HEMYOCK
PRIMARY
SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
2012-2013
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Hemyock Primary School
Parklands
Hemyock
Cullompton
Devon
EX15 3RY
Tel: 01823 680240 0r 680567
email: [email protected]
www.hemyock-primary.devon.sch.uk
Executive Head:
Chair of Governors:
Head of Teaching and Learning:
Mr Gary Chown
Mr Ray Rice
Mrs Leanne Arrowsmith
Welcome to Hemyock Primary School
Dear Parents
Hemyock Primary is a school that believes in the development of the ‘whole school’.
At the heart of our school is a philosophy of mutual care and respect for ourselves, each
other and the environment. We strive to develop reflective, caring children who will grow
to be responsible citizens, active in addressing the global challenges of sustainability and
inequality. We aim to help our children understand and respect their own culture and other
cultures across the world.
We provide opportunities for children to develop intellectually, physically,
emotionally and spiritually. We are committed to maintaining the very highest expectations
for our children, ensuring that all children achieve their potential. We offer a broad and
balanced curriculum that is accessible to all our learners, taking account of children’s
specific needs and abilities.
Relationships between us all are characterised by clear, open and honest
communication. It is our aim to work as one team involving governors, parents, staff and
children to deliver the highest standards of education. We are a community school so we
are committed to developing as a centre of learning for everyone.
Hemyock Primary School is very fortunate in the variety and extent of its grounds.
We make every effort to develop and continuously improve our outdoor areas, using them
to enhance and enrich children’s learning.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Vision, Values and Aims of the School
A community for life long learning, a hub of
excellence where children can achieve full
potential in their academic, creative,
personal, physical, moral and spiritual
development.
Our aims for the school and its children are
based around five core principles:
Respect - A community who have respect
for themselves, for others and for their
environment, who are excited about learning
and who see no limit to what they can
achieve.
Challenge – Enthusiastic, reflective and
responsible learners who will embrace
challenges and work hard to achieve their
personal goals.
Creativity – A creative and stimulating
environment that will enable children to
develop the skills they will need to access
learning opportunities for the rest of their
lives and to take their places as confident
and fulfilled members of society.
Safety - A safe and caring place where
everyone is valued and where their
individuality, culture and heritage are
celebrated.
Partnership – A partnership with parents
and the wider community that strengthens
the work of the school and encourages
every child to take pride in their
achievements; extending and enriching the
experiences and opportunities open to the
children.
We aim to provide a curriculum which is
balanced and wide ranging, which includes all
subjects of the National Curriculum and the
relationships between them.
The needs of individuals are central to the
planning and implementation of the school's
curriculum and all pupils have equal rights of
access irrespective of ability, gender,
ethnic or cultural origins.
Members of staff are always striving to
provide effective teaching which promotes
the pupil's progress and achievement and
the quality of their learning.
We recognise the importance of providing
continuity throughout a pupil's life. We
liaise with the Pre-school, between our
classes in school, across the Key Stages and
with the Secondary School.
We aim to develop a close working
relationship between the school, the pupil's
parents, Governors and the wider
community.
We aim to manage our finances efficiently
to provide the best possible use of
personnel, resources and accommodation.
We focus on clear priorities over a period
of time.
We aim to prepare pupils for the next stage
in their education.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Admissions
Hemyock Primary School is a warm
and friendly place to be. We welcome
visits from prospective parents. Children
with their fifth birthdays between the 1st
of September and 28/29th February are
admitted to Reception in September.
Children born between the 1st March and
31st August are admitted in January.
Children new to the area will be admitted
as soon as possible.
We encourage prospective parents
to look around the school and meet the
staff and children. Please contact the
School Administrator who will arrange for
a mutually convenient time when the Head
of Teaching and Learning will be happy to
show parents around and answer any
questions they may have.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Accessibility
Hemyock
Primary
School
is
committed to reducing barriers to teaching
andlearning and assessment, and improving
the access to the curriculum for all
learners, including those with special needs
or disabilities.
We recognise:
our duty
•
•
under the Disability
Discrimination
Act
(1995)
as
amended by the SENDA (2001).
“from September 2002, it will be
unlawful for schools and LEAs to
discriminate against disabled pupils in
their admissions and exclusions,
education and associated services.*”
•
•
•
Schools and LAs must: not treat
disabled pupils less favourable; and
take reasonable steps to avoid
putting
disabled
pupils
at
a
substantial
disadvantage
(the
‘reasonable adjustment’ duty)
that Local Education Authority and
school governors have the duty to
publish Accessibility Strategies and
Plans.
Improving the Physical Environment of the
school
The school seeks to increase year on
year the accessibility of the school to
students with disabilities and ensure that
sufficient specialist facilities are available
to meet the needs of existing and potential
pupils.
Increasing the extent to which disabled
pupils can participate in the school
curriculum.
Our school plans to improve access to
the curriculum for all disabled pupils
although many adjustments to access will be
dependent on individual needs and may be
provided through the Special Education
Needs framework.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Members of Staff
Executive Head
Mr Gary
Chown
Head of Teaching
And Learning
Mrs Leanne Arrowsmith
Teachers
SENCo
Learning Support
Assistants
Mrs Annabel Barr - Foundation Stage Teacher
Mrs Sue Risdon - Year 1 Teacher
Miss Nicola Cornish - Year 1 Teacher
Miss Hannah Bradbury - Year 2/3 Teacher
Mrs Lynn Taylor - Year 3/4 Teacher
Mrs Michelle Lockyer - Year 4/5 Teacher
Miss Sue Fenn - Year 5/6 Teacher
Mrs Sara Stone
Mrs Tamzin Norman
Mrs Rachael Drawert
Mrs Lorna Hawkins
Mrs Sharon Gaskin
Miss Sally Partridge
Mrs Miriam Seaforth
Administrators
Mrs Sarah Churchill and Mrs Suzy Cole
Kitchen Staff
Mrs Jenny Cooksley
Meal Time Assistant Mrs Stella Lenton
Mrs Karen Menzfeld
Caretaker
Mr John Wooding
Cleaner
Miss Patricia Sweeting
Governors
Mr Ray Rice (Chair of Governors)
Mr Gary Chown (Executive Head)
Miss Louise Jones (Staff Governor)
Mrs Alison Rice (Curriculum Governor)
Mr Hugh Whittaker (Parent Governor)
Mr David Hodgson (Parent Governor)
Mr Mark Thompson (Parent Governor)
Mr Patrick Redwood (Parent Governor)
Mr Scott Farr (Parent Governor)
Mrs Jennie Curnow (Parent Governor)
Mr Richard Evans ((Community Governor)
Mrs Vivienne Heeley (Foundation Governor)
Mrs Penny Lamb (Foundation Governor)
Mrs Lucy Poole (Clerk to Governors)
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
The School Day
School Uniform and PE Kit
Monday to Friday
At Hemyock Primary we believe that
wearing school uniform creates a sense of
identity and belonging to our ‘school
community’. We ask that the following is
worn.
8.50am to 12.15 and 1.25pm to 3.30pm
We ask parent to ensure that their children
arrive on time for school. We also ask parents
to collect their children on time. If they are
unable to do so, or they are being collected by
someone else, please inform the school as soon
as possible.
Classroom organisation
Key stage one
Reception
23
Year 1
19
Year 2/3
23
Key stage two
Year 3/4
27
Year 4/5
31
Year 5/6
29
Our
school
benefits
from
spacious
classrooms. Each class has an interactive
whiteboard and networked computers. To
celebrate the children’s work our staff
make excellent use of displays, both in the
classroom and in shared areas. Our school
also has a large hall which is used for PE,
assemblies and lunch, a computer suite and
library.
We have extensive outdoor areas which we
use to develop the children's learning of
the world around them.
Our children
regularly visit ‘Sandpits@ out outdoor
classroom site in the Blackdown Hills.
•
•
•
•
•
White blouse, shirt or Polo shirt
Black/grey trousers, shorts, skirts or
pinafores
Sensible black shoes—not trainers
Bottle green school sweatshirt/
cardigan.
Green and white check or striped
summer dresses.
Our School PTFA runs an extensive uniform
shop at affordable prices, please enquire at
the school office.
Although children in key stage one do
not change for PE daily we do ask that they
have a PE kit in school. Children in key stage
two need a PE kit in school at all times. This
should consist of black shorts, a bottle green
school t-shirt and plimsolls or trainers. We
also recommend that tracksuits are used
during the colder months.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Every Child Matters
At Hemyock Primary we strongly
believe in delivering the five outcomes from
Every Child Matters. The outcomes are:
•
Be Healthy
•
Stay Safe
•
Enjoy and Achieve
•
Make a positive contribution
•
Achieve economic wellbeing
We strive to educate the children in
the five areas through our teaching of a
broad, challenging and exciting curriculum.
We hope that the following pages will
give parents a small taste of how we deliver
and reinforce this to the children.
Be Healthy
We actively encourage our children
to adopt a healthy lifestyle both physically
and emotionally.
Our school achieved the ‘Healthy
Schools Award’ and is now working towards
the ‘Healthy Schools Plus Award’. We hold
the activemark for our delivery of a
rigorous PE curriculum. Our children take
part in 10 minutes of Daily Physical Activity
and we have extensive playtime equipment
which encourages active play times.
Children have the opportunity to participate
in extra-curricular sporting activities and
festivals.
Our school meals are delivered daily
to school from fresh local produce as we
offer the ‘Fresh Start Menu’.
Gardening
and Healthy Cookery are also part of our
curriculum and extra–curricular activities.
The children are visited by health
professionals such as the dental nurse, who
teach good practice in health matters.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Stay Safe
Hemyock Primary School is a
safeguarding school.
As a result the
following are in place:
•
A written safeguarding policy and up
to date child protection (CP) procedures
that have been agreed with the governing
bo
•
A Senior Designated Person (SDP)
role established and deputy/ deputies
identified.
•
A nominated governor to champion
child protection issues.
•
Other safeguarding procedures,
including dealing with allegations against
members of staff and safer working
practice (code of conduct).
•
Training at the appropriate level for
all staff and volunteers.
•
Robust staff recruitment and
selection processes which safeguard
children.
The children are regularly visited by
various professionals such as the police who
give talks on ’stranger danger’ and fire
officers who highlight the dangers of
playing with fire and what to do in an
emergency.
We frequently take children out of
the school for learning experiences and
instill in them the need for road safety.
Our year 6 children also undertake a Cycle
Training Certificate at the beginning of the
year.
Achieve Economic Well-being
As a school we strive to raise the
children’s aspirations. Through encouraging
our pupils to develop a love of learning we
hope that they will want to continue to learn
past their compulsory schooling.
Frequent visits from a variety of
professionals give the children some idea of
what it is like for example to be a nurse, vet
or police officer.
Our older children are given various
responsibilities across the school from
librarians to children who run our active
playtimes and running stalls at school
events. Our school council has its own
budget.
Attendance and punctuality at Hemyock is
outstanding.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Enjoy and Achieve
At Hemyock Primary we believe in
building positive relationships with pupils
and parents
thereby creating an
environment where children attend school
with a positive attitude and are willing to
learn.
We are committed to a topic based
learning approach in which, where
appropriate, subjects and mixed age groups
are linked together. This helps the children
to make connections in their learning.
Although we strive to deliver a
rigorous curriculum so that children can
achieve their fullest academic potential, we
also strongly believe that they should have
the opportunity to achieve in other areas.
To this end we offer children extracurricular activities in sport, languages, art,
dance and music. Children from years 3, 4,
5 and 6 participate in residential trips.
Reception & KS1 children participate in our
Nativity and our year 6 children perform in
an end of year production. We also hold an
annual music event to encourage all those
who play an instrument either with the
school or out of school.
We enter teams in events such as the
Uffculme Challenge and Exmoor Challenge.
There are swimming galas, sports days and
Culm Valley schools events throughout the
year assisting the children in familiarising
themselves with Uffculme School and
getting to know the children from other
schools who will start secondary school with
them.
Hemyock Primary School Prospectus
Make a Positive Contribution
Our school actively encourages the
children to make a positive contribution to
the school, local and wider communities.
The children have a voice through an active
school council and there are representatives
from each year group. School councillors
are elected by the pupils.
Our older
children also hold positions of responsibility
such as play leaders and librarians.
We have close links with Uffculme
School and participate in sports festivals
organised by them. There is a rigorous
transition programme in place making the
move from primary to secondary education
as smooth as possible for our children.
The children welcome our local
community into school when we hold our
Nativity and Summer Fete.
Our choir
frequently performs at local events such as
Blackdown Hills Support Group Christmas
lunch and turning on the Christmas lights in
the village.
Our children enjoy supporting major
charities such as Children in Need and Red
Nose Day. This gives the children the
opportunity to learn and reflect on peoples
different backgrounds and cultures.