Holy Cross School: A Catholic Voluntary Academy. In the Light of Jesus We Love, Listen and Grow.

Transcription

1 Holy Cross School: A Catholic Voluntary Academy In the Light of Jesus We Love, Listen and Grow.

2 Welcome Welcome to our school. Holy Cross opened its doors to the children of the Parish of Whitwick in For over 100 years it has been serving the families of the area and we are proud to have educated several family generations. As an integral part of the village we provide learning for children from 4 to 11 years of age for both boys and girls and all abilities. In July 2012 the school converted to Academy Status and we are now one of the five primary schools and one secondary school which make up the Blessed Cyprian Tansi Academy Trust. Christ is the foundation of our school and our academy and all that we do reflects the Christian message. The motto which underpins all that we do is; "In the Light of Jesus we Love, Listen and Grow." We hope you enjoy reading our prospectus and hope you gather the information you need. Our school. Our school is situated on the same site as the Church affording us the opportunity to take our children into church on a regular basis. Besides our three playgrounds we have a school field, which is used for a variety of sport activities and at playtime, weather permitting, in the summer term. The school is well supported by the parish in terms of both friendship and financial aid while the Friends of Holy Cross work tirelessly to raise funds, which are used to buy equipment or enhance the school environment.

3 Our Mission Statement In the Light of Jesus we Love, Listen and Grow. We share our love of God and our Catholic faith in the way we pray, work, and play each day within a caring, supportive environment which respects the diversity of the world around us. We recognise the responsibilities we have towards each other within our families and global communities. We inspire each other to do our best to reach our full potential, to become ndependent thinkers with enquiring minds, able to rise to the challenges of life.

4 E.Y.F.S. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum has seven areas of learning and development that must shape educational programmes in the Early Years. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. These areas are particularly crucial for igniting children s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. These three areas, the prime areas are: l Communication and Language; l Physical Development; l Personal, Social and Emotional Development. There are also four specific areas, through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied. The specific areas are: l Literacy; l Mathematics; l Understanding the World, and l Expressive Arts and Design.

5 Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult led and child initiated activity. Play is essential for children s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems and relate to others. Each child s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals indicating whether children are meeting expected levels of development or if they are exceeding expected levels of development or not yet reaching expected levels (emerging).

6 Keystage 1 and 2 Keystage 1 years 1 and 2 Keystage 2 years 3 to 6

7 Curriculum The curriculum consists of everything which is experienced by a child during his or her time at school. It includes the subjects of the National Curriculum. These include: l English, l Mathematics l Science l History l Geography l Art and Design l Computing l Design and Technology l Languages l Music l PE l RE In addition, there are also aspects which are harder to quantify, for example values and attitudes, social relationships with peers and adults, increasing opportunities to take on responsibilities. At Holy Cross we are committed to fostering the development of the whole child within a safe and caring environment. We recognise the individual needs and abilities of each child and strive to make the curriculum relevant and appropriate for every pupil. At Holy Cross we use the Symphony Assessment Scheme to track the progress of our children throughout Keystage 1 and 2 building on the foundations laid down in the Early Years. Their skills developed in Literacy and Maths are used throughout all other subjects. The finer details of what is expected of each child in each subject are detailed in depth on our school website. Please take a look. Religious Education is a key focus of our eductaion at Holy Cross and iforms part of the curriculum for all our children. Key Stage 2 follows the same areas of curriculum as Key Stage 1. Children develop their skills in all the National Curriculum subjects, with aspects of the key areas of English and Mathematics being integrated across all areas of teaching and learning.

8 Religious Education At Holy Cross school we teach Religious knowledge with the same rigour that we approach all areas of the curriculum. We teach: l The Scriptures, stories about the Saints of our Church and the beliefs and practices of Catholics. l We encourage our children to recognise goodness in others past and present and their own potential as Christians. l We use the Come and See Religious Primary Education programme for Schools, which was launched after much preparation by the Bishops of England and Wales in We also teach our children about other world faiths. l Children in Year 3 have the opportunity to prepare for their First Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

9 Extra-Curricular Activities During the year we have after school clubs for athletics, choir, music, homework, hockey, rugby, art, gardening, craft, cross country, archery, and football. Our rugby, football and cross country clubs are well established and continue to do well in matches and cross country meetings held against local schools and at a county level. Visiting peripatetic music teachers provide children from Years 3 to 6 with opportunities for learning to play a variety of instruments.

10 Organisation On average we have 170 pupils on roll. We have one intake per year in September. The school s Leadership Team consists of the Headteacher; Mrs Siobhan Minford, the Assistant Head Teacher, Miss Ann Noon, Senior Curriculum and Assessment Leader, Miss Michelle Breeze and our SENCO Mr Phillip Saxton. Besides this group, which steers the school forward, all staff have a responsibility for improving standards across the school and developing the curriculum together. The children are taught at present in single age classes. There are Learning Support Assistants throughout the school to support learning of groups and individual pupils for the whole or part of each day. There is a strong tradition of high quality music and sport within our school. Our Special Needs Coordinator oversees the work carried out by the children with special educational needs and deals with testing and referrals. He is further supported by our SEN Teaching Assistant who supports individual children throughout the week. Pastoral Care At Holy Cross we are concerned with the development of the whole child, not just academic achievement. We emphasize that school is a special place for learning where children can work hard, achieve their potential and feel safe. When children come to Holy Cross they become a member of one of four houses. We believe that a house system, which encourages children to do their best and experience success in all areas, is a tremendous incentive to then do ones best. We believe that a good partnership between parents and teachers is essential. It enables our children to fulfil their potential. We foster these links through our newsletters, regular parents evenings, twitter, our website, our Marvellous Me, parent app and a written progress report at the end of each academic year. Children s individual achievements are also recognised during weekly assemblies when Heads Awards are presented, we warmly invite parents to attend this assembly. If your child shows signs of being unsettled or unhappy at school, because of either home or school circumstances, it is important that we work together to try and minimise the effects of any such problems. Parents are welcome to make an appointment through the school office to see their child s teacher, Senior Leader or Headteacher to discuss any matters of concern. Likewise the school will contact you if we have any concerns about your child, which we think need addressing. Good behaviour is the means by which order is maintained in school. It is important that every child is aware of and obeys the rules that have been agreed upon for the efficient and smooth running of the school. We expect children to show respect towards all members of the school community and encourage them to work independently and move around the school in an orderly fashion. We believe that good manners are fundamental to success in school and in life in general. The school relies on its partnership with parents in disciplinary matters to ensure a common framework of values and expectations. Although all children usually attend acts of worship within the school, parents do have a statutory right to withdraw them.

11 School Uniform There is a strict code of uniform at Holy Cross, which ensures that the children look tidy and take pride in their appearance. Stud earrings are the only earrings which are allowed in school and these must not be worn on days in which pupils have P.E. Body piercing of any kind is not allowed. Extremes of fashion in terms of shoes and hair are not permitted. School uniform is available from Rosebuddies, who set up a stall in school at the end of the day, the last Friday of every month. Our Uniform consists of: Boys White shirt Tie Maroon V neck sweatshirt with school badge. Grey trousers Black shoes (not trainers) P.E./Games Kit Black shorts White t shirt or polo shirt with school badge. Plimsolls for indoor wear Trainers for outdoor wear Football boots and shin pads for safety. Summer uniform Short sleeved shirt Short trousers if preferred. Girls White blouse Tie Maroon cardigan or V neck sweatshirt with school badge. Grey pinafore dress/skirt/trousers White socks/grey tights Black shoes (not trainers) P.E./Games Kit Black shorts/p.e. skirt/ White t shirt or polo shirt with school badge. Plimsolls for indoor wear Trainers for outdoor wear Football boots and shin pads for safety. Summer uniform Red & white gingham dress We advise that PE Kit should be kept in a PE bag clearly marked with child s name. PE Bags with school logo available from the school office. KS2 pupils have swimming tuition for 1 term per academic year. Your child will need: A swimming costume/trunks (not bikinis or over sized shorts), a towel, brush/comb Swimming cap (preferable) in a bag clearly marked with your child s name.

12 School Timetable School begins at 9.00 am. Children are to arrive on the school premises between 8.50 and 9.00 am. All children should be left at the jitty in the morning and collected from playground in the afternoon: Infants at 3.15 pm and juniors at 3.20 pm. Parents are asked to collect their children promptly and to park thoughtfully. If children are waiting for taxis, or waiting for their parents who are late in collecting them, they should wait in the school foyer where there will be a member of staff to supervise them. Parents are asked to collect them from the main entrance. There is a 15 minute break each morning between 10.45am and am for infants and between 11.00am and am for juniors. Lunchtime is from pm to 1.30 pm for infants and is from pm to 1.30pm for juniors. The children are supervised at this time by Lunchtime Supervisory Assistants. The afternoon session is from 1.30pm until 3.15 pm for Infants and 1.30 pm until 3.20 pm for juniors. Friends of Holy Cross We are lucky to have the very active Friends of Holy Cross who work untiringly to raise money for our school. All parents are automatically members of the Friends of Holy Cross and anyone from the parish or past members of the school community are welcome to be actively involved. Through its fund-raising activities the Friends of Holy Cross continue to provide additional items of equipment, besides enhancing the school environment and providing extra-curricular events for our pupils.

13 The Role of the Governing Body The role of the governing body is to work with the school to ensure children have a high quality education in a supportive and caring environment, underpinned by catholic values. Key responsibilities for the governing body are: l Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction l Promoting high standards of educational achievement All governors are volunteers and are required by the Department for Education to act in the best interests of the school. Governors The governing body at Holy Cross is made up a range of different types of governor and other stakeholders. These are: l Foundation Governors - appointed by the Bishop l Parent Foundation Governors appointed by the Bishop l Parent appointed by the parents to represent their views l Community appointed by the school to represent the local community Other members of the governing body are the Priest, the Head Teacher, Teacher representative, Support staff representative.

14

15

16 Whitwick Holy Cross School Whitwick Holy Cross School, Parsonwood Hill, Whitwick LE67 5AT Tel: