Beckstone Primary School Eadie Street Harrington

Workington Cumbria

CA14 5PX

School Web Site www.beckstone.cumbria.sch.uk

SCHOOL PROSPECTUS

2018-2019

School Email admin@beckstone.cumbria.sch.uk

School Fax 01946 834936

School Phone 01946 830423

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Contents

Welcome ......................................... 3 General School Information ................ 4

School Characteristics ..................... 4 School Vision ................................... 5 Strategic Intentions .......................... 5 Ofsted .............................................. 6 School Web Site .............................. 6

This prospectus can also be found in electronic format on the site. ........... 6 Social Media .................................... 7 School Notice Boards ...................... 8 Newsletter ....................................... 8

Staff List .......................................... 9

The Governing Body ..................... 10

School Term Dates ........................ 12

The School Day ............................. 12 School Events ............................... 13 School Uniform .............................. 14

P.E.Kits ......................................... 14 Beckstone Bears ........................... 15

School Meals ................................. 15 30 Hours Free Childcare Offer ...... 16 Milk ................................................ 16

Mid-Morning Snacks ...................... 17 Water & Drinks Policy .................... 17

School Charging Policy ................. 17 School Fund .................................. 18

School Liability Policy .................... 18 Complaints Procedure ................... 18 Parental Questionnaires ................ 19

Curriculum Information ...................... 20

The Foundation Stage .................. 20

Your Child’s Key Stage ................. 21 Teaching & Learning ..................... 21 Curriculum Policies/Organisation .. 22

Curriculum Summaries .................. 23 ICT facilities ................................... 24

Internet Access .............................. 24 Sport ............................................. 24

Class Libraries ............................... 25 Reading for Pleasure Bus.............. 25 Home Based Activities .................. 25 Sex and Relationships Education .. 26 Extra Curricular Activities .............. 26 Educational Visits .......................... 26 Assessment ................................... 27

Attainment & Results ..................... 27 Recognition of Achievements ........ 27

Assemblies .................................... 28 Theatrical Performances ................ 28 Year 6 Graduation ......................... 28 Reporting to Parents ...................... 29

Extended Services ............................ 29

Breakfast Club ............................... 29 Educare ......................................... 29 After School Care – known as Beckstone Xtra .............................. 30 After School Clubs ......................... 30

Health ............................................ 30

Parent & Toddler Club ................... 30

School Savings/Credit Union ......... 30 Pupil Support ..................................... 31

Parental Expectations .................... 31 A Healthy School ........................... 31

School Council ............................... 32 Pupil Questionnaire ....................... 32

Inclusion ........................................ 32 Special educational needs and disability ......................................... 33

Gifted & Talented ........................... 33 Education Support Manager/Rainbow Room ............................................. 34 Attendance .................................... 35

Behaviour Management ................. 36 Pastoral Care ................................. 36 Medicine ........................................ 37

Mobile Phones/Electronic Equipment....................................................... 37

Use of Social Media ....................... 37 Accidents & First Aid ...................... 38 Illness at school ............................. 38

Head Lice ...................................... 38 Safeguarding/Child Protection ....... 39

Domestic Violence ......................... 40 Community Links ............................... 41

Friends at Beckstone (FAB – our PTA organisation) .......................... 41 Parent Helpers ............................... 41 Local Business .............................. 41 Community Links ........................... 41 Finally… ......................................... 42

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Welcome

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)

Welcome to our school!

The governors are very proud of Beckstone Primary School’s position at the heart of our community and the state of the art facilities we can provide for your child.

Our school provides a safe, friendly and happy environment in which pupils are allowed to develop. It has a fantastic staff team who encourage each and every child to reach his or her own potential.

On behalf of the Governing Body I would like to welcome you into the school community. I would also like to offer my grateful thanks for the hard work and dedication of all of our staff and to acknowledge the pride that we all derive from the achievements of our pupils past and present.

Angela Johnston

Chair of Governors

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s), Beckstone Primary School is a wonderful school and one which we are very proud of. This prospectus aims to give you a glimpse of how the school operates and what you can expect from the school. Information from this publication can be augmented by visiting our school web site (details inside). Nothing of course gives a clearer picture of the work of the school than visiting us at work and we would be very glad to arrange a visit for you and your child at a mutually convenient time, simply give us a ring and it can all be arranged. Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make that affects your child’s future. I am confident that if you choose this school then it will be a decision that you can be proud of. We can offer you and your child a broad, balanced and enriched curriculum which not only aims at enabling your child to reach the highest standards they can but also is aimed at educating your child in life skills, raising their self esteem and confidence and inspiring them to make a success of their educational career. I am looking forward to working with all children and families in the year ahead. Best wishes David Warbrick Headteacher

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General School Information

School Characteristics Beckstone Primary School is a recently established (September 2005) 3-11 Primary School. The new school is a result of a remodelling of the existing Victorian Junior School and a modern extension. The school is uniquely placed on top of a hill overlooking Harrington (in 1897 when it was built there was a railway line and station behind it which have since long gone making the school’s geographical position somewhat unusual). Harrington was originally a village but is now part of the town of Workington marking its southern boundary. The school’s catchment includes Harrington and Salterbeck in an approximate 50:50 ratio (making up 90% of the school’s population with 10% being out of catchment). Beckstone Primary School is a state of the art school with modern facilities, some of its special features include:

a strong emphasis on ICT (with a pupil:PC ratio of 1:3, well above the DfE’s guidance of 1:13), interactive whiteboards and visualisers in every classroom, access to tablets and dedicated ICT lessons in our computer suites where your child will be taught by a trained and qualified computer tutor

a large focus on sport with your child engaged in 2 hours of quality sport each week including dance, aerobics, gymnastics and games. In addition children from year 3 - 5 upwards also go swimming on a day a week during one term each year

a large focus on the arts with many performances by your child for you to come and watch and enjoy during their time at the school

out of hours clubs (in many activities, see p.26 for a guide of what is on offer), a breakfast club, Educare and after school learning clubs plus Beckstone Xtra – an after school care service. Your child can take advantage of any of these from 7.30am up until 5.15pm!

high quality recreational facilities for your child including numerous playgrounds, an adventure playground, an outdoor classroom leading to a large school field, a fort and a cottage!

and last but not least a highly trained, committed and dedicated staff teaching and supporting your child through the learning journey of their Primary career.

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School Vision “Bridging communities…promoting learning and excellence….shaping the future”

At Beckstone Primary School we aim to:

have a happy, friendly, caring environment, where children feel secure and valued

foster in each child an eagerness to learn, strive and achieve at a level appropriate to his/her abilities

nurture the academic, creative, practical, sporting and personal development of each child

develop self-discipline and mutual respect for each other and for all people and cultures

create an atmosphere that promotes learning and excellence, enabling children to fulfil their true potential

promote the development of an understanding, appreciation and respect for the local community and surrounding environment

consistently seek community involvement in a partnership that enhances the children's education, welfare, economic and social awareness

Strategic Intentions In order to realise this vision we will:

provide for our children a caring, happy, healthy and secure environment to enable each child to reach their full potential academically, socially and morally

develop a stimulating, broad and enriched curriculum through which the children will enjoy and also achieve

nurture happy well-balanced individuals with alert and enquiring minds, self and mutual respect and self-discipline both within and beyond the school environment.

be continually alive and responsive to the changing needs of the pupils, local community and national agenda

be committed to promoting equality of opportunity & equality of access to all regardless of race, gender, religion, disability, economic & social background and any other factors that may limit progress & acceptance.

A school is four walls with

tomorrow inside A school is four walls with

tomorrow inside

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Ofsted

The school received its latest OFSTED Inspection in June 2017. The inspector found that the school continues to be a good school and there was a high standard of education provided. The full report (& previous ones) can be accessed through our web site. Key points were:

Pupils are very well behaved. They are always polite and well mannered. Tolerance and respect for others is clear in work and attitudes. Pupils benefit from good teaching at all levels and excites a love of learning. Pupils make good progress from a range of starting points and leave Beckstone at year 6

with outcomes close to or above those seen nationally. Pupils develop a love of reading. Safeguarding is very effective. Parents speak very highly of the school. One comment was ‘It’s a big school with a small

school feel’ Governors are very ambitious, have the children at the heart of all they do and constantly

reflect on their own performance to ensure the very best outcomes for pupils. What we need to do to improve further:-

Ensure good progress is consistent in every subject by further developing key skills in non core subjects

Ensure provision for Reception children increases the focus on reading and writing and next steps for development.

School Web Site The school has an up to date web site with each class having their own zone as well as general areas and links to ‘safe’ educational web sites. It is well worth a look. The web site address is on the front of this prospectus but is repeated here:

www.beckstone.cumbria.sch.uk

This prospectus can also be found in electronic format on the site.

Social Media The school has a live Facebook page – it is called “Beckstone Primary School (Official Facebook Group)”, you should be able to search for the

group or you can use this address or QR code.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1922762928000636

The top of the page should look like the image at the top of the next page…there appears to be other sites with the school name on but these are not official:

We have created this page to let parents know when our school website is updated and to send messages. It is for information only and doesn’t accept comments. If you are a Facebook user and would like to receive news feeds and updates about the school then don’t forget to ‘join’ the group and select the “see first” button. The Facebook page has open access and will also contain links to updates on our web site and messages from school – there is no facility to message school, please use other methods. As a result any photos etc will only appear from our web site following clicking on a link. It is hoped this will dissuade children who are under 13 using Facebook but will allow adults to receive updates about the school. Indeed please note no children should have facebook accounts under the age of 13 and applications to join the group will be refused. We urge all adults to use any social media sites responsibly. School, its staff and other pupils should not be discussed in a negative manner on any site and the school will take such actions very seriously. Indeed the consortium of Workington Schools will take action if any inappropriate material is posted. If there are concerns about the school then please discuss them with a member of staff and DO NOT involve yourself in public debate over any issues.

School Notice Boards Parental Information Electronic Notice Board The school has an external Notice

board above the Main entrance door and inside an electronic information notice board that shows recent events or at other times has links with the internet so that as well as being a source of information for school it also is

regularly updated with national news headlines, the 5 day weather forecast for Workington, the top 10 children’s books, the top 40 and many many more. Eadie Street Notice Board The school has a noticeboard at the foot of the hill. We hope you will find the information in it, which we will endeavour to update regularly, useful. We would, of course welcome any views or suggestions or if you would like to advertise an event then do get in touch with the school.

Newsletter As well as issuing reminder notes/letters and specific letters detailing trips/events for a particular year group the school issues a monthly newsletter. The newsletter contains details the month’s forthcoming events, school and national educational issues, school dates (current & future) as well as a kids page and advertisements from local businesses (all of whom contribute to the school fund - see later). If you know of a business wishing to advertise to over 300 households please ask them to get in touch with the School Office). The newsletter (& back copies) can also be viewed on the web site (address above).

Texting Service The school also has a texting service whereby SMS messages with regards to news, events and information can be sent directly to your mobile phone to keep you fully informed. To take advantage of this service please ensure the School Office has an up to date mobile number

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THE STAFF

Staff List Headteacher: David Warbrick Head ICT Jude Yoxall Deputy Head English – FS & KS1/ BLP/Curriculum Head of EYFS Nursery: Anna Bagley Nursery Manager Early Years Michelle Pike Teacher PSHE Helen Starkey Senior Teaching Assistant Vicki Forster Senior Teaching Assistant Marie Wright Senior Teaching Assistant Louise Sutton Senior Teaching Assistant Reception: Angela Cunningham Teacher Reception Citizenship Jo White Teacher Reception Geography/ BLP Alison Armstrong Senior Teaching Assistant Carla Boyd Senior Teaching Assistant Year 1 & 2 Rebecca Maskew Teacher Y1 History/DT Linda Strong Teacher Y1/2 MFL Scott Fleming Teacher Y2 Science / Head of K.S.1 Frances Teasdale Senior Teaching Assistant Bernadette Cunningham Senior Teaching Assistant Samantha Murray Senior Teaching Assistant Year 3 & 4: Jennifer Watson Teacher Y3 History/DT Donna Potts Teacher Y3/4 R.E./Art & Displays Joanne McKeating Teacher Y4 Head of Lower K.S.2English KS2 Sharon Beecroft Senior Teaching Assistant Sarah Holliday Senior Teaching Assistant Lisa Carter Senior Teaching Assistant Julie McAdam Teaching Assistant Year 5 & 6: Jackie Trotter Teacher Y5 Maths Alison Needham Teacher Y5/6 SENCO & Gifted &Talented Kimberley Moore Teacher Y5/6 (Maternity Leave until May 2018) Hayley Gorman Teacher Y6 Head of Upper KS2 / PE Elaine Chambers Senior Teaching Assistant Alison Walker Senior Teaching Assistant Carol Sewell Senior Teaching Assistant Computer Tutor: Clive Wilson Key Stage 2 Part time Music teacher: Mike Milner Education Support Manager: Debbie Cook Sports NVQ Apprentice: James Heppell Admin Staff: Philippa Vaughan (Business Manager), Nichola Rosser & Rebecca Davis Mid-day Supervisors: Sonia McKeating Samantha Musgrave Ann Bennet Mandy McConnell Clare Hewer Julie McAdam Lorraine Frew Louise Sutton Christine Fleming Kelly Jefferson

Alex Hardy Amanda Neesham Katie Thompson

Cleaning Staff (CCS): Dennis Bracken - Caretaker Christine Lofthouse Susan Murray Deborah Stephenson Kerry Jackson Canteen Staff (Dolce UK): Susan Armstrong – Cook Vicki Allison Christa Lofthouse Vivienne Hodgetts Kerry Jackson Susan Murray

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The Governing Body Governors play a pivotal role in the life of the school through strategic direction, agreeing policies and ensuring a high quality education for your child. Governors would welcome your views whether they be positive or negative. Governors can be contacted by;

e-mail via the school web site

the school will pass on any letters

the Chair can be contacted in writing c/o Beckstone Primary School or

the Clerk can be contacted in writing c/o Beckstone Primary School

Over the course of the coming year you will be issued with a questionnaire and we would very much appreciate a response from you so that we can target provision and continue to improve our service to you.

Responsibilities Elected by: Name Term of Office

Clerk N/A Nichola Rosser N/A

Chair / Computing / County Link Safeguarding

Co-opted Angela Johnston 09.02.19

Vice Chair / Science/DT/Assessment

Parents Vicki Martin 23.03.19

Maths & Finance

Parents Tony Sutton 31.12.17

English

Parents Donna Hawley 11.07.21

Health & Safety

Parents Nick Whitehead 20.3.22

Early Years Co-opted Alison Renney 06.12.20

Geography

County Council Vacancy

Headteacher

Staff David Warbrick N/A

PE

Staff Hayley Gorman 08.03.21

Music

Co-opted Jude Yoxall 31.08.18

Art

Co-opted Kate Mahone 23.03.19

RE & MFL & Pupil Premium

Co-opted Julia Powley 31.12.17

PSHE/ SEN/G&T/Equal Opp/Inclusion

Associate Lesley Robertson N/A

Pastoral / Children Looked After

Associate Debbie Cook N/A

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Admissions Policy

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School Term Dates

The School Day Safety at school is of prime importance. School supervision begins at 8.50am when the doors open and staff will be in the classrooms. No child should be unaccompanied in the school grounds before 8.50am and responsibility for the pupil rests with the parent until this time. For the safety of all children the gates will be locked at 9 a.m. and parents will need to have left the school by this time or use the main entrance for exiting the school after this time please. Depending on the age of your child they will enter through different doors, please see the plan of the school for further information on this PARENTS ARE WELCOME ON SITE AT ANY TIME. OUTSIDE THE START AND END TIMES PLEASE REPORT TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE End of day collection arrangements must be arranged in advance as it is not possible to guarantee the relaying of telephone messages altering arrangements particularly towards the end of a day. In addition please refrain from parking near the foot of the hill, on Eadie Street or in the no parking areas on Church Road. The minor inconvenience far outweighs the danger for the children from so doing. The Governors, everyone associated with the school and the neighbouring houses would be very appreciative of your co-operation on this matter.

Doors open

Start of day

Playtime End of Morning Sessions Start of Afternoon Session End of Day

8.50am

12.25pm

9 am

12.30pm

10.30 – 10.45am

Morning Nursery - 11.50 am Reception & Key Stage 1 – 11.50am

Key Stage 2 – 12.15pm

Afternoon Nursery

Reception & Key Stage 1 – 12.50 pm Key Stage 2 – 1.15pm

3.15 pm 3.30pm

Please note that for the safety of all the children parents are requested not to drive up the school hill for 15 minutes before

and after the start and end of the school day.

Term dates are always on the back page of the newsletter and will also be available by clicking

on ‘Calendar’ on our web site.

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School Events The children take home a newsletter from the school once a month and dates of events are on the back page. All diary dates are also available on our web site by clicking ‘Diary dates’. Please take note of any dates for the following events which are a minimum of what is usually happening during the course of a school year.

Autumn Term

(Individual/

Sibling) photographs

Parents’ Evenings

Harvest Collection

Book Fair

Secondary Transfer

Parents’ Meetings

Non Uniform Day(s)

Halloween Disco

Mobile Library Visit

Visiting Theatre Group

Operation Christmas

Child -Shoeboxes

Christmas Performances

Christmas Parties

Carol Concerts incl.

Allerdale Disability &

Carols in Square

Christmas Raffle

Church Service

Spring Term

Parents’ Evenings

Sponsored Events

Visiting Theatre Group

(Pantomime)

Book Fair

Bingo Night

Non Uniform Day(s)

World Book Day

Mobile Library Visit

School Swimming Gala

Summer Term

‘SAT’ tests for

all children in Year 2 & 6

and other tests for the other

years

Phonics Screening Check

for Year 1 pupils

Workington Swimming

Gala

Sports Day

Non Uniform Day(s)

Sponsored Event

Class/Whole School

photograph

Induction events for new

starters and secondary

transfers

Mobile Library visit

School performance

Visiting Theatre Group

End of Year Report

Year 6 Leavers

Presentations & Graduation

General;

Regular football/netball

matches

Regular year group

trips/visits

Yearly class assemblies

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School Uniform It has been agreed by the governors of the school that uniform is compulsory. The emphasis is on smart dress (not fashion!). The uniform consists of;

School sweat shirt*, school fleece*, school T shirt*, polo shirt* or white shirt

Grey or black tailored trousers or knee length skirts (not sports trousers/tracksuit trousers)

Dark deck shorts or blue gingham or pinafore dresses

Low heeled footwear, shoes or trainers. These need to be black with no promotional logos.

Hats may be worn in the playground for protection against the weather…wind & sun! School baseball caps* are available. Hairstyles must not be extreme and any hair dye should be in natural colours. Make up is strictly not allowed

* The items listed with an asterisk are available from the School Office or are

available using the order form on the penultimate page of this booklet.

Whilst on the subject of clothing please try and ensure your child’s name is clearly marked on all their clothing to avoid loss and ease of identification. We endeavour to return all named clothing promptly from the ‘Lost Property’ box. It is the responsibility of the pupils to look after their own clothing.

P.E.Kits PE Kit is also compulsory for sporting lessons and this must be a change of clothes. Your child’s class teacher will let you know on which days of the week it is required although it may be left on the child’s peg/locker, in an appropriate bag, for a week/half term. It consists of; Indoor – Strictly black shorts and light blue T shirt with names in!! (These lessons are conducted in bare feet as flexibility and grip of the sole is essential for safety reasons if using the apparatus) Outdoor – Shorts or joggers, T shirt and tracksuit top plus trainers. In Years 5 & 6 a pair of football boots would be useful for those wishing to play. Swimming - Appropriate swimming costume (not loose shorts) and towel in a waterproof bag (plus hair brush/comb). Please note NO Football Shirts etc to be used for PE – only school agreed kit. As they will be doing gymnastics in bare feet please ensure any veruccas have been sealed with Bazuka gel or an equivalent. Failure to bring correct kit will result in less than green ratings on your child’s report and a reminder letter will be sent home as appropriate.

Please note that jewellery should not be worn to school apart from stud earrings for those with pierced ears although these must be removed for P.E. lessons & Swimming. Any other

piercing is strictly not allowed. If you are planning on having your child’s ears pierced then the start of the summer holidays

is an ideal time so that they heal prior to re-starting school

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All prices correct at the time of writing, they may

be subject to change.

Beckstone Bears Beckstone Bears are available for purchase from the School Office, each priced at £4

School Meals Midday meals are freshly cooked on the premises by our experienced chef and her staff. The school is part of a consortium of West Cumbrian schools that

negotiated a contract with Dolce UK Ltd with an emphasis on nutrition, healthy eating and value for money (the price of meals in Key Stage 2 are amongst the lowest in the County £2.20). Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 now have Free Meals. The school’s kitchen offers a high quality wide and varied menu which can cater for individual children’s needs. Not only does the school have the highest take up of school meals of any school in the consortium, it is also highly popular with school staff! The current menu can be found on the school’s website or on the electronic parental noticeboard in the school entrance lobby. We ask that when you can you support this service as the meals more than meet the new nutritional standards and are designed to be part of a balanced and healthy diet. The school cannot pay for children’s school meals in Key Stage 2 so it is essential that you either;

pay for your child’s school meals

complete and submit the Free School Meals Application Form on a yearly basis if you are in receipt of

Income Support (IS);

Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA);

An income-related Employment and Support Allowance;

Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;

Child Tax Credit, provided parents/guardians are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) that as of April 2012 does not exceed £16,190. Note: From 1st May 2009 where recipients are entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after employment ceases, or after start to work less than 16 hours per week, your children are entitled to Free School Meals, this may be extended.

The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit;

Universal Credit Please note that you need to reapply to the Council at the start of every academic year for free school meal entitlement and when they request evidence when they carry out their regular audits.

send your child with a packed lunch or

arrange for your child to go home for lunch Dinner money should be sent to school on the first day of the week in an envelope marked with the child’s name, class and amount of money sent. If you are sending a cheque then please make it payable to ‘Cumbria County Council’. You may pay a week at a time or weeks in advance (e.g. half termly) if you so wish. You will be credited if your child is absent. We also have a Direct Debit arrangement for payments; enquire at the School Office for details. We do ask that where you have more than one child at the school you send dinner money in separately please.

There is provision for children bringing packed lunches to store them in their lockers but please note it is not refrigerated and is at room temperature (as a consequence the latest health advice is that a ‘cool block’ is included in the packed lunch). It is important the child’s lunch box is clearly labelled. Please ensure that your child has a healthy lunch as what they eat at a young age can affect their growth and future well-being and also note that sweets or chocolate do not constitute healthy eating and should not be included in packed lunches. Children are requested to carry their entire litter home in their boxes.

30 Hours Free Childcare Offer This now available to families

with children of Nursery age. To receive the 30

hours offer then Nursery parents MUST have

applied before the end of a term prior to starting.

We have been informed that if parents apply after

a term ends they will not be able to take up the

offer until a term later.

To be eligible you need to fulfil the conditions as

described on the flyer alongside.

The 30 hours offer extends the 15 hour Nursery teaching session over a week. These hours are optional and can be used across 2 providers and can be ‘banked; for holiday care at another provider if wished. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure they use their hours accordingly (they don’t have to be used at all). The ‘extra’ 15 hours a week can be used for FREE Educare sessions or for our extended services e.g. a child could stay for a number of full working days in a week. If your child is in school during lunchtime there will be an additional cost, currently £3.00 per day to cover lunch and care costs – there are no facilities for storing packed lunches or additional adult support for opening packets etc.

Milk Your child is able to drink fresh milk at playtimes (it is served with a straw in 1/3 pint cartons delivered freshly to the school). If your child is in Nursery, Reception or is entitled to free school meals then they are offered free milk. Alternatively milk is available daily, payable on a half termly basis with no refunds for absence as the milk has to be ordered. (Prices may alter – check with School Office) Medical research shows that drinking milk enhances the development of teeth and bones and we would encourage take up of this provision.

Mid-Morning Snacks Mid-morning snacks are provided for Nursery and Reception children and a voluntary donation of £1 per week is requested. Fruit is available for the rest of the school. For children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 this is provided free and is usually eaten before going out to play. Children from year 3 upwards can purchase fruit in the playground for 20p (as can the younger children if they so wish).

Water & Drinks Policy Everyday we lose more than two litres of fluid through normal bodily functions, by evaporation when we breathe and sweat, and the waste products our bodies produce as they work. Fluid is also responsible for moving nutrients around the body and most of the chemical reactions within our cells take place in water. Our bodies are made of 70 per cent water, with most of our organs and all of our cells counting on fluid to keep them working properly. Therefore, it is critical to make sure hydration is maintained. To keep the children hydrated the school’s policy is:

Children can drink water only in classrooms in a bottle brought from home throughout

the day but at times organised by the teacher so learning is not disrupted e.g. before

or after a playtime, after P.E. etc. The only exception to this is if a Doctor has stated for

health reasons another hydrating drink is needed.

There are water fountains freely available at break and lunchtimes

The school provides mid-morning milk (see above)

Water is provided with school meals. Children however are permitted to bring in

another drink for lunchtime, if they wish, to accompany their lunch. As these drinks

accompany food children can bring well diluted cordial (which does not contain

preservatives, flavourings, colourings and sweeteners and is certainly not carbonated)

or fresh juice cartons. These should be kept in their lockers and only drunk with their

mid-day meal.

School Charging Policy The admission of a child to Beckstone Primary School and the formal Curriculum offered to a registered pupil is not subject to charge. The Governors wish to see the Curriculum enriched as far as possible for the benefit of all pupils. As a result many of the extra-curricular activities (as described elsewhere in this prospectus) are free or subsidised. Furthermore the Governors are committed to running the extended services in a ‘non-profit’ manner so that parents get full value for money and the community is well supported. The Governors recognise however that whatever public funds are made available they will never be sufficient to fund all desirable activities at the required level. They therefore reserve the right to;

charge parents for activities offered as an optional extra wholly or mainly outside school hours

reclaim from parents the cost of wilful breakages and damage

seek voluntary contributions from parents to fund educational trips and visits

request parents to voluntarily provide incidental equipment

request voluntary donations towards the cost of trips in order for them to be financially viable

School Fund This money is used for aspects of school life that are not catered for from the main school budget; for example, transport for sport teams, Christmas parties, subsidising visiting theatre groups,

cooking ingredients, prizes and refreshments for sports, etc. The school fund is supported by fees from adverts in the newsletters, money made from book fairs etc but most importantly of all parental donations. Donations are welcome however big or small and are usually collected with other monies on a Monday morning…have a ratch down the back of a sofa for us!!

School Liability Policy The school does not replace clothing or property that is either lost or damaged by children at the school. Please ensure that children do not bring expensive items to school in order to prevent loss or damage. Furthermore it is important to remember that children are not covered automatically by any kind of insurance during the hours they spend at school. The school does not accept liability for accidents unless there is a proven case of negligence. The provision of personal accident insurance is the responsibility of the parents. Parents who are interested in this form of insurance can contact a local insurance broker or may be interested to know that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations support a policy which gives 24 hour accident insurance for children for around £21 per year at the time of writing. Further details regarding this insurance are available by ringing 0800 318 312.

Complaints Procedure In order that we maintain our high standards we need constant feedback from parents on the quality of education. Please let us know, as soon as possible, any concerns you may have. A letter to, or meeting with, the class teacher often sorts out problems to the benefit of the home and the school.

If a concern persists then please contact, in the following order; the class teacher, the head of year, the Deputy Head, the Headteacher or finally The Chair of Governors. Obviously as a school we will do all we can to resolve your concerns and to ensure that you are happy with your child’s education. However if a problem regarding the Curriculum or indeed any other matter cannot be resolved in this way then formal arrangements exist for dealing with complaints of this kind. After having exhausted the procedures outlined above then it is possible to contact Cumbria Education Department (Tel: 01228 606060). The full complaints procedure is available on our web site.

With regard to complaints about behaviour of other children then ...

Please do not approach another person’s child directly.

If necessary we will set up a meeting where both sets of parents are represented. All such matters should be referred through the professional staff of the school.

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Parental Questionnaires

Parents will receive a questionnaire annually with the backing of the Governors to assess the school’s strengths and to develop any perceived areas of weakness. The information we receive will help us to continually improve in order to provide the highest quality service for the local community and the highest quality teaching and learning for all our pupils now and into the future. We hope that you take the time to complete this as your views are greatly valued and welcomed. Please note that we welcome ideas and suggestions for improvement at any time, not just via the questionnaire, from everyone and often incorporate them into the School Improvement Plan. Never hesitate to give us good ideas. There is a box for parental suggestions in the entrance hall, an electronic version on our web site or simply approach a member of staff with your ideas!

The outcome of the last Parents’ Questionnaire is reproduced below. As you can see the approval rating for the core business of the school is extremely high in all categories and we are very proud of the results. The written comments that many parents provided were also analysed and sorted into year groups in order to target further improvements. Your child will take part in a pupil questionnaire every year and their responses also feed into our improvement plans. Finally, when the school receives its next Ofsted inspection you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire called ‘Parent View’. We hope that as many of you as possible respond to this when the time arises (in approximately 3 years’ time), the notice will be short and you will need to complete it within 24 hours.

Curriculum Information

The Foundation Stage Provision Breakfast Club 7.30 a.m. Nursery 8.50 - 11.50 a.m. & 12.30-3.30pm Reception 8.50 -3.15 p.m. Educare 11.50 - 3.10 p.m. After School Club 3.15 - 5.15 p.m. Fees Nursery and Reception classes free. Breakfast: £4.00 per session from 7.30am or £3.50 from 8am. Lunch: Currently free for Reception and KS1, £2.20 for KS2 Educare: See price list alongside After School Club: £3.50 per hour 3.15 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. Children can attend Educare from the date of their third birthday. They will be eligible for a free nursery place at the beginning of the next school term following their third birthday. In line with government targets Beckstone Primary has extended provision

offering breakfast, wrap around and after school care. Facilities

Purpose built Foundation Stage Unit with secure outdoor play some of which is undercover.

Computers in each classroom plus interactive whiteboards, visualisers and a plasma screen.

Thematic approach covering all areas of Learning. High adult - pupil ratio.

Daily focused teacher led activities. Integration into whole school activities leading to a smooth transition into Primary Education

Meal times Lunches freshly cooked on premises with a menu designed to cater for young children’s likes and dislikes whilst also introducing new foods. School lunches are available for all Nursery children staying for Educare and are FREE for all children in Reception. Every new starter will have a home visit and there will be opportunities for school visits prior to starting and personal induction programmes where needed.

To look around our facility or join us for a taster session please contact the school on: 01946 830423

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Your Child’s Key Stage

Teaching & Learning The curriculum studied by the children is underpinned by the following aims;

acquire the basic tools of learning - numeracy, literacy and oracy;

develop lively, enquiring, imaginative and creative minds with the ability to question and argue rationally;

become independent, self-motivated and self-disciplined;

develop their ability to work as contributors within co-operative groups, within school, and live within the wider community in which they live;

develop a reasoned set of attitudes, values and beliefs;

develop understanding of the world in which they live and of the of inter-dependence of individuals, groups, nations and the environment;

develop aesthetic awareness and participate in the creative arts;

to extend learning opportunities for the more able

become more aware of human achievement, aspirations, activity and the body of human knowledge;

develop the skills necessary to access this body of knowledge;

develop interests and skills which enable them to enjoy and make the best use of leisure time;

develop a wide range of physical skills and an understanding of the need for a healthy life-style.

Baseline Assessment

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In order to achieve these aims the staff of the school employ a wide variety of teaching strategies to cater for the learning styles of your child.

The overall aim of the school Curriculum is to develop within the children the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for living successfully in modern society. Children need to develop an interest and enthusiasm in finding out about the world in which they live. Schools must provide them with the skills to explore their interests, the knowledge to understand their world and the attitudes to enable them to become useful members of society. Every effort is made to enable learning to be an experience which is enjoyable as well as instructive. We endeavour to treat every child as an individual and encourage every child to develop to their full potential. However learning is a partnership between school and home and it is crucial that parents support their children with homework such as reading and writing that we send home at regular intervals. In accord with our Equal Opportunity Policy we value and respect the diversity of people in relation to race, gender, class, physical ability, religion, philosophy or language.

If you notice any practices which you believe are in any way discriminatory then please report them immediately.

A wide range of educational literature, policies and plans are available for reference in school. Your child’s class teacher will be able to advise you on arrangements for reading them in school or purchasing them for yourself. Furthermore each teacher has an area of curricular responsibility (see staff list on page 8) and develop expertise in their field and they would be happy to answer any queries.

Curriculum Policies/Organisation Details of how each subject is taught and organised are contained within the curriculum policies. These are available in leaflet form in the main entrance lobby (if a policy is missing please ask for it). We have summarised the main areas of study on our web site as described on the next page which is aimed to help you as a parent plan educational visits/toys/books that match what your child is studying. The National Curriculum has been in place since September 2014 . We have a two year rolling programme of study in the Foundation Stage, 2018/19 is ‘Year B’ and 2019/2020 is Year A. We use a scheme of work called Cornerstones to teach foundation subjects in school.

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Curriculum Summaries These are currently available on our web site They are regularly updated with more detailed information on each area of study, which is broken down into subject areas, available by clicking on various links on the termly plans.

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ICT facilities o The school has a network of well over 100 PCs, all running Windows 7 with a

learning environment arranged into subject areas with each child having an e-portfolio o It has a specifically designed hi tech computer room o Every class has access to digital media such as cameras, video devices and android tablets

and netbooks o Interactive Whiteboards in every learning area o Visualisers in every learning area o Utilising ICT at every available opportunity e.g. electronic parental noticeboards; projector in

assembly hall and the Dining Hall, Bee-Bots, digital and digital movie cameras, microscopes etc.

o The school has been awarded an ‘Excellence in Primary ICT’ award by Cumbria County Council for its outstanding work in this area

o A commitment to developing paperless bureaucracy

Internet Access The school has over 100 computers and the children have continual and consistent access to them. Whilst they are a fantastic tool to enhance teaching and learning there are of course many unsavoury images on the internet that we would not want children to access. To protect the children the school internet service provider is CLEO (an organisation based on collaboration between Cumbria and Lancashire education departments) which has a strong filter on. To add even more protection the search engines the system defaults to is ‘Yahooligans’ which is very child friendly and again has a filter. To ensure safe access even more we request that all pupils agree to the rules displayed alongside. The rules form part of the home school agreement that are signed on an annual basis.

Sport

There is a strong emphasis on sport and enjoyment at the school and

has recently been awarded a ‘Platinum’ Kitemark and was “Sporting School of the Year 2015/2016’. Your child will experience at least 2 hours of quality sport per week over their Primary career. Further details of sporting activities are detailed in the section entitled ‘A Healthy School and in an extensive zone on our web site. We urge parents to ensure that children come to school with PE/Swimming Kits on appropriate days and that PE should not be seen as an option. Given that children play out at break times then minor coughs and colds do not constitute as a reason for non -participation, PE is a statutory subject like any other. Children should only be excused from PE with a doctor’s note. This equally applies to swimming; indeed swimming loosens chest muscles which actually helps children with colds.

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Did you know that a child

only spends 15% of their

time from birth to age of 16

actually at school! - Home

learning really counts!

Class Libraries Each class has its own bank of reading books for your child to enjoy. This includes a

range of fiction and non-fiction books. The school is using the Oxford Reading Tree scheme, details of which are available from your child’s teacher. Books are also available

to borrow around school and this library is updated twice a year. Finally the school borrows 22 additional boxes of books each term from Cumbria Library Services. These books support teaching of

literacy and other curricular areas.

Reading for Pleasure Bus The school now has a ‘Reading for Pleasure’ bus that is timetabled for every class. The bus also has a wide range of reading material and is a stimulating exciting zone away from the hustle and bustle of school where children can relax and absorb themselves in a book. Reading clubs are held in the bus every term.

Home Based Activities Your child will receive home based activities at different levels and times depending on

which year they are in at the school. Some points that may be useful to remember with regard to homework…. A little quality time is better than a long slog

Let your child take the lead, they will learn more that way

Give your child lots of time to think Share the activity and talk about it. Share your enthusiasm with your child and make it fun Praise your child for his/her efforts Resist the temptation to do the work for your child if he/she is finding it difficult If your child has difficulty with the homework on more than one occasion then discuss this

with the teacher Negotiate a time and place for homework Encourage your child to explain the activity to you

Government guidelines on homework give a broad indication of how much time pupils might reasonably be expected to spend on homework. The guidelines emphasise the importance of homework and how it helps your child to learn, rather than focusing on whether it takes a certain amount of time. The guidelines help the school to plan homework carefully alongside the work that children do at school, and to make sure that all activities are appropriate for individual children. The guidelines for primary school children are: Years 1 and 2: 1 hour per week Years 3 and 4: 1.5 hours per week Years 5 and 6: 30 minutes per day The school newsletter regularly gives guidance on additional learning activities you may wish to undertake with your child and the school website has some purposeful web links.

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Sex and Relationships Education We believe that Sex and Relationships Education should be an integral part of teaching the children as part of both the Science and Personal Social and Health Education aspects of their learning. The school has a policy for this area of study (available on the carousel in the main entrance lobby) and a scheme of work. Parents are invited to view the scheme and work and associated resources and are able to discuss any concerns with the subject leaders, the Deputy or the Headteacher.

Extra Curricular Activities A typical weekly list of activities on offer at the school is alongside. As can be seen there is a wide array of activities for your child to get involved in and extend their learning. Each child attending must return a consent slip signed by the parent/guardian.

Educational Visits Educational visits are planned to enrich the curriculum and increase the enjoyment your child gets from their learning. They often tie in with your child’s studies with valuable work being done before, during or after each visit. We find the children benefit enormously from these experiences. Your child will be involved in a number of visits every year culminating in a residential experience in Year 6.

Parents are often asked for support in accompanying these trips and we would appreciate any support you can give when needed. Finally parents are asked

to make a ‘voluntary’ contribution towards the cost of these visits without which it would be extremely difficult to fund such enriching experiences. The

PTA are donating some of the funds they raise to subsidise transport for these trips.

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Assessment There are two forms of assessment that the school uses to assess the progress of your child and track their attainment. Formative assessments: These take the form of observations, marking etc where the teacher and child form an understanding of what level the child is working at and how they need to improve to further progress. Every child has an individual profile tracking their assessment and this will be shared with you at parents’ meetings. This profile is internet based and we hope in the near future to enable parental access to these assessments. Summative assessments: These take the form of ‘tests’/ assessments which assess your child at a moment in time on what they know and understand. These are not exclusively statutory and optional SAT tests but may also include reading tests, maths tests, spelling tests etc. Your child’s class teacher will keep you informed of your child’s progress at formal meetings, through the termly reports or by request.

Attainment & Results

Subject

Percentage of pupils achieving the

expected standard: school

Percentage of pupils achieving the

expected standard: nationally

1

Average scaled score: school

2 Average scaled

score: nationally3

English reading 57% 75% 103 105

English grammar, punctuation and spelling

84% 78% 107 106

Mathematics 86% 76% 106 104

English writing (teacher assessment) 81% 78% N/A N/A

Science (teacher assessment)

92% 82%

(2017 data)4

N/A N/A

The table above shows 2018’s school performance against national averages for attainment and progress for children at the end of their Primary education. For further details of school performance at each Key Stage please click on the ‘School Performance’ link on the web site. This area is updated regularly as more information is released.

Recognition of Achievements

1 Percentages for English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling, mathematics, and English

writing teacher assessment (TA) are based on provisional headline information on the 2018 national curriculum assessments: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2018-interim/key-stage-2-2018-interim-results-text 2 Scaled scores guidance: www.gov.uk/guidance/scaled-scores-at-key-stage-2

3 Average scaled scores for English reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling and mathematics

are based on provisional headline information on the 2018 national curriculum assessments: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2018-interim/key-stage-2-2018-interim-results-text 4 Science TA is based on revised information relating to the 2017 national curriculum assessments:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2017-revised

The achievements of the children are rewarded in each class. In addition your child’s birthday is also celebrated within their class. In addition on a regular basis in the Friday assembly, certificates are presented by the Headteacher to;

two children from each class in a key stage on a regular basis are chosen for their good work

one child from each class half termly for their good manners/kindness. On a termly basis a class is awarded the ‘Pat Smith Attendance Cup’ for the best overall attendance rates in the school as well as individual certificates for attendance.

We also have a Creativity Cup awarded termly.

Finally children are encouraged to celebrate their out of school achievements within school either in class or in assembly.

Assemblies The assemblies your child will attend on a weekly basis are; Mondays: A separate Key Stage Assembly / Story Swaps Tuesdays: Collective singing Wednesdays: Circle Time* Thursdays: Visitors, news, moral stories or year group feedback Fridays: Celebratory good work assemblies or class assemblies # * = Circle times are where classes discuss personal and social issues. Family groupings are where children from across the school meet with a member of staff to share life events. Story swaps occur when teachers from opposite key stages visit other classes. # = Class assemblies (9.05am) are times when classes share some of their studies or perform a playlet to the school and parents. The dates when your child’s class performs in the assembly is advertised in advance in the school newsletter and you are more than welcome to attend.

Theatrical Performances Your child will take part in many performances for you to come and watch and enjoy during their time at the school. They will be involved in class assemblies yearly on a

Friday morning plus major dramatic productions involving their year group/key stage or the whole school during the course of the year including Christmas. The experience they get from performing on stage enhances their public speaking skills, self-confidence and enjoyment of school.

Year 6 Graduation Children at the end of year 6, the year before secondary transfer, take part in a leaver’s presentation and a graduation ceremony. The children wear mortar boards and receive scrolls celebrating their Primary career, a graduation photo and a gift(s) from the Parent Teacher Association (known as FAB – Friends at Beckstone).

Reporting to Parents At the end of each academic year in July you will be sent a ‘School Report’ detailing your child’s attainment and progress in each subject. The report builds a picture of your child at school over the course of the year through parents’ meetings and you will receive termly reports that form the basis of the final report. The summer term report is a recognised document and a copy of it is placed on your child’s records which are then forwarded to their next school. You are entitled to see your child’s records if you first make an appointment at the School Office. There are formal parents’ evenings held during the year and your child’s teacher can be contacted at other times. Details regarding these and contacting teachers are contained elsewhere in this document. It is important that you attend Parents’ Evenings. Educational Research clearly shows that a close relationship between home and school leads to higher attainment in the pupil. In addition your attendance sends a clear message to your child that you value their education.

Extended Services

Breakfast Club The school is open for breakfast from 7.30am. Breakfast consists of cereal,

toast and a drink. The children have the opportunity to complete homework, browse the library or play board, computer games or table football and table tennis. The club is staffed by school staff and OFSTED were very impressed with the provision when they carried out an unannounced inspection. Children can attend breakfast club on a regular or an ad hoc basis. Further details/registration is available from the school office. Costs, including care, are £4.00 a session from 7.30am or £3.50 from 8am. (Best value:- £16.00 a week starting at 7.30 a.m. or £14 from 8a.m. If paid on a Monday) On the last Friday of the month it is an Open Hot Cooked Breakfast morning for £1.50. All welcome.

Educare The school offers care for Nursery pupils after their free morning session and lunch. Afternoon care, again a great hit with OFSTED, is staffed with some of the same people the children have been with in the morning. The afternoon sessions are learning based and liberally dosed

with fun and exciting activities. The sessions are free if you are entitled to ’30 hours’ and have submitted a code to the Office or alternatively the costs are displayed alongside. If you have a child in the main school then by the time you have collected your Nursery child and listened to their exciting day you will be on site to collect your main school child at 3.15pm.

After School Care – known as Beckstone Xtra Beckstone provides a competitively priced after school care from 3.15pm to 5.15pm at a cost of £3.50 per hour. The after school club is staffed by trained personnel and

on different days the children are involved in art, sport, computer and many other activities within the school or outside. A light snack is provided. Further details are available from the school office.

After School Clubs

See ‘Extra Curricular Activities’ on page 25. These run on most days from 3.15 to 4.15pm and cover a wide range of interests/studies.

Holiday Care

There is currently no set holiday care scheme. Questionnaires to parents have not shown a viable level of demand. School will keep you updated on provision available locally through the school newsletter.

Health

The children at various times in their school life at Beckstone will receive health checks (height, weight etc) and dental checks. In addition children from Reception up to Year 5 are entitled to free flu jabs this year.

Parent & Toddler Club

This is an ever popular meeting group on a Wednesday afternoon which takes place in the Nursery and is run by Debbie Cook, our Education Support Manager. Our

Nursery Manager is often in attendance too. Everyone is welcome. The group meet from 1.30 to 3pm and it is an opportunity to meet with other families with children the same age, socialise, share anecdotes and see little ones begin to socialise with others

for the first time. The club is enhanced with coffee, raffles, trips and any other ideas that arise from the group that we can possibly co-ordinate!

Over 55’s

On occasion the Over 55 Club visit the school and have their lunch after the children have been served.

School Savings/Credit Union

The school is a satellite Credit Union office to the Workington Credit Union. A Credit Union is very much like a building society in that it encourages saving but for adults it also offers low cost loan facilities once a certain amount of saving has taken place. The advantage a Credit Union has over high street banks, building societies or indeed anyone offering a loan is that it is a non-profit making organisation so loan costs are at a minimum and so are more affordable to repay. The Credit Union is available during School Office hours and all children are encouraged to save. Further details will be available in the newsletters.

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Parental Commitments

To read with your child every day for at least 20 minutes.

To ensure your child learns their appropriate times tables (as set by the teacher).

Ensure your child completes their weekly ‘Friday’ homework which will consist of one piece of maths work, a reading comprehension and on occasion a ‘learning challenge’.

To make sure your child arrives at school regularly and on time and let the school know immediately of any absence.

To ensure your child’s attire follows the uniform policy and they have the correct PE Kit when needed.

To support the school’s behaviour policies and guidelines and show respect to all involved in the school community.

To give consent for your child to make accompanied off site visits in the school locality.

To give consent for data to be held on record about your child and their contacts and to ensure the school has up to date contact information.

To allow your child’s name and images of your child to be used on the school web site, newsletter and by other organisations only in school related matters.

Pupil Support

Parental Expectations There is now no requirement on schools to have a ‘Home/School agreement. The school does keep data consent forms and includes information on what is expected of parents in the newsletter. This has been reproduced below for your information. Please do make a mental note of all expectations.

A Healthy School o A commitment to Healthy meals (the school contractor already is achieving the meal

standard recommendations set by the National School Meals Review Panel) o A commitment to encouraging children to drink water throughout the school day o An active ‘Playground Buddy’ system with training for the pupils involved o Break time activity is enhanced by the provision of an adventure playground and a tyre

park that all children have a turn on during the week plus an Outdoor Classroom. o K.S. 1 children have a fort for active and creative play during playtimes. o Every child from Year 3 to Year 6 has swimming lessons each year o The school runs its own swimming gala and organises Workington’s Schools swimming

gala o Every child is timetabled for 2 hours of Sport each week over their Primary career o The Year 6 residential focuses on outdoor activities o Children in Key Stage 2 receive hourly fitness sessions (part of the teacher’s PPA) and

P.E. sessions in Key Stage 1 o Every child from Y1 to Y6 runs a “Golden Mile” every week. o The school runs an annual sports day event o There is a wide array of out of hours sports clubs

o As a consequence of the sporting emphasis the school successfully competes (as is witnessed by the bulging trophy cupboard) in inter school sporting competitions for gymnastics, hockey, rugby, cricket and football

o The school has many visiting qualified coaches who provide expert coaching in various sports

o The school has a P.E. Apprentice linked to the National Sports Apprenticeship Scheme o Many classes run Activate sessions and this is implemented across the whole school o

Health & Safety The school takes health and safety matters very seriously and does it utmost to ensure the school is as safe as possible for your child (the school achieved an extremely high rating of 99%, one of the highest for a Cumbrian school in its latest County Health & Safety audit). The school undertakes risk assessments for school activities both within and outside the building and regularly reviews all health and safety matters and employs a health and safety expert on a part time basis. Health and safety issues or concerns should be immediately reported to the Headteacher. The pupils are a good source of information on these matters (they often see and notice things that adults miss) and are encouraged to report hazards, furthermore there is a regular slot on the Governing Body and School Council agenda where issues are raised and discussed. It is the job of everyone associated with the school to be vigilant. The school has 3 policies that detail health and safety at the school and these are available on the carousels;

Health & Safety

Health & Safety and ICT

Educational Visits

School Council The School Council meets on a regular basis with the Headteacher to discuss issues associated with regard to the smooth operation of the school and to increase the quality of service provided for the pupils. The Council consists of 2 elected members from each class (a boy and a girl) from Nursery up to year 6. The Council has a Chair, secretary and treasurer and minutes of the meetings are shared with all classes.

Pupil Questionnaire The school takes the views of the whole school community in striving to improve and achieve excellence. As well as questionnaires for parents and for the care services all pupils are consulted for their views on the school via an annual questionnaire. At

other times they can make their views known by discussing issues with their class teacher, family group leader or their school councillor.

Inclusion o The school has a full time Education Support Manager. o The school has a dedicated Pastoral/Counselling room, the ‘Rainbow Room’ o There is a strong focus on support programmes for children with emotional, social and

behavioural needs o The school has well established SEN procedures and provision (see below) o The school has a gifted and talented register, a named co-coordinator and Governor, is a

member of the National Association for Gifted Children.

o There is extensive teaching assistant support across the school. o The school has disabled access at all levels including a wheelchair lift. As the building has

been remodelled and extended it was designed to fully comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

o We aim to identify and remove barriers to disabled pupils in every area of school life. We do this by Promoting equality of opportunity between disabled and non-disabled

persons; Ensuring that there is no discrimination or harassment against disabled

persons; Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people; Encouraging participation by disabled people in the life of the school & Taking steps to meet disabled people’s needs which on occasion may mean more

favourable treatment The school is compliant with the Equality Act 2010 and further details relating to this are downloadable from our web site in the ‘Policies’ section.

Special educational needs and disability Beckstone Primary School recognises that many children at some point, or throughout their education have Special Educational Needs and Disability. (SEND). Accordingly the school’s SEND policy ensures that curriculum planning, delivery and assessment take account of the type and extent of the difficulties faced by the children. The effective deployment of Senior Teaching Assistants has contributed well to teaching and learning throughout the school with many skills to offer as well as supporting Literacy, Reading Partnership, Progression in Phonics , PE lessons and After School Clubs. The responsibility for the provision of education to children with SEND is the responsibility of all staff although the day to day management and operation of the policy lies with Mrs Needham, the school SENCo (SEN Co-ordinator). Mrs Needham liaises very closely with staff across the school to ensure that all children with identified needs are being supported and helped access a full curriculum at school. The school operates the Government’s code of practice with regard to special educational needs. Children may be identified as having needs that the school can cater for within its own resources (school action) or some external advice/support is needed (school action plus) or the school needs enhanced support to help the child (at this point the child will have been issued with a ‘statement’). All children identified with SEND will have an ‘Individual Education Plan’ which is reviewed on a Termly basis. You will know if your child has been identified as having SEND as the Individual Education Plan will be shared with you and you will be asked to sign it. The school liaises closely with external agencies including the LA’s Specialist Teaching Service, Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Health and Social Services. Again it cannot be overstated how parents help at home to support their children’s learning, particularly when they have difficulties for one reason or another, is a great help to the differentiated programme of work school may send home.

Gifted & Talented As well as supporting those children who need support in furthering their learning, the school also puts a lot of resources into furthering and enriching the learning experiences of pupils with particular gifts and/or talents. Parents will be informed if your child is being monitored here.

Education Support Manager/Rainbow Room The ESM at the school, Debbie Cook, has a supportive role, helping certain children and perhaps families to get more out of education and so enhance the children’s achievement as well as encourage regular attendance. Debbie works closely alongside the staff of this school as well as other local schools, the Secondary schools, Education Welfare, Social Services and many other agencies who have a supportive role in education. She is based in the ‘Rainbow Room’ which is designed to support working with small ‘nurturing’ groups as well as counselling sessions with children on self esteem building; anger management; bereavement; social skills building and many more activities targeted at helping children overcome any barriers to learning they may have.

Debbie also runs Parenting groups, and a Carer and Toddler club. The Rainbow Room is a venue for a ‘drop in’ sessions, multi agency meetings and an informal place where a cup of tea or coffee awaits a parent who would like to discuss a concern with a friendly face!

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Attendance It is every parent’s legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend full time school regularly and punctually between the ages of 5 and 16 years (the school of course expects this from the Under 5’s as well!). Schools are required by law to keep and publish records of attendance and absence. The government have now directed schools to deter parents from taking holidays in term time and can even fine parents who do so. There are exceptions such as bereavement or a family wedding. For all absences we have a ‘Leave of Absence’ form rather than a Holiday form and any time taken out of term time will be recorded as unauthorised absence. Often schools are helpful in preventing tragedies by reporting unexpected absences to the correct authorities. The school has an agreed policy not to set (or mark) work for children on holiday Short term absences These may be due to illness, a medical/dental appointment or another pressing reason. These absences must be notified to the school either by telephone, in writing or in person and they will be recorded as an authorised absence otherwise the absence will count as an unauthorised absence on your child’s records (which is counted as a truancy). First Day Contact If the school has not had notification of an absence then the school’s Education Support Manager, Debbie Cook, will contact the various numbers we hold until someone answers and we receive information on where your child is. If no such information is forthcoming then we immediately alert the relevant authority, usually the Police Such action is for the health and safety of your child as it prevents home from thinking they are at school and school from thinking they are off at home. There may be occasions when you have let the school know but still get a call – in which case, apologies, it is better to be safe than sorry! Extended Absence If your child has an extended absence is due to a serious illness/operation then please do let the school know immediately and the school may be able to arrange a tutor to visit your child to keep them up to date with their school work. Attendance Certificates 100% attendance certificates are awarded in assembly on a termly basis to all children who achieve this for a whole term. Children with 100% attendance for a year receive a prize at the end of the year.

Attendance Cup The class with the greatest overall average

attendance for a term receive a cup in recognition of their achievement which they can keep in their classroom for the following term. The class is pictured in the

newsletter and the electronic parental information noticeboard in the school entrance hall.

Attendance Records Your child’s individual attendance figures will be published in the end of year report which details the number and type of absence and also any late arrivals. The school’s attendance policy is available on the policy carousels in the school’s entrance hall.

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Behaviour Management

High standards of education are achieved in environments where adults and children are polite and respectful to each other. Staff, parents, children and visitors are expected to:

Show consideration towards each other

Maintain a safe and comfortable environment for each other

Support and encourage hard work and good behaviour While the child is at school we expect him or her to be conscious of the fact that he or she is a member of a community, and that this implies a respect for other members, their property and the school itself.

To control the running of a community certain rules are essential for the safety and the well-being of everyone. Though these rules are kept to a minimum and are largely a matter of common sense. Parents will be informed in writing of any important new rules. Inevitably there will be times when teachers have to correct children. With some it may be done by raising an eyebrow or a sharp comment. However, in other cases this is not sufficient and the child's privileges may be withdrawn.

The school has a ‘Behaviour’ policy and Behaviour Guidelines document (available on the carousel in the entrance hall) which outlines the school’s approach to inappropriate behaviour as well as outlining how we will actually ‘teach’ good behaviour. The school has adopted the County’s ‘Behaviour Curriculum’ and ‘Positive Behaviour’ materials.

Inappropriate classroom behaviour is dealt with using a variety of sanctions however positive praise and rewards is the main thrust in ensuring good behaviour.

We request and expect the support of all our parents in maintaining our high behavioural standards.

If you have any concerns then please let your child’s class teacher know. In the first instance they will do their utmost to resolve any problems. If you are still concerned then contact the Deputy Head, Mrs Yoxall, or the Headteacher. Please avoid approaching School Governors in regard to instances, the function of Governors is to decide overall behavioural policy not individual concerns/complaints which is the responsibility of the school staff. We have been successful in gaining a ‘Bullying Intervention Award’ the first school in north-west England to receive the award. There is a Bullying Intervention Group which meets regularly and consists of representatives from children in the school, staff, governors and the Community Police. Finally, your child’s behaviour over the year will be reported on termly in the new style reports.

Pastoral Care At Beckstone Primary we are fully aware that many factors can affect a child’s performance in school not just those associated with learning the Curriculum. We strive to have concern for every child’s physical, social and emotional well-being. Some problems may be dealt with by contact with parents and building a close link between home and

school. There may be occasions when outside agencies are consulted. Parental guidance

information on a wide range of parenting issues is available through our website.

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Medicine Different schools have different policies about administering medicines when

children are still taking prescribed medicines but are otherwise fit to return to school. At Beckstone Primary the Headteacher is happy to give medicine

under the following circumstances;

The parent signs an indemnity form – available from the School office

We give one dose of medicine and this has to be during the lunch break

It is not the first two days of antibiotic treatment.

The child is well enough to take part in the school day including PE and playtimes.

The chemist’s printed instructions clearly state that the child have a dose four times a day. (If the dosage is three times a day then please administer the dose before school, immediately after and before bedtime).

Please do not allow your child to carry medicines around school in their bag.

In the case of asthma children may carry their inhalers in secure pouches or give them to the teacher to look after. Please ensure they have your child’s name on them. Without a doctor’s note we are unable to let children take cough sweets/throat lozenges in school for health and safety reasons.

In addition we do not have the staff or facilities to look after children inside during play or lunchtimes unless it is wet. Again for health and safety reasons the children cannot be left unsupervised and the school staff use their time away from the children for marking and meetings.

Mobile Phones/Electronic Equipment Pupils are not allowed to bring mobile phones or any other sort of electrical equipment into school (e.g. tablets or Ipads). Any equipment will be found and will be confiscated and the Head will return it to the parent.

Use of Social Media

Pupils should not be using Social Media sites until they are 13 so we expect parents to ensure their children do not enrol onto such sites as they do not have the maturity to understand the potentially dangerous or difficult situations they could find themselves in. We also request that school issues are not discussed on these sites by parents and any concerns or issues are brought into school and resolved that way.

Accidents & First Aid

Minor injuries are dealt with quickly by a responsible adult (the vast majority of school staff have a current first aid certificate). In the case of a serious accident we will contact you immediately. Please ensure the school has at least two emergency telephone contacts, we may need to contact you for medical advice or in an emergency, it is very distressing for children if they have to be sent to hospital without a member of their family.

Illness at school If your child presents symptoms of illness or is physically sick at school then we will contact you or an emergency contact immediately and request that

you collect your child from school. If your child is ill then please do not send them to school to prevent infection to others. Certain diseases have certain time periods for which children should be kept off school. If your G.P. has not informed you of this then please contact the School office for further information.

Head Lice

Sadly in the 21st Century this is still a problem which affects school children and indeed adults nationally. The problem is one of society at large not of the schools. In addition the regular ‘Nitty Nora’ check some of you may remember from your own school days no longer occurs. The responsibility for head lice now rests with the family. At the school we will not actively ‘look’ for head lice but when they are noticed we have a policy where home will be contacted and you will be requested to take your child home immediately to prevent further spread and for treatment. Such action is taken discretely and there should be no stigma attached to head lice as they often prefer clean hair. On occasions where there are a number of cases in any one class the whole class will take a note home and request parents to check and treat hair. Leaflets regarding how to treat head lice and giving further information are freely available from school and Workington Infirmary, who will also give advice and prescriptions for treatment shampoos when needed.

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Safeguarding/Child Protection Beckstone Primary School is committed to ensuring all children are safeguarded and that pupil welfare is paramount. As a consequence Beckstone Primary School will ; establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and

are listened to with an open and positive school atmosphere with a teaching and Pastoral Care environment which supports its pupils as stated in the school’s mission statement.

ensure that children know that there are adults in school who they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.

include in the Curriculum activities and opportunities for PHSE, Drugs Education and ‘Circle Time’ which equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse.

build into the Curriculum material/lessons which will help children develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, especially in relation to child care and parenting skills.

will make any referrals necessary to ensure the well-being of a pupil is safeguarded ensure that every effort will be made to establish effective working relationships with

parents and colleagues from other agencies. ensure that children’s identities and images are protected with regard to published

information on the school, particularly on web sites and in the media ensure that the school is always a safe environment ensure all staff and trainees hold their Level 1 Safeguarding certification In addition the school will fully comply with national and local statutory duties and guidance. Staff in Beckstone Primary School are in a good position to keep a watchful eye on children and their safety and to protect them from abuse and neglect. If they have concerns they must inform the designated teacher for Child Protection (Debbie Cook, Education Support Manager) immediately. Full details on the county’s policies, procedures and processes with regard to safeguarding plus analysis of outcomes of serious case reviews can be accessed through the Cumbria LSCB Web Site at www.cumbrialscb.com The site also has a parental information zone. If you ever have any concerns about the safety or well-being of a child then you can ring your concerns through to the County’s 24 hour ‘Safeguarding Hub’ number and you can remain anonymous if you wish. Callers can outline their concerns and the Safeguarding Hub will give advice (consultation) and if necessary undertake an assessment of need.

There is now also an adult NSPCC helpline where any concerned adult can seek advice if they are concerned about a child and would like advice on whether to make a referral. The number to call is

The school takes its responsibilities seriously with regard to Child Protection and may discuss any concerns it has about the welfare of your child with you. In extreme areas of concern referrals may be made without discussion with the parent first. A parent friendly safeguarding policy is available on the policy carousels in the school’s entrance hall & further information and also parent guidance on internet safety is on our web site.

Finally the school is a

registered ‘Kidsafe’

school and all children will receive training on how to keep themselves safe from harm and what behaviours from others should be immediately reported to an adult.

Domestic Violence

Debbie Cook, our Educational Support Manager has trained to be a ‘Domestic Violence Champion’ and is a resource available to any adult who would like to confidentially share incidents with her and is a very good source of advice. Just contact the School Office to get in touch with her. Domestic violence is on the increase and causes terrible harm to victims and the associated children. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure it is eradicated.

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Community Links

Friends at Beckstone (FAB – our PTA organisation)

This is a supportive organisation of which all

parents & staff are members due to their association with the school. New parental members are always needed and will be very much welcomed. The Association organises many events during a school year, some to raise funds and some purely social. Furthermore, at the regular meetings there are opportunities for ‘friends’ of the school to discuss issues, school based, local or national relating to education. In a typical year events organised could include a Christmas Raffle, a Christmas Fair, a Beetle/Bingo Drive, A Sponsored Event, A Halloween Disco, A Variety Show, Fancy Dress parades etc. Active PTA members also often help at school events such as the Swimming Gala, Sports Day and theatrical productions as well as being guests of honour at the Christmas Dinner! Any profits made are spent following suggestions by staff or pupils via the School Council. The PTA also sponsors a graduation gift for the Year 6 pupils. New faces are always needed and very much welcomed, so please do try to attend some of the meetings. Meeting minutes are displayed on the school web site and are eluded to in the regular school newsletter.

The stronger the links between home and school the higher the quality of education we can offer at Beckstone Primary School.

Parent Helpers

We welcome the help and expertise of parents and others within the school. Ways in which help can be given include assisting with general activities, reading, talking to children about jobs or hobbies, doing odd jobs around the

school or in escorting children with school staff when making educational visits or attending sporting events. If you have spare time to help in school you would be very welcome, whether it is for a ‘one off’ visit, an odd morning or afternoon or on a regular basis.

Local Business

The school employs local businesses wherever possible for any work at the school to aid community regeneration. The school newsletter provides a vehicle for local businesses to reach over 300 local households. An advert in the monthly newsletter only costs £5. If you wish to advertise your business please get in touch with the school office. Money raised from adverts supports the school fund which serves the pupils in many ways (see relevant section)

Community Links

o The school hosts popular Parent and Toddler sessions, o Educare, Extended school hours i.e. breakfast, after school & holiday clubs all are

targeted at supporting the parental community o Links with church, singing in the community e.g. Carols in the square & Allerdale Disability concert o Website & newsletter providing opportunities for local small businesses to advertise, o The school welcomes and hosts outside community groups e.g. running club, mini-soccer club,

scouts, guides and cubs on occasions etc

Finally…

We hope that the information in this prospectus has been useful and informative. If you would like further information or clarification then please do ask any member of the school staff who will be willing to help you. School staff are here to make the Primary phase of Education rewarding and fulfilling for you and your child. The partnership between parents and staff is a vital ingredient in this success story.

The information supplied in this document is in accordance with national legislative requirements and

information at present available to the Governors and is believed to be correct at the time of printing.

In particular, nothing herein prejudices the right of the Local Authority, the Governors or the Head of

the School to make any decision as it sees fit without regard to whether this will affect the accuracy of

any matters contained in this publication. Finally, neither the Governors, nor the school, nor the Local

Authority is deemed responsible for any erroneous information in this prospectus.

Beckstone Primary School – September 2018

©

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