Greenfylde Church of England First School

School Prospectus

Children Learn What They Live
Children Learn

If a child lives with criticism,
A child will learn to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
A child learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
A child learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
A child learns to be guilty.

What

If a child lives with tolerance,
A child learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
A child learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
A child learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
A child learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
A child learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
A child learns self-esteem.

They Live

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
A child learns to find love in the world.

Anon. Back to top

SCHOOL AIMS AND ETHOS

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS

1. Every child is a valued individual who has great potential.
2. Every child develops at differing rates.
3. Learning is a lifelong process.
4. Education is a partnership between home and school.
5. Our phase of education is the most vital.
6. To provide the highest quality education possible.

OUR AIMS ARE

1. To develop the whole child in a positive, supporting, stimulating environment.
2. To support and develop the child?s individual strengths.
3. To foster an independent, enquiring approach to all aspects of life.
4. To forge links between home and school.
5. That every child achieves to the best of their ability.

SCHOOL ETHOS

Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church at parish and diocesan level. The school aims to serve its community by providing education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers pupils. The ethos of the school promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, emotional, social and academic progress of every child. We strive for a safe, secure and Back to top

KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE HEALTHY and HAPPY- HELPING THEM TO ACHIEVE

KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY- HELPING THEM TO ACHIEVE
'Every Child Matters: Change for Children' is a new approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19.
The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:-
* Be healthy
* Stay safe
* Enjoy and achieve through learning
* Make a positive contribution to society
* Achieve economic well-being

This means that the organisations involved with providing services to children - from hospitals and schools, to police and voluntary groups - will be teaming up in new ways, sharing information and working together, to protect children and young people from harm and help them achieve what they want in life. Children and young people will have far more say about issues that affect them as individuals and collectively.
At Greenfylde, we take our responsibility to keep your child safe and happy very seriously. We have a duty to 'Safeguard' all the children in our care. This means providing a safe environment (taking all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of harm), and providing arrangements to take all appropriate action to address concerns relating to the welfare of any child. In practice, the following policies will play a large part in ensuring we do the above.
* Pupil Health and Safety
* Behaviour Policy
* Discipline Policy
* Our approach to Emotional Literacy
* Anti-Bullying
* Meeting the medical needs of children
* First Aid procedures
* School Security
* Use and Mis-use of drugs
* Child Protection
Where appropriate, policy documents for these are available from the office if required.

To further protect all children, all adults who work or volunteer within the school are subject to a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. The school has a very comprehensive record of all adults and their CRB sttus and is continually monitoring this. If you wish to discuss any aspect of this, please see the Headteacher.
With regard to Child Protection, the School wishes to make the following clear:-

Greenfylde Church of England First School strives to educate all its pupils within an environment where the Christian traditions of learning, truth, justice, respect and community are promoted. Consequently the overall aim of this policy (Child Protection) is to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children in our care. In situations where child abuse is suspected, our paramount responsibility is to the child.

The School is committed to promoting the health and welfare of all pupils and if staff see signs that suggest that one of the pupils may have been the victim of abuse (or is at risk of abuse) they will follow the procedures laid down by the Area Child Protection Committee. NB: Such action in no way infers that any parent/carer or other individual is being accused of wrongdoing.
A full version of the School's Child Protection Policy is available on request. Back to top

THE STAFF OF GREENFYLDE

The teaching staff of the school are fully committed in their professional work on behalf of pupils, parents, carers and the wider community, in raising standards within the school. In so doing, they are superbly aided by a range of Support Staff. All staff bring a great deal of professionalism in their approach to the education and welfare of the children under our care.

We sincerely hope that you will work with us within a true partnership in the education of your child, and that you will find the teaching and support staff approachable and supportive to you.

The Developing Roles of Support Staff

By support staff we mean:-

* Learning Support Assistants (LSAs)
* Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs)
* Technicians
* Secretaries and Administrative staff
* Lunchtime Supervisory Assistants
* Caretaker
* Cleaners
* Crossing Patrol
* Sports Tutors

All of these staff undertake a wide variety of roles within the school which help the teachers to deliver the curriculum in the most effective way. Many of these tasks will enable the teaching staff to more fully concentrate on the planning and assessment of learning.

It is very likely that your child will have a number of adults involved in their lessons through out the week. Whilst not all of these will be trained teachers, their contribution to your child's education is substantial. They all have access to approved training and professional development. The responsibility for your child's education in the classroom context will always be that of the class teacher. The Headteacher has the responsibility to ensure that all staff are sufficiently well trained and skilled to deliver the curriculum.

We are very fortunate at Greenfylde to have a very well qualified and skilled group of support staff working with the children, and we hope that their contribution to teaching and learning through out the school is recognized. Back to top

STARTING SCHOOL

STARTING SCHOOL

During the term prior to your child starting, all parents will be invited to an induction evening, where they will have the opportunity to meet their child's class teacher, and ask any questions they may have.

The reception staff and local playgroups have been working closely to develop links to ensure the children's entry into school is as smooth as possible. Children visit school in small groups with a member of playgroup staff, and the reception teachers visit the playgroups. Your child will also be invited to spend an afternoon in school when they will be able to meet their new classmates, the reception staff and become familiar with the new school environment.

The reception teaching staff will also visit all children in their home for an informal session sharing school-type activities. This is done to help them feel more confident about starting school.

It would greatly help your child if he/she is able to do the following on entry into school:-

* hold a pencil correctly
* cut with a pair of scissors
* recognise his/her own name
* use the toilet independently
* wash and dry his/her hands
* dress and undress independently
* tidy and clear away toys when finished
* share and take turns
* identify colours
* sort and match different groups of things
* sit quietly and listen to a story
* follow simple instructions
* if they do learn to write their own name please use lower case letters

You can also help your child greatly by talking with him/her, reading with him/her, playing games of all kinds. Information sheets with helpful hints on reading and writing will be available at the induction evening or from Reception.

During the term prior to your child starting, all parents will be invited to an induction evening, where they will have the opportunity to meet their child?s class teacher, and ask any questions they may have.

The reception staff and local playgroups have been working closely to develop links to ensure the children's entry into school is as smooth as possible. Children visit school in small groups with a member of playgroup staff, and the reception teachers visit the playgroups. Your child will also be invited to spend an afternoon in school when they will be able to meet their new classmates, the reception staff and become familiar with the new school environment.

The reception teaching staff, in liaison with Annie Murdoch, will also visit all children in their home for an informal session sharing school-type activities. This is done to help them feel more confident about starting school.

It would greatly help your child if he/she is able to do the following on entry into school:-

* hold a pencil correctly
* cut with a pair of scissors
* recognise his/her own name
* use the toilet independently
* wash and dry his/her hands
* dress and undress independently
* tidy and clear away toys when finished
* share and take turns
* identify colours
* sort and match different groups of things
* sit quietly and listen to a story
* follow simple instructions
* if they do learn to write their own name please use lower case letters

You can also help your child greatly by talking with him/her, reading with him/her, playing games of all kinds. Information sheets with helpful hints on reading and writing will be available at the induction evening or from Reception. Back to top

SCHOOL UNIFORM

SCHOOL UNIFORM

We do have a school uniform at Greenfylde. Although the wearing of a uniform is not compulsory, most parents choose to dress their children in it.

The basic uniform is set out below:-

Navy blue pullover, sweatshirt or cardigan, grey or navy trousers, skirt or pinafore dress and a white, grey or pale blue blouse/shirt.

In the summer the girls may wear navy/white checked or striped dresses and boys may wear shorts and short-sleeved polo shirts.

Each child will require a pair of shorts, T-shirt and a pair of plimsolls to change into for P.E. These should be kept in school in a shoe bag.

Children will also need a painting apron for messy activities - an old shirt worn back to front with elasticated cuffs and a velcro fastening is quite sufficient.

Sweatshirts and cardigans with the school badge and name on are available through the school's PTA at very competitive prices.

An order form is sent out to all parents prior to their children starting school. Subject to stocks available, pre-ordered sweatshirts and cardigans will be available for collection at the induction evening. Additional sweatshirts and cardigans may be purchased from the school office.

The wearing of jewellery to school is not encouraged although for children with pierced ears 'stud type' earrings are allowed. They must be removed for P.E. and a small box should be provided for their safekeeping.

Please ensure that all your child's items of clothing are labelled clearly with their name as one school navy sweatshirt looks very much like another! Back to top

ABSENCE AND HOLIDAYS

ABSENCE

If your child is absent from school for any reason at all, a letter must be sent to the class teacher giving a reason for the absence as soon as possible. If a letter is not received, it will have to be counted as an unauthorised absence. All schools are required by law to publish information relating to rates of authorised and unauthorised absence.

The information given is for the previous academic year (2005-2006)
Number of children on roll for at least one session:- 249
(Reception children do not count for the purpose of this analysis)

Percentage of authorised absences:- 4.9%
Percentage of unauthorised absences:- 0.5%

HOLIDAYS

A list of school holidays for the current year is available from the school office. This list will help you to plan your own holidays to coincide with school holidays as far as possible, thus avoiding any loss of schooling for your child. Please try not to take your holidays during term time as otherwise you could be harming your child's education. If you do intend to take your child on holiday during the school term, you are required to complete a holiday form, which should then be returned to the school office.

Please note the following:-

- Parents may be granted up to 10 days holiday during term time in special circumstances. If the chosen holiday is the only time leave is available from your work, a letter from the employer may be asked for.

- Holidays without permission will be counted as 'unauthorised absence'.

- In looking at a request, the child's general attendance record will be considered.

Parents wishuing to take a holiday during term time should please fill in an application form, available from the office. This must be done well in advance of the holiday. Thank you. Back to top

MID-DAY MEALS

MIDDAY MEALS

Almost all the children at Greenfylde School stay for lunch. Cooked lunches are provided by SCS or children may bring in a packed lunch.

A firm commitment is required for hot lunches, as they need to be ordered and paid for in advance. The price per meal is £1.80. Although most children who have hot meals have them every day it is possible to order a meal for any number of days.

Payment for lunches is collected on Wednesday mornings in the Office from 8.45 - 9.10am. Payment is required one week in advance, i.e. those starting will need to pay for two weeks. If your child is absent you will need to contact the kitchen by phone (01460 55249) before 9.30am to cancel his/her lunch in order to receive a credit.

If you are in receipt of the following support payments you are entitled to receive a free school meal for your child:

* Income Support (IS)
* Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA)
* Child Tax Credit (as assessed by Inland Revenue)
* Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Please contact the school office in the first instance.

Even if you do not wish to take up your entitlement, please let us know as a major component of our budget is based on the number of families entitled to free school meals.

Although water is always provided at lunchtime, children may bring juice in their lunch box so long as it is in a sturdy carton or leak proof container - there is nothing worse than soggy sandwiches!

During the morning break children may bring a piece of fruit and there is also water available from several water fountains. Reception children are given a drink of squash at this time for which a nominal charge is made. Back to top

PERSONAL DETAILS

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Any change of address should be notified to the school immediately. If the change of address is accompanied by a change of school the address of the new school and the Head Teacher's name should also be given to our school secretary as soon as it is known so that records can be sent on to the new school. Back to top

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

There are three school buses which bring children to school from outlying areas. To qualify for transport you will need to live in the school's catchment area and live more than two miles from school if your child is under eight or three miles away if your child is eight or over.

In exceptional cases school transport is provided free on medical grounds. Please check with the school transport section at County Hall for details.

All children travelling on school buses are checked on to the buses each evening by a member of staff.

If your child will not be travelling home on the bus, it is essential that you inform the school office. Back to top

CURRICULUM AREAS AND AIMS

Curricular Information

THE AIMS OF THE CURRICULUM

It is our desire that each and every child in school should develop their full potential as a whole person. The curriculum is therefore delivered with these aims in mind:-

* To develop a positive self image with a growing confidence to enable children to develop their own talents and personalities so that they can grow into independent, well motivated members of society;
* To develop lively enquiring minds which are able to question and solve problems in both methodical and imaginative ways;
* To work co-operatively, being sensitive to the needs of others, giving a foundation to building good personal relationships;
* To use language and number appropriately in order to understand and communicate information effectively;
* To gain a reasoned set of attitudes, values and beliefs, which enable us all to respect and value other races, religions and ways of life;
* To recognise, evaluate and celebrate human achievements and aspirations;
* To express themselves creatively and appreciate aesthetic, creative and imaginative forms;
* To promote their own good health and well being;
* To develop a growing awareness of social and environmental issues and encourage a sense of personal responsibility on a local and global scale.

CURRICULAR AREAS

Policies outlining the approach to the curriculum and its organisation, are available on request from the office.

We employ a mixture of approaches in our teaching including whole class, individual and group work where appropriate. We do not set children but often group them dependent on their abilities in particular curricular areas.

Our learning support policy details our method of supporting our pupils. This involves working with children within their classrooms as well as removing them from this environment for one-to-one or small group work.

During Year 2 (the school year in which your child becomes 7 years of age), all pupils must be formally assessed and the result of this assessment reported to parents. Teachers will use their extensive knowledge of each child to make a professional judgement of a child's level of attainment. They will call on a range of evidence to help them make this judgement and these may include the use of Standard Assessment Tasks/Tests (or SATs). The teacher or Headteacher will be happy to discuss this process or the assessment results with you at any time. Back to top

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND COLLECTIVE WORSHIP

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION and COLLECTIVE WORSHIP

As a Church of England School, we take our status very seriously and endeavour to base our day to day practice on Christian principles. We therefore view Religious Education and Collective Worship as being very important aspects of school life. They both contribute greatly to the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of children.

Religious Education is taught in accordance with the terms of the Education Reform Act of 1988. The curriculum for R.E. follows guidelines from Somerset LEA, the Diocese of Bath and Wells and the Government. There are a set of units of work which children study as they progress through the school. These will reflect the Christian Church year. It is also important to realize that the main theme of our R.E. teaching is the Christian faith, but we also teach about other faiths (in a planned way) and emphasise respect for all faiths and cultures.
The whole school visits the Minster Church on three or four occasions during the year and the Vicar, who is also a Governor, talks to each class from time to time. He will talk about the role of the Church in society and his job. He contributes to Collective Worship regularly.
We also have links with, and visit, our Methodist Church in Ilminster. The Minister also takes collective worship throughout the year.

Collective Worship happens daily, for a short period (often ten or fifteen minutes). It is an important time of the day, when staff and children focus on issues to do with belief and how we live our lives. Collective Worship will sometimes involve the whole school in the hall, but is often in key stages (about half of the school) or in classes. Typically, Collective Worship will include listening to music, a story or short talk, a prayer and a short time for reflection. There is a set of themes for our collective worship and these are based around the Christian faith. However, other faiths are often talked about and stories from other faiths used. Respect for all beliefs and faiths is emphasised.

The School has comprehensive policies on Religious Education and Collective Worship
which are available to parents from the office. There is also a policy on the Spiritual,
Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils.

Parents have a right to withdraw their children from Religious Education or from Collective Worship. To do this, a simple written request is all that is necessary. However, we sincerely hope that parents will not wish to withdraw children, seeing both R.E. and Collective Worship as integral to Greenfylde's ethos. The Headteacher will be happy to discuss any aspect of R.E. or Collective Worship at any time. Back to top

TEACHING METHODS AND CLASS ORGANISATION

TEACHING METHODS

Classes are organised so that each child may progress at his or her own pace, i.e. the more able child may progress without hindrance while the slower learner moves on at a steadier pace. Methods will, of course, vary from teacher to teacher but continuity is always maintained via regular meetings between all teachers backed by careful planning. Pupils with learning difficulties will always benefit from the school's comprehensive learning support programme. We are justly proud of our Learning Support Team co-ordinated by Annie Murdoch.

Gifted and Talented pupils. These are children who may be more able in one or more aspects of their learning. We work hard to ensure that we educate these pupils in such a way as to fully extend their learning and progress. The school has a co-ordinator for Gifted and Talented Pupils, Mrs Pam Robbins and a policy is in place.

CLASS ORGANISATION

We are an LMS school and therefore run our own budget. Our priority is to maximise pupil/adult ratio by employing as many teachers and LSAs (Learning Support Assistants) as possible within the limit of our budget. The arrangement of year groups and children within classes will vary from time to time, depending on a number of factors, most notably the budget available for any given year. Back to top

HOMEWORK

HOMEWORK

Our policy on homework is based on recent Department of Education and Skills recommendations and is as follows:-

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 - One hour a week mainly reading, spelling and number work.

Year 3 and Year 4 - One and a half hours a week mainly reading, spelling and number work (learn tables etc.) but with occasional assignments in other subjects. Back to top

CLUBS, ACTIVITIES and SWIMMING

LIBRARY

The school has a well equipped library and children are encouraged to take books home. We always try to foster a love of books and a keen interest in learning, which we hope parents will encourage at home. We regard books as the essential tools of learning.

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

The school aims to offer a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. These take place either during break times or after school. If they are after school, parents will be advised of times, days and places, although they will usually be finished by 4.30pm. Parents should ensure that provision is made for their children to return home safely after the activity is over.

The following activities are available to the children (although some may be limited to certain year groups):

Dance/drama, singing, recorder, chess, gardening, football, cricket, cross stitch, computer, country dancing, art, reading/writing.

All out of school activities are voluntary.

SWIMMING

We are very fortunate at Greenfylde School to have our own swimming pool. Being indoors and heated, it means that the children are able to swim for most of the summer and some of the autumn terms. They are also able to come to organized sessions in the summer holidays.

As we receive no financial support for this facility from the LEA, the pool is run by a team of volunteers who maintain it and manage the running costs. We do ask parents to make a voluntary contribution towards their child's swimming. Back to top

YOUR CHILD'S NEXT SCHOOL

YOUR CHILD'S NEXT SCHOOL

At the age of nine most children transfer to Swanmead Middle School, which is in Ditton Street, Ilminster.

The staff at both schools work closely to map out and share the curriculum throughout Key Stage 2 to ensure continuity in the children's education.

During their final year at Greenfylde visits to Swanmead are made on a number of occasions and a family interview held with the Swanmead staff. Before the end of this year, the children also have the opportunity to meet and spend time with their new tutor groups for the following year. Back to top

REPORTS AND VISITS TO THE SCHOOL

REPORTS AND VISITS TO THE SCHOOL

At the end of the academic year, each child will bring home a written report.

Parents are encouraged to visit the class teacher throughout the year to discuss their child's progress. We also organize a more formal programme of parent's consultation meetings throughout the year.

The Head Teacher is available to discuss personal or other problems at most times. Please contact the office direct for an appointment stating the nature of your problem.

Prospective parents may visit the school by appointment with the Head Teacher. Back to top

PARENTAL HELP AND FrOGS

PARENTAL HELP

Parents are always very welcome to help in school. By helping in the class we hope parents will gain an insight into the methods we use in the classroom. Whatever your strengths, teachers are very grateful for help and children can only benefit from the additional support.

Prior to starting to help, you will need to complete a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) clearance form and await the outcome. This usually takes around a month.

FRIENDS OF GREENFYLDE SCHOOL

Fr.O.G.S

All parents of children at the school and all the teachers are automatically members of the association and it is hoped that you will feel able to participate in some way, however small, to support it. All money raised by the association goes to benefit the children of the school.

A variety of activities are arranged throughout the school year and fresh ideas are always welcome.

There is also a sub-committee, which maintain and supports the school swimming pool. Volunteers are always needed. Back to top

HEALTH, SAFETY and MEDICAL ISSUES

Health and Safety

HEALTH AND HYGIENE

We aim to maintain a high standard of hygiene and children should be encouraged to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating.

If your child is feeling genuinely unwell, please do not send him/her to school as illness is easily spread to others in the class.

Inhalers which are sent to school should be clearly labelled with the child's name. Instruction in its use should be given to the class teacher.

In the interests of hygiene and safety dogs are not allowed on the school premises.

We are a non-smoking campus.

The school has a full Health and Safety Policy available on request.

MEDICINES IN SCHOOL

The giving of medicines to a child is first and foremost, the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Therefore, if a child should need to take medicine whilst at school the parent/guardian should, if at all possible, take the child home to give him/her the medicine or come into school to do so. Staff should discuss this with the parent/guardian if requested to administer medicine.

However, if the above is not possible, the Head (or Deputy in his absence) will take responsibility for administering any medicines. The following should be noted:-

* The parent/guardian should come to the office where they will be asked to fill in a form giving permission for the Head/Deputy to administer medicines.

* The smallest practical dose should be brought to school and handed in to the office. Medicines must not be kept by the pupils (with the exception of inhalers, which need to be kept in classrooms for easy access at all time).

* The medicine must clearly state the child's name and the exact dosages and timing required, and the name of the medication.

* Should the dosage of the medicine change, a new permission form will be required.

These guidelines have been written with the best interests of all parties, staff, parents and all pupils, at heart.

MEDICAL CHECKS

At some time during Reception year, the school nurse will visit to check your child's eyesight and general development.

During your child's second year of school (year 1) their hearing will be tested. Parents may request a hearing test at other times if they have a concern.

If any problems are detected during these tests, parents will be notified as soon as is practicable and referrals will be made.

If you feel you would like help with any health problems related to school life, you are welcome to make an appointment with the Head Teacher.

As in all schools, outbreaks of head lice are all too frequent. Please check your child's hair regularly, and if you do suspect your child has 'unwelcome visitors', treat him/her before sending him/her back to school, and inform the class teacher or office (this will be kept in confidence) so that the rest of the class can be warned!

If we discover a child has head lice, we naturally contact the parent and inform them. We often request the parent to collect the child to treat him/her and many parents are happy to do so.

ACCIDENTS TO PUPILS IN SCHOOL

Accidents, unfortunately, happen from time to time. In the event of your child having a significant accident and injury you will be contacted and medical attention will be sought. All injuries, however minor, will be recorded by the appropriate staff.

It is important that the school has a telephone number where you can be contacted during the day in case of an emergency, and the name of the child's doctor. If there is any change in this information, please notify the school office immediately. Back to top

POLICY INFORMATION: BULLYING, BEHAVIOUR, etc

Policy Information

ADMISSIONS POLICY

The present admission policy is as follows:-

Children start school in the September of the academic year when they are five years old.

Our Reception pupils start on a part time basis for the first few weeks of term, thus helping them to adjust to a new environment and settle quickly.

The LEA is the admission authority for this school and places are allocated in accordance with their published arrangements. A copy of these arrangements can be obtained by ringing Parentline on (0845) 6045555. All calls are charged at local rates.

SCHOOL CHARGING POLICY

The school, from time to time, arranges outings, field trips and events within the school for which the LEA makes no financial provision. The following charging policy has been drawn up by the Governing Body, and complies with the LEA's charging and remission policy.

The cost of outings, trips etc. will be met by voluntary contributions from the children which should be paid in advance. If these advance contributions do not cover a large percentage of the costs incurred, the events will be cancelled. If the voluntary payment is likely to cause financial hardship, parents should be aware that they have only to see the Head Teacher in confidence and the payment may be met through school funds. No child will ever be excluded from any event because of non-payment.

Swimming is also available during the summer and a voluntary contribution towards the upkeep of the pool is asked of all parents.

BULLYING

Instances of bullying do occur at the school, as they do in all schools. We do not accept bullying and work hard to deal with instances of which we are aware. Bullying is detrimental to all involved and harms both the bullied and the bully. There are often reasons why people bully and we work with children to explore these and hence stop the behaviour. When bullying occurs, we will take it seriously and we always listen to the child. We ensure that both the bullied and the bully are dealt with appropriately. Parents will be involved if appropriate, particularly if the bullying is repeated or of a particularly aggressive nature. A lot of work is done with the children to promote an anti-bullying message. This may be through assemblies, classroom discussions or curriculum work.

We would also ask you to remember that not all difficult behaviour between children is bullying. Children do often fall in and out of friendships and can then say or do unkind things to each other. These are often forgotten soon afterwards.

The school has an anti-bullying policy available from the office.

BEHAVIOUR AND DISCIPLINE

Discipline and courtesy begin at home. We can only hope to reinforce what your child brings with him/her into our school.

There are comprehensive policies on Pupil Behaviour and Discipline available from the office on request.

We have a few school rules but rely mainly upon common sense and thought for others to give us a generally good level of behaviour. We always try to emphasie the rewarding of good behaviour in the first instance, and have a number of ways in which we do this. Where a particular child's behaviour is less than acceptable, we work hard with the child (and parents if appropriate) to try to understand why this might be so. We then help the child to improve this behaviour. Sanctions such as the withdrawal of play times are usually sufficient to maintain discipline. Any serious or continual breaches of the standards set will be reported to the parents. Exclusion from school is only used as a last resort. A letter will be sent from the Head Teacher to the parents, asking them to come in and see him. The Head Teacher's aim is to work together with parents to solve the problem.

We do not allow violent games or 'play fights'. Children may bring a toy to school to play with during breaks, so long as:

* It is non-violent (no guns etc.)
* It fits in the child's pocket
* It is of little value (in case of breakage).

SEX EDUCATION

After due consideration the Governing Body of Greenfylde School have decided that Sex Education should not be taught at this school. Normal biological processes will be taught as and when they arise during normal class lessons. A programme of formal Sex Education is taught at the Middle School, further details of this are available from that school.

HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT

We hope that any complaints parents may have can be resolved by the school. Therefore in the first instance, these should be made to the Head Teacher, and it is hoped that in most cases complaints will be dealt with at this informal level. However, if they cannot be so resolved, there is an agreed LEA complaints procedure that should be followed.

The parent should submit his/her complaint in writing to the Clerk of the Governors (who will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and inform the LEA that a complaint has been received). If the matter cannot be resolved by the Governing Body the complaint can be referred in writing to the LEA, which will arrange for an investigation to take place.

If you require any detailed information on the Complaints Procedure, full details are available on request from the school office.

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS

There is a clear policy on this available from the office. The staff all work very hard to ensure that all pupils are given the same opportunities and are able to access these. This is regardless of gender, race, religious background, financial circumstances or disabilities. We firmly believe that this is essential to promote a fair and just school. Back to top

AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION and DATA PROTECTION

AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION

The following information is available to both parents and the public:-

The LEA's Statement of Curriculum Policy and (where it exists) the Governing Body's Statement of Curriculum Aims.

Any statutory instruments (including those for National Curriculum subjects), circular and administrative memoranda relating to powers and duties under the 'Curriculum' Section of the Education Reform Act.

Any published HMI/OFSTED reports which may refer explicitly to the school.

Any schemes of work currently being used by teachers in the school.

Any syllabuses followed, including those for public examinations.

A full copy of the arrangements for the consideration of complaints about the school curriculum made by the LEA.

The LEA's agreed syllabus for Religious Education.

In the case of voluntary schools, a copy of that part of the Trust Deed which deals with the provision of Religious Education, and any other written statement dealing with Religious Education, including any syllabus in use in the school.

The school also holds copies of the prospectus and of the School Profile which are available free to parents, on request, at the school.

The school's policy on the Availability of Information is available from the office.

DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998

When a pupil is admitted to the school information is collected under the Education (Pupils Registration) Regulations 1995. It will be used only for the purpose of pupil administration, will be held securely and will only to disclosed to staff in the School or the Education Department who have a right of access, to the Social Services Department where this is appropriate and to the Department of Education and Skills. If a disclosure elsewhere becomes necessary, we will contact you before doing this. When no longer required, the information will be disposed of in a manner appropriate to its sensitivity.

We have a policy on the use of data and on data protection. This is available from the office.

Please also see the Fair Processing Notice at the end of this Prospectus. Back to top

PUPILS WITH DISABILITIES

Pupils with Disabilities

Greenfylde School wishes to be open to all pupils who want to come here, regardless of any disabilities. If you have a child with a disability, please phone the Headteacher who will be happy to talk to you about the possibilities. The school will do all we can to try and accommodate any pupil. Depending on the nature of the disability, we may set up special meetings between parents, school staff and any support services involved with the family and child.

We do all we can to ensure that all pupils, regardless of any disability, are fully involved in school life. Some examples of how we may do this are:-

* Promotion of positive attitudes, amongst the whole school community, to the inclusion of all pupils. A school where adults and pupils are all supportive of each other.

* Provision of specialist equipment to ensure participation in PE and swimming.

* Provision of large print books for children with visual difficulties.

* Specially worked out lesson plans and adapted lessons to ensure involvement in games and physical activities.

* Ensuring as many rooms as reasonably possible are accessible to all.

* Provision of specialist furniture and equipment to enable children to fully access learning in the classroom, eg, a special table or writing wedge.

* There is a fully equipped disabled persons' toilet.

* Sound System to support pupils with hearing difficulties.

The school has recently had a number of adaptations to allow access for the disabled and those with mobility problems, easier. This includes the provision of a number of ramps, a platform lift and a step-climbing machine. There are still some areas that are inaccessible, however. We have an Accessibility Plan to look at continuing to improve facilities and this is available from the school on request.

There is a comprehensive plan for the support of all children with Special Educational Needs. This is our Learning Support Policy and is available on request.

The school is fully committed to including as many children as possible. We believe in local schools for local children. Back to top

SCHOOL SESSION TIMES

SCHOOL SESSIONS

Key Stage 1
Morning - 9.00am to 12.00 noon with a 15 minute break mid-morning
Afternoon - 1.18pm to 3.30pm with a 15 minute break

Key Stage 2
Morning - 9.00am to 12.00 noon with a 20 minute break mid-morning
Afternoon - 1.08pm to 3.30pm with a 10 minute break

No child should arrive at school before 8.50am without the prior agreement of the class teacher. We try to encourage all children to be in school by 9.00am. If you are waiting with your child in the classroom, please could you ensure that younger siblings are kept under control so as not to jeopardise the class teacher's preparations for the day.

The total number of hours spent on actual teaching, excluding assemblies, registration and play times is 22 hours. Back to top

FAIR PROCESSING NOTICE

Pupil FAIR PROCESSING NOTICE - Layer 1

The School (Greenfylde) processes personal data about its pupils and is a 'data controller" in respect of this for the purposes of the Data Protection Action 1988. It processes this data to:
* support its pupils teaching and learning;
* monitor and report on their progress;
* provide appropriate pastoral care and assess how well the school as a whole is doing.

This data includes contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information, characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information.

This data may only be used or passed on for specific purposes allowed by law. From time to time the school is required to pass on some of this data to local authorities. the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and to agencies that are prescribed by law, such as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), Ofsted, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Department of Health (DH). Primary Care Trusts (PCT. All these are data controllers in respect of the data they receive, and are subject to the same legal constraints in how they deal with the data.

The Fair Processing Notice has been prepared at a time of change with the restructuring of the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Trade and Industry into three new Departments: the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Department for Business. Enterprise and Regulator Reform (DBERR). It may be that [during the period covered by this FPN], steps will be taken to enable the DCSF to match individual pupil information with higher and further education attainment data held by the DIUS.

Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act, including a general right to be given access to personal data held about them by any data controller. The presumption is that by the age of 12 a child has sufficient maturity to understand their rights and to make an access request themselves if they wish. A parent would normally be expected to make a request on a child's behalf if the child is younger.

If you wish to access your personal data, or that of your child, then please contact the relevant organisation in writing. Details of these organisations can be found on the full text of the Fair Process Notice, which is on SiX www.six.somerset.gov.uk or for those pupils/parents where this is not practical, a hard copy can be obtained from the School.

Your attention is drawn to (Layer 2) of this Fair Processing Notice, which gives supplementary information about the processing of pupil data by the organisations mentioned above, and to the Full Notice (Layer 3) which gives greater details of how the pupil data is processed and the rights of parents and pupils which can be found on SiX or a hard copy is available on request to the school. Back to top

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