policy for dealing with such situations. Any parent wishing to view this policy may do so on the school website or on request from the Headteacher. All staff at Tiverton School are trained regularly in the use Team Teach for positive handling of pupils; it must be remembered that the vast majority of situations are managed using de-escalation techniques before positive handling is required. 5.15 Educational Visits As a school we acknowledge the great value of Educational Visits in broadening and enhancing the learning and social experiences of our pupils. We have a school minibus which is used for trips out of school to support learning across the curriculum and for regular visits eg Xcel sports centre, swimming and mainstream schools with which we have a link. Tiverton School adopts the guidance and procedures issued from Coventry City Council for Educational Visits to ensure the health and safety of all those involved and to maintain the educational quality of a visit. Parents are asked to give written permission for their child to take part in any activity that takes place off the school site - depending on the nature of the visit this may be at the beginning of the year for regular visits (series consent), or for individual trips that are further afield, residential or may be more “hazardous”. If we do not receive this written permission, the child will be unable to participate. Parents are always informed in advance when their child is going to be taken off the school site for any reason. Pupils are covered by the City Council’s Insurance for accident where they are engaged in an educational visit outside the City. Such activities are covered by an insurance policy which includes personal accident, medical and associated expenses, personal possessions and money. The City Council also carries public liability insurance to cover claims from pupils (or other members of the public) in the event of their being injured or of damage to their personal property where it can be shown that the council has been negligent. Pupils also have the opportunity to take part in residential trips with school, usually along with a partner school. These give an opportunity for pupils to practice their independence skills away from home, develop new friendships and have great fun too! Last year groups of pupils visited the OVAC centre and Dol-y-Moch in Wales with other special or mainstream schools. Staff consult closely with parents to ensure children are well-prepared for these visits and staff who take part usually report tremendous benefits for the pupils. Parents who wish to see Tiverton’s educational visits policy should contact the Headteacher. 5.16 Partnerships with Other Schools At Tiverton we aim to give some of our pupils experience of interacting and learning with their mainstream peers, as appropriate to their individual need and level of development. Links with Whitley Abbey Primary School, with whom we share a campus, enable children from both sites to visit the partner school for meaningful, shared learning opportunities. Any links with mainstream schools are developed with the best interests of individual pupils at heart to ensure that they are successful and meaningful.


5.17 Community Links At Tiverton, we take very seriously our role as a significant and important part of the local community. In addition to the links we have established with local schools, we are always looking for the opportunities to develop additional partnerships. We have a link with Allesley Village church, and are very pleased that the vicar attends our school regularly for important festivals, events and assemblies. We also make visits to the church - either in small groups of children (for example, to take some of our school-grown produce for their harvest festival) or as a whole school. At Christmas, we visit the church for a Christmas service, to which all family and friends are warmly invited. As always, parents are fully informed of these visits and any parents not wishing their child to take part may elect for their child to take part in alternative activities. We have a link with a local day centre for the elderly, which groups of children visit to take gifts of harvest offerings. At Christmas, some children may visit the day centre to sing songs and do a musical performance for the elderly. We also make use of the local shops and facilities when taking part in school visits into the local community and actively encourage their awareness of where our school is and the role that we serve. 5.18 Term and Holiday Dates 2017-18


5.19 Tiverton School Dates for the diary for parents 2017-18

Tiverton School Dates for the diary for parents 2017-18

Date Event

Monday 4th September

Training day, school closed to pupils


Start date for existing pupils in early Years class


Phased start for new pupils in Early Years class

Friday 6th October Harvest festival 2pm

Friday 6th October Photographer in school

Tuesday 14th November

Parents evening 3.30-6.30

Wednesday 6th December

Whole school to pantomime at Standard Club

Monday 11th December

Christmas concert dress rehearsal 2pm

Tuesday 12th December

Christmas concert 10am


Christmas concert 10am

Friday 15th December

A Celebration of Tiverton School Day (celebrating the current site and its history whilst preparing for the journey/ opening ceremony at the new site)


Christmas dinner


Afternoon- Class Christmas parties and visits to Santa

Thursday 21st December

Church service 10am

Thursday 21st December

The Notables 1.45pm

2018

Monday 8th to Thursday 11th January

Planned move to new school site. School closed to children

Friday 12th January

Training day, school closed to pupils

Thursday 29th March

Spring Fair 1.45pm


Thursday 14th June Ricky Brown dance session- whole school

Tuesday 19th June

Sports day 10am

Friday 22nd June End of year reports out to parents

Monday 25th June Transition session- pupils and staff move to new classes - start preparation in assembly then transition until lunch time

Tuesday 26th June 10am Sports day (if inclement weather on original planned day)

Wednesday 27th June

Parents evening 3.30-6.30

Mon 2nd to Fri 6th July

Dol y Moch for selected pupils

Thursday 5th July

9-12.45 Transition session- pupils and staff move to new classes New pupils attend for the morning (EYFS with their families)

Friday 6th July Whole school visit or fun day

Wednesday 11th July

New children’s family day 10am-11.30am

Friday 13th July

Summer fair 1.45pm

Friday 20th July Leavers assembly 10am

Mon 23rd July

Training day school closed to pupils and staff

Tues 24th July Training day school closed to pupils and staff

Wed 25th July Training day school closed to pupils and staff

Family and friends meetings 2017-18 at Tiverton School

Family and friends meetings 10-11.30am (Days may be subject to change depending on availability of speakers and presenters)

Friday 29th September (Macmillan coffee morning and welcome to new families)

Friday 22nd October

Friday 24th November

Wednesday 12th January (Makaton taster session- Tracey Livermore)

Friday 9th February

Friday 16th March

Friday 18th May


Friday 15th June

Makaton training for parents 9.30-12 Wednesdays

7th February

14th February

28th February

7th March

Family learning workshop sessions run by speech and language therapist 10-11.30am

Date to be confirmed

Dental team working with families and their children

Date to be confirmed

5.20 Access to School Policies

Some policies are available on the school website, as required. A full set of policies is available in school. Any parent wishing to see a particular policy should make this request to the Headteacher. 5.21 School Website Tiverton School has a website (www.tiverton.coventry.sch.uk. In providing additional information about areas of work at school, we hope to provide parents with a range of ideas and activities that they can continue at home to support their child’s learning and enjoyment. Full consent from parents for inclusion of their child’s image on the school website is given before any images are used. The school will maintain the website to celebrate and share aspects of school life more widely, and this will be governed by the following code:

Images that include pupils will be selected carefully to promote the school whilst safeguarding children

The full names of pupils will not be used anywhere on the website, particularly in association with photographs

Written consent from parents or carers will be obtained before images of pupils are electronically published

Work will only be published with the permission of the pupil and parents Only the school’s address and authorised contact details will be published

http://www.tiverton.coventry.sch.uk/


All copyrights will be respected.

Our school web site is intended to:

Promote the school whilst providing accurate, up-to-date information about our school

Enable pupils to publish work on the internet for a wide audience including pupils, parents, staff, governors, members of the local community and others

Celebrate achievement, participation and enjoyment

5.22 Complaints Procedure As part of the general home-school policy, parents and pupils are encouraged to express their views on what goes on within school, so that the staff receive an early warning of potential difficulties and can seek to prevent problems arising. It is hoped that concerns by parents can be investigated and solved at the earliest opportunity through discussion with the classroom staff or the Headteacher; however, parents who are dissatisfied with any informal investigation and wish to make a formal complaint may do so. A copy of the School’s Complaints policy is available on the school website or on request from the Headteacher. Separate arrangements exist for complaints in the following areas, and are available from the Headteacher – a curriculum issue, an admission issue, an exclusion issue, a particular child protection issue or a special needs statementing issue. 6 Curriculum

At Tiverton School, we have developed a rich, diverse and dynamic curriculum that inspires and challenges all learners and prepares them for the future. We believe that all children are entitled to a dynamic curriculum which provides excitement, relevance and stimulation for learning. And therefore we aim to:

Create a centre of excellence for our staff and pupils

Provide a personalised, creative and flexible curriculum which is well-resourced and meets the individual needs of every pupil

Develop a personalised curriculum which provides a vehicle through which pupils can develop key skills; parents, pupils and the multidisciplinary team will be active partners in the process of ascertaining “door openers” for pupils

Observe our pupils’ responses to inform curriculum development and learning opportunities inside the classroom and beyond

In planning curriculum themes for inclusion at Tiverton for all key stages, the following drivers are paramount:

Individual pupil interests and needs- themes are chosen to inspire, engage and motivate pupils; pupils are involved maximally in selecting the curricular themes where possible

Local community, national and global significant issues and events

For Key stages 1 and 2 curriculum areas include: English (Reading, Writing, Speaking and listening/ communication)


Maths (Number, Shape space and measure, Using and Applying skills are covered throughout other subject areas)

Physical Education (Dance, Games, Football skills, Bat and ball skills, Throwing and catching, Gymnastics, Athletics, Swimming)

PSHE (Feeding, Drinking, Dressing, Washing skills, Gross motor, Road safety, Toileting, Citizenship, Relationships & Sex Education)

Our World Creative Arts

In addition, elements of these subjects are taught in a cross-curricular way through the thematic approach

Some curriculum subjects are not included within a theme and no attempt is made to make tenuous links which are not meaningful.

There may be some repetition of foci and themes, but this is a planned repetition rather than an automatic part of a pre-planned cycle.

A termly focus is chosen and each class selects a different theme within that focus. Timings allow for flexibility to meet the needs and interest of the particular group of pupils involved- this may include extending the length of time allocated to a theme which is engaging and motivating and which enables continued learning; similarly, the length of time planned for a theme may be curtailed to reflect individual and group responses to it. In all cases a key event is planned for all themes- we know that events which have an emotional significance for pupil facilitate deep learning. In addition, a termly whole school focus is selected, with a whole-school key event; in the past the whole school focussed themes have included:

“ Children of the World” (Key event was the Christmas concert)

“Eco-Schools fortnight” (key event was an eco-schools day)

“Weddings” (to coincide with The Royal wedding, key event was a school wedding)

“I’m a celebrity get me out of here” (key event was whole school sports day)

Various creative arts themes (Key event was a school art gallery)

Julia Donaldson/ Roald Dahl theme (key event was a whole school book day)

“Film and fantasy worlds” (key event was a creativity awards/Oscars day)

A “Spanish” theme (key events were a Spanish themed sports day and a Spanish style celebration afternoon with music, art, language, song, food and culture).

Once a theme has been agreed, learning objectives for all relevant curriculum subjects to be included within the theme are written. These are differentiated to meet the needs of all learners in the group, and formative and summative assessments are carried out in relation to them. Once learning objectives have been agreed, a wide range of inspiring, fun and motivating learning activities are planned in order to meet the learning objectives. Religious Education is an integral part of the curriculum taught at Tiverton School and reflects the syllabus agreed by Coventry for this purpose. Learning about and learning from different religions forms the basis of this work in class bases and is further developed through whole school assemblies. We aim to provide a knowledge and understanding of various beliefs and practices, particularly those reflected in our multi-ethnic school community. Parents may withdraw their child from specific religious experiences or acts of collective worship if they wish to. Such withdrawal requests should be made in writing to the Headteacher.


Sex and Relationship Education is taught to pupils as appropriate to their age and level of development; this forms part of the wider personal, social and health education curriculum.

6.1 Early Years The curriculum in our Early Years class is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. There are seven areas of learning and development that shape educational programmes, including three prime areas:

communication and language

physical development

personal, social and emotional development

and four specific areas:

literacy

mathematics

understanding the world

expressive arts and design. For each child working in the Foundation Stage, staff concentrate on teaching and developing priority areas - this will occur in group work, play and individual teaching. The Early Years Foundation stage focuses on the distinct needs of children aged from birth to the end of reception. The curriculum is delivered through planned play and extending and developing children’s spontaneous play. The curriculum recognises that through supported play pupils can explore, develop and use their curiosity. They can practice skills, build up ideas and concepts,

and communicate with others as they investigate and solve problems.

Soon after starting at Tiverton School, assessments are made against the Early Learning Goals to establish the child’s baseline. This helps the Early Years teacher to decide on priority areas for each child’s learning and may also help to show when children have made progress throughout the Foundation Stage. At the end of the Foundation Stage (i.e. at the end of reception year), a profile is completed to show each pupil’s levels against the Early Learning Goals. 6.2 Assemblies There are two whole school assemblies each week. The first takes place at 9.30am on a Monday morning and the second at 2.30pm on a Friday. A theme is planned for each week reflecting an aspect of the current Religious Education curriculum plan and the whole school SEAL theme; a rota is devised for all class bases to take a lead role for part of the assembly. The assemblies are planned to facilitate active involvement for all children. A list of assemblies for each term is published at the beginning of a term. For both Monday and Friday assemblies, a visual timetable of events is clearly displayed at the front of the hall. Coming in and going out music are the same for a period of one term, and are chosen over time to reflect a range of cultural backgrounds and moods. Similarly, “thinking time” music is chosen to last for a period of a term. The sequence of events displayed on the visual timetable for Mondays includes the following:


Coming in

Helper (a different pupil is chosen as helper for each assembly and will help as appropriate - possible tasks include moving the red square along the visual timetable to show the passing of time, handing out objects relating to the assembly to other pupils, blowing out the candles at thinking time, using a switch and a fan if appropriate, or operating the laptop to advance the PowerPoint)

Signs of the week (the school’s key signer demonstrates the signs of the week, encouraging pupil participation, a copy of the signs is also then sent home for parents)

Assembly theme is introduced by a base group or member of staff

Song - the words are projected onto the screen

Prayer

Thinking time (accompanied by music, dimmed lights and candles lit. Pupils who will benefit are given a small battery operated candle to hold). A theme for reflection is introduced in the prayer

Work for Friday’s assembly is set for each base group

Birthdays (a letter is sent out to parents in advance of the birthday to ask for information about presents, parties, how they are celebrating etc. They are encouraged to send photos to share at assembly). At assembly, we count and clap the age of the pupil and sing happy birthday, displaying their photo and they wear a special birthday hat.

Music to leave to Friday’s assemblies follow the same format as above, but instead of introducing the theme, pupils share the work they have been doing that week in relation to the theme. A major element of Friday’s assembly is celebration of achievement. A pupil from each class is nominated for a “Well done” certificate; a photo or video evidence is displayed for a specific achievement for a pupil from each base. Stickers and certificates are given out for specific achievements and the “Well done” symbol is included in the visual timetable at this time. Parents can access photos and information about assemblies on the school website with its weekly update. 6.3 Sport and Leisure All children take part in a range of physical exercise and activity in a way that is suitable for them. All children (apart from those in Early Years) have access to regular swimming session at The Xcel Centre or Baginton Fields School within the school day. Several school staff are trained as life savers. Some pupils may have regular hydrotherapy sessions, which are supported by physiotherapists and classroom staff. In addition to the PE lessons which are carefully planned for and taught in school, we also have occasional visitors to support in this area, for example, games and sport experts, multi-skills, cheerleading, dance to mention but a few. Other sport and leisure activities on offer include trampolining (we have our own outdoor trampoline), horse riding, massage, hydrotherapy and passive body movements. Pupils take part in local competitions and fun events for football, Boccia and kurling and other events with other local special and mainstream schools.


As with all teaching and learning opportunities at Tiverton, sessions are carefully pitched and targeted to meet the varied needs of all of our pupils, with the wide range of learning styles and preferences shown by them. 6.4 PARRC (Planning, Assessment, Recording, Reporting and Celebrating) At Tiverton School successful teaching and learning can be achieved by using methodical, detailed small steps. In order to be sure that teaching is effective and learning is taking place it is necessary to keep accurate records. In addition to teacher-led recording arrangements we also have a system which involves the pupils making their own contribution to the recording of their achievement whenever this is possible. Examples of work and photographs of achievements are kept as part of this and achievements may be celebrated in assemblies by awarding certificates and stickers. All records of pupil progress are shared with parents on a regular basis at parents’ evenings.

It is the statutory obligation of the Local Authority to review each child’s statement of Special Educational Need/ Education Health and care Plan on an annual basis. At Tiverton, parents are invited into school for an annual review meeting where they can discuss the annual review report written by the class teacher in relation to the statement/ EHCP. There is the opportunity to discuss progress that has been made by their child and to jointly set priority targets for their child to work on during the next year. We encourage the participation of pupils in this meeting wherever possible by attending part of the meeting to demonstrate their achievements and to give their views on school using whatever methods are most appropriate. For some, this may be by sharing video and photos from the past year, highlighting any special achievements or preferences. Following the meeting, the Annual Review Report is updated and sent to the local Authority, this report then acts as an update to the child’s statement/EHCP. All pupils have an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which contains a small number (usually 3 or 4) targets to help the pupil to make progress in the areas that are most important to them. These IEPs are written with input from all involved professionals (including parents) and shared with everyone who works with the child (and the child themselves if appropriate). IEP targets are worked on throughout the school day, including break and lunch times where appropriate; this can be most effective when parents, school and other carers involved all work in the same way when teaching new skills. 6.5 Extra-curricular Activities

There are a range of visitors to school who may support with lunch time clubs at Tiverton. Gardening is a very important part of what is on offer at Tiverton, and a very active aspect of our work throughout the day, by a member of our senior support staff. Children have grown an extremely impressive range of flowers, fruit and vegetables in the greenhouse and in the allotment area - it is amazing what skills children can develop through gardening, not to mention the fun, relaxation and social aspects of gardening. An after school club is provided on Wednesdays, for which there is a small charge to parents. A member of staff from Tiverton leads this session, supported by other staff and offers a range of fun cookery experiences. Parents may either collect their children at the end of the club, or


transport may be available if there is sufficient demand. Children opt into this and there is a small charge to parents. From time to time we have family events at the weekend or in the school holidays to which families may come with their children. We also encourage as many family and friends as possible to attend for our Christmas concert, Easter and summer Fayres each year. Tiverton also has links with RNIB Three Spires Academy, in the past there have been joint residential visit opportunities and holiday scheme provision for pupils from both schools. We are always seeking to improve the facilities we can offer to pupils and their families outside the school day. We will continue to consult widely with parents to try and meet their requests and needs, while providing a high quality experience for those children taking part. 6.6 Sex and Relationships Education The school’s Sex and Relationships education (SRE) policy has been approved by governors in January 2011. Any parents wishing to read this policy should make their request to the Headteacher. The term Sex and Relationships Education is used in this policy in order to underline that our approach focuses on clarifying attitudes and values, developing self-esteem and the skills to manage relationships and does not focus simply on provision of biological information. The guidance suggests that SRE should have three main elements as follows:

1. Attitudes and values 2. Personal and social skills 3. Knowledge and understanding

Where pupils require teaching of subjects over and above those generally available, this will be taught on an individual basis through the child’s IEP, by agreement with staff and parents.

tiverton school ashington grove coventry · 2019. 11. 10. · last updated september 2019 1...

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