Prospectus

Contact Details

General Information

Aims

Our Governors

Local Management of Schools L.M.S.

Public Access to Documents

School Administration

Organisation of the school

School Dress

School Meals

Contact Details

Littledean Church of England Primary School
Church Street
Littledean
Cinderford
Glos
GL14 3NL
Telephone/Fax: 01594 822171
E:Mail: littledeance@easymail.rmplc.co.uk


















































































































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General Information

This is a village co-educational day school for children aged between 4 - 11 years old.
Our school was originally built in 1848 and extended and refurbished in 1994 to meet modern educational needs. It has a large hall equipped with gymnastic apparatus, classrooms with purpose built practical areas, a library, two contrasting playgrounds and a grass and wooded bank. All provide a safe, happy, caring and well ordered environment, which is conducive to learning.
We don?t just welcome children at Littledean but through our Open Door Policy, their parents and families too. We work to be part of the community so that there is a real partnership of children, parents, staff, governors and friends to provide the best opportunities for every child.

MISSION STATEMENT
Littledean Primary School will become a quiet, calm and purposeful place for children, staff and parents.

Each individual will feel valued here and, in turn, be encouraged to value others.

Our work here will focus on enabling all children to reach their full academic potential and prepare them socially, morally, physically, and spiritually for the next stage in education. Back to top

Aims

Our Aims at Littledean are:-
* To ensure a happy, enjoyable and stimulating environment in which each child is aware of his/her special qualities and worth.

* To foster personal relationships and develop a caring empathy where children behave well which shows tolerance and respect for the school community. To achieve this children?s own contribution is valued.

* To broaden the experience for each child so that they can develop their own talents so as to reach their full potential at this time in their education.

* To encourage each child to be independent and work collaboratively developing an enquiring mind; logical rational thinking, self-confidence and self-discipline in all areas of school life.

* To provide a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum which meets the needs of the National Curriculum and the children, which is extended from time to time with extra curricular activities.

* To monitor the outcomes of the curriculum and its delivery.

* To challenge children in using I.T. skills.

* To develop an awareness of moral values and to develop a sense of spirituality.

* To help all children to achieve and progress well in relation to their ability and to monitor this carefully.

* To extend children?s knowledge and appreciation of their world and enable them to become active and responsible members of society.

* To use resources at our disposal efficiently to support the work of the school.

* To promote the physical and artistic development of each child.

* To work to create an involved school community. Back to top

Our Governors

The Governors are committed to the well being of our school. Individual members are frequently involved in the school. Their collective involvement is a vital part of the school?s continued growth and development.

Governors? meetings are held two or three times a term. The Headteacher?s report is presented, dealing with the current state of the school together with future plans and proposed curriculum/staff developments. Meetings now include an update on the annual budget analysis to monitor school finances. Additional sub-committees are organised when necessary.

The 1986 Education Act requires the Governing Body to hold an annual parents? meeting to discuss the Governors? Annual Report and the steps taken by the Headteacher, the LEA and the Governors in the ?discharge of their functions? in relation to the school. The report is required to be:

* as brief as is reasonably consistent with its contents

* in language other than English if the Governors decide or the LEA direct
free to all parents

* given to parents at least two weeks in advance of the meeting along with the date, time and venue for that meeting

* available at the school for inspection

Following the 1988 Education Reform Act, Governors are now responsible for delivering the National Curriculum as well as the appointment and dismissal of all staff. The Headteacher and the Local Education Authority assist them in the discharge of these duties. Back to top

Local Management of Schools L.M.S.

The 1988 Education Reform Act also gave the responsibility of organising the spending of the school budget to the Governing Body. The school pays for teachers and support staff, electricity/gas bills, telephone bills, internal decoration, books, equipment and just about everything else. The Local Education Authority (LEA) will still maintain the structure of the school building and step in if a school is declared to be failing or runs into serious difficulty due to mis-management. Back to top

Public Access to Documents

The Governors have a duty to allow parents to inspect the following documents:-

* Statutory Instruments and Circulars from the Department for Education relating to Governors? powers and duties.

* Any published O.F.S.T.E.D./H.M.I. reports on the school.

* Any school publications relating to the National Curriculum.

All these can be seen on request at the school office.


THE SCHOOL OPERATES A POLICY OF NO SMOKING ON THE SITE Back to top

School Administration

The School Day

Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2

8.45 a.m. - 12.20 p.m. 8.45 a.m. ? 12.30 p.m.
1.15 p.m. - 3.00 p.m. 1.15 p.m. - 3.00 p.m.

There is a morning playtime and sometimes an afternoon playtime.

Teaching hours per week

Infants 22 hours Juniors 23 ½ hours
The children should not arrive at school before 8.35 a.m. They enter into the back playground. Parents are asked to bring very young children into the classroom where they can settle the children before saying goodbye.

At the end of the day we ask you to collect your child promptly. If somebody different is going to collect your child from school - please let us know beforehand.

There is an open invitation for you to discuss your child?s progress or any problem in the following ways:-

* You may see the class teacher before or after school but because of teaching commitment, only urgent matters before 8.45am please.

* We are generally always available at 3.00 pm to talk to you.

* The Headteacher is available for discussion but please make an appointment if at all possible.

* Specific appointments can be made with teachers if required.

We are always pleased to talk to parents. We find that children?s learning is enhanced when there is a close link between child, parent and school and that this is especially so when children know that this link exists.

For reasons of safety we ask that those parents who bring their children to school by car to park at the back of the school off Oakway. Details are included on a separate sheet. Back to top

Organisation of the school

The age of your child dictates which year group s/he is in.

Infant children are known as:

Children aged 4+ - 5+ Reception - Foundation Level
5+ - 6+ Year 1 - Key Stage 1
6+ - 7+ Year 2 - Key Stage 1
Junior children are known as:

Children aged 7+ - 8+ Year 3 - Key Stage 2
8+ - 9+ Year 4 - Key Stage 2
9+ - 10+ Year 5 - Key Stage 2
10+ - 11+ Year 6 - Key Stage 2

In our school these children will normally be in three classes. They are taught in the open-plan unit by three full-time teachers.

All classes contain children of mixed ability who at times work as a class, in groups or individually. Class teachers are responsible for the educational progress of the children, together with their pastoral care and personal development.

The difference in each child?s stage of learning is provided by carefully planned work. Progress of individual children is monitored by the teacher using small scale tests and assessment through observation. Samples of work are regularly taken as a record of achievement. Back to top

School Dress

We have a preferred school uniform. The school uniform colours are grey and dark green as follows:-

Boys Girls
Shirts grey or white Blouses green, grey or white
Pullovers dark green Cardigans dark green
Trousers grey Skirts grey
Socks grey Pinafore dresses grey
Shoes dark (not open toed) Socks grey or white
Tights dark green
Shoes dark (not open toed)


Please help by naming every item of clothing.

Sweatshirts with school logo are available from school.

In cold weather girls may wish to wear trousers, but please, in recommended colours. Good quality, outgrown clothes are appreciated for the second hand clothes rail at school sales. Thank you!

You are requested not to send children to school in denim jeans, tracksuits or gaudy tee shirts.

Please provide your child with shoe bag, plimsolls, shorts (a T shirt/old shirt (men?s size) /overall for art and craft activities). Juniors will need swimming kit for part of the year.

Medical evidence suggests that dangling earrings are dangerous in school, so children with pierced ears are only allowed to wear one stud per ear lobe (which must be removed for swimming). No further body piercing is appropriate or acceptable at this age, neither is any form of tattoo. It should be noted that all jewellery, including watches, should be removed before PE lessons. If the child cannot remove earrings, then they must be covered with tape. For this reason, we strongly recommend that children do not come to school wearing jewellery. Back to top

School Meals

This is a contracted out service provided by Sodexho Catering Services. Cooked meals can be ordered for your child.

Children staying for cooked meals should bring money to their class teacher on a Monday morning. The money should be sent in a sealed envelope with the child?s name and amount enclosed. Cheques should be made payable to ?Sodexho Ltd?. Meals missed, yet paid for, will be credited to absent children.

Packed lunches may be brought to school on a regular basis. All packed lunches must be in a sealed, named plastic container, not polythene bags or metal boxes.

We request that parents will only send drinks (milk or non-sugary drinks) where they feel this to be really necessary as beakers of water are provided for children at lunch-time. Drink containers should also be named. Breakable drink containers, thermos flasks, glass bottles, cans or fizzy drinks are not allowed.


Paying in Money


Money in school can create quite a problem, please help us by following these guidelines:-

* Money should be in sealed envelope or purse with name, amount, and what it is for, e.g. dinners.

* Try to send correct amount; and if possible each child with the correct amount for each purpose.

* Send all monies on a Monday for anything during that week.

* Cheques should be made out to:-

Sodexho Ltd -for dinners

Littledean School -for outings, Webb Ivory

Littledean School Journey Account -for residential visits

Friends of Littledean School -donations to parent funds etc. Back to top