CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Children who need special attention because they are slow learning, gifted, handicapped or have behavioural difficulties are, where appropriate, given help by our classroom and special needs assistants. The Special Needs Code of Practice is followed for all children with these needs. Individual Educational Plans are written for those children in need of particular support (i.e. have reached Stage 2 in the Code of Practice) and the class teacher reviews these each term with the parents of the child. The progress of these children is constantly monitored often with the help of an educational psychologist or the school medical officer.

The special needs co-ordinator (SENCO) for the school is Mrs A Barnard.

SEX EDUCATION

Sex education is dealt with informally at the school.

Various matters relating to the sexes - biological, moral, social, etc., will arise during the normal course of studying the traditional subject areas and this will be dealt with sensitively with due regard to the age and needs of the particular group.

OTHER INFORMATION

School Times

Morning Session 8.55 - 12.00 with a break 10.30 - 10.45

Afternoon Session (Infants) 1.20 - 3.15 with a break 2.30 - 2.45

Afternoon Session (Juniors) 1.05 - 3.15

Key Stage 2 (Juniors)

Approximately 23 hrs 45 mins are spent on teaching during each school week excluding times for school breaks and collective acts of worship.

Key Stage 1 (Infants)

Approximately 21 hrs 15 mins hours are spent on teaching during each school week excluding times for school breaks and collective acts of worship.

This complies with the Department for Education guidelines for the length of the school day.

Supervision of Children in School

Children are supervised at all times by teachers, classroom assistants, parents or midday supervisors. During the morning playtime there is a member of staff on duty in each play area and at lunchtime there is a senior supervisor (usually a teacher) and four midday supervisors on duty in the school.

Complaints Procedure

The school aims to work closely with parents and we hope that parents who have any concerns or anxieties will in the first instance raise these with the class teacher or the headteacher. If you are not sure whom to approach please ask your child’s class teacher (or get in touch with the school office who will be able to help you). We find that nearly all concerns or potential complaints can be resolved happily through discussion.

The governors of the school do have arrangements for considering complaints formally. For general complaints and matters to do with special educational needs they have adopted a procedure which follows lines recommended by the Hertfordshire County Council. You can obtain a copy of this from the school. There are, in addition, special arrangements for considering complaints about matters to do with the teaching of the national curriculum and about collective worship in school. You can obtain a copy of these arrangements also from the school. See leaflets Listening to Complaints and Tell Me About My Rights of Appeal which are available outside the school office.

Punctuality

The school day begins at 8.55am. It is very important that we start the day punctually and we ask parents to ensure that they have vacated the teaching areas by 9.00am to allow classes to start work. The school registers open at 8.55am and close at 9.10am. Any child arriving after 9.10am will be marked as late and this is noted on the child’s annual report. Any child arriving late should report to the school office.

Absences

There were 57740 half day pupil sessions during the 1996/97 school year (figures counted from 1st September 1996 to 23rd May 1997 as required by the DfEE). Of these 5.09% were missed through authorised absences (illness, medical appointments, family holidays) and 0.3% were missed through unauthorised absences.

Parking Cars at the School

Only staff cars are allowed in the school grounds. There is limited parking space outside the school and we ask parents and visitors to have regard for the local residents and pedestrians (particularly children) when parking and driving near to the school. We would encourage all who can to walk to school.

Other Events and Activities

From time to time the school may distribute information about events organised by other organisations. The school does not endorse or guarantee the quality of such events, it simply offers this free service to events organisers in the community in order to publicise activities that may be of interest to you or your children. Any activities organised by the school will be supervised by a member of the school staff. These other events will not be supervised by school staff.

SCHOOL TERM AND HOLIDAY DATES 1997/98

Autumn Term 1997

To begin on Tuesday 2 September 1997

To end on Friday 19 December 1997

Half term: Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October 1997

Occasional day (holiday): Friday 21 November 1997

Spring Term 1998

To begin Tuesday 6 January 1998

To end Tuesday 7 April 1998

Half term: Monday 23 February to Friday 27 February 1998

Summer Term 1998

To begin Tuesday 21 April 1998

To end Friday 17 July 1998

Half term: Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May 1998

INSET days (school closed for staff training)

Monday 1 September 1997

Friday 19 September 1997

Monday 5 January 1998

Monday 20 April 1998

Plus one other day.

The information contained in this booklet and was correct at 31 July 1997, but it should not be assumed that there will be no change in the arrangements or particulars during the coming school year.