School Brochure 2010

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School Brochure 2010
Burnham Copse Primary School Newchurch
Road, Tadley, RG26 4HN
Telephone [phone]
email adminoffice_at_bcp.hants.sch.uk
Website www.burnhamcopse.co.uk
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Quick guide to finding information
Page 1 Contact details and logo Page 3 About
us Page 4 Map, Registration and Assemblies Page
5 General Expectations Page 6 Operational Details
Page 7 Rewards and Sanctions Page 8 Class
Names Page 9 Breakfast and After-school
C2lub Page 10 The School Day Page 11 Trips and
Visits Page 12 Science Park Page 13 The Staff
Team Page 14 The Governing Body Page
15 Attendance Expectations Page 16 17 Parent
Partnerships Page 18 Food and Drink in
School Page 19 School Uniform Page 20 Pastoral
Care Page 21 Curriculum ICT RE Page
22 Curriculum Literacy Page 23 Curriculum
Mathematics and Science
Page 24 Curriculum Physical Educaion Page
25 Curriculum DT, History and Geography Page
26 Curriculum Music and PSHME Page
27 Curriculum Art Page 28 Special Educational
Needs Page 29 Assessment, Target-setting
Homework Page 30 Reporting to Parents
Local Authority Details
Equality of opportunity The school operates at
all times as fully Inclusive and with due regard
for Equal Opportunities, Racial Equality and
Community Cohesion. Copies of all policies are
available on the website at www.burnhamcopse.co.uk
or on request from the school office.
Please visit our website, www.burnhamcopse.co.uk
, for more comprehensive information and picture
galleries.
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About Us
At Burnham Copse Primary School we have a
child-centred approach where tasks in the
classroom are designed to be challenging,
interesting and fun, enabling the children to
achieve well. Our school is a bright, modern and
well-equipped building containing facilities for
specialist teaching of cooking, art, pottery,
design technology, science and ICT.
We have lovely grounds which we are continuously
developing to enable us to take learning into the
outdoors. Our Science Park is now fully
operational and there are more plans in place for
the exploration of physical sciences at
first-hand.
We are situated on Newchurch Road in Tadley. Our
catchment area consists of the whole of the AWE
estates in Tadley and Baughurst, as far as the
Hampshire / Berkshire border, the area between
and adjacent to the above estates as well as the
majority of the village of Baughurst, Mount
Pleasant and the area between Mount Pleasant and
Franklin Avenue.
Visits to the school are welcomed. Open Days for
the Reception Class of 2011 are on 23rd and 29th
September from 9.30am 11.30am, but we are happy
to show people around at any time. Please
telephone for an appointment on 0118 9814498.
Our school is a warm, friendly and welcoming
place where we place children and their learning
at the heart of everything we do. We pride
ourselves on our caring ethos and our
after-school care and sporting clubs.
2010/2011 INSET Days 1st November 2010 4th
January 2011 8th April 2011 6th June 2011 27th
July 2011
Please visit http//www3.hants.gov.uk/education/sc
hools/schoolholidays.htm for this years term
dates
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Map, Registration and Assemblies
Registration All external doors are locked for
security at 9am. Any child arriving at school
after this time must go to the main school
entrance and register at the office. Punctual
arrival at school is fundamental to achievement
and parents are asked to ensure their children
are in school in good time or telephone the
school office immediately if there is a
problem. Any child arriving at school after 9.10
has to be marked as an unauthorised absence
unless we have been informed of a reason.
Where to find us!
Collection of children from school All children
in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (Robin,
Wren, Nuthatch and Woodpecker classes) are only
released from school directly to a known adult by
the class teacher. Each September, we ask you to
inform us of any adults you authorise to collect,
your child. A message can be left with the office
as no child is released without this
permission. In Key Stage 2 (Goldfinch, Swallow,
Siskin and Magpie classes) we ask that you inform
us if you authorise your child to leave the
premises without an adult and either walk home or
meet an adult elsewhere. We strongly advise that
any child walking home does so in the company of
other children.
Assemblies Assemblies in school are of a mainly
Christian, but non-denominational, nature.
Parents have the right to withdraw their child
from this daily Act of Worship and should inform
the Head Teacher if they wish to exercise this
right.
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General Expectations
If all of our children are to achieve their full
potential, we, as the responsible adults, need to
nurture and encourage the development of trust,
respect, confidence, self-esteem and the desire
to learn.
Our school is a place which revolves around the
needs of the children - intellectual, physical,
emotional, spiritual, social and cultural.
All children have a right to expect to achieve a
good level of basic skills to enable them to
fully access the outside world. and workplace.
The pace of change in our lives is so great
that we do not know what they will need in their
lives beyond good social skills, an ability to
think for themselves and a love of learning.
We encourage children to think for themselves and
make decisions in a variety of contexts
throughout their schooling. Active teaching of
the different types of thinking is part of the
curriculum. Alongside this, we teach skills of
evaluation, reflection and analysis.
We aim for children to be excited by a curriculum
that is well-designed to suit their needs,
interests and aptitudes. We set activities that
are relevant, meaningful and pitched at a level
that builds confidence and presents a challenge
at all times for all children.
As part of the planned curriculum, we give
children opportunities for independent research
and investigation. This includes compilation and
presentation of their work to a variety of
audiences.
To support motivation we have firmly embedded
systems for positive rewards that are accessible
to all children and based on this notion of
best.
Our school ethos revolves around high
expectations for everyone to achieve their best
at all times and in all things.
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Operational Details
As a primary school, we provide educational care
for children from 4 11 years old. The children
are divided into classes of no more than 30 in
Foundation and Key Stage 1, and no more than 34
in Key Stage 2.
All of our classes have a full-time qualified
teacher and a full-time learning support
assistant (LSA). Teachers work closely with their
Assistants, directing their time carefully to
ensure that children receive appropriate support
at all times.
Our published admission number (PAN) is 30.
Details of the school catchment area are
available from the school office or our website.
We have a themed approach, where we fit as many
strands of learning together as we can to provide
relevance and meaning to learning. Our topics are
blocked to follow Science, Geography and History
foci, with Literacy and Numeracy running
alongside as specific teaching units.
Children start school in the September following
their fourth birthday.
We follow the admissions policy as agreed by the
Hampshire Education Authority and published in
the Annual Guide to Applying for a School Place.
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Rewards and Sanctions
Our Reward System Children receive stars for good
work or behaviour which are saved on a chart.
Every page filled with stars earns a gold Head
Teacher Award. Work that is particularly
commendable, or a marker of a personal milestone,
earns an award directly. Year 6 have a reward
system that dovetails into our policy, but also
acknowledges the need to develop and enhance
their maturity.
Achievement Certificates These are awarded to two
children in each class at the end of each half
term. In years 5 and 6, certificates are awarded
to children achieving the highest marks in end of
term tests.
General Behaviour We expect high standards of
behaviour from our children in all things and at
all times. We have clearly communicated policies
and systems to ensure consistent expectations of
discipline and behaviour, which encourage
children to think about their behaviour and the
impact it has on others. The agreed policies are
available from the school office, or from our
website. In brief, children who choose to
misbehave receive a verbal warning. If the
behaviour continues, their name is written on the
board. Any further infringement results in being
sent to the Head Teacher to explain their
behaviour and identify why they should be making
better choices.
Corporate Awards Classes can be awarded marbles
for good working attitudes. These marbles are
accumulated over time and can be traded for a
special treat, agreed with the teacher, such as
extra playtime. At the end of every week, the
class with the most marbles wins Bernie, a
large teddy bear, which they keep for a week.
Individual Awards There are three categories of
Award Bronze, worth three stars. Silver, worth
four stars. Gold,, worth five stars.
Parent partnership If a child is sent to the Head
Teacher twice in one week, or misdemeanours are
of a more serious nature (such as bullying),
parents are asked to come into school to discuss
and agree a joint approach to the problem.
Eyries in school We have four Eyries (Houses) in
school. Individual awards also count towards
Eyrie points full details can be found on our
website.
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Class Names
Children in our school are grouped into classes
named after garden birds. We chose this theme
largely because of the abundance of wildlife in
and around our lovely grounds, but it also links
historically to the woodland nature of the area.
Robin Our Reception class (sometimes called
the Foundation Stage). Children in the first year
of their schooling follow a specially-developed
curriculum which enables them to continue their
early learning experiences through a variety of
first-hand experiences. This highly structured
play-based curriculum underpins all ten
curriculum subjects through six areas of
learning. We want the children to enjoy school
from their very first day and work closely with
parents to ensure that their early experiences
are happy ones. To this end, we are very flexible
in terms of children coming to school in the
first few months, following a staggered-entry
approach which ensures children are not too
tired. Details can be arranged with the class
teacher to suit individual response.
Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Wren These are mixed
classes of both year 1 and year 2 children this
year, but sometimes changes to take account of
pupil numbers. Because of the highly
individualised learning programmes we follow,
teaching children of two year groups within the
same class is as effective as single-age
classes. Year 1 is the start of formal schooling,
when the children move out of the foundation
stage curriculum and start to follow the National
Curriculum. By Year 2, we expect the children
to have acquired a good understanding in the
basic skills of reading, writing and number.
Learning becomes a little more formal, but we aim
to keep first-hand and practical experience at
the heart of all we do.
Swallow and Goldfinch These classes are a mix of
pupils in years 3 and 4. Siskin This class is
for year 5 pupils, Magpie This class is for year
6 pupils.
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Breakfast and After School Club
Breakfast and After School Club (Starlings) We
currently run "Before and After School and
Holiday Club . Breakfast club runs from
7.30am 8.30am daily, After-school club runs
from 3.30pm 6.00pm. Holiday club runs between
7.30am -600pm, Monday to Friday, during most
school holidays. Further details, including
registration forms and prices, are available from
the school office. On our school website there
are copies of the latest newsletter, minutes from
the AGM, the Care Clubs constitution and
information about what the children have been
doing.
Club Manager Mrs Jackie Gregory Playworkers
Mrs Julie Aldwinckle Mrs Christine Jenkins
Miss Linda Stewart Miss
Donna Wallace
Jackie Gregory can be contacted through the
school office to arrange bookings, or telephone
0118 9814821 after school hours.
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The School Day
8.30 The doors are opened and children
arriving at school are expected to come straight
into class through the front entrances. Parents
are encouraged to come into class with children
and stay to join in with an activity until 9am.
9.00 Registration 9.10 - 10.25 The first
teaching session 10.25 10.45 Assembly 10.45
11.00 Morning break 11.00 12.00 The
second teaching session 12.00
1.00 Lunchtime 1.00 2.00 The third
teaching session 2.00 2.15 Afternoon
break 2.15 3.20 The fourth teaching
session for Key Stage 1 2.15 3.30 The
fourth teaching session for Key Stage 2 On a
Friday afternoon there is a whole-school Assembly
at 2.45pm when parents are invited to join us.
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Trips and Visits
Experiential and Active Learning We operate on
the principle that children with active bodies
have active minds. The curriculum is planned to
enable children to be as active as possible,
appropriate to age, with opportunities for moving
around, investigating and exploring ideas in as
many ways as possible. The school is set in
extensive grounds with several hard play areas
which are zoned for playtimes.
Trips and Visits We plan for a variety of trips
and visits to support the childrens learning
throughout the school year. The Reception year
have opportunities to explore the grounds and
immediate locality of the school, with at least
one day trip to somewhere such as the Blue Reef
Aquarium or Finkley Down Farm. By Year 1,
children are ready to start exploring a little
further afield and we try to incorporate at least
two trips to different attractions.
We have a large sports field for football and
other team games, with regular visiting coaches
for dance and rugby. Our Science Park is a
wonderful new addition and we follow a swimming
programme for pupils in year 5, using the
facilities at the local pool. We also bring in
visitors to support learning in all subject
areas.
By year 2, the children have at least one trip
out per term to places of interest that support
their curriculum studies. We ask all parents to
sign a permission slip in September each year
which enables us to take the children out and
about in the local area. Children in Key Stage 2
have residential trips in addition to the day
excursions. Venues booked for this year are Ferny
Croft activities centre for years 3 and 4, and a
Youth Hostel in Derbyshire for years 5 and 6
which will include trips to various local
attractions. Our website has links to some of our
venues.
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Science Park
Our new Science Park was developed in the area of
the old swimming pool. It contains a variety of
equipment to enable exploration and investigation
of physical sciences.
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The Staff Team
Head Teacher Mrs Lyn Downes Assistant Head
Teachers - Mrs Ali Armstrong and Mr Lee
Branscombe Classroom Staff Robin Mrs Mary
Andrews and Mrs Jane Jones supported by Mrs
Christine Jenkins Woodpecker Mrs Helen Trott
and Mrs Rebekah Alsey (GTP) supported by Mrs
Veronica Angwin Wren Mr Tim Cooke supported
by Mrs Debra Read and Mrs Sandra Page Nuthatch
Mrs Ali Armstrong supported by Mrs Jackie
Gregory. Swallow Miss Grace Davidge supported
by Mrs Chris Miles. Goldfinch Mrs Vickie Beech
and Mr Richard Dutton (GTP) supported by Mrs
Teresa Pleass Magpie Mr Lee Branscombe and Mr
Richard Cox (GTP) supported by Miss Linda
Stewart Siskin Mrs Alison Thomas and Mrs Karen
McKenzie supported by Mrs Julie
Aldwinckle. Additional Teacher Mrs Pam
Clark Special Educational Needs Coordinator Mrs
Karen Sly, supported by Mrs Julie Sutton-Lawes,
Miss Donna Wallace and Mrs Sarah Vallins.
Site team Admin Officer Mrs Fay Stanley,
supported by Mrs Tracey Grigoleit and Mrs Sandra
Page. Site Manager Mr Howard Ambler,
supported by Mrs Lyn Davies, Miss Sylvia Martin,
Mrs Tracey Smerdon and Mrs Chrisdina Tessier.

• GTP stands for Graduate Teacher
• Programme these people are training as teachers
  whilst working in school.

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The Governing Body
It is the governors' intention that the school
should offer, in its curriculum, those activities
designed to encourage and promote the
intellectual, personal, social and physical
development of its pupils. The governors
consider it important that each pupil is
presented with a broad balanced and relevant
range of areas of learning and experience during
their time in this school. This should vary in
accordance with the pupil's maturity and ability,
to enable development in each area. Each major
component should have breadth and relevance and
be planned in such a way that pupils acquire
knowledge, skills, understanding and the capacity
to make informed judgements.
The Role of the Governors The Governors of the
school are primarily responsible for improving
the quality of education and the standards of
achievement within the school. They work with the
Head Teacher to provide a strategic overview of
teaching and learning, ensure accountability in
all aspects of Burnham Copse Primary School and,
at the same time, act as a critical friend in the
overall interests of the school and its
pupils. The Governing Body consists of people
who are interested in education and give their
time generously and voluntarily to supporting the
school. Within a governing body there are parent
representatives who are elected by the parents of
the school. The normal term of office for a
Governor is four years from election. The
Governors meet a minimum of twice a term. Several
sub-committees have been established, which meet
regularly.
Parent Governors Karen Cleaver David Foley Dawn
Hauge-Brown Jason Miles Tracey Neilson
Local Authority Governors Penny Waterfield
(Chair) Mike Christmas
Staff Governors Lee Branscombe Howard Ambler
Community Governors Chris Elkins Cllr Mike
Bound David Read Celia Roper
Lyn Downes, Head Teacher, elects to be a member
of the Governing Body.
Freedom of Information Act We make every effort
to communicate effectively and make information
available. Under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act (2000), Parents may make a
request in writing to the Head Teacher for
available information. Any request will be dealt
with in accordance with the requirements of the
law. Please note that some information is exempt
from disclosure under the law. A copy of our
Freedom of Information statement is available
on request from the school office.
Penny Waterfield, Chair of Governors, can be
contacted through the school office.
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Attendance Expectations
The school year There are three terms in a school
year, with a break in the middle of each term.
This generally gives blocks of approximately six
weeks. A calendar of dates for the year is
included at the end of this brochure. Our website
is regularly updated to inform you of what is
going on. Every December, you are able to buy a
calendar giving you the pre-planned dates for the
year.
Attendance and school terms
Attending school Children are expected to attend
school regularly, with parents observing the
published start and finish times for each Key
Stage.
When to arrive The school doors open at 8.30,
with Registration at 9am. Any child arriving
after this time is marked as late . If they
arrive after 9.10, a mark of unauthorised
absence is recorded for the morning session.
Holidays in term-time Application for leave
during term time can only be authorised in
exceptional circumstances. We ask that careful
thought is given to the impact of this missed
time on your childs schooling. For every week
taken out of term-time, a child misses out on
at least two weeks of learning due to the time
taken to re-adjust to school routines. For
children in years 2 and 6, February - June
represents crucial revision time before National
tests are taken. Please avoid taking leave during
these five months at all costs. Any application
for leave should be made on the form available
from the school office. The Head Teacher has the
right to refuse to authorise such requests.
Exclusions It may, in exceptional circumstances,
be considered necessary to exclude a pupil from
attendance at school. Parents have the right to
make representations to the Governing Body if
they consider the exclusion to be unreasonable.
Parents may, on request, obtain a copy of the
information booklet, A Parents Guide to
Exclusions from the school office.
Letting us know We request that the office and/or
the class teacher are informed of a planned late
arrival (preferably the day before) such as a
doctor's or dentist's appointment as then the
child will receive an authorised absent mark.
Attendance The school has to make regular returns
on all absences. We ask that if a child is unable
to attend school for any reason, we are informed
by telephone on the first day of absence. It is
our policy to check on the second day if
notification has not been received. In the case
of children who are regularly late or their
absence rate is above average, the Educational
Welfare Officer will be asked to investigate.
Plan your time away in the school holidays please!
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Parent Partnerships
Sharing At the beginning of each day, parents are
welcomed into the classroom to work alongside
their child on a set task. Every Friday there
is a sharing Assembly to which parents are
invited.
We aim to work in close co-operation with our
parents at all times. We all want the best for
the children and can achieve this more easily by
working closely together and maintaining good
communication links.
Parents Evenings There are two formal, planned
opportunities for parent consultations with
teachers, one in October and another in April.
Communication We are always willing to arrange
for discussions needing more time than that
available at the start of the day and respond to
any such request as soon as possible.

Parent Booklets Curriculum information sheets are
sent home at the beginning of every term to
inform parents of the learning focus or theme,
together with ideas for learning at home and
useful family visits that can be made to enrich
experiences.
Annual Report There is an opportunity for
discussion with the class teacher following the
issue of the annual report in July.
Parent Meetings Meetings are held in September
each year when parents are invited to come and
meet with their child's class teacher and find
out more about the expectations of, and plans
for, children in the class during the year.
Text and Email We ask parents to register for our
email and texting service, which enables us to
send communications directly to you, or give
reminders of forthcoming events.
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Parent Partnerships
Work shadow There are regular opportunities for
parents to work shadow their child in class.
Dates are published well in advance. However, we
are always happy to welcome parent observers into
the classroom by arrangement.
Meetings We hold regular meetings to inform
parents of our approaches to the curriculum.
These are normally held at the end of the school
day, although other times can be arranged to
suit. The main aim of these meetings is to keep
parents both informed about the childrens
learning in school and to listen to ideas,
suggestions and improvements we can make to our
communication systems.
Helping Helping in school and working alongside
the children is both rewarding and informative.
Although a regular commitment is appreciated,
teachers are always happy to accept offered help
on a less frequent basis. Parents are asked to
speak to their class teacher or register their
willingness to help at the school office.
The Aviary We have a thriving PTA group called
The Aviary who plan and run a variety of
exciting events throughout the year. Mrs
Charlotte Coleman, Chair of the group, is always
happy to have new members. She can be contacted
through the school office.
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Food and Drink in School
Food and drink in school
School Lunch Hot meals are provided at lunchtime
at a cost of 2.00, payable in advance or on
Mondays at the office. Any money sent to school
should be in a named envelope and handed directly
to the class teacher for safekeeping.
Packed lunch Packed lunches should be sent in a
compact box, preferably with an ice-pack, as the
school does not have cool areas for food
storage. Please keep the size of lunchboxes to
the minimum and make sure they contain a healthy
balance of food for your child.
Snacks Key Stage 1 children are provided with
fruit free of charge, Key Stage 2 children may
place an order for mid-morning fruit at a cost of
10p per day. Fruit can be brought from home to
eat at morning break as a snack. No other food
items are permitted as mid-morning snacks.
Drinks Children under five are provided with a
carton of milk free of charge each day. All
other children in the school can be registered to
have a carton of milk at the cost of 16p a
day. Filtered water is freely available in all
classrooms. Cans and bottles of fizzy drinks
should not be sent into school at any time.
Healthy eating We encourage our children to be
aware of, and follow, healthy eating patterns.
If your child is a fussy eater, please come
into school and discuss it with us children
will often try new things when they are with
their friends!
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School Uniform
P.E. Kit White T-shirt and black shorts.
Tracksuits in a dark colour for KS2 sports in
winter. Plimsolls or trainers for outside games
(not needed for KS1 until May of each
year). Draw-string bag to keep P.E. kit in.
All indoor P.E sessions are in bare feet. P.E.
kit should be in school from Monday to Friday
each week.
School Uniform
Our school colours are jade green and black and
we expect children to wear uniform.
Uniform comprises Jade cardigan or sweatshirt
embroidered with the school logo. White or jade
polo-shirt. Black trousers, tailored shorts for
all, black skirts or culottes. Green gingham
dresses may be worn in the summer.
Shoes Shoes should be black, sturdy and suitable
for running and climbing, with heels no higher
than 3cm. Sandals in summer need to be of a
robust design and fastened securely.
Jewellery Jewellery should not be worn to school.
We strongly discourage ear-rings in school as
they present a health and safety risk. If
ear-rings cannot be removed and left at home,
they must be small, plain studs. Parents must
provide tape which will be used to cover them up
during P.E. and games sessions. Watches are
permissible, but remain the sole responsibility
of the child.
Hair Hair should be tied back neatly if it is
longer than collar-length (girls and boys) in
such a way as to ensure it does not fall over
work (this also aids in the prevention of the
spread of head-lice). Streaked or highlighted
hair is not permitted in school. Hairstyles
should be sensible and work-like.
Other items available with the school logo Book
bags Fleece coats Baseball caps.
All items of Uniform can be purchased from
Skoolkit in Basingstoke or from the website at
www.skoolkit.co.uk
these items are available with the school logo
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Pastoral Care
Collection Children in Key Stage 1 should be
collected from outside of the classroom door at
3.20pm. They will not be released to anyone under
the age of sixteen unless there are exceptional
circumstances, agreed in advance with the Head
Teacher.
Personal safety We want our children to be happy,
safe and secure at all times in school. It is
important that we maintain up-to-date information
on all our children. We do ask you to give us a
telephone number where you can be contacted at
all times. Update sheets are sent out at the
beginning of every school year, but please make
sure we are informed of any changes immediately
.
Leaving school premises No child may leave the
school premises, unaccompanied, during school
hours. In Key Stage 1, we will not let your child
go home with anyone unless we have been given
parental permission. If circumstances change, or
you know you are going to be late, we ask that a
phone call be made to the school office.
Children in Key Stage 2 are released from
classrooms at 3.30pm and trusted to meet up with
a parent or walk home as authorised. However, we
are more than happy to apply the same rules as
Key Stage 1 on parental request.
Medicines We will administer medicines on receipt
of written instructions and permission from a
parent. Medicines must be delivered and collected
from the school office by an adult.
Internal Security At 9am, all doors are secured
and entrance to the school is through the main
office door only. If you are collecting or
delivering a child outside of the normal times,
we ask that you use this door.
Sickness If your child has suffered from sickness
or diarrhoea during the night please keep them at
home during the following day to avoid the spread
of infection.
Money in School We ask that any money that is
brought to school is in a named envelope and
given to the class teacher or the office staff
for safekeeping. We cannot be responsible for
money left in childrens care. We have an
accounting system in school which enables parents
to lodge an amount in advance for lunch money,
which is then debited when the child has a school
lunch. We also operate a savings scheme
towards the cost of school trips-just ask at the
office.
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Curriculum ICT and RE
The school curriculum
The curriculum is everything we teach the
children in school. All state schools are
required to follow the Foundation Stage Profile
in Year R (the first year) and the National
Curriculum from Year 1 until the end of formal
education. The documentation we follow is
comprehensively detailed and sets a system to
ensure that children progress in their learning
in all subjects. More information is available
from government websites or through the
school. Everything we do in school is documented
as a policy which is a statement of the practice
we follow. These policies are published on our
website or can be requested from the school
office.
The Core Subjects
Information Communication Technology (ICT) ICT
is used extensively to support and underpin all
other curriculum areas. Educational software is
used across the curriculum and in all classrooms
to enhance learning opportunities. We use
packages for word processing, data handling,
simulation and control .We have a high ratio of
computers for use in classrooms. Other ICT used
in school to enrich learning include Digiblues
(video cameras for children), audio recorders,
cameras and classroom whiteboard technology.
Religious Education (RE) We follow the
Hampshire Agreed Syllabus for RE study which
covers a variety of religious beliefs and
customs, including Hinduism and Judaism but with
an emphasis on the Christian faith. Our
principal aims are to enable children to
understand the nature of religious beliefs and
practices as well developing each child's own
spirituality. Parents have a right to ask for
their child to be withdrawn from RE lessons.
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Curriculum Literacy
Literacy We aim to develop literacy skills from
the earliest times in school, as they underpin
all aspects of the curriculum. Literacy skills
include speaking and listening, reading,
handwriting, spelling and correct word usage. We
encourage creative language through story and
poetry writing and drama. This develops capacity
for creative writing skills. Speaking and
Listening is the foundation of our society and is
a key skill which we need to encourage and
develop in everything we do in school. As
appropriate to age, we have role play areas,
drama sessions, discussions and debates. We
expect children to learn to listen and respond
appropriately in a range of situations and give
every opportunity we can to encourage confident
speaking to a range of audiences.
Reading Reading is fostered and encouraged from
the earliest times in school, with a variety of
approaches being used to both respond to
individual learning styles and to provide tools
for decoding words. We have a well-stocked
library of structured reading books, information
books and fiction to suit all ages and interests.
Children are encouraged to take books home to
share with parents.
Spelling Spelling programmes in school build on
early phonics teaching, with letter strings and
patterns taught in a structured progression.
Creative Writing Creative writing is a skill
which develops on from the strands above. We
support and encourage children to communicate
ideas in a variety of ways and purposes.
Handwriting Handwriting is taught as a cursive
script with flicks in the initial stages which
rapidly lead to a neat, joined style. Phonic
skills are taught alongside handwriting skills.
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Curriculum Mathematics and Science
Mathematics Mathematics in school is taught as
two distinct units. Numeracy Numeracy teaching
covers the knowledge, skills and understanding of
the number system. Children need to develop
confidence in managing and manipulating numbers
in a variety of ways as a fundamental life skill.
We teach numeracy skills in a structured and
carefully planned way throughout the school to
enable all children to develop a confident
understanding of numbers and mathematical
concepts. Numeracy teaching is carried out in
carefully differentiated groups to ensure that
all children are stretched and challenged.
Shape and Space Mathematics is about recognising
shape and pattern in things and, as such,
encompasses a great many areas of our lives. In
recognition of this, we teach shape and space in
all sorts of different ways and across all
subject areas.
Science We follow a rich and varied science
curriculum which encourages children to explore
ideas and make sense of the world around them,
aiming for our studies to be based on hands on
experience, investigation and experimentation. Th
e Science curriculum has four units of study
Use and Apply, Physical Processes, Materials
and their Properties and Life and Living
Processes. Science is a core subject in school
and, as such, has an identified portion of
curriculum time. We aim to teach the children
to think carefully about what they are doing,
challenging themselves and accepted ideas in
their exploration and investigation.
24
Games - begins with teaching ball skills and then
moves on to other apparatus such as ropes and
hoops. By Year 1, children are introduced to
simple team games and competitive sport. These
skills are then honed and developed through the
rest of the school as blocked units on team games
including football, netball, rugby and hockey for
both boys and girls.
Curriculum Physical Education
Physical Education as a subject is split into
three strands
Dance follows a set progression of activities
to encourage expressive use of the body in
response to sound. During dance lessons, children
listen to a wide range of music. Dance is often
linked to the learning theme
Gymnastics is a range of body mobility
activities which include floor work as well as
agility work on apparatus. We have a good range
of equipment for the childrens use and blocks of
gymnastics teaching underpin the following block
of Dance.
All PE lessons during the colder months for Key
Stage 1 take place in the hall in bare feet. As
soon as the weather is warm and dry enough, games
sessions are held on the field and playground and
sports footwear is needed.
Extra-Curricular Sports Clubs Children from Year
1 onwards are encouraged to hone their games
skills and fitness by attending our after-school
sports clubs which include football, tag-rugby,
netball, tennis, multiskills and country
dancing. We maintain full links with our local
Sports Partnership and the children benefit
throughout the year from extra coaching. Full
details of our sports clubs are available on our
website.
We have a good range of outdoor equipment for
physical play and children have access to all
facilities on a rota basis during break times and
lunchtimes.
Key Stage 2 games sessions are held outside in
all but the most inclement weather and children
are asked to bring suitable footwear and dark
tracksuits as appropriate.
25
Curriculum DT, History and Geography
Design Technology (DT) Opportunities for the
children to develop skills in Design Technology
are planned into topic units as appropriate.
Children are taught to follow the processes of
investigating, designing, constructing and
evaluating. They are given tasks which use a wide
variety of different materials including wood,
card, clay, paper, textiles and food. The
principles of safety, effective use of materials
and the selection of appropriate tools are all
carefully planned into the units of work. From
time to time, challenges are set to encourage
parents and children to work on a task together.
Work completed is displayed at an exhibition.
History History in Key Stage 1 is about
encouraging children to make comparisons with the
past and begin to understand the passing of time.
Children also learn about significant events and
of the lives of identified famous people. In Key
Stage 2, we extend these skills by fostering an
awareness of the past, explaining ways in which
it is different from, and has influenced, the
present. We aim for children to develop a sense
of chronology, an understanding of their heritage
and a picture of the past. Children learn to look
for evidence from a wide variety of sources, and
are taught about significant events in the topic
they are studying. We aim to make History alive
and exciting for the children by incorporating as
many hands on experiences as possible. These
involve trips out to historical sites, the use of
historical costumes, role play and drama. Our
topics are planned to alternate between different
subject areas, with History sometimes being the
base for the study. Parents are encouraged to
help their children to find information for
topics from various sources. We also provide
ideas for various Family visits to sites of
special interest.
Geography We have study blocks for geographical
skills within our topic cycles which include
making maps and plans of the local area, weather
patterns and looking at the change of land use
over time. As with all teaching within school,
there is a structured programme for the teaching
of geographical skills. In Key Stage 1 we
encourage a knowledge and understanding of
environmental change and place. Children are
given opportunity to explore their own locality
and make comparisons with locations very
different to Tadley. Where possible, as much
first hand experience is planned and enjoyed. In
Key Stage 2 the children learn geographical
skills through map work, place studies and using
fieldwork techniques to study an aspect of the
local area. As they become older, studies are
widened to include European and developing
countries. The children explore how landscape and
climatic conditions influence land usage and the
lives of the local people. They conduct enquiries
on both local and international issues such as
the suitability of sites for a local supermarket
and the conflicting demands made on the
environment in areas such as the rain forest.
26
Curriculum Music and PSHME
Music We have a designated music room with a wide
range of musical instruments and music resources.
The children have first-hand experiences of
making music for themselves as well as a range of
opportunities to listen to and evaluate music
from different cultures and styles. Singing
skills are valued, with a planned practice
session each week to learn new songs, singing in
unison, in rounds and in two parts. Whenever
possible, we plan opportunities for children to
perform to a wide range of audiences both inside
and outside of the school environment.
Personal, Social, Health and Moral Education We
follow a careful structure for teaching of PSHME
in school. However, all aspects of the curriculum
for this area of learning are underpinned by our
school ethos and general expectations of the
school community. It is our policy to respond to
children's spontaneous questions with honesty,
using language appropriate to the child's stage
of development. This will relate to love, moral
values, family life, care of the body and care of
a baby.We are sensitive to the child's level of
understanding and experience and therefore are
careful not give more detailed information than
is appropriate. Through the Science curriculum,
children are introduced to the concepts of
reproduction in the context of renewing life and
the life cycle of creatures around them. Our
programmes of study are designed to equip
children with the knowledge to understand their
own bodies, keep healthy and have a regard for
the health of others. It strives to help children
make the right choices so that they lead a life
style that promotes physical and mental
well-being. Citizenship skills are developed
and extended as appropriate, with more emphasis
being given to this area as the children go
through the school. The legal requirement for
Sex and Relationships Education, covering puberty
and human reproduction, is delivered in the
spring term of Year 6 by the school
nurse. Parents are informed of the dates for
this unit of study and invited to view the
materials to be used. Parents have the right to
withdraw their children from Sex and
Relationships Education in school.
27
Curriculum Art and Design
Art and Design Opportunities for Art activities
are planned into the curriculum to match the
topic of study and to give a broad experience of
drawing, painting, printmaking and textiles.
Whenever possible, children are given first hand
experience of the objects, articles or forms they
are asked to represent and there are regular
opportunities to appreciate the works of great
artists. Each child has a sketch book which is
used for general skills practice as well as
recording patterns, shapes and colours. Teachers
actively model techniques to give children
confidence in producing quality work of which
they can be proud. Our school displays form a
kaleidoscope of the childrens work which is
changing constantly to reflect and celebrate our
rich and varied curriculum.
28
Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs Many children, at some
point in their educational career, will
experience some form of difficulty with their
learning. Our policy of teaching children in
small groups at an appropriate level
(differentiation), meets the needs of most
children who are experiencing problems with the
acquisition of skills. We are always very
sensitive to personal problems and aim to meet
all the needs of our children. However, some
children experience greater difficulty and the
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO),
will take a special overview of their needs. As
with all things in school, we work in close
partnership with parents to ensure that all
children are provided with the support they are
entitled to. Children identified as having
special educational needs have an Individual
Education Plan (IEP) drawn up and shared with
parents. This will identify targets for
achievement and their learning progress is
carefully tracked through an Action Plan. The
school follows the SEN Code of Practice, which
is available on request from the school office,
together with our policy for Special Educational
Needs.
Inclusivity and Accessibility The school is fully
inclusive and is equipped with disabled toilet
facilities and a lift which gives access to all
parts of the building.
Gifted and Talented Children who display
particular talents are also catered for in much
the same way. Teachers identify the children who
are learning at a faster pace and groupings
within class are sensitive to the higher levels
of skills and knowledge these children need to
acquire. Particularly Able children have an
individual education plan which is agreed in
close consultation with parents and sets targets
for pace and challenge.
Looked after and Vulnerable children The school
has firm policies in place for the support of
children who fall within these categories. Copies
of the policy are on the website or available
from the school office.
29
Assessment, Target-setting and Homework
Reading Assessment Learning to read is the most
important skill for a child and there is a
detailed booklet to chart progress. From the
teachers assessment of the childs skills,
knowledge and understanding, targets for the next
stage will be set and communicated to Parents in
the Home-School reading record. As soon as a
child is judged to be reading at level 3, reading
assessments follow a different format which
tracks coverage of genre and higher-order skills.
Assessment and testing in school
Assessment is the key to effective learning and
is an ongoing process in a variety of different
ways in school to retain an overview of a childs
progress and in order to teach at an appropriate
level. Every child joining the school will have
core Assessment booklets to track their progress
and set targets for their learning.
Parents who show interest in their childs
learning and give regular help at home enable
them to make better progress in school.
Homework Homework is set for all age groups in
school at an appropriate level, mostly in the
core subjects of Literacy and Numeracy, although
there are times when other assignments are set to
encourage children to enrich and extend their
learning. We value parental support for the
completion of homework as this provides an added
dimension both for the childrens learning and
home/school partnerships. There is a homework
club at lunchtimes on Thursday each week. Full
details of homework set for each year group,
together with a homework timetable, are available
from our website or the school office.
Tracking and Target-setting Teachers track and
report progress every half term in the core areas
of reading, writing, numeracy and science. These
assessments are available to Parents on
request. Parents are encouraged to complete a
half-termly topic evaluation with their child
from Year 1 onwards which provides a vehicle for
success to be celebrated and any areas for
targeting highlighted. All children are set
targets for their learning. These are available
for parents to share on request.
Testing in school During the course of the school
year, various assessments of a more formal or
statutory nature are carried out with groups of
children. These assessments are always carried
out with due regard for the child and in a
familiar setting to minimise any stress
factors. During Years 2 6, we are required to
undertake the Statutory testing known as SATs
(Standard Assessment Tasks). These tests are to
determine the effectiveness of the school
teaching rather than a reflection on the childs
ability. Children in Years 3, 4 and 5 undertake
the QCA test papers to enable us to track school
attainment against National standards.
30
Reporting to Parents / Local Authority Details
Reporting to Parents Our policy for parent
partnerships enable us to keep closely in touch
regarding the attitudes and progress of children.
In October and April of each year, all Parents
are encouraged to make a ten minute appointment
to discuss progress with the childs class
teacher. In June of each year, we send out an
individual written report for each child in the
school which details attitudes to learning,
social relationships, progress, levels of
achievement and targets for the future. During
the first half term of the academic year, we ask
parents to send us a report of their child which
covers such areas as likes and dislikes,
attitudes at home, friendships, families etc.
School policies All school policies are available
on our website at www.burnhamcopse.co.uk. Paper
copies can be obtained from the school office on
request.
Problems or Complaints If you have any worries or
queries concerning school life, please come and
speak to us as soon as possible. We aim to
respond to any such request within a day. Our
policy for the Management of Complaints is
available from the office or the website. Local
Education Authority (LA) details David
Hardcastle, Area Director Birch House Barley
Way Fleet
This prospectus was published in September
2010. It was correct at the time of going to
press but Government legislation, County Council
Policy and the particular circumstances of the
school might create the need for some
organisational changes and adjustment of policy.