Welcome to our website!

Bratton Fleming Community Primary School is located in the beautiful village of Bratton Fleming, on the edge of Exmoor, North Devon. We are eight miles north of Barnstaple, the regional capital. The school, which was modernised in 1993, is set in large grounds with breathtaking views. We have on average one hundred pupils who are taught in four classes. We aim to be a welcoming and friendly school where children, staff, parents and governors work together to provide a happy and stimulating working environment. We hope you find our web site both interesting and informative.

     

Imagine a school where:-

The staff and governors believe that their primary purpose is the development of the whole child, by providing a welcoming, secure and happy school.

Everyone believes that through a strong partnership between families, school and the community children's various talents and abilities will be fully developed within the National Curriculum and beyond.

Everyone is valued, their contribution is important and their successes are celebrated.

There is respect and care for others, as individuals, with differing abilities, skills, interests, values and religious beliefs.

Existing knowledge and skills are built upon and children are challenged to attain high levels of achievement.

There is recognition that education is life long. That there is close co- operation and a willingness to learn at all levels in order to grow and develop.

Staff work in partnership with agencies concerned with the welfare and interest of children.

We aim for Bratton Fleming to be this school

The governors of our school accept the general aims set out in the Devon Curriculum Statement.

The core subjects of mathematics, science and English play a central role in the curriculum. Each class has a daily literacy and numeracy lesson; these usually take place in the morning.

In addition the children undertake work in art/craft, design and technology, geography, history, information and communications technology, music, PE (which includes games, gymnastics, dance and swimming), religious and personal and social education.

We continually assess and record class work and each child's individual progress. Your child's teacher will always be happy to discuss with you the work that he/she has planned for your child and to talk about your child's progress. Parents have the opportunity to discuss their child's progress at one of the three open evenings held throughout the year. In addition parents receive an annual written report.

We endeavour to provide abroad and balanced curriculum, relevant to the children's needs. Planning is mainly in the form of cross-curricular activities, within the framework provided by the National Curriculum. Care is taken to ensure that work is matched to the abilities of individual children.

Should you wish to see documents or regulations relating to the national curriculum please contact the headteacher. If at any time you are concerned about the curriculum your child is receiving please discuss this with the classteacher and headteacher. However, if you are not satisfied there is a procedure for making a formal complaint to the school governing body. Details of this may be obtained from school.

Creative Days

Each term the school has at least two Creative Days. On these days the children work in their house groups and take part in a range of creative activities. In the past these have included, drumming, dancing, pottery, model making, beach day, craft activities. The purpose of these days is to give children a range of different curricular and social opportunities from their normal schooling.

Religious Education

This is taught in accordance with Devon's Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. It is closely related to the school's positive caring ethos. Within the subject the pupils study Christianity and the principal religions represented in Britain.
If you would like your child to be withdrawn from religious education please let the headteacher know.

Collective Worship

A daily act of collective worship is held at the school. Most days the whole school meets together for this, but sometimes it is held in classrooms. Parents who wish to withdraw their child from collective worship should inform the headteacher.

Sex Education

The governors of the school have decided that sex education at the school will be appropriate to the age and understanding of the children involved. When lessons are to be given parents will be informed in advance and given detailed information if they wish. Parents may withdraw their children from these lessons. A pamphlet for parents which outlines the programme followed is sent to all parents before their children's lessons start. Parents are encouraged to borrow the video used.

The teachers and governors of this school have agreed the following policy on Sex education within the school.

1) We see sex education as an integral part of our Personal and Social Education and Science programmes throughout both key stages 1 and 2.

2) Direct teaching of sex education will take place during years 5 and 6, in mixed sex groups, using our own video and pamphlet both of which are available for parents to see beforehand. Children can be withdrawn from these sessions but we would encourage all parents to allow their children to be included.

3) Any questions about this subject will be answered appropriate to the age and understanding of the child. Questions outside the scope of the video and pamphlet will be referred to the parents. If children reveal very inappropriate knowledge or behaviour for their age, these concerns will be referred to the headteacher or deputy headteacher.

4) Sex education will be discussed within the context of a loving, caring relationship.

Our own aim is, by avoiding stereotyping, to encourage all of our children to achieve to the best of their abilities in whatever field. We endeavour to provide images of groups within society to encourage children to treat, with respect, everyone regardless of their gender, ethnicity, capability, religious beliefs or background.

In school any issues of stereotyping will be challenged and discussed with the children. We will monitor children's achievements to note any particular groups that are underachieving so that appropriate measures can be taken to rectify this.

Homework Policy

The Purpose Of Homework

• Develop an effective partnership between the school and parents and other carers in pursuing the aims of the school. This is also of course the purpose of home school agreements.
• Reinforces work covered in class, providing, in particular, an opportunity for children to practise and consolidate basic skills such as reading, spelling and multiplication tables.
• Encourages children to develop qualities of perseverance and self discipline through independent study.
• Helps in the development of study skills and exploiting resources for learning at home.
• Encourages parents to spend time with their children and have a direct involvement in their child's learning.

Recommendations

• Homework must be manageable for every one, pupils, parents, teachers. There needs to be a regular pattern to homework, all homework will be set and collected in on Fridays.
• Homework should be appropriate for the different classes and age groups and take into account pupils with special educational needs.
• There will be no homework on holidays, half terms or when notified in the newsletter.
• Reward pupils who do homework.
• Be aware of conflicts with out of school interests and clubs, be flexible. Keep it in perspective.

Amount of Homework recommended in the DfES Guidelines.

The daily reading which the Government recommends for all children can, of course, be done as part of homework. When the homework activity is something other than reading children should be encouraged, in addition to read on their own or with others for at least 20 minutes (less for infants.)