"What we nurture today, 
flourishes tomorrow"

St Mary's C of E Primary School

Fownhope

General Information and School Policies

Class structure

 We have four classes at St. Mary’s. In recent years we have secured a straight Reception age class to ensure the best possible start for our younger pupils.
Children in Reception are working in the Foundation Stage of the national Curriculum. In Year 1 and 2 the children are working in Key Stage 1; from Years 3-6 children are working in Key Stage 2.

Class 1 – Reception; children already 4 and who will be 5 by September of the following year. These children begin half-days only and build up to full-time gradually to suit the individual.

Class 2 – Years 1-2; children who are 5-7 years old.

Class 3 – Mainly Years 3-4; children who are 7-9 years old; currently there are 4 Year 2 children in the Class for some lessons.

Class 4 – Mainly Years 5-6, children who are 9-11 years old; some more able children from Class 3 join Class 4 for part of the day.

 Admissions
We have a maximum of 105 places and usually accept 15 children into each year group. As this is a Church Aided School , the Governors make any decisions on admissions although applications are still made through the Herefordshire Council, Admissions Office.

Admissions criteria – priority is given in this order
catchment; Fownhope, Woolhope and outlying areas, we can advise if you are within our catchment.

1. sibling/s already in School.
2. Church preference if parents who do not meet criteria 1&2 wish a place for religious reasons. Applications require a supporting letter from a vicar or parish priest.
3. Special Educational needs; we look sympathetically at applications for specific needs and can accommodate wheelchair users.
4. places open to any other applicants should numbers allow; we do have a small number of children whose parents have chosen this school for a specific reason and who live some distance away.

Site Security
This has been upgraded in recent years.
All visitors should report to Reception and sign in. The main entrance has a secure coded door. The school building is secured within a simple perimeter fence with gates which are opened to allow access at 8.40 and 3.10 each day.

Personal Information
We require up to date contact details for each child, including 2 emergency phone numbers. We also appreciate being kept informed of any medical conditions, such as asthma, which may require ongoing treatment.

First Aid
We take our duty of care to all adults and children very seriously. Consequently, both Office Staff and one teaching Assistant have full first aid training which is updated regularly. Most Teachers and other staff have basic first aid and can deal with minor injuries. We ensure there is a first aider on call for after school clubs and any out of school visits. We are fortunate in being close to Fownhope Medical Centre and very occasionally contact staff there to effect swift treatment. Our School Nurse and Doctor make regular visits and are always happy to offer advice.

School Closure
In severe weather it may be necessary to close the School as Teachers may not be able to travel safely.  Parents should check local radio BBC Hereford and Worcester or Wyvern FM to hear whether we are open. The School will be announced as St. Mary’s, Fownhope to distinguish us from St. Mary’s, Lugwardine and Credenhill.
Should we have to close during the day, every effort will be made to inform parents and ensure children get home safely.

Uniform
We encourage a sense of belonging in addition to pride in children’s own appearance.
Winter uniform is worn from October half-term to the Summer term after Easter.
Summer uniform may be worn during the Summer term and up to October half-term when it can still be fairly warm!

Navy blue jumper/cardigan with school badge.
Or plain navy jumper/cardigan
Pale blue shirt with collar, may be long or short-sleeved
School tie
Grey trousers/skirt, girls may wear trousers
Navy or plain dark socks/navy tights
Flat or low-heeled black or navy shoes, no trainers or boots (except wellies in snowy weather)

In Summer pale blue polo shirts and blue gingham dresses may be worn.
Children may also wear sandals with secure straps, not slip on styles
School jumpers/cardigans may be purchased from School via the PTA who organise ordering uniform stock. Ties are sold by Chadds of Hereford.

In Class 1 we recognise it is difficult to manage a tie and so Reception children may leave ties at home on PE days.

We do expect children to be able to dress and undress independently; including tying ties once in Year 1, and encourage parents to practise with children in preparation for PE lessons. It is also very helpful if your child can put on his or her own coat, fasten it and recognise their own belongings.

ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE NAMED!
We do have a pupil named “Poly Esther” whose clothing gets left around school and seems to multiply!

PE Kit
Children have 2-3 sessions of PE each week and may also take part in after school sports.

Indoor kit

• White School PE top/plain white t-shirt
• Plain navy or black shorts
• Pumps for some indoor lessons
• Change of socks
• Hairband to tie back long hair

Outdoor kit – we do continue outdoors in Winter.

• Top, socks and shorts as for indoors

• Trainers/football boots when required( pumps are not robust enough for winter outdoor use)

• Warm top and tracksuit bottoms/leggings

• Hat/gloves on very cold days

• Shinpads for some sports

 Swimming kit

• If your child swims s/he will need a hat, towel and costume.
• The Pool prefer trunks, not Bermuda style swimshorts and one piece costumes rather than bikinis.
• Goggles
• If your child has a verruca, a waterproof plaster or verruca sock may be worn

Behaviour Policy
Good behaviour is both expected and achieved here.  All Staff provide strong role models for expected behaviour.

There are 3 basic rules

1. be safe
2. be considerate
3. always do your best

 Classes also write their own rules.

We operate a positive behaviour policy whereby children are rewarded for good behaviour and supported in achieving this when necessary.  
A range of rewards are used from quiet words of praise to House Points for each or our four school houses( Maple, Birch, Sycamore, Rowan), to star of the day, to the weekly Certificate presented in Fridays’ Good News Assembly.  
Pastoral records are kept by the Headteacher and we involve parents in any more serious or ongoing incidents. Sanctions may be missing some playtime, describing what has gone wrong, and how to put it right, loss of privilege eg, missing a sporting fixture or visit out.  
We treat any instances of deliberate or ongoing unkindness as bullying and take it very seriously. Thankfully, such examples of poor behaviour are extremely rare.

Special Educational Needs
We believe every child matters and is capable of progress whatever their ability.
Our test results in 2004 and 2005 show excellent progress made by children who were causing concern in their earlier school years. We follow the guidelines for the National Code of Practice for SEN.
A child causing concern will be monitored in the first instance by the Classteacher in consultation with the SEN Coordinator. This stage is called School Action. If a child continues to have problems accessing the National Curriculum despite appropriate differentiated tasks in class, the SENCo may refer that child for assessment by Local Authority Agencies. These are Learning Support and Medical/Behavioural Support Services. This stage is called School Action Plus. We consult and involve Parents at every stage of SEN.
A support agency will offer recommendations to help in the classroom environment. After a period of monitoring, we may feel a child needs more individual support and can apply for Banded Funding to finance temporary classroom assistance or additional resources.
In a very few cases we may feel a child needs a Statement of SEN which details support to be provided for the duration of the child’s time at primary and secondary schools.
Applications for Banded Funding and Statements are assessed by a Panel of experts at the Local Authority.

Homework
As a School we ask that all children read each day and that Reading Records are kept.
Parents are also asked to comment and sign Homework diaries in Classes 3 and 4.
In Class 1 – daily reading, Sound books/Key words, letter and number handwriting in term 3.
In Class 2 – daily reading, Key words/Spelling, English or Maths written homework on alternate weeks, occasional topic research
In Class 3 – daily reading, Weekly Spelling, Learning or Practising times tables, English or Maths written work most weeks, occasional topic research
In Class 4 – daily reading, Weekly Spelling, English and Maths each week, occasional topic research .

Administration of medicines -

The school meets the statutory requirement for First Aid provision, and there is also a First Aid policy. In the event of an emergency a child would be taken to hospital by ambulance, accompanied by a member of staff and / or parent. Children who are unwell should not be sent to school. Doctors advise that pupils should attend school while still needing to take medicine, either because they are suffering from some chronic illness (such as diabetes), or allergy (such as hay fever or asthma) or because they are recovering from a short term illness and are undergoing a course of treatment needing antibiotics. It is important that parents recognise that they are responsible for the administration of medicine to their children. If a child needs a dose of medicine at lunchtime, he or she should return home, or the parent come into school to administer the dose. Where this is not feasible, then the smallest practicable dose should be brought into school, preferably by the parent, with clear written instructions giving the name of the pupil. The medicine will, if possible, be self administered by the child under the supervision of a responsible adult. This may be the Headteacher or someone acting with delegated authority. Please note - staff cannot be instructed by the Headteacher to administer medicine to a pupil. Children with asthma need access to their inhalers at all times and they should be readily available for use. The Headteacher requests that a spare inhaler be sent to school and kept in the classroom under the supervision of the class teacher in case of emergency. More information can be found in the school's Asthma Policy. It is the duty of the parent to make arrangements for pupils who become unwell at school to be collected and taken home or to the doctor or hospital. To this end it is vital that we have not only pupils' home telephone numbers, but parents' work numbers and other emergency numbers, such as those of relatives.

Governors' Policy For Charging And Remission Of Fees For School Visits And Activities

This section sets out the Governors' Policy in relation to Circular No 2/89 of the 1988 Education Act, a copy of which is available in school for parents to consult.

A - School Visits and Trips

i) Parents can be asked to pay for the full cost of the visitor trip, where it occurs more than 50% outside school session times and is not required to meet the school's statutory curriculum obligations.

ii) Parents can be asked to pay for the cost of board and lodging but only for a voluntary contribution towards travel, tuition and entrance fees where a visit or trip occurs more than 50% in school session times, or where it is required to meet the school's statutory curriculum obligations.

B - School Activities

i) Parents cannot be charged for any activity which takes place in school time, with the exception of tuition in a musical instrument.

ii) Parents cannot be charged for any materials or equipment or essential protective clothing required to meet the school's statutory curriculum obligations.

iii) Parents can be asked to pay for travel to sports fixtures against other schools where they take place more than 50% outside school time.

Remissions

Any charges made in respect of sub paragraph A (ii) and B (iii) will be remitted in respect of all children whose parents are in receipt of income support or family credit and to single parents not in receipt of these benefits, provided their weekly net income does not exceed the current rate. In respect of paragraph B (i) charges will be remitted up to 33% per week for music tuition charges. The Headteacher is allowed to request that parents provide proof that they are eligible for remission of charges.