Pulford Lower School Leighton Buzzard Pulford Road

Pulford is a happy, supportive school where children enjoy learning. We provide a warm, family environment for about 150 girls and boys of all abilities, in which they can develop to their fullest potential.

Pulford is in a very convenient and attractive location. Surrounded by fields and trees, it has a countryside atmosphere right in the centre of Leighton Buzzard. Children come to the school from all over the town and surrounding area. By the time they leave at the age of 8 or 9, Pulford pupils are self-confident, self-disciplined young people with the academic and social skills they need to meet the challenges of middle school.

As the oldest school in Leighton Buzzard, Pulford has a rich heritage. It is named after Joshua Pulford, a Vicar of the town who died in 1710, leaving provision for education in his will. This relationship between church and school endures. The Christian faith underpins our approach to educating and nurturing your child, and we have a close association with All Saints church. But you don’t have to attend All Saints or even be a Christian to come here - indeed, we encourage applications from children of all beliefs and backgrounds.

We aim to take all that is best from Pulford’s history and tradition, and to move forward with a progressive vision for our future. Please use this web-site to find out more about:

We hope you will find the information you need to help you in the exciting task of choosing your child’s first school. But to discover what makes Pulford really unique, come to see the school for yourself. You can call us to make an appointment, or join in a day of celebration such as the summer Fun Day or Christmas Bazaar. We look forward to welcoming you.

God's family through faith, hope and love, dedicated to realising the full potential of each person

These are sample menus for the typical school dinners served at Pulford School. This Select Menu from our provider Scolarest has two choices each day, one meat or fish and one vegetarian. The majority of the dishes in the Select Menu are homemade, the meat is all fresh and the vegetables and salads (with the exception of peas and sweetcorn) are fresh and will be prepared at school.

Admission Arrangements

The Head Teacher will be pleased to discuss admissions arrangements and to host a visit from parents interested in applying to the school for a place for their child.

The school has no catchment area. Admission is by application and children attend from all areas of the town of Leighton Buzzard and its local villages. The school can accommodate a maximum of 30 pupils in each of its 5 year groups.

Each academic year in September the School Governing Board admits up to 30 children to the school’s Reception Class. To be considered for admission, pupils must have their 5th birthday between 1st September and 31st August of the following year. This is a once a year entry, initially part-time, becoming fulltime for at least one term before the end of the academic year. Applications for places will be accepted at any time for older children, up to the age of nine years. Admission will be on the basis of places being available in the relevant year group.

�� Pulford Admissions Policy

�� Pulford Admissions Form

IMPORTANT

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Core subjects

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Foundation or non-core subjects

NUMERACY
Numeracy is a daily feature of class work. It is taught in line with the National Numeracy Strategy, using a variety of teaching styles and a wide range of practical and creative activities. Pulford’s Numeracy Co-ordinator, who is a County Leading Maths Teacher, works to ensure even further that learning is effective and high standards are maintained. A planned, whole school approach is underpinned by the Abacus scheme which is carefully adapted by individual staff according to the needs of the children.

LITERACY
Although the National Literacy Strategy provides a solid foundation for our Literacy teaching, we use a wide variety of stimulating and creative approaches. The importance of reading cannot be overestimated and we work in partnership with parents to promote good reading habits. In school, there are guided reading groups led by the class teacher or teaching assistant. At home, children can use the reading scheme material with their parents. A Home-School Communication Book ensures a flow of information about progress, and provides a useful vehicle for celebrating success or expressing concern. Our carefully structured, whole school approach to teaching handwriting ensures consistency and continuity, from Foundation Stage to year 4.

SCIENCE
Practical and investigative work are key to successful science teaching and learning. Children are encouraged to ask questions, hypothesise and design ‘fair tests’. We maintain good levels of specialist materials and equipment to support science teaching (although old drink cans, plastic bottle tops and cardboard boxes are found at the heart of many a good investigation!). As children progress, practical work is extended into recording so that the true ‘scientific method’ is developed and established.

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Schemes of work developed by the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) support our teaching in all other subjects. Staff bring their own professional creativity to modify and extend these schemes, enabling children to develop their knowledge and skills in imaginative yet systematic ways. The curriculum areas are: Design and Technology, Information and Communication Technology, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music, Physical Education, Personal, Social and Health Education, and Citizenship.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (RE) AND COLLECTIVE WORSHIP As a church school, we offer RE as a basic part of the curriculum. RE is taught in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus together with guidance from the Diocese. Every day there is an assembly for the whole school. Collective worship follows the Diocesan guidelines and all staff are involved in leading. On Wednesday mornings, a member of the All Saints clergy team (Vicar or Curate) attends Assembly. These Assemblies further develop the themes outlined in the Diocesan guidelines. Parents have a statutory right to withdraw their children from collective worship and RE lessons.

SEX EDUCATION
Although there is no formal sex education, children’s questions are dealt with sensitively and in a way appropriate to their age. HOME LEARNING Home Learning (otherwise known as homework!) is an essential part of children’s learning. It is done at home with parents, and may include: collecting artefacts to support curriculum work, reading, learning spellings and tables, research (perhaps using the local library or the internet), or other activities initiated by the children. The Home-School Communication Book can assist with this.

MUSIC
Pulford has a very strong musical focus. Many teachers play an instrument, greatly enhancing music teaching in the school. We have three recorder groups and a thriving choir - which performs outside school, at our church services and to visitors. As children’s skills and talents develop, there are many opportunities offered by Bedfordshire’s excellent music service for playing with other musicians in chamber groups, orchestras and bands. All specialist instrumental teaching is now provided by the County Music Service Trust within a common framework. There are small fees for this service. There is also a Saturday morning Music School at Vandyke Upper School in the town, which is open to pupils who have begun to learn an instrument. More details are available from the Head Teacher.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Activities available to pupils include the choir, gardening club, ‘Eco’ club and afterschool football. Year 4 children go swimming at Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre on Wednesday mornings, and all classes are taken out of school for occasional trips. Recently we have enjoyed visiting the library, the park, Verulamium (Roman St.Albans) and the recycling plant at Elstow. Regular visitors to the school include Bedfordshire Youth Opera, theatre groups, poets, authors, storytellers, faith representatives, multicultural dancers and instrumentalists. We even have an annual visit from a Viking!