The School's ETHOS Statement

Shanklin CE Primary School was founded, in 1872, as the result of a Christian desire to provide for the children of the town. Now at the start of a new millennium the school still aims to provide a full education that has a Christian setting, according to the principles of the Church of England, within a strong and caring community.

Shanklin CE Primary School has at its heart a set of fundamental aims which are integral to everything that we attempt to do for the children. We recognise that each child is unique and that we have the responsibility to help each individual realise their maximum potential as a human being.

These aims, outlined below, have been widely debated and agreed by the staff and the Governors of the school. They are a statement of our collective view. They proclaim our overriding intentions, our goals they are the core of all our work with the children.

Our aims are that together.....

:....we prepare each child for their future life so that they may become a full and active member of society.

:....we encourage in each child a real respect of and a responsibility for the self, for the community and for the wider environment.

:....we help and encourage each child to develop a lively and enquiring mind that will stimulate their successful learning.

:....we will encourage the religious, spiritual and moral development of the child to the full.

:....we will develop the individual potential of each child to the full.

:....we will promote the acquisition of life skills.

:....we will create and encourage an environment within which the school, the home and the wider community work together in enabling the realisation of these aims for the greatest benefit of the children in our care.

:....we will value each individual and we will provide for them a learning environment in which love is the motivating force.

As a school community we are committed to these aims.

Shanklin Primary School is a First School within the Isle of Wight from the Reception Year through to Y4). At the current time (February 1999) we have 206 children across that age range (in September 1999 we anticipate 215+). There is a Pre-School Nursery based at the school that caters for children between the ages of 1 and 4. The children of school age are organized into KEY STAGE groups, and classes, according to their age.

The youngest of the school-aged children in the Reception Class are accommodated in two large classrooms in the school; the classes each have about 20 children. The Reception classes have 2 teachers sharing the teaching responsibilities and 2 full time Ancillary Classroom helpers ably support them. We try to concentrate non-teaching assistant’s time and energies with this age range in the school.

Y1 and Y2 children (KEY STAGE 1) are currently divided into 4 classes and use 2 adjacent classrooms in the center of the main building (both Y1 classes) plus a Y2 class in the new extension and a mixed Y2/3 class in the new mobile classroom. The class sizes in the Key Stage 1 vary, in Year 1 they are about 20 in year 2 they are about 30. The three classes form a Key Stage 1 grouping within the school.

Y3 and Y4 children (KEY STAGE 2) are in 3 separate but adjacent classrooms. Y3 in a new classroom in the new extension, Y4 in the very generous classroom (that was once the school's swimming pool) and the mixed Y2/3 class in the New Mobile classroom. These 3 classes form a Key Stage 2 grouping within the school. The class sizes vary and are 32 in Y3 and 33 in Y4.

The classes within each of the 2 Key Stage groups work closely together and share resources and expertise.

In September 1999 it is our intention to open our 9th class which will use the new mobile classroom on the playground.

The organisation for September 1999 will probably be:

	2 reception classes of 24 each
	2 Year 1 classes or 21 each
	A Y2 class of 26
	A mixed Y2 & Y3 class of 27
	A Y3 class of 28
	2 mixed Y3 & Y4 classes of 27 each

( NB: At the time of printing this brochure it is not possible to be precise about the class organisation in the Autumn Term. )

The organisation within each class will vary depending on the learning activities being undertaken at the time, the teachers always ensuring that the most effective and appropriate organisation is used.

At times there will be whole class teaching led by the teacher with all children involved in the same task. At other times the children will be organised into groups and will be involved in a range of different activities at the same time. This could mean, for example, that 3 or 4 different activities are taking place simultaneously for example group 1 could be involved in a creative activity with a parent in the shared area, group 2 involved in a practical Mathematics activity also in the shared area with an ancillary helper, group 3 working with the teacher in the classroom on some formal task and group 4 working alone but within the classroom on a set task. Then during the day the groups will rotate so that all experience the range of work for the day. Children working within the different groups are given work that is matched to both their ability and aptitude.

Children are also often given individual tasks and assignments.

In activities such as P.E., Music and Drama the children will come together as a whole class to work together.

An average day would see a child undertaking tasks in many different curriculum areas and in a variety of different ways.

Our aims as a school and for the curriculum are outlined. In all our work with children whether individually, as part of a group or as a whole class our emphasis is upon the progress and the development of each child as an individual and upon co-operative and active learning throughout the whole curriculum.

We seek to give each child their full entitlement as described by the National Curriculum and to build upon that basic entitlement and extend it into a full, broad and balanced set of learning experiences. We achieve this partly through subject teaching and also through a thematic approach in which the core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum are brought together in cross curricula topics. The topics are carefully planned and regularly reviewed.

The School has over the last 6 years developed a comprehensive and dynamic set of Curriculum Documents. Parents are welcome to see these they are available at the school office (it is with regret that they are not available to take off of the school site but they may be read on the school site). The development of the curriculum is a constant and on going process with the teaching staff always trying to improve the quality of what is taught in order to get the children to achieve at the highest possible level.

We welcome and value your support for your child and his school, and we look forward to working with you to make the most of the educational opportunities offered by the school.

Some suggestions and ideas:

	Try to ensure that they go to bed at the appropriate time, so that they arrive at school rested, refreshed and ready to work.
	Please support the school by sending them to school wearing the correct uniform, which has been marked and labelled.
	Make sure that they get to school on time with all he needs for the day e.g. correct dinner money, PE kit, reading books etc.
	Get to know the teaching staff and do not be afraid to ask them about anything you do not understand.
	Share stories, poetry and non-fiction books with your child regularly and show them that you enjoy reading and that reading is fun.
	Take part in the school’s reading programme and contribute regularly in their Home & School reading record.
	On the occasions when your child is given homework (e.g. spellings, multiplication tables, handwriting practice, reading, some small research etc.) help them by finding a quiet place to work and take an interest in his achievements. Show an interest in what they are learning by seeking out some books, magazine articles, Television programmes, computer CD-ROM’s and programs related to the topic. You might even arrange a family outing at the weekend to support your child’s learning. Every bit of help you can give will have benefits in the long term.
	Encourage your child to take part in after school clubs when they are offered (sports, computers, music, drama etc) and to participate fully in any residential visits that are arranged.
	Attend all parent & teacher consultations and share your child’s annual report with them and discuss with them possible ways to improve.

 

	showing them that you are interested in what they have to say, what they can do and what they are learning to do, show them that you value and enjoy having a conversation with them.
	Encourage and praise each and every achievement, however small.
	Make it clear to you child that you really do consider that learning is both important and fun.
	Remind them that they have permission to make mistakes, that we all make mistakes, and that making mistakes can be one of the most powerful ways in which to learn - as long as we learn from those mistakes.
	Provide opportunities for them to learn to co-operate and share with other children, both older and younger, to take turns and generally give consideration to others.
	Encourage the development of concentration and perseverance through games and family activities.
	Encourage them to show care and respect for their own property and that belonging to other children and the school.
	Invite one or two of your child’s friend’s home occasionally. It will help their social development.
	Please support the school, its aims and objectives, its rules, its ethos and philosophy.

You will not agree with everything we do, but we do hope that you will agree with most things we do for your child and that you will support them all!

Do come and talk to Mr. Kitching (Mr K) the Headteacher about any major change of circumstance that may affect your child and their progress in school. It is very important that we all have as clear a picture of the children as possible.