Welcome to Stalbridge Church of England Primary School .
We are justly proud of the school and its achievements. Its success is built upon the strong partnership which exists between children, parents, teachers and governors. Through this partnership we aim to educate our children to the best of our ability using all our effort, expertise and experience to provide a range of opportunities for all children in a caring, thoughtful, Christian school community. The school recognises its role in the community and the special contribution it has to make. The school seeks the support of parents and the local community, including the Church, in fulfilling its objectives for the pupils in providing a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum and in striving to raise standards of attainment. Above all the school is a happy and caring place, which we hope you will wish to be a part of in the future.
The Broader Curriculum
This comprises of cross-curricular elements and extra curricular activities.
• Cross Curricular themes are studied by all children at set times each year and cover:
• Health Education (including Safety Education)
• Citizenship
• Environmental Education
• N.B. Sex Education, in the form of a brief course set in the context of family life, is taught in Year 4 and Year 6.
Extra Curricular activities
in the form of after school clubs are open to all children in Key Stage 2. Children are given a list at the beginning of each term from which they may select from a wide choice of sporting, creative, foreign language and multi media activities. Year 6 children take part in an Out Of Hours Learning club (OOSHL) on a Wednesday evening when they can do the following activities-
• mask making
• building and running the model train layout
• website page design
• candle making
• buggy design and making
• kite making
• screen printing
• glass painting
• badminton
• remote control car racing
Educational trips and residential visits
(In Years 5 & 6) form an important part of the curriculum and support and enhance studies in school.
Curriculum Organisation and Delivery
The children in the Reception Year (Foundation Stage) follow a varied programme of individual and group learning linked with constructive play activities, based upon Department for Education & Employment (DfEE) guidance known as Early Learning Goals. The guidance covers the following areas, and schemes of work for children in Reception Year closely reflect this document.
 1. Language and Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
4. Physical Development
5. Creative Development
6. Personal and Social Development
Key Stage One covers Years 1 and 2
Key Stage Two covers Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Children are taught in a variety of ways, either individually or in groups, which may be organised according to ability. Sometimes whole class teaching is more appropriate for some subjects. From September 1998 all primary school children have experienced a Literacy Hour each day when they are taught reading, writing, grammar and spelling as part of the government's initiative to drive up literacy standards. The daily Numeracy lesson was introduced in 1999.
Assessment, Recording and Reporting
Teachers take great care to monitor the work and progress of individual children. Each child has a portfolio of current work and an assessment folder. A system of individual target setting is used through which children are made aware of how they may improve their work.
Targets would normally cover Literacy and Numeracy work, and other (personal) targets.
Statutory assessment includes a Baseline Assessment for children entering school in the Reception Year, continuous Teacher Assessment, and Standard Assessment Tests (SATS) in Years 2 & 6. Regular testing in Literacy, Numeracy and Science is carried out, and parents are given an annual written report on their child's progress throughout the range of subjects.
Special Educational Needs
The school's SEN policy acknowledges that many children will require extra help with their learning from time to time. The policy follows the stages set out in the national Code of Practice, and allows children to receive in class support or extra individual or small group tuition from our Special Needs Teacher. Close liaison with parents is maintained and many children follow Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to help with their problems.
Homework is given to children to support the work done in the core subjects of Literacy and Numeracy and other subjects from time to time. The active support of parents in monitoring that homework is carried out is appreciated. All children are expected to take home reading books and to learn spellings and multiplication tables as appropriate. In addition, from time to time it is recognised that some children benefit from extra help at home and this can be arranged in consultation with the class teacher. A copy of the current Homework Policy is available from the School Office.
Behaviour and Discipline All teaching and non teaching staff in school seek to encourage a sense of self discipline within each child and a finer consideration of the needs of others within a caring environment. Codes of conduct and acceptable behaviour form an integral part of the ethos in the school. Good behaviour is our basic expectation. Sanctions used include loss of privilege such as playtime or extra curricular clubs. Discussion with parents about a child's behaviour takes place before a problem becomes serious. Exclusion from school only occurs in extreme cases.
 House System The school operates a House system and holds regular inter house competitions and sporting events. Children are awarded points of merit for work well done and commendable behaviour. A trophy is presented at the end of each term to the house gaining the most points. Children in Year 6, who are elected House Captains, form a School Council with the Head and Deputy Headteacher. The School Council contributes to the future development of the school by offering ideas direct from the children for the benefit of all, and
is responsible for an annual budget to fund its proposals. |