HEADTEACHER : MISS M DALEY PROSPECTUS INTRODUCTION On behalf of the children, staff and Governors I extend a very warm welcome to St. Joseph s Catholic Primary School. We are extremely proud of our happy and caring school which is full of love where everyone is respected and valued. We have a warm and welcoming environment and friendly, committed and caring staff. We believe that every child is unique, should be treated as an individual and we strive to ensure that they are given every opportunity to reach their full potential. Our Mission Statement reads Love Jesus, Love learning and Love life and our aim is to give your child the best education possible built on the gospel principles of Jesus Christ. We want them to have an exciting learning journey with us which both supports and challenges them spiritually, socially and academically. We believe it is essential that there are strong partnerships between home and school. Children learn best when these links are in place and we fully value input from parents. We look forward to building strong relationships with all our families and seeing our children develop and grow into confident, independent personalities. Miss Daley St. Joseph s Catholic Primary School Mather Lane, Leigh, Greater Manchester, WN7 2PW 01942 606395 enquiries@admin.saintjosephs.wigan.sch.uk Religious Education and Ethos As a Catholic school, the religious education we provide conforms to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Religious Education is taught following the Liverpool Archdiocese Syllabus Come and See. The aim of the school is to interpret human knowledge and experience in the light of the Gospels, with the school community contributing to the spiritual and moral formation of the pupils as well as their intellectual and physical development. As a result, the withdrawal of pupils from formal religious instruction or worship would not isolate them from Catholic teachings and no specific arrangements for withdrawal are in operation. Our children prepare their own class Collective Worship, Masses, Assemblies and other celebrations to which parents and friends are always welcome. The children also take part in Key Stage & Whole School Assemblies, Services of Reconciliation and other Liturgical events. Class Masses are celebrated in school and on special feast days we attend Mass in St. Joseph s Church. In November 2012, inspectors from the Archdiocese of Liverpool praised the school saying; St. Joseph s is an outstanding Catholic school at the heart of the local community. An inclusive, happy, caring Christian family, it is underpinned by an exceptionally strong Catholic ethos, which establishes a purposeful climate for work in a modern, stimulating learning environment. www.saintjosephs.wigan.sch.uk 1
St. Joseph s Parish We are fortunate that our church is close to the school and the children are able to visit for masses and as part of their RE education. The children also take part in Lenten/ Easter, Advent & Christmas celebrations in church to which parishioners, as well as parents and friends, are always welcome. We see the parish as an extension of the school community. Harvest parcels are presented to the parish in October for distribution to the sick & elderly and the school choir sings at parish events. The parish priest, regularly visits the school, leads assemblies and masses and helps to prepare children for their First Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Admissions to St Joseph s Catholic Primary School: St. Joseph s is a Voluntary Aided Catholic Primary School belonging to the Archdiocese of Liverpool and works in partnership with Wigan. The Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admission; please request a copy of the latest Admissions Policy for further information. Each school has an admission number based on the capacity of the buildings. The admission number for St Joseph s Catholic Primary School is 30. Parents are welcome to visit the school prior to their child s registration. Parents will be invited to an Induction evening and will also be invited to take part in the INSPIRE programme. School Hours Morning : 8.55 12.00 Afternoon : 1.00 3.15 (YR) 3.20 (Y1) 3.25 (Y2) 3.30 KS2 Morning KS1 10.30 10.45 Break Y3 & Y4 10.30 10.45 Y5 & Y6 10.45 11.00 Afternoon KS1 only : 2.30 2.45 Children should not be brought in to school too early as they are not supervised on the playground. They are allowed into class from 8.45 am. We place great importance on punctuality, therefore please ensure that your child is in school on time. Breakfast Club We have a Breakfast Club on school premises from 7.45am every morning. For earlier arrangements and for After School facilities please contact our Pastoral Manager. The Curriculum Children start school at 4 years old and enter the Foundation Stage (YR) where they study the curriculum across several linked areas in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. All pupils in KS1 (Infants) & KS2 (Juniors) study four core subjects: Religious Education, English, Mathematics and Science. Subjects such as History, Geography, Music, Art, Design &Technology, PSHE/Citizenship, Modern Foreign Languages are known as the Foundation Subjects. Computing and Information Communication Technology (ICT) runs across all subjects. The school adopts a Learning Challenge / Key Skills approach to learning which adapts learning to the pupils needs and inspires creativity. Year group organisation All children are taught in single age classes of mixed ability. All children are treated as individuals and every opportunity is taken to provide experiences which develop their gifts and talents. The school tracking system ensures that each pupil s progress is closely monitored. Gifted and Talented Pupils Children with particular abilities are identified and opportunities are provided to help them further develop these gifts. Children with Additional Needs We believe that all children are entitled to a varied and enriching curriculum and should be given every opportunity to progress and achieve. We also recognise that some children have specific needs. Our dedicated team of teachers and support staff work closely with other agencies to provide a programme of equal opportunities for all children. The Local Authority Learning Support Team maintains a close relationship with the school, offering advice and support under the guidance of the SEN link teacher. The school also has a full time Pastoral Manager who monitors attendance and supports individual pupils and their families. 2
Extra Curricular Activities The staff of the school give willingly of their time to provide free Out of School Time clubs for all our pupils. These can include: Messy Church/ Choir/ Dance / Cheerleading / Maths / Y6 Homework Club / Art / Rugby / Football / Gardening / Board Games. We also host after school clubs organised by professional coaches and tutors in e.g. Judo, Multi Skills, football (some of these clubs incur a small charge) Enrichment (See website for pictures and details) One of the aims of the school is to provide the pupils with enriching and stimulating experiences in order to develop their gifts and talents and widen their horizons. Some of these have been: Music, drama and dance performances and workshops. Themes included the culture and traditions of Asia, Africa, Samba, Shakespeare drama workshops plus various History and English topics. Involvement in the Premier Sports Partnership provides pupils the chance to experience a variety of different sports here in school. At St. Joseph s, we have received the Gold Award for Schools Games. A school choir and singing workshops, taking part in the Let s Sing event at Robin Park with children from across the Local Authority. Educational outings / visitors for both Key Stage 1 and 2 children. Artists and Poets in residence who visit school to work with the children. Rugby sessions and matches Participation in projects with local secondary schools e.g. construction workshops, Maths challenges etc. The school also enjoys theme weeks such as Arts, Science, Maths, PSHE and Reading weeks. Behaviour and Anti-bullying We have high expectations of behaviour at St Joseph s; each child has 5 Star Behaviour. In keeping with the Catholic ethos of the school, adults and children are encouraged to treat everyone with respect. Children are encouraged to respond to reprimands given in a firm but quiet manner and are praised and rewarded for their achievements. Our philosophy and practice is outlined in the Behaviour and Care Policy which encourages a positive approach to behaviour management. Following the guidelines outlined in our Anti- Bullying Policy we pride ourselves on being a Helping School. Bullying in any form is not tolerated. Copies of all our policies are available on request. Relationships and Sex Education After consulting with parents, carers and governors, we have adopted the Relationships and Sex Education programme Journey in Love, recommended by Liverpool Archdiocese. This programme is based on the teachings of the Catholic Church. Activities centre round the stages of development appropriate to each year group. Health and Well Being Promoting a healthy lifestyle is an important focus in our school. The School Nurse visits school, conducting health checks and advising on relevant social/community/ health issues. They also provides health, hygiene and first aid talks to the pupils and parents/ carers and liaison with other outside agencies. Charging for School Activities A voluntary contribution may be sought from parents for educational visits, materials, services of visiting performers etc. No child will be excluded from any activity or trip in the event of a voluntary contribution not being made. However, some outings or events may have to be cancelled if the school is unable to cover the costs. 3
Networking The Leigh, Lowton and Golborne Partnership is a network of schools which work together for the benefit of our children. Friends of St. Joseph s ( FOSJ ) The Friends Of St. Joseph s meet on a half termly basis and functions are organised in order to raise money to provide resources for the children. Over the last few years the FOSJ have provided major items such as IPads, Interactive Whiteboards for the classrooms, a projector for the school hall, a new outdoor canopy for the Early Years classroom and play equipment for the playgrounds. The group also provides assistance, refreshments etc. at school events. The FOSJ are a friendly group and would welcome new faces at meetings and events. Please contact the school if you would like to know more about this hard working group. Mobile Phones (Just for year 6 children) If a child will be walking to and from school without an adult and parents/ carers feel, for safety reasons, that he/ she needs to carry a mobile phone then this should be handed to the class teacher on arrival and collected at home time. Children will not be allowed to access mobile phones on school premises. If parents/ carers need to contact a child during the school day please telephone the school office. School Uniform ST JOSEPH S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL Our uniform is popular with parents and encouraged by the school and the governors. We aim to foster in each pupil a pride in personal appearance & neatness, therefore extreme hairstyles and shaved hair patterns are discouraged. The uniform consists of a navy blue sweatshirt or jumper, white blouse /T shirt and grey skirt or trousers (long or short). In summer girls often wear blue and white dresses. For extra outdoor warmth parents/ carers are able to purchase a navy blue fleece and reversible padded jackets. All items (including PE shirts) bearing the school logo are available locally. Woollen hats or summer caps are available from school. Shoes should be sturdy enough for everyday school wear and trainers or high heeled shoes are not allowed. Please ensure that your child has his/her name on all items of school clothing and personal items. For P.E. the children should wear black shorts and pumps with a white t-shirt. In the interest of health & safety, hair extensions, false nails and jewellery, apart from a watch, should not be worn. Small plain studs may be worn in pierced ears which cannot be left bare. Looped or drop down earrings are not allowed. If children plan to have their ears pierced we would recommend that this is done during the summer holidays. School Holidays A sheet showing the school working pattern and holidays (see website) is issued well in advance of the following academic year. Parents / carers are asked to refer to this before booking holidays. Absences will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. Unauthorised Absences Missing school can cause a child to fall behind in his/her learning and can also be very unsettling. In line with Government recommendations, we prefer that pupils do not go on holiday or take other absences apart from sickness during term time. If parents/carers consider an absence is necessary, requests should be made on the official school form before bookings are made and ideally submitted to school at least six weeks prior to the absence. Holidays taken will be registered as unauthorised. The school s Pastoral Manager liaises closely with the Education Welfare Officer and letters are sent to parents of children with higher than accepted absences or poor punctuality. What do I do if my child is ill? Please contact the school by telephone (01942 606395) as soon as possible, especially if your child has an infectious illness. On your child s return to school, a letter of explanation or a note in the school planner must also be provided. If your child is ill during the school day, the normal procedure is for the school to telephone the parent/ carer to make arrangements for the child to be collected. It is therefore most important that your child s Personal Point of Contact Record card is kept up to date. 4
Medicines and Tablets The Headteacher and staff are not allowed to administer medicine except in extreme cases. In instances where it is deemed necessary for medicine to be administered by a member of staff to a child then a Medication Request form must be completed. Parents/carers are also welcome to come in at lunchtime to administer the medication. Medicines and tablets can be dangerous to those other than the child for whom they are prescribed and therefore cannot be kept in trays or school bags. Children suffering from asthma are allowed to keep inhalers with them at all times and certain medication for allergies can be stored on school premises if part of a Care Plan. Security in School The school is surrounded by security fencing, gates are kept closed and the front internal doors are controlled by a magnetic locking system. All visitors must report to the School Office via the main entrance (Mather Lane). Visitors are asked to sign the Visitors Book and are issued with a visitors badge. Smoking Policy In accordance with national and local authority regulations no person is allowed to smoke on the school premises or in the school grounds. Health & Safety We request that parents / carers/ visitors to school do not bring dogs past the main school gates from Mather Lane or onto the school field. Also the staff car park is very small and is only to be used by employees of the school. All cycles must be pushed, not ridden, in the school grounds Inspection of Documents Any person wishing to view documents should contact the Headteacher or the school office. A small charge will be made for any photocopying of such documents. Transfer to Secondary School Whilst it is customary for most of our pupils to transfer to St. Mary s High School, Astley, attendance at St. Joseph s does not guarantee this. In the event of over-subscription, some pupils may be refused a place. Please contact St Mary s to check the admissions criteria for any particular year. St Joseph s and St Mary s enjoy an excellent partnership and our children are invited to take part in sports and other activities throughout the year. The Year 6 pupils are invited to familiarisation days and the Headteacher and staff of St Mary s visit our school. Complaints Any complaint should initially be addressed verbally to the Headteacher. In the event of the problem remaining unresolved, the issue should be put into writing and sent to the Headteacher. The matter will then be dealt with in accordance with the Complaints Procedure Policy. Arrangements for visits by prospective parents/ carers/ pupils Prospective pupils and their families are very welcome to visit us here at St Joseph s. School holds an annual Open Day in November. Contact school for the exact date. Alternatively, appointments to look round school can be made by contacting the school office on 01942 606395. Conclusion The information contained in this prospectus is correct at the time of publication. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us on the above number. For more information and photographs of our school visit the school website on www.saintjosephs.wigan.sch.uk and visit our Twitter pages @StJosephsLeigh 5