St John the Baptist
Church of England
Voluntary Controlled
Primary School
Annual Prospectus
2016-2017
Our shared vision:
Our Shared Vision
Our vision sees St John’s school at the heart of the community, with God at
the centre of what we do with and for each other. Our school community
encompasses all of our children, parents, staff, families, Governors and
members of the Parish Church.
We will encourage all in our community to value learning. We will provide
opportunities for all to develop self-confidence, self-discipline and selfesteem that they will have the courage to be open to new ideas, to try new
experiences and aspire to be the best they can be.
We want all in our community to experience kindness, grow in faith and
develop a ‘healthy minds and bodies’ lifestyle.
We will offer a creative, enriched curriculum that tries to meet the needs of
all learners through a highly inclusive and inspirational approach.
We will encourage each other to become tolerant, forgiving and honest;
promoting perseverance, confidence and respect for all people everywhere,
preparing our children for life in Modern Britain.
Above all we will ensure that everyone feels welcomed, safe and loved – that
they belong.
St John the Baptist CE VC Primary School
Everyone different, everyone loved.
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Details of the School
St John’s Way
Ragworth
Stockton-On-Tees
TS19 0FB
Tel: (01642) 607123
Fax: (01642) 677100
Email: [email protected]
St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School is a medium sized
primary school serving the local community. As a Church school we have strong links with St John’s
Church on Durham Road.
The school was built in 1941 and had a major refurbishment in 1991/92.
We are a caring and inclusive school and strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment for
our pupils.
School Organisation
The school has a Foundation Stage which has provision for a 26 place Nursery and an admission
number of 30 for each year group.
The Foundation Stage Unit consists of the Nursery and a Reception Class. They work closely
together to provide a creative and stimulating experience for your child.
The school also has an Infant Assessment and Support Class (IASC) which offers 10 places to
children across the Local Authority for children who have additional needs for children in
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
KS1 and KS2 classes are Year 1-6 and this year the Year 2 and 3 children will be mixed into 3
mixed ability classes.
We maintain a high level of Teaching Assistants across school to ensure all our children have
access to adult support at different times of the day. We know that our children sometimes need
a listening ear, some extra help in lessons, or some targeted interventions and ensure that this is
always possible.
We also employ 2 specialist music teachers: Mr Gibson and Miss Sheraton. They provide our
children with an exciting singing experience each week.
We have a PSA (Parent Support Advisor), Helen Conroy, who works with our families to ensure
they have support in many different areas. We also have a Specialist Family Support Worker,
Nicky Gardner, who we share with 3 other local schools. Her role is to support parents with
identified issues such as behaviour or other challenging problems.
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The Infant Assessment and Support Class
Function:
To provide a warm, safe, nurturing environment, where children can have their individual needs
met.
To assess children through a multi-agency approach, and identify future, longer term needs for
children (remaining in IASC, moving back into mainstream, special school or other provision as
appropriate to the needs of the child).
What we offer:
A dedicated classroom with access to a specialist teacher.
At least 2 full time Teaching Assistants.
Access to the whole curriculum.
Pupils integrated into mainstream classes every afternoon with appropriate support.
Interventions are delivered on an individual basis for pupils in accordance with their needs.
We recognise barriers to learning and work to overcome them on an individual basis.
Entry Criteria (through the Local Authority)
The primary need is learning
Children are experiencing barriers to their learning such as
 Speech and language delay
 General delay (poor visual discrimination, short
concentration spans, poor gross/fine motor skills,
poor working memory)
 Mild autistic tendencies or ADHD and emotional
problems such as low self-esteem – mild behaviour
problems due to learning.
Children are making little or no progress over a period of
time despite the school deploying resources to support the
child over that period.
Children are working at levels substantially below that of
their peers.
Once a child is allocated a place in the Infant Assessment Class, a period of transition will begin,
where the teacher will visit the child in their own setting, the child will visit our school and
meetings with parents and school staff (teacher, SENCo etc) will be set up.
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School Staff September 2015
Teachers
Mrs Kerry Coe
Head Teacher, Designated Lead for Child Protection
Mrs Debbie Dodd
Deputy Head Teacher, Senco, Designated Lead for Child
Protection
Nursery teacher
Miss Claire Thorpe
Mrs Lynn Iles
Miss Carrie Ashley
Team Leader, Reception Teacher,
Child Protection
Reception Teacher
Designated Lead for
Mrs Victoria Elliman
Y1 Class Teacher
Miss Toni Ray
Y2/3 Class Teacher
Mrs Lisa Smith
Miss Aleshia Campbell
Miss Kam Kaur
Y2/3 Class Teacher
Y2/3 Class Teacher
Y4 Class Teacher
Miss Louise Brown
Y5 Class Teacher
Miss Kathryn Irwin
Mrs Kerry Pratt
Y6 Class Teacher,
Deputy Head,
Designated Lead for Child Protection
Y6 Class Teacher
Mrs Joanne Hammond
Infant Assessment and Support Class Teacher
Team
Leader,
Non-Teaching Staff
Mrs Jacqui Gair
School Business Manager
Mrs Jen Beck
School Business Manager (part time Mon-Wed))
Mrs Lilian Fletcher
Miss Laura Wastell
Mrs Helen Conroy
School Administrator (part time Wed-Fri)
Apprentice Administrator
Parent Support Advisor
Mrs Nicky Gardner
Specialist Family Worker
Mr Steve Fenby
Mrs Sue Connor
Miss Kay Dalkin
Caretaker
Lunchtime supervisor
Lunchtime supervisor
Mrs Lisa McIntosh
Cleaner/Lunchtime supervisor
Mrs Denise Bousfield
Cleaner / Lunchtime supervisor
Mrs Janet Dixon
Miss Sammy Jo
Wetherell
Mrs Gillian Graham
Cleaner / Lunchtime supervisor
Cleaner
Cleaner
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Teaching Assistants
Mrs Lesley McGee
Teaching Assistant
Miss Stephanie Mawson
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Carol Robinson
Teaching Assistant
Miss Andrea Nugent
Teaching Assistant
Miss Andrea Cook
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Janice Tweddle
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Carolyn Evans
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Julie Daly
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Christine Hughes
HLTA
Mrs Barbara Kavanagh
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Dawn Lidford
Teaching Assistant
Miss Nicola Richardson
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Michelle Nicholson
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Tracey Ogden
HLTA
Mrs Jade Harrison
Teaching Assistant
Mr Matthew Smith
Teaching Assistant
Miss Kelly Birtle
Teaching Assistant
Miss Stephanie Deans
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Lisa Nicholson
Teaching Assistant
Mrs Wendy Wilkinson
Teaching Assistant
Miss Gina Savage
Teaching Assistant
Miss Chloe Nugent
Mr Mark Halliday
Apprentice Teaching Assistant
Apprentice Teaching Assistant
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The Governing Body
Head teacher
Local Authority
Mrs Kerry Coe
Mrs Linda Ross
Co-Opted Governors
Mrs Debbie Dodd
Miss Nikki Gibb
Miss Kathryn Irwin
Mr Alan Jones
Mr David Wilburn
Foundation Governors
Staff Governors
Parent Governors
Associate Governors
Clerk to the Governing Body
Rvd Jane Bell
Mrs Lana Green
Mrs Sue Symington (Chair)
Mrs Jacqui Gair
Mr Stuart Johnson
Mrs Margaret Hirst
Mrs Janette Ferreira
The Governing Body has responsibility for the running of the school and can make decisions about
how the school is run. They meet at least once a term as a Full Governing Body, and are appointed
by certain bodies, such as the Local Authority, Teachers and Parents. There are different
committees within the Governing Body that have responsibility for aspects such as allocation of
resources (including budget) and School Improvement.
The minutes of the Governors’ meetings are in school, available for anyone to read.
Admissions
Children are admitted to St John’s Primary School in line with the Stockton LA Admissions Policy.
The Admissions Officer can be contacted for guidance:
Education Dept, Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton, TS18 1XE Tel: 01642 526604
Foundation Stage
Children are admitted into FS1 as soon after their third birthday as we can but sometimes we are
full and need to have a waiting list. The list is kept in the school office; please make sure that you
have filled in a form to enrol your child before his/her third birthday. When a place is available a
member of the Foundation Stage Team will arrange to visit you and your child at home. A booklet
telling you more about FS1 will be given to you.
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School Times
Breakfast Club opens at 8am every day and is open to all children and parents. Everyone is offered
a free breakfast as we receive funding to support this from The Greggs Foundation. We ask for
parents to volunteer to help run Breakfast Club as this is a requirement of receiving the funding.
If you are interested in helping, please contact a member of staff.
The school day
Doors Open
Registration
Session 1
Break
Session 2
Session 3
Lunch Time
Registration
Session 4
Nursery
Year 1/Reception
8.45am
8:55 – 09:00
9:00 – 10.00
10.00 – 10.15
10.15 -11.00
11.00-12.00
12:00 – 13:00
13:00 – 13:05
13:05 – 15.10
Key Stage 2 and Year 2
8.40am
8:50 – 08:55
8:55 – 10.20
10.20 – 10.35
10.35 -11.40
11.40-12.00
12:00 – 13:00
13:00 – 13:05
13:05 – 15.15
Morning Session
8.45-11.45
Afternoon Session
12.30-3.30
It is important that your child arrives on time for school or they may:
 Miss the start of a lesson and not understand the work
 Get behind with their work
 Feel self-conscious or embarrassed about joining the class or worship (assembly) late
 Miss spending time with friends before lessons
 Miss the structured start of the day
Attendance has improved greatly over the last 2 years. Please help us to continue to achieve our
target by bringing your child to school on time each day and ensuring that they do not miss school
for appointments that should be made outside of the school day. Please see our Attendance
information sheet for further details about this issue (distributed to parents at beginning of each
year).
Children arriving late after registration closes will be marked as an unauthorised absence for the
morning session. Registers will close 15 minutes after registration – at 9.10 for KS1 and Reception
and at 9.05 for KS2.
Attendance last year
Reporting Period September 2015 to May 2016
Attendance Total: 96%
If a child is going to be absent please contact school as early as possible in the day.
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We will contact you if we have not had a reason for absence.
If a child is going to be absent for a period of time, it is possible to send work home for parents to
work alongside the child. For a prolonged absence, due to injury or sickness, it can be arranged for
a teacher from the Home and Hospital Service to make home visits.
It is important to note that, following Government guidelines, we are not able to authorise holidays
in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Holidays for pupils in Year 6 and Year 2
will not be authorised at all during May as this is the time they will be completing their tests. Year
1 children also will not be authorised during the period in June when they must complete their
phonics test.
Facebook
We are now operating a Facebook page. You can find this at:
Https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-John-the-Baptist-Primary/759649984086969
Marvellous Me
Is a free app that can be downloaded. It is a way of sending positive messages and good news
about your child.
Texts
We operate a communication system in school called Schoolcomms it is a free App that can be
downloaded which enables us to message parents with information and parents to contact school,
meaning there is no cost to parents or school. Once we receive your email address you will then be
sent the link to access the App. Please keep school up to date with any changes of mobile numbers
or other contact details so we can contact you when we need to.
School Uniform
We have a school uniform for the children to wear:
Yellow polo shirts
Burgundy sweatshirts
Black or grey skirts or trousers
Plain socks – not football socks
Flat black shoes or black trainers
Summer dresses in red or yellow are suitable for girls and shorts for boys in the summer months.
We sell new sweatshirts and polo shirts in school (from Tesco) at cost price. These have the school
emblem on and can be purchased from the school office. This is a non profit sale.
We also have a large supply of second hand uniform available free. Please ask Helen Conroy (PSA)
or a member of the office staff.
Jewellery is not appropriate within school and should be left at home. If jewellery is brought to
school it is kept securely in the school office until home time. If a child has their ears pierced,
they are only allowed to wear studs and these must be removed for PE. If ears have been recently
pierced then children should ensure earrings are taped up for PE lessons. Make up and nail varnish
are also not allowed for school.
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PE Kit
We ask children to bring a T-shirt and shorts for PE and a pair of trainers or plimsolls. Tracksuits
are also advised as we try to take the children outside for as many lessons as possible. We have
spare kit in school to ensure children do not miss out on PE lessons if they do not have a change of
clothes in school. Please try and leave PE kit in school each week and take it home in the holidays
for washing.
School Meals
We provide excellent healthy school meals that are cooked on site each day. We offer the children
3 choices of meal each day – 2 hot and a cold. Children will be able to choose their meal each
morning. This will mean that each child gets the meal they request each day. Menus can be made
available on request.
Dinner money collection for KS2 is undertaken by the school office. Money should be paid on a
Monday morning for the week ahead in the special envelopes provided. Cheques must be made
payable to Stockton Borough Council with your name and address printed on the back of the
cheque. If a child wants to change from School Lunch they must inform the school office a week
in advance.
Cost of a meal in September 2016 is remaining the same at £2.05 a day and £10.25 for the week
for KS2 children.
A free meal is supplied to all children in KS2 children whose parents are in receipt of:
 Income Based Jobseekers Allowance / Income Support
 Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
 Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
 Child Tax Credit; if you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and your yearly income is
less than £16,190
All children in Reception Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal.
There is a new service for parents to register eligibility for free school meals. You can ring the
Contact Centre on 01642 526606. The operator will complete the form for you on line and it is
emailed to our Free Schools Administrator, Sue Phillips. Parents of Reception and KS1 children
should still register, even though meals will be free to those children from Sept 15.This is
because school receives funding for ALL children who are entitled to a free meal/in receipt
of these benefits.
When you ring the Contact Centre, they will request certain details so you will need to have this
information to hand.
 Claimants name, date of birth and NI number
 Home address
 Name and dates of birth of the children
 Which school they are attending.
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When Sue receives the information, she will check whether you are eligible and if you are they will
inform you and the school in the usual way and, if your child is in KS2, the child will go onto free
school meals straight away.
Packed Lunches
Children may choose to bring their own packed meal to school. In line with our healthy eating
policy, chocolate bars, sweets and fizzy drinks are not allowed.
Fruit
At break times, KS2 have a healthy tuck shop where children can buy fruit and other healthy
snacks such as cheese and yoghurts.
KS1 children are entitled to and receive free fruit each day. Children under 5 also receive free
school milk each day.
Water
Every child is given a free water bottle each year so they have access to water throughout the
school day. We sterilise the bottles each week in school to ensure they are clean for the children
to use.
Sun Cream
In the Foundation Stage, we supply sun cream which parents can apply to their children if the
weather is hot. Forms are available to complete for this. In Key Stage 1 and 2, children may bring
sun cream from home in a clearly labelled bottle and apply it themselves once the forms have been
signed to say you are happy for them to do this.
Medicines in School
The Health and Safety Executives advise that wherever practicable parents should accept
responsibility for administering medicines and/or tablets to their own children.
It may, however, be unavoidable that pupils have to take medicines/tablets during the school day.
There are simple procedures to follow in this case:
1. All medicine containers should be labelled with:
 The name of the prescribing person / the name and address of the pupil.
 The name of the medicine, dosage and the time of administration.
2. A form provided by school giving school staff the authority to administer the medicine to your
child should accompany the container. These are kept in the school office.
Children who need to take inhalers should keep them in school to be used as needed. An inhaler
form should be completed and returned to the school office.
Illness or Accident at School
All parents are asked to complete a contact form that is kept in the school office in case of
accident or illness. Please inform us immediately if contact details change so that our records are
up to date. We need to be able to contact you/someone you have identified quickly in the case of
your child becoming unwell or having an accident. We have many staff who are trained in basic
first aid and will treat children to the best of their ability. If in doubt, we will contact you so you
can make a decision about further treatment that may be needed. Accidents are logged in an
accident book and we inform parents about any accident that has resulted in treatment.
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Collecting Children from School
It is very important that we keep your child safe. In Key Stage 1 and Foundation, an adult (over 18)
must collect your child from school. In Key Stage 2, you are able to choose whether you will collect
your child or if you are happy for them to walk home alone. You will be sent a form to complete so
that staff know if your child can walk home alone, or if you will be collecting them. Children in KS2
can be collected by adults or young people over the age of 16.
Golden Rules
We operate a very positive system of behaviour management. We have 5 Golden Rules that we ask
all children to follow in school. We encourage children to be responsible for their own choices
about behaviour and accept consequences if they make the wrong choice.
Our Golden Rules are:
We listen.
We are kind and friendly.
We are honest.
We share.
We look after property.
These are linked to Christian Values as follows:
Golden Rules
Christian Values
We are kind and
Peace and humility
friendly
We listen
Respect and
reverence
We are honest
Forgiveness, trust, and
truthfulness
We share
Generosity,
compassion, and justice
We look after
Responsibility
property
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If children choose to break a Golden Rule, they are given a warning (yellow card) and asked to
modify their behaviour. If they do not, they will be given a red card which results in them losing
some of their playtime/lunchtime.
Rewards




Praise will be used positively to improve both work and behaviour.
Stamps and stickers will be used by class teachers, Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher.
Children are encouraged to show good work to other members of staff.
Good behaviour and attitudes are recognised in the weekly Celebration Assembly.
Any incidents of poor behaviour are recorded in school on the child’s behaviour log and will be
discussed with you as appropriate. If you have any concerns about your child, please come in and
discuss them with us.
We introduce the children to an anti- bullying slogan S.T.O.P (Several Times On Purpose) to explain
what bullying is and we always deal with any form of bullying fully. We try to ensure that children
and parents understand what bullying is and isn’t. We deal with incidents fairly and swiftly.
Any children who display persistent and unruly behaviour will be dealt with according to the
behaviour policy and this may end in a fixed term exclusion. At times if children put themselves or
others at risk of harm through violent or aggressive actions, we may have to use reasonable force
to prevent your child from hurting themselves or others. We may also very occasionally need to
restrain a pupil in line with the guidelines issued by the Local Authority and the Department for
Education. At all times, you will be kept informed if this has been necessary.
Any children arriving at school with dangerous items such as knives, will have these removed and
kept in a secure place. Any unsuitable items for school such as mobile phones, are also removed and
stored in the school safe until home time.
Child Protection ~ Designated Child Protection Leads
We have four Designated Leads for Child Protection in school: Mrs K Coe, Mrs D Dodd, Mrs L. Iles
and Miss K. Irwin. School has a duty to take reasonable action to ensure the welfare and safety of
its pupils. In cases where school staff have cause to be concerned that a pupil may be subject to
ill-treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, we will follow the LA Child Protection Procedures
and inform Social Services of these concerns. If you have any concerns about a child please
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contact one of the named officers to discuss them. All cases are confidential and information
shared as appropriate to the case involved.
Special Educational Needs
At St John’s, we aim to ensure that all children, whatever their educational needs, have access to
the EYFS and National Curriculum at the appropriate level through as broad and balanced a
curriculum as possible.
Mrs Dodd is the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (Senco) and she works closely with school
staff and outside agencies to support and assess children as a need arises. All of our staff in
school are there to support any children who have Special Educational Needs.
When we recognise that a child has Special Educational Needs they are placed on the SEN Support
register. Discussions between the SENCO and school staff ensure that appropriate targets are
considered and special help is put in place for the child using the schools wide range of resources.
If children continue to experience difficulties or still do not make appropriate progress, then
additional support is requested from outside agencies. At times we need to request additional
support from many different agencies eg: Speech and Language, Educational Psychologist, CAMHS.
At all times you will be fully included in the process and can discuss your concerns with Mrs Dodd.
For more detailed information on what we can offer children with SEND, please see the School’s
SEND Offer on our website.
Equal Opportunities
We will treat all children equally, irrespective of ethnic difference, gender, disability or social
disadvantage to enable them to access a broad and balanced education. Our expectations will not
be influenced by any of these factors. We recognise and value different cultures and religious
traditions amongst our children.
Provision for the Disabled
St John’s is a highly inclusive school and wherever possible we will adapt our building or curriculum
to enable equal access to children or staff with a disability. There is wheel chair access
throughout school, including a lift where needed. We also have a toilet adapted for wheelchairs.
End of Key Stage Assessment
At the end of Foundation Stage children are assessed following the guidelines of the Early Years
Foundation Stage Profile.
During May in Year 2 and 6 there is statutory assessment in English and Mathematics. The results
are reported to parents at the end of the Summer term. All parents will receive an annual written
report on their child's progress at the end of each Spring term.
In June in Year 1 there is a statutory phonics check which assesses children’s knowledge of how
phonics are combined to make words. The test consists of 40 words. Last year the pass mark for
the test was 32. If children do not pass this test they are given a programme of additional support
and resit the test at the end of Year 2.
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The Curriculum
The Foundation Stage Curriculum
The period of education from ages 3 to 5 is known as the Foundation Stage and we follow the Early
Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. There are four themes that underpin this curriculum – Unique
Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environment and Learning and Development. Within this
curriculum there are three Prime Areas of Learning: Personal, Social, Emotional Development
 Physical Development
 Communication and Language
There are also four Specific Areas of Learning: Literacy
 Maths
 Understanding the World
 Expressive Arts and Design
Our creative curriculum gives your child the opportunity to learn through a play based curriculum,
both indoors and outdoors, with a focus on all of the above areas.
EYFS LONG TERM PLAN Year A
Autumn 1
Why do you
love me so
much?
Autumn 2
Why do leaves
go crispy?
Caring for themselves and others.
Emotions and feelings.
What makes them special? Role of family/carers.
Senses and using them to explore our environment.
Plants and animals adapt to changing seasons.
Fruits and seeds that plants produce in autumn. Harvest.
Hibernation/birds preparing for winter.
Farmers protecting crops.
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Spring 1
How many
colours in a
rainbow?
Spring 2
Are eggs alive?
Summer 1
Can we explore
it?
Summer 2
What is a
shadow?
Simple scientific equipment to make observations.
Colours found in the natural world.
Man made colour used.
Colours mixed to create other colours.
Artists use of colours for pictures.
Colour to create patterns.
Colour and pattern for camouflage and attraction in animals.
Changes in spring. Spring weather.
Farm animals and their names. Life cycles.
Ducklings, lambs, chicks and frogs. Care for baby animals.
Plants growing.
Travel. Transport – land, sea and air.
Maps and plans to find our way.
Give and follow directions.
Observations about local environments.
Investigate places using senses.
Light sources including the sun.
Absence of light. Shadows formed.
Electricity to make light.
Materials and their properties.
Nocturnal animals.
EYFS LONG TERM PLAN YEAR B
How does that
About different types of buildings.
Autumn 1
building stay
up?
Autumn 2
Why can’t I
have chocolate
for breakfast?
Spring 1
Why is water
wet?
Spring 2
What was the
biggest
dinosaur?
About their own houses and homes.
About different types of building materials and their qualities.
How to use, make and build up using a range of big and small construction
materials.
How to use natural materials for building outdoors.
About builders and architects.
About different machines using in building. About measuring.
How to design and make structures for a particular purpose.
About naming, tasting and describing different types of food.
Our senses. About keeping our bodies healthy by eating a balanced diet.
About how we can grow our own food. About different types of food from
different countries. About what happens when we make changes to food by
cooking, melting, freezing and mixing.
About the properties of water, what it feels like and what it can be used
for.
Where water comes from. Why we need water to survive.
How to use water to keep ourselves clean and healthy.
How to keep safe near to water.
About creatures who live in and around water.
The ways that water can move and change shape.
How people use water to have fun and keep fit.
About the prehistoric world of dinosaurs and their lives.
To explore different types of dinosaurs – those on land, air and sea.
About things that are big and small in size, shape and measurement.
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Summer 1
Why do spiders
eat flies?
Summer 2
Am I the
fastest?
About things that are heavy and things that are light.
To think about herbivores and carnivores.
About gigantic and tiny imaginary creatures in fantasy stories.
About the passage of time and evolution.
To find out which was the biggest dinosaur.
How spiders and other mini beasts feed and grow.
About life cycles and the way some creatures change over time.
How spiders and other mini beasts move to find food, water, shelter and to
escape from danger.
About different environments, habitats and the small creatures who live
there.
How to respect and take care of small creatures for a short period of time.
About things that are fast and things that are slow.
How to use the body in different ways for sports, game and play.
About what makes a good team.
About different types of sports and equipment.
About sporting events and competitions.
About the different places used for sport.
About toys that move using clockwork, wind up mechanisms and remote
control.
About different games and understanding rules of play.
The National Curriculum
The new Primary National Curriculum 2014 is a broad and balanced curriculum which has been
statutory for our school since September 14. We have combined subjects together to teach
through a theme approach in school. Each term or half term, your children will study a theme which
incorporates many different subjects together. We believe that this is motivating and interesting
for your children. We try to keep a particular focus on health and citizenship throughout each
theme, as this is something we feel particularly important to ensure your children are as well
prepared as they can be.
We follow an exciting curriculum based on the Cornerstones materials which has inspirational titles
to engage and motivate pupils – for example
 Bottoms, burps and bile!
 Enchanted skies
 Scream machine
 Muck. Mess and mixtures
We also have a Promise that while your child is in our school they will get to do certain things – see
the table below:
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In Foundation stage
Splash in a puddle
Run around in the rain
Make a mud slide
Climb up and roll down a really big hill
Go on a train
Visit a farm
Feed the ducks
Paddle in a stream
Blow a dandelion clock
Go on a nature walk
Plant a seed
Watch a chick hatch
Post a letter
In Key Stage 1
Kick the Autumn leaves
Learn to do a forward roll
Go on a treasure hunt
Fly a kite
Make a mud pie
Draw a chalk picture outside
Make bark and leaf rubbings
Catch something in a net
Hold a scary beast
Play pooh sticks
Hunt for bugs
Pick wild blackberries
Find out what lives in a rock pool
Visit a library
Bake some biscuits
Play a skipping game
Find some frogspawn
In Lower Key Stage 2
Skim a stone
Climb a tree
Play leapfrog
Play conkers
Eat an apple straight from a tree
Eat in a restaurant
Perform in public
Discover what is in a pond
Make a daisy chain
Be part of a team
Dig in the garden
Learn an instrument
Make a home for a wild animal
Learn to swim
Jump over waves
Plant a herb garden
Make and drink homemade lemonade
Bake a cake
In Upper Key Stage 2
Go on a really long bike ride
Build a den
Roll down a really big hill
Go to the theatre
Invent and cook a healthy snack
Plan and cook a meal
Sew on a button
Cook on a campfire
Splash in the waves
Find your way with a map and compass
Go bird watching
Make and fly a paper aeroplane
Plant, grow and eat something
Make a miniature garden
Make a bird feeder
Walk barefoot in the grass
Use stepping stones to cross a stream
Create some wild art
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English
The new National Curriculum focuses on Spoken Language, Reading (Word Reading and
Comprehension), Writing (Transcription and Composition) and Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar.
English is taught both through daily discrete teaching sessions and across the curriculum.
Spoken Language
The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’
development across the whole curriculum. Spoken language underpins the development of reading
and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak is vital for developing
their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing.
Reading
To introduce your child to reading we have daily Letters and Sounds sessions in Foundation Stage
and Key Stage 1 where they will work in small adult led groups to learn sounds. They will learn to
blend these sounds together to read and then segment these sounds in order to help them spell
and write.
We place a very high focus on reading in school as children cannot access the curriculum if they
cannot read. As well as listening to your child read in school we send a reading book home every
day and ask that you support your child by reading with them. As they become more confident
they will be able to read independently but we still encourage you to listen to them read and share
a conversation about the book in order that they can understand what they are reading; this is
reading for meaning.
We expect children to read at least three times a week at home and they will be entered into a
weekly class prize draw. In school we celebrate reading in Friday worship and termly Foundation
Stage and Key Stage 1 children will receive a certificate for reading at least three times at home
each week.
Promoting reading for pleasure is our aim and we encourage this through visits to the local library,
author visits to school, class authors and a variety of adults in the environment reading and sharing
books with children.
Writing
Children are given the opportunity to write about first hand experiences through a rich and
balanced curriculum; this may be through trips to local places of interest, inviting visitors into
school or teacher-led ideas to encourage children to write poetry, fiction and non fiction.
An exciting curriculum offers children the opportunities to write imaginative and varied pieces of
work and teachers give children the skills they need in order to produce writing of a high standard.
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There is a focus on modelled writing, shared writing and guided writing with and by the teacher
and children will be able to build up a set of skills to ensure they achieve well as writers.
Mathematics
In Key Stages 1 and 2, we follow the statutory 2014 programme of study for mathematics. This is
divided into four dimensions:
 Number
 Measurement
 Geometry
 Statistics
(from Y2)
The dimensions of ‘Number’ and ‘Geometry’ are then divided into different aspects:
Number
 Place value
 Addition and subtraction
 Multiplication and division
 Fractions (including
decimals from Y4 and
percentages from Y5)
Geometry
 Properties of shape
 Position and direction
At Y6, the children are expected to use algebra, ratio and proportion.
These programmes of study are specific to each year group and they build upon children’s prior
knowledge. Our children will be taught the programme of study from the year group that best fits
their ability, with the intention of moving them towards the programme of study for the year
group they are in.
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We strive to ensure all children are confident mathematicians with a solid understanding of
number. To do this, we teach dedicated number sessions every week involving times tables, mental
maths skills and the learning objectives from the ‘number’ domain. In order for children to become
confident in using maths, it is essential that they are secure with their times tables. You can
support your child in this by helping them learn their tables at home and asking them the questions
in a random order. By the end of Y4, children are expected to know up to 12x12 times table. From
2017, there will be an online multiplication test as part of the end of KS2 tests.
In addition to regular number sessions, there is a mathematics session where children are taught
the objectives from the other dimensions. We place a high level of importance on problem solving
and reasoning. Our children will have the opportunity to put their learning into practice in practical,
‘real life’ situations and they will also be expected to explain their thinking.
In our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the basic, essential understanding of number is
taught. Children encounter early mathematical concepts such as number recognition, counting,
pattern, shape, measure and early addition and subtraction. This is all done through an environment
of exploration.
As a school we are keen to promote that maths isn’t just about sitting down and completing a list
of calculations. We aim to make it ‘real’, ensure children understand how we use maths in our daily
lives and in other subjects, develop them as logical thinkers and puzzle solvers, and make them
confident and fluent in their mental arithmetic.
Other subjects
Most other subjects from the National Curriculum are taught through a themed approach. At
times some subjects are taught discretely to avoid tenuous links. Circle Time is a regular feature
of the timetable. It offers children a chance to share their concerns and give support to each
other in a safe and caring way. We believe Circle Time develops the value and self-confidence of
every child, support the development of specific behaviours which show caring and respect
towards each other and a climate of trust and good relationships between all.
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Computing
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has recently been changed to ‘computing’ in the
publication of the new national curriculum. Computing technology is used by all year groups
including EYFS and it is fully embedded within our creative curriculum.
We are currently using the Rising Stars ‘switched on to computing’ scheme to ensure that all of our
pupils receive a broad and balanced computing experience. The scheme allows excellent coverage of
all topics and caters for the early years through to year 6. This ensures a whole school, consistent
approach to teaching a demanding area of the curriculum. Delivering computing in this way also
ensures the children leave our school fully computer literate with a working knowledge of current
up to date technology.
E-safety and E-security are top priorities in our school. We strive to keep our pupils safe when
they access the internet and it is incorporated into each of the themes.
School is very well resourced for computing: every classroom has an interactive whiteboard and
each class has timetabled use of our hardware. In addition, we have 15 ipads and 15 laptops to
support creativity within the classroom alongside a wealth of other resources e.g. digital cameras,
microphones, bee bots, Robotics and web cams. As a school which looks to the future in terms of
technology, we have had WIFI installed across the whole site.
ICT has always been recognised by OFSTED as a strength of our school and our latest OFSTED
inspection again acknowledged our continued commitment to delivering ICT and Computing in a wellresourced and creative way. In addition to this we are also one of only a few schools in the
Stockton area to hold the NAACE accredited ICT mark – which we achieved in January 2015.
Internet Access Policy
The school has a commitment to developing the use of the Internet to support pupils’ learning and
to enrich teaching. The Internet Access Policy is designed to safeguard all users.
Staff and pupils must access the system using their own username and password. Accessing other
people’s files is not permitted. The history of Internet use is never deleted and is periodically
checked to ensure appropriate sites are being used. Use of the Internet is supervised at all times
within school; pupils should access the Internet only when a member of staff is present. No
indiscriminate searching is allowed: all searches should be undertaken alongside a member of staff.
The highest level of filtering is in place but any teacher or pupil who accesses an unsuitable site
must inform the ICT coordinator, who will in turn inform Stockton ICT Unit (OneIT)
The school computers are only used for schoolwork and homework. All Internet activity should be
appropriate to staff professional use.
E-mail
Pupils can send and receive email messages under the direct supervision of a member of staff. All
email messages will be polite, appropriate and responsible. The ICT coordinator can check
messages which are sent between pupils and adults to ensure proper use of the email system.
Pupils are not allowed to give their home address or telephone number, or to arrange to meet
someone unless the contact has been established alongside a member of staff as part of their
school work such as and educational visit or charity work and this is closely monitored at all times.
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Physical Education and Sport
We feel it is important to offer children a range of different sporting opportunities. We teach
according to the National Curriculum, and include different sports coaches where we can. We
currently employ ‘Sporting Chance’ coaches to offer dance, gymnastics and multi sports. Children in
Year 4 go swimming. We also take part in competitions throughout the year to encourage some
healthy competition!
We feel that all these opportunities contribute to developing personal qualities such as cooperation, fairness, commitment and enthusiasm. Schools are funded additionally to provide
opportunities for children to partake in competitions, active lifestyles and to enable teachers to
receive training in elements of physical education. At lunchtimes, sporting activities run by
qualified coaches are on offer to children from Y2-6
The teaching of Sex and Relationship Education at school
At St. John the Baptist Primary school we value the importance of sex and relationship education
in helping and supporting the young people of our school through their physical, emotional and
moral development.
Through our SRE teaching we believe children should:
•
Develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships.
•
Be able to name parts of the body, including the specific names for their reproductive
organs, and describe how their bodies work.
•
Be able to protect themselves and ask for help and support.
•
Be prepared for puberty.
SRE teaching will be delivered in a number of different ways: circle time, Science lessons and
specific focused sessions on Sex and relationships. If you have any questions regarding this area
of your child’s education please feel free to discuss the focus of the SRE curriculum with their
class teacher.
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Religious Education
We follow the Stockton Agreed Syllabus for RE with some elements of the Durham Diocesan
scheme
Aut 1
Belonging
Stockton
Aut2
Christmas
Stockton
Spring 1
Hinduism
Stockton
Y2
The Quran
Stockton
Christmas
Stockton
Sikhism
Stockton
Spring 2
Easter and
Palm Sunday
Stockton
Easter
Stockton
Y3
Harvest
Durham
Christmas
Durham
The Bible
Stockton
Easter
Durham
Y4
Buddhism
Stockton
Christmas
Stockton
Easter
Durham
Y5
The Bible
Durham
Christmas
Durham
Are all
churches the
same?
Durham
Jesus the
teacher
Durham
Y6
Life as a
journey
Durham
Christmas
Durham
Eucharist
Durham
Easter
Durham
Y1
Easter
Durham
Summer 1
Mohammed/
Islam
Stockton
Jesus and
his disciples
Stockton
Jews and
the Passover
Stockton
Islam
Stockton
Summer 2
Hinduism
Stockton
Women in
the old
testament/L
oss death
and hopeDurham
Ascension
and
Pentecost
Durham
An other religion
(Buddhism/Sikhis
m)?
Stockton
Hinduism
Stockton
Islam/mosques
Stockton
Islam
Stockton
Ideas about God
People of faith
Durham
Art-compare and
contrast
Christianity,
Islam and one
other religion.Buddhism/Sikhis
m?
Stockton
The Education Act 1996 states that an Agreed Syllabus must reflect that the religious traditions in Great
Britain are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the teachings and practices of the other principal
religions represented in Great Britain. For the purposes of this syllabus, these other religions include
Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. The syllabus must be non-denominational and must not be
designed to convert or urge a particular religion or religious belief on pupils, but teaching about different
denominations is not prohibited.
Religious Education must be taught to all registered pupils in maintained schools (not nursery) with the
exception of those pupils withdrawn by their parents. If you wish to withdraw your children from RE
sessions, please come and discuss this with Mrs Coe, Head Teacher.
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School Visits
Educational visits are a valuable resource to support many areas of the curriculum. We try to fund
as many school trips as possible and only ask for occasional and small contributions from parents.
The Governing Body agreed that were funding not to be made available from the school budget
then we may ask for a contribution to the cost from parents. This contribution would be voluntary
and children would not be denied access to an educational visit because of financial difficulties.
However, if there were a number of children who could not pay for a trip then it would have to be
cancelled. Parents must complete consent slips before a child is taken out of school; failure to do
this will result in the child remaining in school.
A Risk Assessment is completed by staff before any visit takes place to ensure all reasonable risks
are considered. Children whose behaviour is extremely challenging may be excluded from a visit if
the teacher feels that they would place themselves or others at risk by going; in some cases this
may result in parents being asked to accompany their child.
Photographs
All parents are asked to sign a Parental Consent Form for use of Pupil Images. This gives us
permission to take photographs in school and use them in displays and to celebrate achievement.
We take care not to identify personal details if photographs are used with a wider audience.
School Council
Our school council are elected from Y2-Y6 each Autumn term. They work closely with a teacher to
share ideas about our school, fundraise and help to improve school for the children. The elected
members from each class, meet together and discuss any problems or issues that have arisen in
their class. They meet regularly with the Governing Body to update them on their plans and
progress.
Parent/Teacher Consultation Evenings
We hold consultation evenings in the Autumn and Summer term, where we invite you to make an
appointment to discuss your child, their progress, achievements and behaviour. In the Spring term,
you receive a full written report. If you wish to also make an appointment to discuss the report,
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then you are very welcome to do so. At any other time of the school year, should you wish to
discuss anything, you are very welcome to do so and should make an appointment with your child’s
teacher in the first instance.
Complaints Procedure
There is a procedure for considering complaints from parents. We follow the Model Policy issued
by Stockton Local Authority and this can be accessed from the school office. The concern should
be raised with the head teacher and where the issue has not been resolved a formal complaint may,
if appropriate, be referred to the governing body. If subsequent investigations fail to finally
resolve the matter then a complaint may be referred to the Local Authority.
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Health and Safety at St John the Baptist School
We do all that we can to make sure that the children are safe in school and ask you to help with a number of
things.
We ask that all visitors and parents to our school site follow the guidance notes below:

There is no smoking (including e-cigarettes) anywhere on the school premises (inside or outside).

Dogs are not allowed on the school grounds. Do not leave your dog unattended by the school gate.

There is no parking for parents on the school site. The car parking spaces around the site are for
staff only.

At the end of the day please wait in the playground for your child. We will bring the children out to
you and stay with them until they are safely collected.

When you are waiting for your child please keep younger children with you at all times. We cannot be
held responsible for children wandering away from you, hurting themselves or getting lost.

Please keep all your children off the railings, steps and walls around school. While the children are in
school they know they may not climb on them so please help us to reinforce this.

Before and after school please ensure that your children don‘t play with balls or ride on bikes or
scooters in the playground. The playgrounds can become very congested and accidents can happen.
Scooters and bikes must be pushed on school grounds.

Children are the responsibility of parents before school doors open and after we close at the end of
the day.
If you experience any problems when using our school please let us know so we can rectify the problem.
Thank you for your help with these health and safety rules and for your co-operation.
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