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Ashton under Hill First

School

Prospectus

“Expect only the best”

Headteacher: Mrs Sharon Cole

Elmley Road

Ashton under Hill

Evesham

Worcestershire

WR11 7SW

Tel: 01386 881333

Email: office@ashton.worcs.sch.uk

Website: www.ashton.worcs.sch.uk

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CONTENTS: 3 WELCOME

4 ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

5 The Structure

6 Timetable

7 The Team: Staff and Governors

8 TEACHING AND LEARNING

9 The Foundation Stage

10 The National Curriculum

12 Forest School

13 Extra-Curricular Activities, including trips and visitors

14 Pupil Voice and Inclusion

15 SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and Equal Opportunities

15 HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

15 Homework

16 Parents Consultation Meetings

16 Adult Helpers

17 Parents and Friends Association (PFA)

17 PUPIL MATTERS

17 Uniform

18 Food and Drink, Getting to and from School

19 Medical Matters and Your Child’s Welfare including Absence

21 Admissions

22 Payments

22 Keeping in Touch

23 Policies

26 AND FINALLY…

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WELCOME

At Ashton-under-Hill First School we encourage participation,

creativity, problem-solving and an enthusiasm for learning. We

work in partnership with staff, governors, parents and the

community to provide a caring environment to achieve a

standard of excellence appropriate to each individual, enriching,

encouraging and equipping each child for the challenges of

today and tomorrow.

At Ashton under Hill

First School we “expect

only the best” and passionately believe that we

offer a small, friendly learning environment in

which everyone’s individuality is valued and

encouraged. We support our pupils in

developing to their full potential.

We received an Ofsted inspection in January

2011 and, at that time, were deemed to be

“Good, with many outstanding elements.” Our full Ofsted report can be accessed via our

website (www.ashton.worcs.sch.uk) but highlights from it include:

“This is a good school that has demonstrated rapid improvement since the last

[Ofsted] inspection. Dynamic and outstanding leadership is focused on driving

up standards while ensuring that individual needs are met, with effective support

from committed staff.”

“Pupils say they feel safe and behaviour is outstanding.”

“Teachers enthuse and challenge, supporting the good progress of their pupils

and helping them reach challenging targets. Most reach or surpass the expected

national levels.”

“Resources, including the outstanding use of teaching assistants to support

teachers and the effective use of technology to promote individual learning, help

boost individual achievement.”

At Ashton First School, we work hard to provide a lively, engaging and balanced

curriculum. We believe pupils learn best when they can make connections between

concepts and subjects. We want our pupils to experience a wide range of concepts,

experiences, knowledge and skills which will promote their spiritual, moral, social,

cultural, intellectual and physical development. We take pride in growing learners for

the future and, to this end, provide our children with the experiences, opportunities and

responsibilities needed for the rest of their educational careers and into adult life.

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We strongly believe that each child is a unique

individual and we endeavour to develop their

separate talents and abilities. We encourage a

respect in all our pupils – respect for themselves

and those around them, respect for other cultures,

beliefs and backgrounds. We celebrate the

achievements of our pupils and strive always to

raise their self-esteem and awareness of others.

ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

Our school is set in the beautiful village of Ashton-

under-Hill, in south Worcestershire at the eastern

end of Bredon Hill, overlooking the Vale of

Evesham. Whenever we can we use the

wonderful countryside around the school to

support the children’s work.

There has been a school on

this site since 1878 when there

were 47 pupils. Extensions in 1911 and the 1960 have created the

school we see today. The interior has recently undergone extensive

refurbishment to create a light and airy atmosphere.

Outside we are privileged to have an environmental study area,

vegetable garden, playing field and a hard play area with marked

games and play equipment. In addition we are very fortunate to

have our own Forest School site on the side of Bredon Hill and

pupils regularly visit this site with our Forest School leader to learn in

the natural environment.

The inside of the school is bright and filled with lively wall

displays, with well-resourced classrooms, an extensive

library and a very special reading area. The school shares

a hall with the local community which we use for PE,

lunchtimes, celebrations and performances throughout

the year.

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Our school is very much at the heart of the village

and is, in every sense, a community school. Our

children participate thoroughly in the life of the

village. We participate in the annual Open

Gardens village event, and at Christmas-time, we

carol sing around the village, collecting money for

children’s charities.

Our School Structure

We are a small school, and, as such, our school

structure is often determined by the number of

pupils in each year group. We have four

classrooms in which we accommodate six year

groups, from Reception to Year 5. Class. We are

committed to giving our pupils an

individualised education suited to their needs,

both social and academic. For this reason we

usually split Year 1 and Year 4 pupils across

two classes. This gives the following structure

and each class is usually around 25 in total:

Acorns Reception & Year 1

Hawthorn Years 1 & 2

Willow Years 3 & 4

Oak Years 4 & 5

We ensure a high staff: pupil ratio and for this

reason each class is supported by the equivalent of

a full-time Teaching Assistant who are able to offer

high levels of support to our pupils. At the end of six

years with us our children move on to Bredon Hill

Middles School. There are excellent transition

arrangements in place so that the children feel well

equipped for the next stage in their schooling.

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Timetable

Time Activity

Notes

08.00 Breakfast Club

Runs daily

08.30 Gates open

Playground supervised so parents may stay or drop off

08.45 Registration & Lesson 1

Children escorted into school and lessons begin with either English or Maths

10.00 Snack

Healthy snack in class for all children

10.10 Lesson 2

Usually English or Maths

11.10 Break Weather permitting outside and chance for the children to get some exercise. There are different zones for the children to enjoy, including a ball area, field, trim trail and climbing wall, fort and “imaginarium” for imaginative play as well as a Quiet Garden.

11.30 Lesson 3

Foundation Subjects

12.30 Lunch

All children eat together in the school hall with older pupils supporting the youngest.

13.30

Lesson 4 Foundation Subjects

15.00 Finish

Parents are asked to collect from the playground

16.00 Clubs finish

Parents are asked to collect from the main entrance

There are two after school providers in the village for parents needing after school care.

Details can be obtained by contacting the School Office.

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Our Team

HEADTEACHER

Mrs Sharon Cole

BA (Hons), PGCE , NPQH

TEACHING STAFF

KEY STAGE 1 (RECEPTION, YEARS 1 & 2)

KEY STAGE 2 (YEARS 3, 4, 5)

Mrs A Stephenson BSc (Hons) PGCE

Miss J Hughes BSc PGCE

Miss K New

B.Ed (Primary)

Mrs S Emond

BSC (Hons) PGCE

Miss K Miller BA PGCE

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Mrs J Shiels (HLTA)

Mrs D Organ Mrs L Chamberlain

(HLTA)

Mrs S Bennett (HLTA)

Mrs E Haines Mrs L Thornton

(HLTA)

OFFICE MANAGER

Mrs A Kirk

Additional Breakfast Club and Lunchtime Supervisor

Mrs S Wheeler

Caretaking and Cleaning

“TTB Cleaning Contract

GOVERNORS

Our Governors are a valued and integral

part of our school team. Our Governing

Body is comprised of parents and members

of the community. They meet regularly

every half term for full and sub-committee

meetings. In addition to working closely

with the Head teacher and staff members to

monitor all aspects of school life, they

contribute to the life of the school in many other ways. Many of our Governors visit

school regularly, listen to readers or work with groups of children, attend school

productions or join us for school outings and activities. If any parent wishes to contact

our Chair of Governors, they may do so via the school office, marking the

correspondence for the attention of the Chair.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

“Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and

classrooms are buzzing with activity and

enjoyment…Effective teaching underpins the quality

of learning and the good progress of pupils” (Ofsted)

We believe that, just as each child is an individual, so,

too, do they learn in individual ways. Therefore, we

strive to ensure that our curriculum is delivered in a

variety of teaching methods every day. These may include whole class teaching, paired

or group work, or one-to-one sessions.

Also during the school year, the children have the opportunity to learn in mixed aged

groups, usually according to their House Teams, and may participate in an Eco or Art

day for example.

Whilst Maths and English are taught as discrete subjects on

a daily basis, we strive to make links across all subjects where

appropriate and every class studies a topic each term where

such links can be made. Teachers in each Key Stage plan the

topic together, so that staff may share their curriculum

expertise and subject co-ordinators ensure that there is

progression across the teaching and learning. For this

reason, it does not matter which class your child is being

taught in within the key stage, as they will be studying the same topic at the

appropriate level. We encourage you to take a look at our website to see our curriculum

topic webs and browse photographs of the learning taking place.

All of our teachers and support staff work hard to get to

know each child as an individual so as to provide them

with learning opportunities best suited to their needs and

interests. Children make progress at their own rates and in

their own ways. A central tenet of our school ethos is the

need to value children and individuals and to provide

learning opportunities that will build on their strengths and

allow them to overcome any weaknesses. Every child’s

progress is tracked very carefully, and we strive for our

pupils to make accelerated progress, achieving standards

well above national expectations.

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One of the greatest benefits of a small school such as ours is that we can and do know

each of our children individually. We offer them the support and encouragement they

need to grow and flourish in their learning environment, setting down firm foundations

for their future educational success. Across the curriculum we stress five key skills to

successful learning, so that the children learn that to achieve their best in life, they need

to:

Focus

Be organised

Believe in themselves

Co-operate and

Reflect

Foundation Stage

When children join us in Reception, they follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum which follows six areas upon which all other learning is based. These are:- Personal, social and emotional development Communication, language and literacy Mathematical development Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development We encourage our children towards reading, communication and mathematical skills from the moment they enter the school. Much of this learning is achieved through carefully structured play. Young children who cannot read or write often express their ideas and feelings through play. It is an important way of developing new skills and building up relationships with other children both individually and in groups.

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The National Curriculum

As children move from Reception and into Year 1 and throughout the rest of the school, they follow the National Curriculum as set out in the 2014 documentation

The core subjects at Key Stages 1 (ages 5-7) and 2 (ages 7-11) comprise:

English Mathematics Science

Children also study the following foundation subjects as part of the National Curriculum:

Art and Design Computing Design and Technology Foreign Language (French) Geography History Music Physical Education Religious Education

Children are taught PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) and R.E. (Religious Education). Children in Key Stage 2 classes are also taught French on a weekly basis. All classes throughout the school go swimming for at least one term. Reception and Year 1 children go to Forest School every week and we timetable these sessions throughout the rest of the school as often as possible.

English

English is taught as a discrete subject every day with the skills then applied across the whole curriculum. We believe that pupils need a firm foundation in basic skills (spelling, punctuation, grammar) from an early age as well as an encouragement to write and think creatively. We endeavor to link writing to engaging contexts for the children whilst placing importance on presentation and application of skills. We value spoken as well as written fluency and encourage our children to verbalise their thinking and present their ideas through discussion.

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We encourage a love of reading in all our pupils. Our reading scheme and interactive resources support a solid grasp of phonics, but we also offer an extensive library to appeal to all children. In both key stages we encourage parents to support this love of reading at home and complete reading journals which are sent home each day. In all except the Reception/Year 1 class, an hour’s lesson is devoted solely to reading each week, where the Teacher and two

additional Teaching Assistants carry out group reading activities in order to focus on reading fluency and comprehension.

Mathematics

We strive to ensure that our children are given the skills that will equip them for life in the modern world. We develop their ability to question and problem solve by logical processes. Maths is taught on a daily basis as a discrete lesson but may also be applied in cross-curricular situations. We have worked with our Middle School and all feeder First Schools to devise a Calculations policy to ensure that all of the children use consistent methods. We are also placing increasing emphasis on mental skills and seek parents’ support in helping their child to learn their number facts.

Science

We enjoy exploring Science throughout the school and, as in so many lessons, encourage an active problem solving approach to this topic. Our pupils are encouraged to be creative in their approach to investigations and we stress the importance of fair testing and group learning.

Computing

Each classroom has an interactive whiteboard which provides visually stimulating and exciting ways to deliver lessons. Each class has access to computer equipment and the latest school software. We strive to embed computing into the whole school curriculum as well as ensuring our pupils have a good grounding in computer skills.

History & Geography

History and Geography are crucial to our children’s understanding of their topics and are often taught in a cross curricular manner. Each term classes in the same key stage study the same topic and the latest examples of topic webs can be found on our website.

Music

The children study music as part of the curriculum, but in addition we are pleased to offer peripatetic lessons in piano, flute and guitar (please enquire at the Office for details). We also run music clubs, usually recorder and sometimes choir.

We would encourage you to come along to a family assembly on Friday or one of our productions to hear the quality of our singing which really is inspiring.

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Art, Design and Technology

Art and DT are embedded throughout our curricular topics as well as being taught discretely. Sometimes we have Art Days when the entire school works together on a project.

PE

For a small school we are well equipped with apparatus in the Hall and outside a large hard-play area and grass pitch. We value a healthy and active lifestyle for our pupils and, to this end, all our children participate in 2 hours of PE a week. Each class goes swimming for a term during the year and we also run a number of after school PE clubs such as Football, Tag Rugby, Running, Tennis,

Basketball and Gymnastics. Our annual Sports Day is a highlight with a cup being presented to the winning House Group as well as individual awards. We also attend inter-school competitions, including a swimming gala and tennis tournament.

RE

RE teaching throughout the school relates to the

children’s experiences and also broadens their

awareness of their own religious cultures and the

cultures and beliefs of others. It is an important part of

our school ethos that our pupils should gain an

awareness of what it is to live in a multicultural society

such as modern day Britain. Each fortnight we hold an “Open the Book” assembly

led by members of the community acting out bible stories for the children. Whilst

the majority of acts of worship at our school are Christian, reflecting the cultural

background of the community, we endeavor to share assemblies that reflect

other religious traditions where appropriate.

French

All of our Key Stage 2 pupils are taught French on a weekly basis by the Headteacher. We also encourage an exploration of different languages throughout the school, most notably through our “Language of the Week”, which encourages our children to experiment with a different language every week.

Drama

We foster a love of drama and the performing arts in our pupils. Our Children have opportunities to attend theatre productions such as Christmas pantomimes or dramatic performances. Our pupils also put on a whole school performance once a year, as well as performing in other events such as Harvest Festivals, Carol Services, Assemblies and end of topic reviews.

Forest School

We believe in a curriculum that goes beyond the four walls of

the classroom and Forest School exemplifies this approach.

We have our own dedicated Forest School site and a member

of staff is a trained and enthusiastic Forest School leader.

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Children in Reception and Year 1 make weekly visits to our Forest

School located on the side of Bredon Hill.

This offers the children an invaluable opportunity to learn about

the natural environment, how to handle risks and most

importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-

operate with others. As much as the curriculum in other year

groups allows, we also encourage Forest School visits for all our

classes.

Extra-Curricular Activities

We provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities after school

to enhance our curriculum. There is at least one club every

evening, often more and we try to spread these across different

age groups. There is always a range of sporting clubs and other

activities may include: art, drama, eco, construction, music and

singing such activities.

Trips

Educational visits are also an

important part of our

curriculum. We believe these

reinforce and enrich what the

children are learning in

school. These visits might take

the form of trips to museums,

churches, art galleries or

places of historical interest.

Children in Years 2 & 3 also have the opportunity to take

part in a residential trip to Malvern Outdoor Centre for one

night, whilst children in Years 4 & 5 participate in a three

night residential trip. As a school, we believe that children

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benefit greatly from these residential trips in terms of increasing independence,

confidence and maturity.

Visitors

To provide a rich experience for our pupils we encourage

different people to be involved with the school day, from

parents, Governors, students from Teacher Training

colleges or Year 11’s on work experience from our local

high school. We also have invite ‘expert’ visitors from a

diversity of backgrounds to talk to the children.

Pupil Voice

Whilst we do not have a regular school

council, we create both formal and

informal opportunities for the children to

have a voice in the organisation and

running of the school. Every Friday the

Headteacher meets the “Star Learners” of

the week to talk about their learning and

their views on school life and Governors

and Subject Co-ordinators regularly talk to

the children about their school experience.

Inclusion

Ashton-under-Hill First School aims to be an inclusive school where all children are

welcome and will be supported to achieve their personal best.

Disability

If a child in our school has a disability, they will be treated no less favourably than any

other child. In order for effective partnership between home and school we anticipate

parents will want to:-

Inform the school at the earliest opportunity if their child has a disability and the

exact nature of it.

Provide information for planning for the child to be a full member of the school

community.

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Acknowledge that, one of the factors that the Headteacher must consider is the

effect of the proposed changes on all members of the school community.

Recognise the importance of home and school working together for the child.

Our accessibility plan is available from the school office.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

The school supports pupils with special educational needs. The Headteacher is the

SEND Co-ordinator, assisted by a High Level Teaching Assistant. We work closely with

outside agencies and a dedicated County Support Advisor and Speech and Language

Therapist. There is also a cluster working party where staff from schools that feed into

our Middle School meet to review and share good practice. If a child is on the SEND

register, a plan is drawn up reflecting recommendations of outside agencies and

detailing specific intervention to be undertaken by Teachers, Teaching Assistants and

parents. This is updated termly and shared with parents.

The school has a detailed Special Needs policy which can be accessed from our website.

Equal Opportunities

At Ashton-under-Hill First School, we wish to promote positive attitudes in children, staff,

governors and parents so that children can fulfil their potential and make choices,

unhampered by expectations based on gender or role stereotyping. We wish to fulfil

the aims of the school regardless of age, gender, ability (both academic and physical),

ethnic origin or background of the child.

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP

Homework

We believe that children’s learning continues long after the bell has rung at the end of

the day. Homework is an important part of this learning and our pupils receive

homework from their earliest days in school. The type, length and depth of this

homework increases as children progress through the school and range from reading,

learning spellings and multiplication tables to researching a new topic. When setting

homework, we aim to:-

Promote positive attitudes to work and school

Raise the achievement of all our pupils

Consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding taught in lessons

Encourage and develop independent learning

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Increase self-discipline

Develop the home/school partnership

Parents’ Consultation Meetings

We believe that children learn best in an environment which fosters

an active partnership between school and home. Parents need to

be informed of the progress of their children so that they can work

alongside the school in supporting and encouraging their learning.

Parents are always welcome in school to ask questions about their

child’s progress and we hold “open classroom sessions” where

parents are invited in to class and have the chance to look at books,

displays and talk to the pupils about their learning. We have three

formal reporting sessions over the course of the year:

Autumn Term: Formal parents evening to meet your child’s teacher and discuss how

they are settling and their targets for the year.

Spring Term: Review of general progress and against targets set.

Summer Term: Written school report.

As parents, you can do a great deal to assist your child to settle and thrive at school.

Talk to your child about school before they start and encourage them to discuss any

worries which they may have. Encourage their independence by letting them do things

for themself whenever possible. The more confident your child is, the happier they will

be when first coming to school. If you have any concerns please do see your class

teacher or the Headteacher, who are always happy to listen.

Adult Helpers

We encourage parents and friends to become actively involved in

school life as everyone benefits from the links being made. If you

have any time to spare then here are some of the many ways you

can help in school:

Listening to readers

Playing maths games

Helping out on school trips

Being an extra pair of hands for Art and crafts

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Helping at an after school club

Please note that if you wish to help in school, you need to complete a DBS from which

checks your suitability to work with children and we also require you to submit two

written references.

Parents and Friends Association (PFA)

The PFA raise funds to buy much needed equipment, providing ‘extras’ that the school

budget cannot stretch to. Please support the events that the PFA organise throughout

the year.

As a parent, you are automatically a member of the PFA. Help is always welcome, and

those interested are encouraged to contact the Chairperson through the school office.

PUPIL MATTERS

Uniform

Our children are encouraged and expected to wear the

school uniform so as to develop a sense of pride in being

a member of the school community.

Winter Uniform

Grey Trousers, skirt, pinafore dress

Embroidered sky blue school polo shirt

Embroidered royal blue school sweatshirt or

cardigan

Black sensible school shoes

Summer Uniform

As above with the option of:

Girls – blue & white striped dress

Boys - grey tailored short trousers

Optional

Embroidered Royal blue Fleece/Reversible Fleece

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PE Kit

Embroidered White logo T shirt

Navy shorts (girls may wear navy cycle shorts)

PE Pumps

Named PE Bag

Children in Key Stage 2 are required outdoor trainers

Equipment

Embroidered Royal blue Book Bag

Jewellery should not be worn at any time in school, as it is a health and safety risk. Small

stud earrings are permitted, but we ask that pupils are able to remove these themselves

for PE lessons. Staff are not permitted to remove earrings and nor can staff be

responsible for items of jewellery. Long hair should be tied back at all times.

We ask parents to name all items of clothing. Children inevitably discard clothing as

they go through the day and, naming items makes it much easier to return these

discarded items to their rightful owners!

Food and Drink

We are a “Healthy School” and encourage our pupils to

think about the benefits of a balanced and healthy diet.

Children are allowed to bring a snack or a drink for

morning break and we ask that parents provide healthy

snacks – fruit, bread sticks, cereal bars. Children in Key

Stage 1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) receive free fruit

from school. Parents are able to order and pay for a daily

1/3 pint of milk for their child to have at break time.

Children under 5 receive this milk free.

Children are also encouraged to bring a plastic bottle of water to school. It has been

proven that if children have regular access to water during the day, they are more able

to concentrate. These bottles are kept in the classroom and can be replenished in

school from a central water dispenser.

At lunchtime all of the children eat together in the hall, with the

older pupils helping the youngest. All Key Stage 1 children are

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provided with a meal free of charge and we encourage parents to take up the option of

a hot lunch provided by our catering company. Please enquire at the office if you think

your child is eligible for free school meals whichever Key Stage they are in as this entitles

you to additional funding known as Pupil Premium.

Getting To and From School

We encourage everyone to walk to school if possible, accompanied by a responsible

adult. Our Year 5 pupils are permitted to walk home alone, provided they live in the

village and their parents have given written consent. For those pupils who live further

away there are the following options:

By Car: please note that the school is located in the centre of the village and

parking is difficult. For safety reasons parents are requested not to park on the

yellow zigzag lines outside school.

By School Bus: School transport is provided for pupils within catchment

according to the following criteria: up to 8 years old who live more than two

miles away, and for those older than 8 years the distance is three miles. Pupils

from low income families are entitled to free transport up to the age of 11.

Further information on eligibility can be found on the Worcestershire County

Council Website under Admissions > Travel Assistance.

By Bike: Whilst all our Year 5 pupils complete the Cycling Proficiency training, we

would not recommend any pupils to cycle to school. If pupils do bring

bikes/scooters to school, we ask that they dismount and walk their bikes/scooters

through the school gates. These items can be stored on site during the day.

Medical Matters

We take the health and safety of all our pupils, staff and visitors very seriously. To this

end, a number of our staff are trained first aiders.

Medicines in school: Whenever possible, we would be grateful if medication could be

given out of school hours. If a dose is required during the school day, then we ask you

to do the following:-

We will only give medication that has been prescribed by a Doctor in a container

which is clearly labelled as such, with patient and dosage details. This must be

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handed in to the school secretary and Parents must complete a form giving

permission for a member of staff to administer the medicine.

Children with asthma are able to have unlimited access to their inhalers. Please

ensure the ventomatic and the medication is clearly labelled with the child’s

name.

Accidents in school:

Minor bumps and bruises will be dealt with in school. A number of the staff are trained

first aiders and will deal appropriately with any accidents. In the case of more serious

accidents, parents will be notified as soon as possible and appropriate help sought. It is

school policy that parents are notified in all instances of a head bump. Children will also

be given a letter to take home to notify parents of this head bump. It is vital, therefore,

that contact details are kept up to date and the School Office is notified of any changes

to parents’ contact numbers.

Your Child’s Welfare

The health and welfare of your child is our first priority. However, we do ask your

support in the following ways:

Contact information: We ask you to complete a contact sheet giving addresses

and contact numbers for yourself and at least one other person whom we can

contact in cases of emergency. We require this information to be up to date at all

times.

Asthma medication: If your child needs regular medication such as an inhaler for

asthma we will ask you to fill in another sheet giving details of times and dosage.

This should be kept up to date as well and it is your responsibility to ensure that

all medications in school are in date.

Appointments: If your child has a dental or medical appointment, please give us

as much advance notice as you can.

Illness: If your child is absent from school due to illness, please phone the school

before 9.15am. If you need to leave a message on the answer phone, please

state your child’s name, their class and the reason for absence. Please allow 48

hours to elapse before sending your child back to school following bouts of

sickness.

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Well-being: Please ensure that the school knows of any specific matters relating

to your child’s health or emotional well-being, which may include changes in the

family situation. All such issues will be treated in confidence but will help us to

give your child the support they need to thrive at school.

Planned Leave of Absence: There is a very strict criteria governing authorised

absence. Please consult our policy and complete the necessary form if you wish

to request leave of absence.

Please note: Absence requests taken during our testing period (see school

calendar) will be classed automatically as ‘unauthorised’. Similarly, holidays,

unless there are exceptional circumstances, are also regarded as unauthorised.

Admissions

The Worcestershire Local Authority is responsible for co-ordinating all school admissions

in the area. A Guide for Parents on Admissions and Transfers is available on-line at:

www.worcestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions. The website contains full details on the

application and allocation process, including the oversubscription admission criteria for

each school. You are advised to read this guide prior to making an application.

We encourage Parents who are considering Ashton-under-Hill First School to contact

the school for an appointment with the Headteacher and to view the school in action.

Please also refer to our full school admissions policy on our website.

How to apply for a place:

The parents of ALL pupils resident in Worcestershire, including parents, whose

preference is for the catchment area school for the child's home address, seeking a place

at any First School must go online to complete an application.

Applications must be made online at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions

If you require assistance please call School Admissions on 01905 822700

If you are not resident in Worcestershire, then you should obtain admission details from

your home local authority, even if your preferences include schools within

Worcestershire.

The closing date for Reception in take is always in January prior to them starting school

in September, but you should go online to ensure that you meet the specific closing

date.

When are decisions made?

Offers will be issued direct to parents in April (exact date is available via the Admissions

website)and you must accept or decline the offer by the date specified.

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If you are applying for an in-year transfer:

Again, you need to visit the Worcestershire County Council Admissions website for an

in-year application form (CA1),which has to be signed by the Headteacher of your

child’s current school.

Payments

We use an on-line payment system, which can be used to pay for trips, swimming etc.

using credit or debit cards. When your child enters school, he/she will be given a unique

number which you can use to make payments on line. We also accept Childcare

Vouchers. We issue every child with a “Letter Wallet” which we ask parents to use when

sending in forms, letters or money to the office.

Keeping in Touch:

Weekly Newsletter

Every Friday we publish a newsletter to all parents and members of the school

community, which contains news about the events over the week as well as promoting

forthcoming activities. This will automatically be sent to you electronically. Copies can be

found on our website.

Texting Service

We have the facility to send out broadcast texts to registered mobiles, for such items as

snow closures, trip reminders or kit reminders. Parents have found this service to be

particularly useful.

Family Assembly

Every Friday morning at 8.55am we hold a Family

Celebration Assembly at which parents, family and

friends are most welcome. A crèche is provided for pre-

school age children. At these assemblies we share the

work and events that have taken place in school as well

as celebrating our “Star Learners” achievements.

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The School Website

Our school website can be found at www.ashton.worcs.sch.uk. When your child joins

our school we will ask for your permission to publish their photo and work on the web

site. (Children are never identified by last name). Every week we upload our newsletter

onto the website. We also publish policies and other school information on the website.

Each class also has their own space on the website.

Parent Questionnaire

Both the Headteacher and Governors seek feedback from parents throughout the year

and may periodically conduct surveys. We also encourage parents to post their views

on the “Parent View” section of the Ofsted website.

A Quick Chat

The Headteacher is usually on the school gate each morning and afternoon for a quick

chat. Similarly Teachers make themselves available on the playground each day.

Alternatively, please contact the school office to make an appointment. We pride

ourselves on our friendly, approachable nature and would always want parents to air

any concerns at the earliest opportunity, so that any problems can be nipped in the bud.

Policies:

Full copies of all relevant policies are available from the office or via the school website.

In brief:

Behaviour Policy

Rules are kept to a minimum but a high standard of self-discipline and courtesy, both in

and out of school, is encouraged. We “expect only the best” and this also applies to

behaviour. We look at the children’s behaviour from a positive angle, encouraging good

manners and attitudes by praise and example. Whilst we deal with incidents of poor

behaviour in school, we will consult parents in the event of any serious misbehaviour or

consistent poor behaviour. We aim to develop very positive relationships with parents

so that the child receives consistent messages.

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Safeguarding

Ashton First School is fully committed to safeguarding all of its pupils and, to that end, is

fully compliant with all national and local authority legislation in this area. We expect

everyone who is employed by or volunteers at the school to undergo a DBS check. Our

safeguarding policy has five main elements and is available in full from the School Office.

These elements are:

Ensuring we practice safer recruitment in checking the suitability of staff &

volunteers.

Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the

skills needed to keep them safe.

Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting

cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.

Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with their children

protection plan.

Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn & develop.

Training is undertaken by all staff. The Designated Senior Member of Staff in Charge of

Safeguarding is the Head teacher, Mrs Sharon Cole, and the Deputy Member of Staff is

the Office Manager, Andrea Kirk. Nominated Governors are Juliet Shiels and Charles

Archer who are also trained in this area. We follow the procedures set out by the Local

Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) and take account of the guidance issued by the

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

Sex and Relationship Education

It is the Governors’ policy to integrate sex education, seen as living and growing,

through the Science and PSHE programmes of study, which are part of the National

Curriculum. Information will be handled with care and sensitivity matching the maturity

of the child. This may arise naturally as a result of other activities or in response to the

children’s questions.

Charging Policy

In accordance with the Education Reform Act 1988 the governors have set a policy

asking for voluntary contributions for extra-curricular activities, clubs, tuition (e.g.

swimming) or educational visits which incur costs outside the normal budget. Although

there is no obligation to contribute towards educational visits, where there are

insufficient funds the activity will be cancelled. Failure to contribute will not affect the

treatment of a child, nor will a child be excluded because of inability to pay. Parents of

children receiving Pupil Premium will be supported with extra-curricular and residential

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payments. Parents will be asked to contribute towards the cost of replacing lost items or

items broken or damaged deliberately by their child.

Whistleblowing

We are committed to the highest possible standards of openness, probity and

accountability. We expect employees and others working at or for the school who have

serious concerns about any aspect of the school to come forward and voice those

concerns. The Governing Body is responsible for ensuring the operation of this policy

and will work in partnership with the Local Education Authority in dealing with

concerns.

Complaints Procedure

If any parent or community member has a complaint against the school or member of

staff, the following procedure will be followed:

Stage 1

Informal: If you are unhappy about any aspect of your child's education we ask that

you firstly talk to the class teacher and/or the Headteacher so that we can do our best

to resolve difficulties to everyone's satisfaction. You may also wish to raise your concern

in an informal way with a parent governor.

Stage 2

Formal: If you feel that your concern needs to be dealt with more formally, any

parent may make a written complaint to the Chair of governors. The letter should state

the nature of the complaint, the steps taken to resolve it and the action you would like

to see taken to remedy your concerns.

Stage 3

Formal: Should there be any difficulty in resolving the complaint a panel of

governors will meet to consider it and make a prompt and final decision.

If the matter is still not resolved you may wish to put your complaint to the appropriate

body, either the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, or the LEA depending on the

nature of the complaint. The School records all formal complaints.

Health and Safety

Ashton First School is committed to ensuring the Health and Safety of all of its pupils,

staff and visitors. To that end, we will minimise any risks in our environment as far as is

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practicable. In particular, staff will conduct full and thorough risk assessments prior to

any off-site visit or trip. We will also ensure that our site remains secure by making

certain that all fire exits are kept clear of obstructions and that all members of the school

community are fully aware of our fire evacuation procedures.

Non-Smoking Policy

Ashton First School is a totally non-smoking environment. The Head Teacher has the

authority to ask any member of the public to leave the premises if they contravene this

policy.

Mobile Phone Policy

All staff and visitors are requested to keep their mobile phones switched off or on silent

while on the school premises and only use them during designated break times. Pupils

are not allowed any hand held mobile devices in school.

Educational Visits Policy

Each year, the school will aim to arrange a number of activities that take place off the

school site and/or out of school hours. As a small school, with a relatively small number

of staff, the scope of these activities (particularly Clubs) will necessarily vary according to

the skills and time commitments of individual staff members. Parents and children will

always be notified of the range of activities offered each term/half term, along with the

criteria by which pupils are able to access them and the methods by which parents will

be asked for their consent. No child will be prohibited from participating in any

educational visit because of financial considerations. Any parent who anticipates

difficulties in meeting the costs of any outing is encouraged to speak in confidence with

the Head Teacher.

AND FINALLY….

Thank you for reading this document. We

hope that you found it useful. Please

consult our school website for the latest

details and above all else, we encourage

you to visit the school in person to see the

teaching and learning in action or to

discuss any matter. You are assured of a

very warm welcome.