OUR SCHOOL

Leedon Lower School is a County Community Lower School which provides education for all pupils from the age of four to nine years. We admit children into our Early Years Unit on a part-time basis in the term after their fourth birthday. The children then start full time school in the term in which they become five years of age and transfer to middle school in the September after their ninth birthday.
 

Our school is situated on Highfield Road and is made up of a large single storey building plus five additional classrooms within and around the school grounds. We have an independent playgroup on site occupying a double mobile unit. In all, our school provides good accommodation for 300 full time equivalent children.
 

We have nine well resourced classrooms and a large well equipped Early Years Unit with its own playground. In the main part of the building we have a large hall that is used for indoor P.E., extra curricular activities, assemblies and concerts, and which also acts as a dining hall during lunch break. The school is fortunate to have an additional double classroom unit that we use for music lessons, drama sessions and I.C.T.
 

Our school grounds include a well stocked pond and environmental area which is used when the children are studying science, geography, art and other curriculum subjects.

The children have a large grassy area to play on, which is used during the summer months, as well as two playgrounds which are used all year round. 
 

The smallest of our playgrounds we call the “quiet quad”, and is for those children who prefer to play quiet games, read, or sit quietly on the benches provided. This area has recently been developed by our School Council. Leedon is also fortunate to have its own outdoor swimming pool which allows us to offer supervised swimming for all our children from June to September – weather permitting of course! 

Within school we have a library area which has been refurbished and restocked. We have a wide selection of books – both fiction and non fiction as well as tapes. The children are encouraged to use the library as an additional learning resource where they can research topics, find out for themselves and begin to access their own learning.

THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

The National Curriculum consists of three core subjects – English, Maths, Science as well as R.E., Information and Communication Technology, History, Geography, Art, Music, P.E. and Design Technology.


ENGLISH

The English curriculum is made up of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and is mostly delivered through Literacy lessons and other curriculum subjects.

Reading

We want our children to have a love of books, to be able to read confidently, fluently and with understanding. We have a wide range of reading scheme books and we supplement these with other fiction and non-fiction books from our class book boxes and from the library.

Reading books are regularly sent home so that they can be shared with parents and reading diaries are completed by parents, teachers and children.

Children are taught the alphabet using the sound of the letters initially. They are also taught key sight words and follow a structured pattern of spellings and phonics linked with the Early Reading Research Project.
 

Writing

We want our children to be able to express themselves and their ideas and thoughts confidently in writing. In order to do this we teach them the skills of spelling, punctuation, grammar and how to write in a legible, joined handwriting style. We also provide them with opportunities to write for different purposes.

Speaking and Listening

We encourage our children to be reflective, critical thinkers in order to make sense of the world they live in and to form their own opinions and beliefs and in so doing become good listeners and effective communicators.
 

MATHEMATICS

Mathematical experiences are carefully planned and include traditional, formal activities and experiences where the basic, foundation skills of numeracy are taught and learnt as well as opportunities for children to use and apply these basic skills to solve practical, real life problems.

SCIENCE

Through our science work we aim to further develop lively, enquiring minds as well as a scientific approach to solving problems. Children are encouraged to observe with care and accuracy, to record their observations, to ask questions, experiment and investigate in order to find explanations.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The world in which our children will grow up is likely to be very different to the world today. Children may need to learn from home or in small study centres – taking part in video conferencing and accessing the Internet.

However education develops – one thing is certain – information and communication technology will play a major part in the future lives of our children – and, if we are to prepare them for this world and these new ways of learning, we must start now.

At Leedon we recognise not only how important it is to provide our children with access to up to date equipment and technology, but also to make sure they have the necessary skills and strategies to access their own information and learning. We are constantly improving our I.C.T provision and all children have access to the Internet.

Our work with computers supports activities in other areas of the curriculum and children are also taught ICT as a separate subject.
 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Religious education helps our children to grow in self awareness, to appreciate religious and moral values and to have tolerance and understanding of other cultures and religions.

The school celebrates the major Christian festivals, and children learn about the lives of Biblical characters and the life and teachings of Jesus. Children are also made aware of other faiths, customs and religious practices within a multi faith society.

We have a daily act of collective worship – a time for thought, reflection, sharing together and prayer. Parents who wish to withdraw their children from religious education/collective worship should discuss this matter with the headteacher.
 

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Geographical work includes mapping skills, weather studies and an understanding of the physical world and its people.

In History, children are taught how to use artefacts and pictures to investigate and find out about social change and developments. They also learn about significant periods in history as well as famous historical characters.
 

ART AND DESIGN

Children have the opportunity to experience and work with a variety of media and techniques. They study the style and works of artists and are encouraged to develop specific drawing, painting and observational skills.
 

MUSIC

Music plays an important part in the life of our school. We encourage children to enjoy music both as participants and audience. All children have the opportunity to sing, learn about, and use a variety of musical instruments. They also have the opportunity to listen to and appreciate a wide range of music.

We have a very successful choir in school and the children in Years 3 and 4 have the chance to learn the recorder. In addition, the County Music Service staff visit school each week and provide the opportunity for some children to learn the violin, cello and brass instruments.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical education helps children to develop physical control, mental alertness and personal confidence. It also encourages children to work
co-operatively.

Our school is fortunate to have a spacious hall for indoor P.E. as well as a large playground and field area for outdoor activities. We are well equipped with large apparatus in the hall and a good range of small apparatus for both indoor and outdoor work. We also have kwik cricket sets, unihoc equipment and netball facilities, and of course in the summer we make good use of our outdoor swimming pool.

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Through design and technology, children can plan, design, make and evaluate things that work for different purposes.
 

SEX EDUCATION

This is not undertaken as a subject within the school, but children’s questions are answered truthfully and simply, if, and when they arise.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS PROVISION

Staff at Leedon Lower are very aware of the needs of the children in their care and any special needs are identified as early as possible. Work is then differentiated to meet those needs and progress is carefully monitored and regularly reviewed. Parents are kept informed at all times. If we feel that suitable progress is not being made, an individual education plan will be drawn up and our Special Needs Co-ordinator will become more closely involved.

Our Special Needs Policy outlines the staged model of provision adopted by our school in line with the Government’s New Code of Practice.
 

A copy of this policy is available in school for further information. The school currently has 4 pupils with Statements of Special Needs.

EXTERNAL SUPPORT AGENCIES

We make full use of the external support agencies at Leedon. During the past year we have consulted with:

 - Early Years Support Team
 - Learning Support Team
 - Specialists in specific learning difficulties (Dyslexia)
 - School Nurse
 - School Medical Officer
 - Speech and Language Service
 - Educational Psychology Service
 - Occupational Therapy Department
 - Service for Sensory Impairment and Communication Difficulties
 - Advisor for Autism
 - Statement Monitoring Team
 - Educational Welfare Service
 - Social, Emotional and Behavioural Support Service
 - Vandyke Pyramid Support Project
 - Social Services

GIFTED AND TALENTED

It is also recognised at Leedon Lower School that Special Needs children are not only those children who may experience some difficulty in an area of learning, but they are children who are in fact very able. These children too have special needs – needs which will extend and develop them to their full potential.

EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

The curriculum we provide in our Early Years Unit is broad, balanced and relevant to each child’s individual needs and development. It emphasises first hand experiences and encourages children to be actively involved and interested in their own learning. A high profile is also given to “learning through play”. Play is regarded as an essential and rich part of the learning process. It is always carefully planned and learning objectives are clearly identified.

The Foundation Stage Curriculum is followed for our four year olds and the National Curriculum for our five year olds.

However, in the Early Years Unit, as in the rest of school, we believe we must meet the individual needs of every child and make sure each child fulfils his/her potential. In order to do this as effectively as possible we consider a child’s ability rather than age. The activities and experiences we provide are usually planned according to ability rather than age and we feel strongly if a child is clearly ready to progress beyond the Foundation Stage Curriculum they should do so. We feel it is crucial that we should motivate, inspire and “stretch” our children to achieve their full potential.
 

THE PERFORMANCE SUMMARY TABLES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND TARGET SETTING

At Leedon we believe we must take responsibility for our own improvement and one of the most effective ways of doing this is by setting targets for improvement based on how our pupils are currently performing.

We look carefully at our SAT’s results – breaking them down to find out which areas, if any, we can improve on. We then set ourselves specific targets to try and improve on those results. Not all our targets might be subject specific – we might set targets relating to other areas of school life. – from grounds development to playtime! Sometimes our targets might be related to a particular class or year group rather than a whole school target. Whatever the targets may be our aim will be to improve on our best.

Teachers set targets for themselves in the action plans they draw up for the School Improvement Plan.

Children are involved and guided in setting targets for themselves – often these targets are discussed on an informal, daily basis between the class teacher and child. Targets are also set at each of our open evenings when parents, teachers and children can set realistic targets for improvement and development together.


HOMEWORK

Parents are encouraged to share reading books, play word games, help with learning spellings and tables. Homework is given on a regular basis as outlined in our homework policy and takes various forms – spellings, research work, tables, fact finding tasks, number activities and reading comprehension.
 

SCHOOL AIMS

We want every child at Leedon to feel special, valued and an important part of the school community. They will be encouraged to work to the best of their ability and we will appreciate their individual talents and help them to develop their full potential. We will expect high standards from the children.

 The children at Leedon are special and we let them know they are – all the time – we praise them and we encourage and support them. We also know that they each have something important to contribute to our school and we value their work and their efforts. We try to show the children how much we value them and their work by providing them with an environment which has good quality resources, we give them high quality materials to work and play with and display their work in a way which reflects how important we think it is.

At the same time we expect all of our children at Leedon to do their very best at all times. Your child will only be with us for a short time and we must make the most of that time – we cannot afford to get it wrong. We set targets with our children to improve their learning and to help their progress. We have clear learning objectives for all our lessons. Our children not only know what they are learning but why they are learning it!

We expect high standards at Leedon – from our children – in their work and their behaviour and from our staff – in their teaching and their professionalism.

Our school is a safe and happy place where adults and children respect and trust each other. Happy working relationships are very important at Leedon Lower.  We will encourage children to work both independently and with others. Above all, we want them to feel positive about themselves and we encourage self discipline and co-operation.

You will hear a lot of laughter at Leedon and lots of praise and encouragement – but within a very organised and structured working environment. Our children are kept as safe as possible through a number of security measures, including security gates, key pad entry systems and secure doors.

We are a happy school and it shows!

We help prepare the children for their future lives by teaching them a wide variety of skills and encouraging them to become caring and understanding people.

Life in the future will be very different for the majority of our children. They will find themselves in a world where they will need to be able to learn independently and find out for themselves.

To help our children prepare for their future we teach them research skills, how to organise their time and work, and help them to set themselves realistic and achievable targets.

The world at times seems to have forgotten the old fashioned values of caring for one another, respecting each other and understanding the differences in others. Well, here at Leedon we don’t mind being called old fashioned!! We encourage our children to have good manners, be polite and well behaved.

All children at Leedon will have the opportunity to experience a broad, balanced and varied curriculum.

Naturally, we follow the National Curriculum at Leedon but we place greatest emphasis on providing a balance of academic subjects, arts and P.E. The “basics” are given high priority. We have achieved awards in the Basis Skills, Physical Activity and recently an Artsmark. We make the most of every opportunity and we try always to make our children excited and motivated through their learning.

At Leedon Lower we will encourage positive links with parents, governors and the community which will enhance the education we provide for all the children. We encourage them to take pride in all aspects of their school life and to set themselves high standards and expectations.

We like to think we listen to our parents! We may not always get it right but we never give up trying.

We send out questionnaires to ask parents what they think of our school. Some of the quotes from their responses you can read in our prospectus. We feel that it is only by listening to parents and acting on their comments and suggestions that we will grow and improve as a school.

Our community links are very important to us and whenever we can we involve our local community in our school life – whether it is our local playgroup, community road safety officer or local businesses and shopkeepers.

Through the open and trusting atmosphere encouraged in the school, children will learn positive standards of behaviour, tolerance towards others and appreciation of spiritual and moral codes in a safe and happy environment.

Our behaviour policy in school is based on praise – but within firm guidelines and boundaries.Bad behaviour is not expected or tolerated. Problems are shared and talked through in order to try and understand the reasons why. We hope that all our children realise we are there to support and care for them no matter what.

We do not tolerate bullying in any form.

FACILITIES

School Pond/Wildlife Area

We are fortunate to have a stimulating environmental area and pond that is home to a vast range of mini beasts and pond creatures. We make full use of this area to study science, art, geography, maths and other curriculum subjects.

Additional Classroom Unit

In addition to our existing classrooms we also have an extra double classroom unit that was purchased for the school by the PTA. We use one of the rooms for music, drama and as a group teaching room. The other room has been converted into a computer suite to help us deliver the ICT curriculum.

Outdoor Swimming Pool

We are very fortunate in having our own pool at Leedon and we try to make as much use of the pool as possible during the summer months. The children usually have two sessions per week in the pool – weather permitting of course!
 
Sensory Room

We have a Sensory Room which has been specifically designed and set up to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and in particular any children on the Autistic spectrum. The room helps us to focus on the individual’s needs and allow us to plan and deliver specific learning experiences for our special needs children which will compliment the curriculum we provide in our main stream classrooms.
 
Out of School Club/The Hollee Club

Leedon Out of School Club provides before and after school care for children who attend Leedon Lower School. Children are supervised by experienced staff in a safe and happy environment and can take part in a wide range of activities - including arts, sports, recreational and educational activities. There is always a quiet area where children can sit and read or rest. The Out of School Club operates during school term time and further information, plus registration forms are available from the school office.

Out of School Club session times:
Morning 8.00 – 8.45am                   Fee £2.00 per session
Afternoon 3.15 – 5.30pm                 Fee £2.50 per hour
                                                           £2.00 for the second and subsequent children.

The Hollee Club runs on the same basis as the Out of School Club during the school holidays.

Library

Our library is situated in the entrance hall of our school and we have refitted and refurbished the area to try and make it a welcoming and friendly place to work.

The children are encouraged to use the library for practising their information skills. They can use a wide range of non-fiction books and there is a special area for our younger children to use. Here they can share the large format books and a selection of books in their own book box – chosen especially for them. Even our youngest children are taught the basic skills of handling and caring for books. The fiction section of our library is stocked with books to suit all age ranges and tastes. Children can come with their classes every week and choose a book to take home, and share.

Parents are also encouraged to help our children care for their books and are asked to sign an agreement to promise to take care of the books when they go home.

PUPIL CARE

The staff at Leedon Lower School regard the care and safety of your child during the school day as a major priority and they take a personal interest in their happiness and well being.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

We try to create an atmosphere where parents always feel welcome and wanted! – where staff and parents can talk openly and honestly and where parents opinions, support and involvement are highly valued. We recognise the key role that parents play in the education of their children and through a close partnership, we aim to provide the very best education possible for your children.

Inside the main entrance to school we have a Parents Information Board which has up to date newsletters, photographs and minutes of Governors meetings on it.

As part of our open door policy parents are welcome in school any time and the headteacher and teaching staff are available to answer any questions or queries you may have or to discuss any issues with you.

BEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE

The behaviour of our children is excellent.

We encourage and expect all our children to show care, courtesy and consideration at all times. Praise and encouragement are used to promote and maintain a positive and happy atmosphere in school. Unacceptable behaviour is not tolerated and is dealt with firmly and fairly.

REPORTS/CONSULTATION EVENINGS

Consultation evenings are held each term.

In the Autumn term parents and children are invited to school to discuss the new academic year and to look at targets set for improvement/development.

In the Spring term consultation evenings are arranged so that parents and children can discuss their progress and achievements with the class teacher and review their targets.

Prior to the Summer term open evenings, parents receive a written report which tells them the progress made by their child in each National Curriculum subject. It also sets targets for further development and progress. Parents and children then have an opportunity to discuss this report during the open evenings and to meet their new teachers.

FIRST AID AND MEDICAL CARE

Accident/illness in school

Minor injuries such as cuts and grazes are dealt with in school by qualified first aiders. If a child has an accident or is taken ill at school every effort will be made to contact his/her parents.

Emergency contacts

It is very important that we have up to date contact details so that parents may be quickly contacted if their child is involved in an accident or taken ill. Parents are asked to complete a registration form that includes a section on emergency contact details.

Medical information

If your child has a serious or recurring medical problem it is vital that you let us know.

Medicines in school

No medicines should be brought to school by children. If your child needs to take, or is on any form of prescribed medication, including inhalers, you will need to complete a medication form – available from the school office. A designated member of staff may then administer the prescribed medication on your behalf.

SECURITY

At Leedon Lower School we take the issue of security very seriously and make every effort to ensure our children stay in and intruders stay out!

The main access to school is through the front entrance and via the car park. In order to keep these areas as secure as possible, we have large security gates at each end of the car park. The front entrance to school has a security key pad system which prevents anyone walking into school unannounced. In addition to these security measures, the majority of our classroom doors do not have handles on the outside – making exiting easy but entering very difficult.

SCHOOL DAY

Early Years Unit

Times of sessions for part time children:

Morning Session        9.00am - 1.15pm                       

Afternoon Session    11.30am - 3.15pm

These sessions include lunch.

In the Early Years Unit the session times for our full time children are the same as Key Stage 1 in the main school.

Main School

The hours spent on the teaching during a normal school week are 23 hours for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

BRINGING / COLLECTING YOUR CHILD

Please try to arrive at school on time – but better late than never!

The first whistle is blown at 8.45am when parents must leave the playground. the second whistle is blown at 8.50am when the children line up with their teacher and then go into class.

Please try to make sure your child is not waiting in the playground too early - especially in cold or wet weather. Five minutes before the bell goes at 8.45am is early enough. If the weather is very bad, a member of staff will blow the whistle early and the children will be allowed to go into their classrooms at 8.45am. We are not responsible for your children before these times.

If you arrive at school after the first whistle is blown, please come to the school office and sign in so that one of our administrative assistants can take your child to their classroom and order lunch for them if necessary.

If you need to collect your child during the school day for an appointment (or if you are returning them afterwards), please come to the school office first to sign them out.

The school entrance and driveway gets very busy at the start and end of the school day and if you are bringing or collecting your child by car we would ask you please not to use the school car park or to block the school entrance or the driveways of neighbouring houses. If possible please try not to bring your child by car as this can cause problems and dangerous situations.

Your help with this will be greatly appreciated.

LUNCHTIMES

Lunch is eaten in the hall in a fairly informal, happy atmosphere. Children may either have a school meal or bring a packed lunch from home.

School lunches are cooked on the premises and offer an excellent choice. The present charge for school meals is £7.50 per week. Dinner money should be sent clearly labelled in an envelope and cheques should be made payable to “Compass Services Limited”. A drink of milk or water is provided with the meal.

If you think your child is eligible for free school meals, please contact the school office or the Educational Welfare Officer at County Hall – 01234 228948 (direct line) for further details.

BREAKS

There are two play areas – a large playground with a trim trail, for running games and activities and a “quiet quad” for those children who prefer to sit quietly, read or play table top type games. During the summer we use the grassy areas around school.

Our Early Years children have their own separate secure playground.

There are normally a number of staff on duty and our first aider will administer any necessary first aid.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

We encourage all our children to wear school uniform. School sweatshirts, T-shirts, sunhats, shorts and bookbags can all be purchased from the school office and reversible jackets are also available to order. Other items of uniform can be purchased locally.

PLEASE MARK CLEARLY, WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME,

 ALL ITEMS OF CLOTHING

INCLUDING SHOES, WELLINGTONS.