A group of children working with magnets during a science lesson.

WELCOME TO CROFTON INFANTS’ SCHOOL

In February 2006, the school underwent a highly successful OFSTED inspection. In their report the Inspectors said:

They identified what the school does well:

·         The quality of teaching  and learning is very good; pupils progress well and achieve above average standards. Standards are particularly high in reading and writing.

·         Good attitudes and behaviour are successfully promoted.

·         The highly effective partnership with parents has a positive impact on progress and attainment.

·         Pupils benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum.

·         Parents read with their children for fifteen minutes every morning and this has a significant impact on the progress made by pupils in reading.

 About pupils’ attitudes and values they said:

·         The personal development of pupils is particularly good and is a strength of the school.

·         Pupils are enthusiastic and keen to do well. They enjoy and are interested in learning.

·         Awards are given for politeness and good behaviour, both of which are strong features of school life.

·         Pupils have very good relationships with adults and with each other. They work together and respond well when given responsibilities around school.

·         Attendance is very good, above average and pupils arrive promptly.

 About other aspects of the school they said:

·         The quality and range of the curriculum is very good. The curriculum is approached imaginatively and pupils’ learning is enriched through creative subjects such as art and music.

·         Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils with individual needs are identified early and receive extra support and many make good progress.

·         There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual development in assemblies, which include opportunities for reflection.

·         Pupils’ moral development is promoted very well. Staff are excellent role models.

·         Learning is greatly assisted by the very strong relationships that exist between teaching staff and pupils.

·         All staff know individual children well. The school has high regard for their safety and welfare.

Crofton Infants’ School retained The Investors in People standard in March 2006 and retained The Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark in January 2007 for the third time.

We acknowledge that in our school, every person matters.

Our aims:

1.        To create a happy, secure learning environment where the needs of all members of the school are valued equally, irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ability and to promote equality of opportunity for all.

2.       To provide a broad, balanced, relevant and interesting curriculum appropriate to individual children’s needs – to teach basic knowledge and give practice in skills and reasoning and also to stimulate wonder, curiosity and imagination

3.       To provide an exciting learning environment where learning and achievement are celebrated, expectations are high and we strive the realise the full potential of the children

4.       To promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through our teaching, including the need to eat healthily and to take regular exercise

5.       To foster a positive ethos in the whole school community, where people are happy, confident and secure in a caring and loving environment, with emphasis on:

·         Fairness, promotion of self-esteem, self-discipline, self-motivation and independence,

·         Respect for others, tolerance and appreciation of each others’ strengths and weaknesses,

·         Co-operation, teamwork,

·         Perseverance,

·         Development of the ability to express emotions

6.       To promote a positive, lasting partnership between home and school

7.       To establish the school as an integral part of the whole community and to foster understanding and an increased capacity for interactive contribution

8.       To consider carefully and cater for the needs of children as they enter school, move into new groups and transfer to Junior School, and to begin to equip them with the skills they will need later in life

9.       To provide effective training for members of staff so that each person has opportunities to develop to his/her potential

10.    Always to consider the most effective means of achieving the aims

Behaviour

We aim to foster an ordered, stimulating environment where learning can flourish; where people are happy, confident and safe in a caring community, with an emphasis on personal relationships. To achieve this, firm but fair discipline is needed. Our policy is to promote good behaviour, self-discipline and positive attitudes. We feel it is important that good behaviour is achieved through a balance of rewards and sanctions.

The OFSTED Inspectors said:

·         Behaviour is very good;

·         Pupils are polite, courteous and trustworthy, a credit to the school and to their families;

·         Movement around the school is well ordered and behaviour in lessons and break times is very good.

Sporting aims and provision for sport:

·         Emphasis is put on outdoor physical education;

·         Organised games  and activities such as skipping and football are encouraged during breaks;

·         Sport forms a big part of Health Week which is held annually;

·         Outside coaches are employed to lead various sporting activities at different times during the year.

·         We have achieved the Sportsmark (2007).

ADMISSIONS POLICY

Admissions to Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools

Admissions to the school are controlled by Wakefield Local Authority (the District Council).  Full details of the Authority’s policy on admissions are given in the “Guide for Parents”.  This is available in all schools and from the School Admissions Team at County Hall in Wakefield. The policy is summarised below.

At this school, 60 pupils will normally be admitted in the school year beginning in

September 2008.  This is the Admission Number (AN) set by the Authority after consultation with the Governing Body of the school.

The policy on admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools is determined by the Council following consultation with governing bodies.  The administration of admissions is the responsibility of the Admissions Team of Family Services based at County Hall.

Expressing a Preference

In the case of application for admission to primary, infant and junior schools within the Wakefield area, all applications should be made on Wakefield’s Common Application Form.

For admission to secondary schools, applications from Wakefield residents should be made on Wakefield’s Common Application Form.  Applications from other residents should be made in accordance with your home LA’s Common Application Form.

Repeat applications made for entry to the same year group at the same school will not be considered unless there has been a material change in circumstances since the original application. Examples of a material change include a change of address. Where information was known at the time of the original application or appeal, but parents chose not to use it, this will not be considered as additional information or a change in circumstances.

Where parents submit a Common Application Form under a Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme which names more than one Community or Voluntary Controlled school, all applications will be treated equally and eligibility for a school place will be decided in accordance with admissions policy below.

The Admissions Policy

If the number of preferences received for the school does not exceed the Admission Number, all preferences will be met (see explanatory note 1).

All applications received will be considered in the following order:

1.                   Applications received by the closing date in the normal admissions round:

-           for secondary applications the closing date is 19 October 2007; and

 -            for primary applications the closing date is 16 November 2007.

2.                  Late applications received between the closing date for the normal admissions round and the end of the summer term, for these applications, the following dates will apply:

 -            applications for secondary places received by 30 November 2007 will be  accepted as if they had been received by the  closing date;

 -                        applications for primary places received by 10 December 2007 will be accepted as if they had been received by the closing date.

Applications received after these dates: these will be regarded as late applications and will be considered after all applications received on time.

However, if there are more applications for admission to a school than there are places available, preference will be given in the following order:

In all categories “live” means the child’s permanent home address. A child is normally regarded as living with a parent or guardian and we will use the parent or guardian’s address for admission purposes. You cannot lodge a child with a friend or relation in order to gain a place at a school.

In all categories, when decisions have to be made between children satisfying the same criterion, children living nearest to the school, measured as the crow flies, have priority. The distance measured will be from the central (centroid) point of applicant’s property to the central (centroid) point of the school’s ground. Measurement will be made using the LA’s in-house admission system and mapping software.

Where a family of twins or triplets request admission and there is only one school place available, it will be left to the family to decide whether or not they wish to take up the place for one of their children and appeal for the second or third child in the same year group, or to decline the place.

For admissions purposes only one address can be used as a child’s permanent address. Where a child resides with more than one parent/carer, at different addresses, we will use the preference expressed by the parent/carer at the address where the child lives the majority of the time during the school week as the main place of residence.

Children will be placed in the appropriate category depending upon their circumstances at the closing date for receiving applications for admission to school. Changes in address will be accepted in accordance with the provisions of the Secondary and Primary Co-ordination schemes. In cases where there is an anticipated change in circumstances, documentary evidence will be required.  In the event of any category being over-subscribed, places will be offered in the order of priority (a)-(e) detailed above.

Children with a Statement of Special Needs

Children with a Statement of Special Needs are dealt with under a different mechanism. Any child with a school named on their statement will automatically gain a place at the school named in the statement via the statementing process. Any child with a statement of special education needs who is admitted to a mainstream Community/Voluntary Controlled school will be counted against that school’s admission number.

For children with a statement of special educational need, certain other conditions also have to be satisfied. Further information can be obtained from SEN Group or Parent Partnership. 

Hard-to-Place Protocol

In line with the Government’s Five-Year Plan for Education the Authority has agreed a Hard to Place Protocol with its High Schools. This means that, in some circumstances, pupils defined in the Protocol will have a higher priority for admission than all other pupils seeking admission to that school. Full details of the Protocol can be obtained from the LA.

The offer of a Place at a School

Decisions will be posted 1^st class to parents on

Secondary school                                 : 3 March 2008

Primary, infant & junior schools            : 4 April 2008.

Unsuccessful Applications

If a Wakefield pupil is not eligible for a place at any school, one will be allocated at another Wakefield Community School in accordance with Wakefield Co-ordinated Admission Arrangement Schemes. Any parent whose child is not offered a school place for which they have expressed a preference has the right to an independent appeal panel.

Explanatory notes

1.      Admission Numbers

Each maintained school has an Admission Number (AN).  This is the number of children who can be admitted in the school year (2008/2009).

2.      Catchment areas

The Authority thinks it is important that schools should serve their local communities and so each one has its own catchment area.  However, parents are required to express a preference, stating their choice of school, even if this is the catchment area school.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that there will be a place for every child in their catchment area school, it cannot be guaranteed that this will always be the case. 

If parents are in any doubt about the catchment area school for the area in which they live, they need to contact their local school or the School Admissions Team at County Hall.

3.      Option Areas (Primary schools only)

The home addresses of some parents may fall into an area that forms part of the catchment area of two schools.  Parents will be informed if they live in such a designated ‘option area’ and will be asked to indicate their preferred school.

4.      Brothers and Sisters

This category includes children with brothers or sisters (including step-brothers or sisters residing at the same address) of statutory school age, living at the same address, in attendance at the same school, or a school on the same site, on the date of admission.

5.      Families Living Outside the District Boundary

Children from families living outside the District boundary will be considered alongside those who live within the Wakefield Metropolitan District.

6.         Children in Care

This refers to children who are subject to care orders and interim care orders, or who are accommodated by a local authority in full time placements.

APPLYING FOR THE SCHOOL

If your child is going to school full-time for the first time during the school year September 2008 - July 2009, all applications must be made on Wakefield’s Common Application Form.  If your child is already attending an early years class part-time in a Wakefield Local Authority school, you will receive a form automatically.  If your child is not already attending an early years class part-time in a Wakefield Local Authority school, you should contact the school or contact the Authority’s School Admissions Team (see below).

Application forms must be returned by 16 November, 2007.  Late application forms will be dealt with only after those returned by this date and are therefore less likely to be successful in obtaining a place than preferences returned on time.

If your child is already in full-time education

You should contact the headteacher of your child’s existing school who will be able to offer advice.  You must then contact the Local Authority’s School Admissions Team (see below).

Transfers between schools will normally only take place at the beginning of a school term and you should not remove your child from their current school until then.

If your child has a statement of special educational needs

Please see the “Guide for Parents: Primary” (see below).

Further Information

Full details of the admissions arrangements for schools in Wakefield Metropolitan District are given in the “Guide for Parents: Primary”.  This is produced by Wakefield Local Authority and is available from the School Admissions Team at County Hall.

The School Admissions Team is happy to advise parents on all aspects of admissions to the Authority’s schools.  Please write to:

School Admissions Team, County Hall, Wakefield, WF1 2QL

The telephone number is Wakefield (01924) 305616/17, 305789 or 306766.

COMPLAINTS ARRANGEMENTS

If you have any concerns about your child’s education, you should contact the headteacher who will be pleased to arrange an appointment with you.  The headteacher will also be able to give you information about the Governing Body’s procedure for handling complaints.