Aim
We aim to ensure that all members of the community are welcome at Mount View. That each child has a unique learning experience and their individual needs are met and nurtured. Every child has the immense capability to thrive, learn, progress and mature and in safe and secure environment.
We operate an age and ability based admission policy:
• Each child entering Mount View will be given an entrance assessment to ensure they are entering the correct class for both their age and ability.
How we do this
We operate our admissions policy in conjunction with our Equal Opportunity and Inclusion policies.
• We offer all children a place at our school
• Some school places are reserved for teacher’s children
• We operate a waiting list system should our classes reach full capacity:
Early Years
Early Learners: 24 children x1 class
Nursery: 24 children x 3 classes
Reception: 24 children x3 classes
Primary School
Years 1 to Year 5: 24 children x 3 classes
Year 6: 24 children x 4 classes
Early Learners:
18 months to 3 years, children must be 18 months old when starting in Early Learners and will move into Nursery classes in the September after they turn 3 years old. Children will move into nursery in a cohort.
Nursery: 3 years old by the 31st August and will start Nursery in the September. Children move into Reception in a cohort the following September.
Reception: 4 years old by 31st August. Children move into Year 1 in a cohort the following September.
Standard’s 1-6: All children must be the correct chronological age by 31st August by year of entry to the next class.
We aim to ensure that all members of the community are welcome at Mount View. That each child has a unique learning experience and their individual needs are met and nurtured. Every child has the immense capability to thrive, learn, progress and mature and in safe and secure environment.
We operate an age and ability based admission policy:
• Each child entering Mount View will be given an entrance assessment to ensure they are entering the correct class for both their age and ability.
How we do this
We operate our admissions policy in conjunction with our Equal Opportunity and Inclusion policies.
• We offer all children a place at our school
• Some school places are reserved for teacher’s children
• We operate a waiting list system should our classes reach full capacity:
Early Years
Early Learners: 24 children x1 class
Nursery: 24 children x 3 classes
Reception: 24 children x3 classes
Primary School
Years 1 to Year 5: 24 children x 3 classes
Year 6: 24 children x 4 classes
Early Learners:
18 months to 3 years, children must be 18 months old when starting in Early Learners and will move into Nursery classes in the September after they turn 3 years old. Children will move into nursery in a cohort.
Nursery: 3 years old by the 31st August and will start Nursery in the September. Children move into Reception in a cohort the following September.
Reception: 4 years old by 31st August. Children move into Year 1 in a cohort the following September.
Standard’s 1-6: All children must be the correct chronological age by 31st August by year of entry to the next class.
The book bank system helps us to ensure that all the students get their textbooks from day one of the new academic year until the end of the academic year. Therefore, from the beginning of each academic year all students from year 1 to 6 will be issued Academic Library books in the following subjects: Mathematics, English and Science books. These books are to be returned at the end if the academic year.
Students will also receive Library reading books to ensure their reading skills develop and progress. Reading books are to be read each night with a parent or adult. Teachers and Teaching Assistants will also listen to each student in their class read a minimum of once a week. Each student from Year 1 to 6 will be assessed on their reading level each half term.
LOSSES/DAMAGES
If the item is lost or damaged the Library should be contacted immediately. The following will be charged for the lost or damaged library materials.
It is a serious offence to mutilate, damage, misplace or refuse to return library material.
Underlining, marking, folding of pages in the book etc. are strictly prohibited. If found guilty, User will be charged double the cost of that particular material.
The user has to replace an identical copy (being the latest edition at the time of loss) at his/her own expense, or undertake to pay the current market price of the latest edition of the lost item.
Payment of overdue, damage or loss (any penalties) shall be made at the bursar’s office.
Your sincere cooperation will be highly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Students will also receive Library reading books to ensure their reading skills develop and progress. Reading books are to be read each night with a parent or adult. Teachers and Teaching Assistants will also listen to each student in their class read a minimum of once a week. Each student from Year 1 to 6 will be assessed on their reading level each half term.
LOSSES/DAMAGES
If the item is lost or damaged the Library should be contacted immediately. The following will be charged for the lost or damaged library materials.
It is a serious offence to mutilate, damage, misplace or refuse to return library material.
Underlining, marking, folding of pages in the book etc. are strictly prohibited. If found guilty, User will be charged double the cost of that particular material.
The user has to replace an identical copy (being the latest edition at the time of loss) at his/her own expense, or undertake to pay the current market price of the latest edition of the lost item.
Payment of overdue, damage or loss (any penalties) shall be made at the bursar’s office.
Your sincere cooperation will be highly appreciated.
Sincerely,
At Mount View Primary school, we have a safe, calm and caring learning environment where mutual respect prevails enabling all adults and children to work cooperatively. We treat others how we would like to be treated ourselves and take responsibility for our own actions. Behaviour is a form of communication and we must understand what is behind this behaviour and how we can support a child to remedy it.
The school Values :
Respect: we respect ourselves, our community and our environment;
Courage/perseverance: we always do our best, even when things get tough; we work hard to achieve our goals;
Cooperation/teamwork: we can work together as a team;
Integrity: we are honest and reliable;
Responsibility: we are responsible for our actions and our property;
Kindness/belonging: we care for people and they care for us;
Motivation/success: we enjoy learning and have a life long passion for learning.
Aims
At Mount View Primary School, we aim to:
• Provide all people with a safe environment where they are able to learn effectively and feel confident to tackle challenges in their learning.
• Promote intrinsic reward leading to children’s growing sense of internal motivation (i.e. doing something for its own reward rather than an external one).
• Provide an environment in which staff, pupils and parents have the ability and security to ask for help when it is needed.
• Ensure all feel secure at school.
• Deal with problems calmly and resolve conflicts fairly.
• Foster positive self-esteem and the confidence to deal with negative behaviour from others.
• Empower students by teaching them strategies to deal with unkind words or actions.
• Promote good citizenship, within the school, local and global communities.
Principles for promoting good behaviour
We recognise that when dealing with behaviour different situations may call for different responses. However, there are certain principles that underlie our interactions with each other and the way we respond to situations:
• Everyone should be treated with respect and fairness.
Everyone should be listened to and have their point of view heard.
• Everyone should speak politely to each other.
• Everyone should have cooperative learning as their focus.
• Everyone should take responsibility for their own behaviour.
• Everyone should aim to resolve conflicts peacefully with peer/adult support if needed.
• Everyone should promote a caring attitude towards others and their environment.
• Everyone should have high expectations of their own behaviour and that of behaviour of others.
• Staff should have effective organisation that promotes clear routines.
Staff should communicate high expectations that are in line with established rules.
• Staff should promote the understanding that behaviour should be appropriate to the particular situation you are in, for example some playground behaviour is different to classroom behaviour.
• Staff should highlight the link between good behaviour and effective learning.
Classroom strategies and procedures that we use to promote positive behaviour
There are many things that we do to achieve positive behaviour in our classrooms and around school, for example we:
• At the beginning of each year all class teachers and their pupils establish their own classroom rules together. This allows for ownership and makes it more relevant to each class. Teachers are reminded and encouraged to use the two headline rules as a basis for these discussions.
Headline Rules:
• Listen to and do as all school staff ask you.
• Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
• Model appropriate behaviour to children and adults.
• Differentiate work so that children are challenged appropriately.
• Negotiate and display class and school rules.
• Have class behavioural targets, as appropriate and celebrate good and desirable behaviour, for example helping a friend in need, supporting another pupil at school with a difficulty or with negotiation skills.
• Consider behaviour when laying out the classroom and seating children.
• Ensure that children understand rewards and consequences, alongside rights and responsibilities.
• Use support staff to observe behaviour, focus children, reinforce positive behaviour and discuss negative behaviour.
• Give specific and explicit praise both verbally and in writing.
• Use of the behaviour ladder in Early Years in all classrooms (sun and rainbow): all children’s names start on the sun at the beginning of the day and are moved up to the rainbow as a reward for positive behaviour and achievements.
• Share clear expectations explicitly with children, for example, what is ‘good’ and use positive phrasing when requesting appropriate behaviour.
• Give responsibilities to children who consistently demonstrate good behaviour.
• Give students the opportunity to acknowledge and encourage positive behaviour in their peers.
• Enable children to make positive decisions by giving them restricted choices.
• Devote some curriculum time to circle time/class meetings.
• Early Years, use Personal, Social and Emotional development lessons to explore and understand feelings and how to express them.
• In Upper and Lower Primary, use PSHE lessons to explore behaviours, feelings and understand sympathy and empathy.
• Give children thinking time to consider their actions, think of solutions and give alternative positive behaviours (as used on the behaviour ladder).
• Communicate behaviour with parents through discussion, both formally and informally
School wide strategies and procedures that we use to promote positive behaviour
In order to give children positive peer role models, support classroom systems and promote the feeling of our own school as a community we use school wide strategies and procedures to achieve positive behaviour.
a) Reward systems
• Use of the weekly Achievement Awards to celebrate Knowledge, Skills and Attitude towards learning. Certificates being presented in weekly assemblies
b) Consequences
Step 1: Children take 5 min Time Out in class. They should use this time to think about their behaviour and be ready to continue their learning.
Step 2 Children may be taken to spend 10 min Time Out in Buddy Class. Children need to be ready to continue their learning when they go back to their own class.
Step 3 Children are sent to the Head of Department. Appropriate sanctions will be put in place and when necessary parents contacted
Step 4 Children are sent to the office to see the Head Teacher. Parents will be informed and sanctions and support strategies will be put into place
In extreme cases students maybe internally suspended, suspended from school or expelled.
The behaviour ladder is to be used to promote good behaviour. More serious offences need more immediate attention and would require children to be placed on the appropriate step.
Conflict Resolution
We encourage children to take ownership of their feelings and behaviour and these steps support them in resolving conflict with their peers.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION STEPS
1)Approach calmly, stopping any hurtful actions. Place yourself between the children, on their level; use a calm voice and gentle touch; remain neutral rather than take sides.
2) Acknowledge children's feelings. Say something simple such as “You look really upset;” let children know you need to hold any object in question.
3) Gather information. Ask “What's the problem?” Do not ask “why” questions as young children focus on that what the problem is rather than understanding the reasons behind it.
4) Restate the problem: “So the problem is...” Use and extend the children’s vocabulary, substituting neutral words for hurtful or judgmental ones (such as “stupid”) if needed.
5) Ask for solutions and choose one together. Ask “What can we do to solve this problem?” Encourage children to think of a solution but offer options if the children are unable to at first.
6) Be prepared to give follow-up support. Acknowledge children’s accomplishments, e.g., “You solved the problem!” Stay nearby in case anyone is not happy with the solution and the process needs repeating.
Restraining children
Despite using a range of strategies and procedures to obtain positive behaviour, including warning children and repeating requests, there may be times when a staff member needs to physically restrain a child. When there is urgent risk, for example when a child is disruptive and there is direct risk to people or property, staff may need to try to deal with the situation through the following strategies. Staff may:
• lead by the hand or arm
• shepherd a child away by placing a hand in the centre of the back; or (in exceptional circumstance) using more restrictive holds
• also in exceptional circumstances take any necessary action of 'reasonable' force.
Staff will not:
• Hold a child around the neck, or by the collar or in any way that might restrict the ability to breathe
• Slap, punch or kick
• Twist or force limbs against a joint
• Trip a child up • Hold a pupil by the hair or ear
• Hold a child down
• Hold or touch a child in a way that might by considered indecent
No corporal punishment under any circumstances
The school Values :
Respect: we respect ourselves, our community and our environment;
Courage/perseverance: we always do our best, even when things get tough; we work hard to achieve our goals;
Cooperation/teamwork: we can work together as a team;
Integrity: we are honest and reliable;
Responsibility: we are responsible for our actions and our property;
Kindness/belonging: we care for people and they care for us;
Motivation/success: we enjoy learning and have a life long passion for learning.
Aims
At Mount View Primary School, we aim to:
• Provide all people with a safe environment where they are able to learn effectively and feel confident to tackle challenges in their learning.
• Promote intrinsic reward leading to children’s growing sense of internal motivation (i.e. doing something for its own reward rather than an external one).
• Provide an environment in which staff, pupils and parents have the ability and security to ask for help when it is needed.
• Ensure all feel secure at school.
• Deal with problems calmly and resolve conflicts fairly.
• Foster positive self-esteem and the confidence to deal with negative behaviour from others.
• Empower students by teaching them strategies to deal with unkind words or actions.
• Promote good citizenship, within the school, local and global communities.
Principles for promoting good behaviour
We recognise that when dealing with behaviour different situations may call for different responses. However, there are certain principles that underlie our interactions with each other and the way we respond to situations:
• Everyone should be treated with respect and fairness.
Everyone should be listened to and have their point of view heard.
• Everyone should speak politely to each other.
• Everyone should have cooperative learning as their focus.
• Everyone should take responsibility for their own behaviour.
• Everyone should aim to resolve conflicts peacefully with peer/adult support if needed.
• Everyone should promote a caring attitude towards others and their environment.
• Everyone should have high expectations of their own behaviour and that of behaviour of others.
• Staff should have effective organisation that promotes clear routines.
Staff should communicate high expectations that are in line with established rules.
• Staff should promote the understanding that behaviour should be appropriate to the particular situation you are in, for example some playground behaviour is different to classroom behaviour.
• Staff should highlight the link between good behaviour and effective learning.
Classroom strategies and procedures that we use to promote positive behaviour
There are many things that we do to achieve positive behaviour in our classrooms and around school, for example we:
• At the beginning of each year all class teachers and their pupils establish their own classroom rules together. This allows for ownership and makes it more relevant to each class. Teachers are reminded and encouraged to use the two headline rules as a basis for these discussions.
Headline Rules:
• Listen to and do as all school staff ask you.
• Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
• Model appropriate behaviour to children and adults.
• Differentiate work so that children are challenged appropriately.
• Negotiate and display class and school rules.
• Have class behavioural targets, as appropriate and celebrate good and desirable behaviour, for example helping a friend in need, supporting another pupil at school with a difficulty or with negotiation skills.
• Consider behaviour when laying out the classroom and seating children.
• Ensure that children understand rewards and consequences, alongside rights and responsibilities.
• Use support staff to observe behaviour, focus children, reinforce positive behaviour and discuss negative behaviour.
• Give specific and explicit praise both verbally and in writing.
• Use of the behaviour ladder in Early Years in all classrooms (sun and rainbow): all children’s names start on the sun at the beginning of the day and are moved up to the rainbow as a reward for positive behaviour and achievements.
• Share clear expectations explicitly with children, for example, what is ‘good’ and use positive phrasing when requesting appropriate behaviour.
• Give responsibilities to children who consistently demonstrate good behaviour.
• Give students the opportunity to acknowledge and encourage positive behaviour in their peers.
• Enable children to make positive decisions by giving them restricted choices.
• Devote some curriculum time to circle time/class meetings.
• Early Years, use Personal, Social and Emotional development lessons to explore and understand feelings and how to express them.
• In Upper and Lower Primary, use PSHE lessons to explore behaviours, feelings and understand sympathy and empathy.
• Give children thinking time to consider their actions, think of solutions and give alternative positive behaviours (as used on the behaviour ladder).
• Communicate behaviour with parents through discussion, both formally and informally
School wide strategies and procedures that we use to promote positive behaviour
In order to give children positive peer role models, support classroom systems and promote the feeling of our own school as a community we use school wide strategies and procedures to achieve positive behaviour.
a) Reward systems
• Use of the weekly Achievement Awards to celebrate Knowledge, Skills and Attitude towards learning. Certificates being presented in weekly assemblies
b) Consequences
Step 1: Children take 5 min Time Out in class. They should use this time to think about their behaviour and be ready to continue their learning.
Step 2 Children may be taken to spend 10 min Time Out in Buddy Class. Children need to be ready to continue their learning when they go back to their own class.
Step 3 Children are sent to the Head of Department. Appropriate sanctions will be put in place and when necessary parents contacted
Step 4 Children are sent to the office to see the Head Teacher. Parents will be informed and sanctions and support strategies will be put into place
In extreme cases students maybe internally suspended, suspended from school or expelled.
The behaviour ladder is to be used to promote good behaviour. More serious offences need more immediate attention and would require children to be placed on the appropriate step.
Conflict Resolution
We encourage children to take ownership of their feelings and behaviour and these steps support them in resolving conflict with their peers.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION STEPS
1)Approach calmly, stopping any hurtful actions. Place yourself between the children, on their level; use a calm voice and gentle touch; remain neutral rather than take sides.
2) Acknowledge children's feelings. Say something simple such as “You look really upset;” let children know you need to hold any object in question.
3) Gather information. Ask “What's the problem?” Do not ask “why” questions as young children focus on that what the problem is rather than understanding the reasons behind it.
4) Restate the problem: “So the problem is...” Use and extend the children’s vocabulary, substituting neutral words for hurtful or judgmental ones (such as “stupid”) if needed.
5) Ask for solutions and choose one together. Ask “What can we do to solve this problem?” Encourage children to think of a solution but offer options if the children are unable to at first.
6) Be prepared to give follow-up support. Acknowledge children’s accomplishments, e.g., “You solved the problem!” Stay nearby in case anyone is not happy with the solution and the process needs repeating.
Restraining children
Despite using a range of strategies and procedures to obtain positive behaviour, including warning children and repeating requests, there may be times when a staff member needs to physically restrain a child. When there is urgent risk, for example when a child is disruptive and there is direct risk to people or property, staff may need to try to deal with the situation through the following strategies. Staff may:
• lead by the hand or arm
• shepherd a child away by placing a hand in the centre of the back; or (in exceptional circumstance) using more restrictive holds
• also in exceptional circumstances take any necessary action of 'reasonable' force.
Staff will not:
• Hold a child around the neck, or by the collar or in any way that might restrict the ability to breathe
• Slap, punch or kick
• Twist or force limbs against a joint
• Trip a child up • Hold a pupil by the hair or ear
• Hold a child down
• Hold or touch a child in a way that might by considered indecent
No corporal punishment under any circumstances
Mount View Car Park
When you enter into either of Mount Views car parks you are agreeing to the rules set out by the school.
1. All vehicles must travel at no more than 5km per hour
2. All vehicles can only park in designated spaces- if you are parked in non-parking space you will be asked to move.
3. Rudeness and disrespect to Mount View employees will not be tolerated and the parent or driver maybe asked to not enter into the school’s grounds if this situation arises.
4. Children are the responsibility of the parents before they enter the classroom in the morning and are the responsibility of the parents once they are collected. Young children must hold an adults hand in the car park or for an older child walk next to the adult.
5. Children must not run in the car park in case they trip or fall.
6. Adults and children must use the walkways provided
7. There will car park attendants present in each car park, follow their instructions.
8. Mount View will not accept any responsibility for loss or damage incurred in the car park. Drivers enter through their own choice.
When you enter into either of Mount Views car parks you are agreeing to the rules set out by the school.
1. All vehicles must travel at no more than 5km per hour
2. All vehicles can only park in designated spaces- if you are parked in non-parking space you will be asked to move.
3. Rudeness and disrespect to Mount View employees will not be tolerated and the parent or driver maybe asked to not enter into the school’s grounds if this situation arises.
4. Children are the responsibility of the parents before they enter the classroom in the morning and are the responsibility of the parents once they are collected. Young children must hold an adults hand in the car park or for an older child walk next to the adult.
5. Children must not run in the car park in case they trip or fall.
6. Adults and children must use the walkways provided
7. There will car park attendants present in each car park, follow their instructions.
8. Mount View will not accept any responsibility for loss or damage incurred in the car park. Drivers enter through their own choice.
This policy is intended as a guide for Mount View staff, volunteers and the Board of Governors and as a reference for others involved with the school. Its fundamental purpose is to provide protection from harm, primarily to students, but also to Mount View staff and volunteers and the Board of Governors.
Rational
Mount View International Primary School and Early Years Centre will ensure that all necessary and reasonable steps are taken to protect students and other stakeholders from potential harm and to ensure their ongoing success, particularly in relation to the following seven outcomes:
• Safe and rigorous recruitment processes are followed to ensure that those who are unsuitable to work with children are not employed.
• prevention of abuse through the creation of a positive school ethos and atmosphere with effective teaching and pastoral support offered to students
• protection of individual children by following agreed procedures
• having a designated safe guarding team within the school.
• ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns
• support to students who may have been abused.
• Making a positive contribution to the school and our wider community
We have a duty of care, welfare and safety for the students in our charge, and we will carry out this duty with professionalism and compassion. Mount View will provide;
• Provide a caring, supportive and safe environment;
• Value individuals for their unique talents and abilities;
• Enable all our students to learn and develop to their full potential.
A. Safeguarding
The school’s systems and procedures for safeguarding students:
Safeguarding is included in the following areas:
1. Child Protection
2. Health and Safety
The school will take all reasonable measures to provide an environment that is safe. This includes First Aid and the provision of a school nurse and a sick bay and this is monitored by Headteacher, Emma Binding.
All educational trips, visits and residential trips are subject to a risk assessment and these are carried out by a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
The school’s designated teacher for Child Protection/Safeguarding is Ms.Emma Binding
3. School Security
The following measures are in place to increase site security:
• All staff wear identity tags;
• Visitors sign in and are issued with visitor tags;
• Security guards are on duty throughout the school day;
• Receptionists are on duty 7.00 am – 4.00pm
• Head teacher, Deputy Headteacher and senior leaders are available during the school day. Students who are on school site after the end of the standard school day are the responsibility of their Parent/Carer, unless they are participating in an organised, supervised school activity, for example clubs.
4. Safer recruitment
The selection and recruitment of teaching staff will include a formal interview and the planning and conducting of a lesson under the supervision of a SLT member. The successful applicant will be required to present original qualification certificates and forms of identity. The school will then seek a minimum of two references, one of which must be the current Head teacher or similar employer.
5. Pastoral Care
All students have a class teacher and teaching assistant who oversees their well-being, metal health and behaviour. This process is supported by the Heads of Department, Deputy Head and Headteacher.
6. E-Safety
Students are given guidance on the safe use of the Internet, which is monitored and supervised by staff during lesson time. The internet has restrictions on it, to endeavor the safety of the students.
7. Monitoring
The safety and welfare of our students and teaching faculty are of paramount importance. Mount View has cameras located in every classroom and in stairwells and corridors to ensure proper and appropriate conduct is always used. Infringement of this will incur and investigation and potential sanctions.
B. Child Protection
The designated teacher for Child Protection (Designated Safeguarding Lead - DSL) Ms. Emma Binding oversees all matters related to the protection of our students.
The purpose of the following procedures is to protect our students by ensuring that everyone who works in our school has clear guidance of the action which is required to ensure the care, welfare and safety of each student.
Children and young people need protecting from:
• Abuse; Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Psychological and Neglect
• Radicalisation and extremism
• Domestic abuse
• Forced marriage/marriage under the age of 18 yrs
Radicalisation and Extremism:
Mount View values children’s and adult’s freedom of speech and self-expression. Mount View encourages independent thinking as fundamental rights underpinning our society’s values. However, free speech is not an unqualified privilege; it is subject to laws and policies governing equality, human rights, community safety and community cohesion.
The students at Mount View are young and it is paramount that under of duty of care that we protect our students against violent or vengeful extremism. Teaching staff will treat any radicalisation/extremism concerns in the same manner as safeguarding concerns and will follow the school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures.
Mount View recognises the following as vulnerable groups (although not exclusively):
• Children with Special Educational Needs
• Children with English as an Additional Language
• Children at risk of neglect; physical; sexual; psychological and emotional abuse
• Children with a disability
• Children with emotional/behavioural/attachment disorders
• Children experiencing bereavement
• Children at risk of exclusion
• Looked after children and those subject to private fostering arrangements
• Children missing education/ low attendance
• Children at risk from bullying, including online bullying and prejudice based bullying
• Children at risk from the impact of new technologies on sexual behaviour, for example sexting
• Children dealing with issues around domestic abuse
• Children at risk of exploitation, sexual exploitation and trafficking and extremism and radicalisation
• Children of minority ethnic background/religion
• Children at risk of honour based violence or forced marriage
• Children with caring responsibilities or classified as a young carer
• Children affected by issues around bullying
Mount View will endeavour to support students through:
a) The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) and Cambridge International Curriculum encourage self-esteem, self-confidence and self-motivation;
b) the school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and which gives all students and adults a sense of being respected and valued;
c) the implementation of the school’s behaviour management and anti-bullying policies;
d) Ensure all staff are fully aware of and understand the Mount View Code of Conduct.
e) Class teacher and teaching assistant time, Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE) weekly lessons
f) a consistent approach agreed by all staff which will endeavour to ensure the student knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but s/he is valued;
g) regular liaison with other professionals and agencies that support the students and their families;
h) a commitment to develop productive, supportive relationships with parents, to work together hand in hand to support the best outcomes for the students.
i) the development and support of a responsive and knowledgeable staff group, trained to respond appropriately in child protection situations;
j) recognition that statistically children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse so staff who work in any capacity with children with profound and multiple disabilities, sensory impairment and/or emotional and behavioural problems will need to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse; and
k) recognition that in a home environment where there is domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, children may also be vulnerable and in need of support and/or protection.
l) ensuring that staff complete annual Edcuare training
Mount View recognises it may be one of the only stable, secure and predictable environments in the lives of vulnerable children and that whilst at school their behaviour may still be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. Our teetering faculty will do everything possible within our role as educators to ensure the child is nurtured and striving to achieve their full potential.
Procedures for reporting suspected (or disclosed) child abuse
If a student makes a disclosure to a member of Mount View, the staff must act promptly. They must not investigate - but should report these concerns immediately to Ms. Emma Binding. The safeguarding procedure will then be followed.
Professional Confidentiality:
• Confidentiality is an issue which needs to be discussed and fully understood by all those working with children, particularly in the context of child protection and safeguarding. The only purpose of confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the child. A member of staff must never guarantee confidentiality to a student nor should they agree with a student to keep a secret, as where there is a child protection concern this must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and may require further investigation by appropriate authorities.
• Mount View Staff will be informed of relevant information in respect of individual cases regarding child protection on a ‘need to know basis’ only. Any information shared with a member of staff in this way must be held confidentially to themselves.
Appendix
The following information is from an EDUCARE rescource:
Physical abuse
Physical abuse may involve: hitting, shaking, throwing, drowning, burning or scalding, poisoning, suffocating, otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Physical signs include:
• finger mark bruising on cheeks or any other area of the body where bruises are unlikely to appear in everyday activity
• presence of injuries that are in several stages of healing suggesting that a child has experienced repeated maltreatment over time
• bald patches on a child’s head
• bite marks
• injuries that form a shape or pattern
• scald marks and burning, including cigarette marks
• black eyes
• marks that might indicate a child has been restrained or strangled
• broken bones
any injuries that are inconsistent with the explanation given.
Behavioural signs include:
• flinching when touched
• inability to recall how injuries occurred
• avoiding getting changed for sporting or other activity
• reluctance to go home
• excessively eager to please
• being very aggressive or withdrawn
• attempts to run away
• being sad, frequently crying
• drug and/or alcohol misuse any behaviour that is not consistent with a child’s age or stage of development.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Though less common, women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
The activities may involve physical contact, including: • assault by penetration
non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing
It may also include non-contact activities, such as:
• watching sexual activities
• encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways
• involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images
• grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet)
Physical signs include: • stomach pains
• discomfort in walking or sitting
• genital soreness, bleeding or discharge
• recurring genital-urinary infections
• sexually transmitted infections.
Behavioural signs include:
• a change in behaviour
• not wanting to undress
• sexual knowledge, language and behaviours beyond their years
• eating disorders
• fear or avoidance of being with a person or a group of people
• self-harming
• unexplained amounts of money
• disturbed sleep
• sexualised drawings
• change in handwriting
• the types of questions asked (do they suggest sexual knowledge that a child should not have).
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe adverse effects on the child’s health and emotional development.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may also occur alone. Emotional abuse may involve:
• rejecting or ignoring a child completely
• using degrading language or behaviours towards them
• responding to their attempts to interact with emotional detachment
• making fun of them
• threatening them or encouraging them to develop behaviours that are self-destructive
• preventing the child from interacting socially with other children or adults
experiences of bullying, including cyberbullying
• a child seeing or hearing the ill treatment or serious bullying (including cyberbullying) of another
• causing children to feel frequently frightened or in danger
• the exploitation or corruption of children.
Emotional abuse also includes radicalising a child or young person who may be subsequently drawn into terroristrelated activity. Physical signs include:
• erratic behaviour
• erratic weight or growth patterns
• delayed development, either physically or emotionally
• self-harm marks.
Behavioural signs include:
• difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships
• emotional withdrawal
• emotional outbursts
• Under eating or over eating
• Poor attendance at school
• self-harming
• unexplained underachievement at school
• inappropriate attention-seeking
• disturbed sleep.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse.
Neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
• provide adequate food, clothing or shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
• protect a child from physical or emotional harm or danger
• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
• respond to a child’s basic emotional needs.
Physical signs include:
• unattended medical or dental problems
• lack of energy due to inadequate food intake and/or poor nutrition
• poor personal hygiene/unwashed clothing
• inadequate clothing (not having warm clothes in winter)
• untreated skin or hair problems (rashes, sores, flea bites, head lice)
• consistent hunger/big appetite – can’t seem to eat enough
• very thin or swollen stomach.
lack of muscle tone (bones appearing to stick out)
Behavioural signs include:
• demanding constant attention and affection
• difficulty in making friends
• missing or irregularly attending school
• stealing or begging food from others
• emotional withdrawal
• anti-social behaviour
• alcohol or substance misuse
• developmental delay (weight, language, social skills).
Forced marriage
In forced marriage, one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage and duress is involved. This can include physical, sexual, financial and emotional pressure. If families have to resort to violence or emotional abuse to make someone marry, the person has not given consent freely and therefore it is a forced marriage.
Forced marriage is different to an arranged marriage, where the families of both prospective spouses take a leading role in arranging the marriage, but the choice of whether or not to accept the arrangement rests with both the people involved.
In addition to the general signs of sexual abuse discussed previously, behavioural signs of forced marriage include: • anxiety, depression, emotionally withdrawal
• low self-esteem
• absence from lessons or permission sought for extended leave
• less commonly, cut or shaved hair as a punishment for disobeying or a girl may say she has been to a doctor
to see if she is a virgin
• showing fear about forthcoming school holidays.
Rational
Mount View International Primary School and Early Years Centre will ensure that all necessary and reasonable steps are taken to protect students and other stakeholders from potential harm and to ensure their ongoing success, particularly in relation to the following seven outcomes:
• Safe and rigorous recruitment processes are followed to ensure that those who are unsuitable to work with children are not employed.
• prevention of abuse through the creation of a positive school ethos and atmosphere with effective teaching and pastoral support offered to students
• protection of individual children by following agreed procedures
• having a designated safe guarding team within the school.
• ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns
• support to students who may have been abused.
• Making a positive contribution to the school and our wider community
We have a duty of care, welfare and safety for the students in our charge, and we will carry out this duty with professionalism and compassion. Mount View will provide;
• Provide a caring, supportive and safe environment;
• Value individuals for their unique talents and abilities;
• Enable all our students to learn and develop to their full potential.
A. Safeguarding
The school’s systems and procedures for safeguarding students:
Safeguarding is included in the following areas:
1. Child Protection
2. Health and Safety
The school will take all reasonable measures to provide an environment that is safe. This includes First Aid and the provision of a school nurse and a sick bay and this is monitored by Headteacher, Emma Binding.
All educational trips, visits and residential trips are subject to a risk assessment and these are carried out by a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
The school’s designated teacher for Child Protection/Safeguarding is Ms.Emma Binding
3. School Security
The following measures are in place to increase site security:
• All staff wear identity tags;
• Visitors sign in and are issued with visitor tags;
• Security guards are on duty throughout the school day;
• Receptionists are on duty 7.00 am – 4.00pm
• Head teacher, Deputy Headteacher and senior leaders are available during the school day. Students who are on school site after the end of the standard school day are the responsibility of their Parent/Carer, unless they are participating in an organised, supervised school activity, for example clubs.
4. Safer recruitment
The selection and recruitment of teaching staff will include a formal interview and the planning and conducting of a lesson under the supervision of a SLT member. The successful applicant will be required to present original qualification certificates and forms of identity. The school will then seek a minimum of two references, one of which must be the current Head teacher or similar employer.
5. Pastoral Care
All students have a class teacher and teaching assistant who oversees their well-being, metal health and behaviour. This process is supported by the Heads of Department, Deputy Head and Headteacher.
6. E-Safety
Students are given guidance on the safe use of the Internet, which is monitored and supervised by staff during lesson time. The internet has restrictions on it, to endeavor the safety of the students.
7. Monitoring
The safety and welfare of our students and teaching faculty are of paramount importance. Mount View has cameras located in every classroom and in stairwells and corridors to ensure proper and appropriate conduct is always used. Infringement of this will incur and investigation and potential sanctions.
B. Child Protection
The designated teacher for Child Protection (Designated Safeguarding Lead - DSL) Ms. Emma Binding oversees all matters related to the protection of our students.
The purpose of the following procedures is to protect our students by ensuring that everyone who works in our school has clear guidance of the action which is required to ensure the care, welfare and safety of each student.
Children and young people need protecting from:
• Abuse; Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Psychological and Neglect
• Radicalisation and extremism
• Domestic abuse
• Forced marriage/marriage under the age of 18 yrs
Radicalisation and Extremism:
Mount View values children’s and adult’s freedom of speech and self-expression. Mount View encourages independent thinking as fundamental rights underpinning our society’s values. However, free speech is not an unqualified privilege; it is subject to laws and policies governing equality, human rights, community safety and community cohesion.
The students at Mount View are young and it is paramount that under of duty of care that we protect our students against violent or vengeful extremism. Teaching staff will treat any radicalisation/extremism concerns in the same manner as safeguarding concerns and will follow the school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures.
Mount View recognises the following as vulnerable groups (although not exclusively):
• Children with Special Educational Needs
• Children with English as an Additional Language
• Children at risk of neglect; physical; sexual; psychological and emotional abuse
• Children with a disability
• Children with emotional/behavioural/attachment disorders
• Children experiencing bereavement
• Children at risk of exclusion
• Looked after children and those subject to private fostering arrangements
• Children missing education/ low attendance
• Children at risk from bullying, including online bullying and prejudice based bullying
• Children at risk from the impact of new technologies on sexual behaviour, for example sexting
• Children dealing with issues around domestic abuse
• Children at risk of exploitation, sexual exploitation and trafficking and extremism and radicalisation
• Children of minority ethnic background/religion
• Children at risk of honour based violence or forced marriage
• Children with caring responsibilities or classified as a young carer
• Children affected by issues around bullying
Mount View will endeavour to support students through:
a) The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) and Cambridge International Curriculum encourage self-esteem, self-confidence and self-motivation;
b) the school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and which gives all students and adults a sense of being respected and valued;
c) the implementation of the school’s behaviour management and anti-bullying policies;
d) Ensure all staff are fully aware of and understand the Mount View Code of Conduct.
e) Class teacher and teaching assistant time, Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE) weekly lessons
f) a consistent approach agreed by all staff which will endeavour to ensure the student knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but s/he is valued;
g) regular liaison with other professionals and agencies that support the students and their families;
h) a commitment to develop productive, supportive relationships with parents, to work together hand in hand to support the best outcomes for the students.
i) the development and support of a responsive and knowledgeable staff group, trained to respond appropriately in child protection situations;
j) recognition that statistically children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse so staff who work in any capacity with children with profound and multiple disabilities, sensory impairment and/or emotional and behavioural problems will need to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse; and
k) recognition that in a home environment where there is domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, children may also be vulnerable and in need of support and/or protection.
l) ensuring that staff complete annual Edcuare training
Mount View recognises it may be one of the only stable, secure and predictable environments in the lives of vulnerable children and that whilst at school their behaviour may still be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. Our teetering faculty will do everything possible within our role as educators to ensure the child is nurtured and striving to achieve their full potential.
Procedures for reporting suspected (or disclosed) child abuse
If a student makes a disclosure to a member of Mount View, the staff must act promptly. They must not investigate - but should report these concerns immediately to Ms. Emma Binding. The safeguarding procedure will then be followed.
Professional Confidentiality:
• Confidentiality is an issue which needs to be discussed and fully understood by all those working with children, particularly in the context of child protection and safeguarding. The only purpose of confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the child. A member of staff must never guarantee confidentiality to a student nor should they agree with a student to keep a secret, as where there is a child protection concern this must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and may require further investigation by appropriate authorities.
• Mount View Staff will be informed of relevant information in respect of individual cases regarding child protection on a ‘need to know basis’ only. Any information shared with a member of staff in this way must be held confidentially to themselves.
Appendix
The following information is from an EDUCARE rescource:
Physical abuse
Physical abuse may involve: hitting, shaking, throwing, drowning, burning or scalding, poisoning, suffocating, otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Physical signs include:
• finger mark bruising on cheeks or any other area of the body where bruises are unlikely to appear in everyday activity
• presence of injuries that are in several stages of healing suggesting that a child has experienced repeated maltreatment over time
• bald patches on a child’s head
• bite marks
• injuries that form a shape or pattern
• scald marks and burning, including cigarette marks
• black eyes
• marks that might indicate a child has been restrained or strangled
• broken bones
any injuries that are inconsistent with the explanation given.
Behavioural signs include:
• flinching when touched
• inability to recall how injuries occurred
• avoiding getting changed for sporting or other activity
• reluctance to go home
• excessively eager to please
• being very aggressive or withdrawn
• attempts to run away
• being sad, frequently crying
• drug and/or alcohol misuse any behaviour that is not consistent with a child’s age or stage of development.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Though less common, women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
The activities may involve physical contact, including: • assault by penetration
non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing
It may also include non-contact activities, such as:
• watching sexual activities
• encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways
• involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images
• grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet)
Physical signs include: • stomach pains
• discomfort in walking or sitting
• genital soreness, bleeding or discharge
• recurring genital-urinary infections
• sexually transmitted infections.
Behavioural signs include:
• a change in behaviour
• not wanting to undress
• sexual knowledge, language and behaviours beyond their years
• eating disorders
• fear or avoidance of being with a person or a group of people
• self-harming
• unexplained amounts of money
• disturbed sleep
• sexualised drawings
• change in handwriting
• the types of questions asked (do they suggest sexual knowledge that a child should not have).
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe adverse effects on the child’s health and emotional development.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may also occur alone. Emotional abuse may involve:
• rejecting or ignoring a child completely
• using degrading language or behaviours towards them
• responding to their attempts to interact with emotional detachment
• making fun of them
• threatening them or encouraging them to develop behaviours that are self-destructive
• preventing the child from interacting socially with other children or adults
experiences of bullying, including cyberbullying
• a child seeing or hearing the ill treatment or serious bullying (including cyberbullying) of another
• causing children to feel frequently frightened or in danger
• the exploitation or corruption of children.
Emotional abuse also includes radicalising a child or young person who may be subsequently drawn into terroristrelated activity. Physical signs include:
• erratic behaviour
• erratic weight or growth patterns
• delayed development, either physically or emotionally
• self-harm marks.
Behavioural signs include:
• difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships
• emotional withdrawal
• emotional outbursts
• Under eating or over eating
• Poor attendance at school
• self-harming
• unexplained underachievement at school
• inappropriate attention-seeking
• disturbed sleep.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse.
Neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
• provide adequate food, clothing or shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
• protect a child from physical or emotional harm or danger
• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
• respond to a child’s basic emotional needs.
Physical signs include:
• unattended medical or dental problems
• lack of energy due to inadequate food intake and/or poor nutrition
• poor personal hygiene/unwashed clothing
• inadequate clothing (not having warm clothes in winter)
• untreated skin or hair problems (rashes, sores, flea bites, head lice)
• consistent hunger/big appetite – can’t seem to eat enough
• very thin or swollen stomach.
lack of muscle tone (bones appearing to stick out)
Behavioural signs include:
• demanding constant attention and affection
• difficulty in making friends
• missing or irregularly attending school
• stealing or begging food from others
• emotional withdrawal
• anti-social behaviour
• alcohol or substance misuse
• developmental delay (weight, language, social skills).
Forced marriage
In forced marriage, one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage and duress is involved. This can include physical, sexual, financial and emotional pressure. If families have to resort to violence or emotional abuse to make someone marry, the person has not given consent freely and therefore it is a forced marriage.
Forced marriage is different to an arranged marriage, where the families of both prospective spouses take a leading role in arranging the marriage, but the choice of whether or not to accept the arrangement rests with both the people involved.
In addition to the general signs of sexual abuse discussed previously, behavioural signs of forced marriage include: • anxiety, depression, emotionally withdrawal
• low self-esteem
• absence from lessons or permission sought for extended leave
• less commonly, cut or shaved hair as a punishment for disobeying or a girl may say she has been to a doctor
to see if she is a virgin
• showing fear about forthcoming school holidays.
“The safety, welfare and health of our learners is paramount at all times. Should a learner feel unwell, they must know that we are going to look after them whilst we await their parents or family member to collect them”
Sick and Unwell Learners
In the event that a learner becomes unwell or sick whilst at school, the class teacher will instruct the class teaching assistant to take the learner to our school nurse. Ms. Martha our school Nurse has our “sick bay” in Central High School, which is fully equipped and boasts two beds. Ms. Martha will assess the learner and will contact the parents to either:
1. To inform you that your child is unwell, but we are happy to keep them in school at this time. Should your child continue to be unwell or their condition worsen we will ask you to come and collect your child. Currently if a learner has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 families will be asked to collect the learner right away.
2. Ms. Martha will ask you to come and collect your child from the school as they are not well enough to be in school at this time.
Injured Learners
In the unlikely event that a learner is injured at school, through sports or a trip or fall. The school nurse will attend to them. Ms. Martha will call parents to inform them and should the learner require medical assistants Ms. Martha will ask the parents to take the Learner to the hospital.
Learners will never be their own, they will be cared for and monitored by Ms. Martha at all times.
Sick and Unwell Learners
In the event that a learner becomes unwell or sick whilst at school, the class teacher will instruct the class teaching assistant to take the learner to our school nurse. Ms. Martha our school Nurse has our “sick bay” in Central High School, which is fully equipped and boasts two beds. Ms. Martha will assess the learner and will contact the parents to either:
1. To inform you that your child is unwell, but we are happy to keep them in school at this time. Should your child continue to be unwell or their condition worsen we will ask you to come and collect your child. Currently if a learner has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 families will be asked to collect the learner right away.
2. Ms. Martha will ask you to come and collect your child from the school as they are not well enough to be in school at this time.
Injured Learners
In the unlikely event that a learner is injured at school, through sports or a trip or fall. The school nurse will attend to them. Ms. Martha will call parents to inform them and should the learner require medical assistants Ms. Martha will ask the parents to take the Learner to the hospital.
Learners will never be their own, they will be cared for and monitored by Ms. Martha at all times.
At Mount View International Primary School and Early Years Centre, we are committed to teaching your child about how to make sensible food choices as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This packed lunch policy has been developed by drawing on key International government guidance associated with healthy eating and the school day. At Mount View International Primary School and Early Years Centre we are promoting a culture of healthy eating in consultation with parents, pupil and staff, to adopt whole school food policies.
In particular, we are a Rights Respecting School. Article 24 of the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child states: Every child has the right to the best possible health. Schools must work to provide good quality health care, clean water, and support a nutritious food policy and a clean environment so that children can stay healthy. This policy applies to all pupils and parents providing packed lunches and other foods to be consumed within school or on school trips. This packed lunch policy fits within a wider context of promoting a whole school approach to food and healthy eating.
We want to ensure the following:
• To make a positive contribution to children’s health by encouraging healthy eating habits in childhood that can influence health and wellbeing in later life;
• To take a proactive approach to promoting healthy eating;
• To give clear guidance to parents/carers, pupils, governors and staff on providing a healthy packed lunch;
• To support parents by holding healthy eating workshops and providing ideas for healthy packed lunches;
• To equip pupils with the skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to make informed healthy lifestyle choices based on their nutritional understanding;
• To ensure that all children have a healthy and nutritious breaktime food that sustains and prepares them for their day of learning.
• Fruit and Vegetables; at least two portions of fruit or vegetables every day (a portion is the amount your child can fit into the palm of their hand). This could be fresh, dried or tinned fruit
• Carbohydrate; a starchy food every day such as bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes, chapatis/roti, plain crackers, breadsticks, rice cakes
• Protein; meat, egg or other source of non-dairy protein such as lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, dhal, falafel
• Oily fish; tinned or fresh mackerel, sardines, salmon or tuna should be included at least once every three weeks
• Dairy; every day such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage-frais, custard or calcium fortified soya products - reduced fat if possible
• Drinks; (with no added sugar) such as pure fruit juice, semi-skimmed/skimmed milk, milk-based or yoghurt-based drinks, fruit smoothies
• A bottle of water; It is recognised that the concentration and behaviour of children improve when children drink water throughout the day. Dehydration can give children headaches and make them tired as well as loss of concentration up to 80%. Therefore, we encourage children to bring in water bottles daily. This is in addition to their packed lunch drink. We have water filter system for children to fill and refill their bottles throughout the day.
• Dessert/pudding; such as a small cake, biscuit, cereal bar, fruit loaf/bun OR scotch pancake as part of a balanced meal. Please look carefully at packaging as many items that may look healthy can have high levels of sugar and fat. Look for those with 100 calories or less per portion and only include one-a-day for lunch.
Packed Lunches should not include:
• Sweets/confectionery/chewing gum are not permitted at school and will taken from the children and returned at the end of the school day for your child to take home.
• Fizzy, sugary drinks or energy drinks
• Crisps (standard sized bag of crisps (around 25g) will be allowed as an accompaniment on one day of the week only. This day will be made clear in correspondence to parents/carers and pupils.)
• No more than two portions of food each week that includes pastry
• Items containing nuts are not allowed in school. Although these are healthy, some children are allergic to nuts and they can cause a severe reaction even when in other pupils’ lunches. For a healthier snack:
• Money is not permitted in school and children are not permitted under any circumstances to go to Central High to buy items from the tuck shop.
Suggestions for improving your child’s packed lunch:
• Replace cakes and pastries with fruit bread or teacake
• Replace salted savoury snacks, such as crisps, with breadsticks, rice cakes, cheese and crackers or popcorn (not sweet or toffee)
• Include dried fruit or fruit salad
• Drink water, milk, 100% fruit juice, sparkling water, fruit smoothie, or yoghurt drink.
Special Diets and allergies:
The school recognises that some pupils may require special diets. In this case parents/carers are asked to inform the school and make their child’s lunchbox as healthy as possible. For this reason, pupils are not permitted to swap food items. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN WITH NUTS OR FOOD CONTAINING NUTS (for example, Nutella or Bombay Mix) AS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH NUT ALLERGIES.
Provision for Packed Lunches:
• School will ensure that fresh drinking water is readily available at all times.
• provide a packed lunch container where food items can be stored securely and appropriately until the lunchtime period;
• bring packed lunches in reusable plastic containers, rather than disposing of plastic bags and bottles. Fridge space for packed lunches is not available so it is advisable to bring packed lunches in insulated bags with an ice pack to keep the food fresh. Waste and disposal the school will, within reason, send any uneaten packed lunch food items back home. The rationale for this is that parents can also monitor what their child has consumed during the day and then raise any concerns over their child’s food intake with the school.
Other issues:
• Sweets or chocolate for special occasions, such as birthdays, are permitted and each child may consume 1 sweet or chocolate to help celebrate the occasion. Any foods containing nuts should still not be sent into school on these occasions.
• Very occasionally, the children may organise a cake sale for charity and purchase cakes to raise money for a good cause.
• Very occasionally, the children may bring in food for parties such as Christmas, when the restrictions of this policy do not apply. Any foods containing nuts should still not be sent into school on these occasions.
• The use of sweets for rewards is not permitted at Mount View International Primary school and Early Years Centre. Instead, children are rewarded with stickers, praise and certificates in assemblies.
Whilst we fully respect individual food choices and understand that there are many different needs and tastes, we want to work with parents to educate children about healthy diet choices so that our children, through understanding a balanced diet, will develop a greater appreciation of a healthy lifestyle. The formal curriculum develops pupils’ knowledge of healthy eating predominantly through PSHE and Science and this is prominent through each standard and year group at Mount View from Early Learners to Year 6. We will also run parent and child workshops on being active and eating healthily. Monitoring to promote healthy eating, class teachers, teaching assistants, learning mentors and lunchtime supervisors will regularly monitor the content of packed lunches.
Parents/carers and pupils who do not adhere to the packed lunch policy will receive a leaflet in the packed lunch informing them of the policy or may be invited to attend a packed lunch workshop. If a child regularly brings in a packed lunch that does not conform to this policy, the school will contact the parents to discuss this. If food items are confiscated, they will be returned to parents/carers at the end of the day. Policy review This policy will be reviewed as part of the school’s agreed policy review process.
In particular, we are a Rights Respecting School. Article 24 of the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child states: Every child has the right to the best possible health. Schools must work to provide good quality health care, clean water, and support a nutritious food policy and a clean environment so that children can stay healthy. This policy applies to all pupils and parents providing packed lunches and other foods to be consumed within school or on school trips. This packed lunch policy fits within a wider context of promoting a whole school approach to food and healthy eating.
We want to ensure the following:
• To make a positive contribution to children’s health by encouraging healthy eating habits in childhood that can influence health and wellbeing in later life;
• To take a proactive approach to promoting healthy eating;
• To give clear guidance to parents/carers, pupils, governors and staff on providing a healthy packed lunch;
• To support parents by holding healthy eating workshops and providing ideas for healthy packed lunches;
• To equip pupils with the skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to make informed healthy lifestyle choices based on their nutritional understanding;
• To ensure that all children have a healthy and nutritious breaktime food that sustains and prepares them for their day of learning.
• Fruit and Vegetables; at least two portions of fruit or vegetables every day (a portion is the amount your child can fit into the palm of their hand). This could be fresh, dried or tinned fruit
• Carbohydrate; a starchy food every day such as bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes, chapatis/roti, plain crackers, breadsticks, rice cakes
• Protein; meat, egg or other source of non-dairy protein such as lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, dhal, falafel
• Oily fish; tinned or fresh mackerel, sardines, salmon or tuna should be included at least once every three weeks
• Dairy; every day such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage-frais, custard or calcium fortified soya products - reduced fat if possible
• Drinks; (with no added sugar) such as pure fruit juice, semi-skimmed/skimmed milk, milk-based or yoghurt-based drinks, fruit smoothies
• A bottle of water; It is recognised that the concentration and behaviour of children improve when children drink water throughout the day. Dehydration can give children headaches and make them tired as well as loss of concentration up to 80%. Therefore, we encourage children to bring in water bottles daily. This is in addition to their packed lunch drink. We have water filter system for children to fill and refill their bottles throughout the day.
• Dessert/pudding; such as a small cake, biscuit, cereal bar, fruit loaf/bun OR scotch pancake as part of a balanced meal. Please look carefully at packaging as many items that may look healthy can have high levels of sugar and fat. Look for those with 100 calories or less per portion and only include one-a-day for lunch.
Packed Lunches should not include:
• Sweets/confectionery/chewing gum are not permitted at school and will taken from the children and returned at the end of the school day for your child to take home.
• Fizzy, sugary drinks or energy drinks
• Crisps (standard sized bag of crisps (around 25g) will be allowed as an accompaniment on one day of the week only. This day will be made clear in correspondence to parents/carers and pupils.)
• No more than two portions of food each week that includes pastry
• Items containing nuts are not allowed in school. Although these are healthy, some children are allergic to nuts and they can cause a severe reaction even when in other pupils’ lunches. For a healthier snack:
• Money is not permitted in school and children are not permitted under any circumstances to go to Central High to buy items from the tuck shop.
Suggestions for improving your child’s packed lunch:
• Replace cakes and pastries with fruit bread or teacake
• Replace salted savoury snacks, such as crisps, with breadsticks, rice cakes, cheese and crackers or popcorn (not sweet or toffee)
• Include dried fruit or fruit salad
• Drink water, milk, 100% fruit juice, sparkling water, fruit smoothie, or yoghurt drink.
Special Diets and allergies:
The school recognises that some pupils may require special diets. In this case parents/carers are asked to inform the school and make their child’s lunchbox as healthy as possible. For this reason, pupils are not permitted to swap food items. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN WITH NUTS OR FOOD CONTAINING NUTS (for example, Nutella or Bombay Mix) AS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH NUT ALLERGIES.
Provision for Packed Lunches:
• School will ensure that fresh drinking water is readily available at all times.
• provide a packed lunch container where food items can be stored securely and appropriately until the lunchtime period;
• bring packed lunches in reusable plastic containers, rather than disposing of plastic bags and bottles. Fridge space for packed lunches is not available so it is advisable to bring packed lunches in insulated bags with an ice pack to keep the food fresh. Waste and disposal the school will, within reason, send any uneaten packed lunch food items back home. The rationale for this is that parents can also monitor what their child has consumed during the day and then raise any concerns over their child’s food intake with the school.
Other issues:
• Sweets or chocolate for special occasions, such as birthdays, are permitted and each child may consume 1 sweet or chocolate to help celebrate the occasion. Any foods containing nuts should still not be sent into school on these occasions.
• Very occasionally, the children may organise a cake sale for charity and purchase cakes to raise money for a good cause.
• Very occasionally, the children may bring in food for parties such as Christmas, when the restrictions of this policy do not apply. Any foods containing nuts should still not be sent into school on these occasions.
• The use of sweets for rewards is not permitted at Mount View International Primary school and Early Years Centre. Instead, children are rewarded with stickers, praise and certificates in assemblies.
Whilst we fully respect individual food choices and understand that there are many different needs and tastes, we want to work with parents to educate children about healthy diet choices so that our children, through understanding a balanced diet, will develop a greater appreciation of a healthy lifestyle. The formal curriculum develops pupils’ knowledge of healthy eating predominantly through PSHE and Science and this is prominent through each standard and year group at Mount View from Early Learners to Year 6. We will also run parent and child workshops on being active and eating healthily. Monitoring to promote healthy eating, class teachers, teaching assistants, learning mentors and lunchtime supervisors will regularly monitor the content of packed lunches.
Parents/carers and pupils who do not adhere to the packed lunch policy will receive a leaflet in the packed lunch informing them of the policy or may be invited to attend a packed lunch workshop. If a child regularly brings in a packed lunch that does not conform to this policy, the school will contact the parents to discuss this. If food items are confiscated, they will be returned to parents/carers at the end of the day. Policy review This policy will be reviewed as part of the school’s agreed policy review process.
Mount View International Primary School and Early Years Centre promotes a strong ethos of instilling a love of lifelong learning in its students. Learning happens each and every day of an individual’s life, this learning must be both acknowledged and embraced.
What is homework?
Homework refers to a learning task that is given to students by teachers to be completed outside of the school day. Research strongly indicates that homework accelerates a students learning by up to six months. Homework must be both meaningful and purposeful and support the learning that is taking place in school. Students homework is to enhance their knowledge and skills and deepen their learning of topics, themes and skills. Homework provides students with opportunities to be critical thinkers, to refine and embed their study skills and become independent learners.
Rationale
The homework policy establishes a clear framework for students, teachers and parents about the importance of homework and quality of homework that has been set.
Homework
Homework will set on a Tuesday for return the following Monday
Aims
• To outline the weekly structure of homework
• What is included in weekly homework tasks
• To ensure teachers know what is expected of them when setting homework
• To acknowledge that different subjects require different approaches to homework
Objectives
• To monitor as a school, the quality of the homework set and its critical link to the Cambridge International Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
• To ensure every students learning is monitored for progress and success
Principles of homework
• Quality is far better than quantity. Homework that is directly linked to the learning that is taking place is far beneficial to the students than homework that has relevance or link.
• Homework will set to support the students learning for academics and progression. Homework will also be set to improve student’s personal development as when it is needed.
• Homework must be viewed by students and their family as usual and given the same regard as learning that takes place in school.
• Homework will set challenges for the students, but the students will be prepared and have the developing skills to complete the homework task.
• Specific feedback on homework will be given by the teachers offering support, guidance and recognition of both effort and achievement.
• Students will receive both recognition and praise for their homework.
Further guidance
• Deadlines for homework; homework will be set on a Tuesday and is to be returned on a Friday.
• Students are expected to be read with every day. The students reading should then be recorded in the students Reading record book. Children in Early Years and Lower Primary must read aloud to an adult every day and should be read to daily.
• Heads of Department are responsible for ensuring homework is set weekly, that homework is suitable for all abilities of the students, that the homework is marked in a timely fashion.
• If homework completion deadlines are not met parents must inform the teacher that set the homework and a new agreed deadline must be set. Should a situation arise where a student is regularly not returning their homework a meeting between the Headteacher and parents will be arranged.
Key stage homework guidelines
Early Years
Early Learners and Nursery children will not be set formal homework. Mount View on occasions may ask parents to engage with their child on a project.
We expect parents and families’ members to read a book daily to their child and discuss the book. To paint, draw and paly with their child. To engage in outside play and support the child to grow their independence and self-help skills.
Reception
Children will be given learning opportunities to practice at home, these will include Jolly phonic sound and diagraph practice, reading and from time to time a project. We whole heartedly also encourage parents to play with their child both indoors and outside and support them with their independence and self-help skills.
Key Stage 1
(Years 1, 2 and 3)
Year 1 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings Handwriting
Handwriting Sentences Literacy
English Maths
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Handwriting practice of letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Math and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Year 2 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings English
Handwriting English Handwriting Science
Maths Maths
Science, History, Geography, ICT, Art, Music, P.E, DT or Cooking may set additional homework if it is required.
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and timetables will be given every Tuesday for a test on the Friday.
• Cursive handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Math and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Year 3 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings Spellings
Math English Math
Handwriting Sentences Handwriting
Science, History, Geography, ICT, Art, Music, P.E, DT or Cooking may set additional homework if it is required.
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and timetables will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Cursive handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Maths and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Key Stage 2
(Years 4, 5 and 6)
The following tasks will be set weekly on a Tuesday for returning on a Monday
• Spellings and mental math
• Reading
• Literacy
• Math
• Science
• Grammar
Other subjects may from time to time set a homework to enhance the students learning
• Science
• History
• Geography
• ICT
• Art
• Music
• P.E
• DT
• Cooking
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and Tables will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Additional homework information
• Additional homework maybe given if a student has not completed the learning objectives or tasks set during their lesson time
• Intervention task maybe set to support students who are finding difficulty or challenges in an areas of learning.
• Research for projects, topics or as a method of learning encourage students to expand their skills and strengthen their independent learning.
Teachers will set, monitor, assess and give feedback on homework. Parents and families are responsible for ensuring homework is completed and completed on time.
What is homework?
Homework refers to a learning task that is given to students by teachers to be completed outside of the school day. Research strongly indicates that homework accelerates a students learning by up to six months. Homework must be both meaningful and purposeful and support the learning that is taking place in school. Students homework is to enhance their knowledge and skills and deepen their learning of topics, themes and skills. Homework provides students with opportunities to be critical thinkers, to refine and embed their study skills and become independent learners.
Rationale
The homework policy establishes a clear framework for students, teachers and parents about the importance of homework and quality of homework that has been set.
Homework
Homework will set on a Tuesday for return the following Monday
Aims
• To outline the weekly structure of homework
• What is included in weekly homework tasks
• To ensure teachers know what is expected of them when setting homework
• To acknowledge that different subjects require different approaches to homework
Objectives
• To monitor as a school, the quality of the homework set and its critical link to the Cambridge International Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
• To ensure every students learning is monitored for progress and success
Principles of homework
• Quality is far better than quantity. Homework that is directly linked to the learning that is taking place is far beneficial to the students than homework that has relevance or link.
• Homework will set to support the students learning for academics and progression. Homework will also be set to improve student’s personal development as when it is needed.
• Homework must be viewed by students and their family as usual and given the same regard as learning that takes place in school.
• Homework will set challenges for the students, but the students will be prepared and have the developing skills to complete the homework task.
• Specific feedback on homework will be given by the teachers offering support, guidance and recognition of both effort and achievement.
• Students will receive both recognition and praise for their homework.
Further guidance
• Deadlines for homework; homework will be set on a Tuesday and is to be returned on a Friday.
• Students are expected to be read with every day. The students reading should then be recorded in the students Reading record book. Children in Early Years and Lower Primary must read aloud to an adult every day and should be read to daily.
• Heads of Department are responsible for ensuring homework is set weekly, that homework is suitable for all abilities of the students, that the homework is marked in a timely fashion.
• If homework completion deadlines are not met parents must inform the teacher that set the homework and a new agreed deadline must be set. Should a situation arise where a student is regularly not returning their homework a meeting between the Headteacher and parents will be arranged.
Key stage homework guidelines
Early Years
Early Learners and Nursery children will not be set formal homework. Mount View on occasions may ask parents to engage with their child on a project.
We expect parents and families’ members to read a book daily to their child and discuss the book. To paint, draw and paly with their child. To engage in outside play and support the child to grow their independence and self-help skills.
Reception
Children will be given learning opportunities to practice at home, these will include Jolly phonic sound and diagraph practice, reading and from time to time a project. We whole heartedly also encourage parents to play with their child both indoors and outside and support them with their independence and self-help skills.
Key Stage 1
(Years 1, 2 and 3)
Year 1 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings Handwriting
Handwriting Sentences Literacy
English Maths
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Handwriting practice of letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Math and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Year 2 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings English
Handwriting English Handwriting Science
Maths Maths
Science, History, Geography, ICT, Art, Music, P.E, DT or Cooking may set additional homework if it is required.
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and timetables will be given every Tuesday for a test on the Friday.
• Cursive handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Math and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Year 3 Homework Time Table
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading Reading Reading Reading
Spellings Spellings Spellings Spellings
Math English Math
Handwriting Sentences Handwriting
Science, History, Geography, ICT, Art, Music, P.E, DT or Cooking may set additional homework if it is required.
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and timetables will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Cursive handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• English, including handwriting, are an essential part of the Cambridge Curriculum and is used in all aspects of our learning, in and out of school.
• Maths and Inquiry are also essential parts of the Cambridge Curriculum and are used all aspects of our lives.
• Math Passport should be practiced weekly at home.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Key Stage 2
(Years 4, 5 and 6)
The following tasks will be set weekly on a Tuesday for returning on a Monday
• Spellings and mental math
• Reading
• Literacy
• Math
• Science
• Grammar
Other subjects may from time to time set a homework to enhance the students learning
• Science
• History
• Geography
• ICT
• Art
• Music
• P.E
• DT
• Cooking
• Reading every day is essential to improving and developing your child’s reading skills, knowledge of sentences, knowledge of grammar and expanding their vocabulary.
• Spellings and Tables will be given every Tuesday for a spelling test on the Friday.
• Handwriting practice letters, words and sentences will be given twice a week; it’s a skill that must be practiced.
• Monitor your child’s home and sign your child’s homework log every week
Additional homework information
• Additional homework maybe given if a student has not completed the learning objectives or tasks set during their lesson time
• Intervention task maybe set to support students who are finding difficulty or challenges in an areas of learning.
• Research for projects, topics or as a method of learning encourage students to expand their skills and strengthen their independent learning.
Teachers will set, monitor, assess and give feedback on homework. Parents and families are responsible for ensuring homework is completed and completed on time.
Introduction
At Mount View we pride ourselves in being smart, well presented and ready for learning. It is our school policy that all children wear school uniform when attending school, or when participating in school-organised events outside normal school hours. We ask children to wear their shirts tucked into their skirts, shorts or trousers and to take a pride in their personal appearance.
All our uniform can be bought from RR Trading, Mount View and Central High’s School uniform supplier. We have a uniform shop located within our school next to our school Reception. The comprehensive list of school uniform in detailed below.
Aims and objectives
Our policy on school uniform is based on the belief that we are pleased to wear a uniform that:
• Promotes a sense of pride in our school
• Helps to create a sense of community and belonging towards the school
• Identifies pupils with the school
• Supports the school’s commitment to inclusion
• Prevents pupils from wearing ‘fashion clothes’ that could be distracting in class
• Is practical, smart, and designed with health and safety in mind
• Is considered to be good value for money
Jewellery, Hair Ornaments, Make-up and Nail Varnish
For many reasons, including safety, we do not allow children to wear jewellery. The exceptions to this rule are ear-ring studs in pierced ears. Children are required to remove any items during P.E. lessons to prevent them from causing injury.
Please note: Teachers are not permitted to remove earrings.
Hair must be washed clean and presentable at all times.
Make up and nail varnish should not be worn to school.
Extreme hairstyles are not appropriate for school. Please be mindful when having your child’s hair styled.
Footwear
For health and safety reasons we do not allow children to wear shoes with platform soles or high heels. All children are required to wear plain black shoes without logos as stated in the uniform list. If boots are worn these should also be plain black.
The Role of Parents
We believe that one of the responsibilities of parents is to ensure that their child has the correct uniform and PE kit, and that it is clean, in good repair and that the child’s name is visibly labelled on all items. If a parent has difficulties for any reason with fulfilling this request they are asked to speak confidentially to a senior member of staff to discuss the issues. Parents should be assured that we will do all we can to help.
Children who arrive at school wearing non-school uniform, without a parent discussing this with a member of the Leadership Team the child may be asked to go home and change into the correct school uniform. The same system will apply for children who do not have a PE kit. Parents will be contacted to discuss the matter.
The school welcomes children from all backgrounds and faith communities. If there are serious reasons, for example on religious grounds, why parents want their child to wear clothes that differ from the school uniform, the Uniform Policy will consider such requests sympathetically. If any parent would like to request an exception to the uniform policy they should, in the first instance, contact the Headteacher and then the Governors.
The Role of Governors
The governing body supports the Headteacher in implementing the school uniform policy. It considers all representations from parents regarding the uniform policy and liaises with the Headteacher to ensure that the policy is implemented fairly and with sensitivity. It is the governors’ responsibility to ensure that the school uniform meets all regulations concerning equal Monitoring and Review opportunities. Governors ensure that the school uniform policy enables children to dress sensibly, in clothing that is hardwearing, safe and practical.
Mount View School Uniform
Early Years Lower Primary Upper Primary Religious wear Additional items
School Uniform • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
P.E Uniform • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
Swimming Uniform • Mount View swim wear • Mount View swim wear • Mount View swim wear Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
These must be in swim safe material Goggles
Towel
Swim bag
Flip flops
The school cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage to a student’s school uniform. Every item must be labelled with the child’s name
At Mount View we pride ourselves in being smart, well presented and ready for learning. It is our school policy that all children wear school uniform when attending school, or when participating in school-organised events outside normal school hours. We ask children to wear their shirts tucked into their skirts, shorts or trousers and to take a pride in their personal appearance.
All our uniform can be bought from RR Trading, Mount View and Central High’s School uniform supplier. We have a uniform shop located within our school next to our school Reception. The comprehensive list of school uniform in detailed below.
Aims and objectives
Our policy on school uniform is based on the belief that we are pleased to wear a uniform that:
• Promotes a sense of pride in our school
• Helps to create a sense of community and belonging towards the school
• Identifies pupils with the school
• Supports the school’s commitment to inclusion
• Prevents pupils from wearing ‘fashion clothes’ that could be distracting in class
• Is practical, smart, and designed with health and safety in mind
• Is considered to be good value for money
Jewellery, Hair Ornaments, Make-up and Nail Varnish
For many reasons, including safety, we do not allow children to wear jewellery. The exceptions to this rule are ear-ring studs in pierced ears. Children are required to remove any items during P.E. lessons to prevent them from causing injury.
Please note: Teachers are not permitted to remove earrings.
Hair must be washed clean and presentable at all times.
Make up and nail varnish should not be worn to school.
Extreme hairstyles are not appropriate for school. Please be mindful when having your child’s hair styled.
Footwear
For health and safety reasons we do not allow children to wear shoes with platform soles or high heels. All children are required to wear plain black shoes without logos as stated in the uniform list. If boots are worn these should also be plain black.
The Role of Parents
We believe that one of the responsibilities of parents is to ensure that their child has the correct uniform and PE kit, and that it is clean, in good repair and that the child’s name is visibly labelled on all items. If a parent has difficulties for any reason with fulfilling this request they are asked to speak confidentially to a senior member of staff to discuss the issues. Parents should be assured that we will do all we can to help.
Children who arrive at school wearing non-school uniform, without a parent discussing this with a member of the Leadership Team the child may be asked to go home and change into the correct school uniform. The same system will apply for children who do not have a PE kit. Parents will be contacted to discuss the matter.
The school welcomes children from all backgrounds and faith communities. If there are serious reasons, for example on religious grounds, why parents want their child to wear clothes that differ from the school uniform, the Uniform Policy will consider such requests sympathetically. If any parent would like to request an exception to the uniform policy they should, in the first instance, contact the Headteacher and then the Governors.
The Role of Governors
The governing body supports the Headteacher in implementing the school uniform policy. It considers all representations from parents regarding the uniform policy and liaises with the Headteacher to ensure that the policy is implemented fairly and with sensitivity. It is the governors’ responsibility to ensure that the school uniform meets all regulations concerning equal Monitoring and Review opportunities. Governors ensure that the school uniform policy enables children to dress sensibly, in clothing that is hardwearing, safe and practical.
Mount View School Uniform
Early Years Lower Primary Upper Primary Religious wear Additional items
School Uniform • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes • Mount View golf top with logo
• Grey trousers, shorts or skirt
• Mount View jersey with logo
• Black school shoes Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
P.E Uniform • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers • Mount View P.E golf top in house colour
• Navy blue shorts
• Trainers Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
Swimming Uniform • Mount View swim wear • Mount View swim wear • Mount View swim wear Hijabs can be worn at all times and should be in the colours, grey, royal blue or black
These must be in swim safe material Goggles
Towel
Swim bag
Flip flops
The school cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage to a student’s school uniform. Every item must be labelled with the child’s name
At Mount View respect and integrity is part of our ethos. Our Teachers and Teaching Assistants must act in accordance with all our school values and uphold them at all times. Our Teachers and Teaching Assistants treat each student with compassion and kindness and ensure each child is reaching for their full potential.
Our Teachers and Teaching Assistants are professionals who are committed to the students, Mount View and all the future successes.
Teachers and Teaching Assistants hours they may be contacted are:
Monday to Thursday 6.00am to 3.00pm
Friday 6.00am to 12.00noon
School holidays
The teaching faculty will check their phones twice a week.
The long holiday Teachers and Teaching Assistants will not be contactable.
You may send a what’s app message or note but these will only be responded to during these designated times.
Our Teachers and Teaching Assistants are professionals who are committed to the students, Mount View and all the future successes.
Teachers and Teaching Assistants hours they may be contacted are:
Monday to Thursday 6.00am to 3.00pm
Friday 6.00am to 12.00noon
School holidays
The teaching faculty will check their phones twice a week.
The long holiday Teachers and Teaching Assistants will not be contactable.
You may send a what’s app message or note but these will only be responded to during these designated times.
“Every Child a Reader”
The Power of Reading
“Reading is a joy, as it lets us imagine new possibilities, takes us on adventures in our minds and books capture our imagination. Books share information and knowledge and expand our thinking capabilities. Through reading we learn a wide variety of skills, skills that benefit all us through so many other aspects of our lives.
Reading promotes:
• Language and speech development
• Vocabulary and word knowledge
• Reading develops knowledge and understanding of punctuation and grammar
• Reading improves a child’s memory and ability to recall events
• Books improve a child’s concentration
Early Years
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Early Learners 2 books daily
Nursery 3 books daily
Reception 2 books daily 10 minutes once everyday
Lower Primary
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Year 1 1 book daily 10 minutes daily
Year 2 1 book daily 15 minutes daily
Year 3 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Upper Primary
Students who are on free choice reading should read for 30 minutes everyday
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Year 4 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Year 5 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Year 6 1 chapter of a book daily 30 minutes daily
The Power of Reading
“Reading is a joy, as it lets us imagine new possibilities, takes us on adventures in our minds and books capture our imagination. Books share information and knowledge and expand our thinking capabilities. Through reading we learn a wide variety of skills, skills that benefit all us through so many other aspects of our lives.
Reading promotes:
• Language and speech development
• Vocabulary and word knowledge
• Reading develops knowledge and understanding of punctuation and grammar
• Reading improves a child’s memory and ability to recall events
• Books improve a child’s concentration
Early Years
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Early Learners 2 books daily
Nursery 3 books daily
Reception 2 books daily 10 minutes once everyday
Lower Primary
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Year 1 1 book daily 10 minutes daily
Year 2 1 book daily 15 minutes daily
Year 3 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Upper Primary
Students who are on free choice reading should read for 30 minutes everyday
Class Being read to by a parent Reading with a parent
Year 4 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Year 5 1 chapter of a book daily 20 minutes daily
Year 6 1 chapter of a book daily 30 minutes daily
At Mount View Primary we believe every child has the right to access and enjoy a quality education. Every child has the right and the capacity to excel at learning, developing and to explore their new skills and abilities.
We have a dedicated teaching staff that works with your child to educate them following the Cambridge Curriculum in the Upper and Lower Primary School. In the Early Years Centre, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Our Ethos:
We want to inspire each and every child with a passion for life learning and for them to aspire to have ambitions and seek adventure and opportunities as a citizen of the world. We will sensitively support each child to become the very best they can be.
Our Aims:
• To welcome all children to Mount View Primary and celebrate their individual learning achievements.
• To work closely with families to learn about their child’s needs and capabilities and to share their child’s successes and achievements.
• To have a reciprocal professional relationship with parents to discuss any of their child’s needs.
• To create with families and professionals a detailed written plan of how their child will be supported. To have agreed review dates to monitor their child’s achievements.
• To have a school culture of continuing to support and help each other.
• To continue to train and support our teachers and teaching staff with their knowledge and personal development. To provide exciting and poignant training opportunities.
• To work closely with other professionals to support an individual child and developing a clear and detailed learning and educational plan.
Learning Support:
Mount View Primary has developed and specific and bespoke learning environment for children to receive additional support with their learning. The learning environment is paramount for children as it creates a sense of safety and comfort along with structure for children to access resources to support them with their learning.
We have three designated Learning Support teachers that work exclusively with their key students. Each teacher will write a detailed Individual Education Plan (IEP), the plan will be used to support the student in school, at home and to inform support of other outside agencies.
The Journey Room contains:
• A book corner with a variety of books both fiction and non-fiction to promote a love of books and reading.
• Story sacks for story telling to promote sequencing, vocabulary development, knowledge of grammar, sentence structure and imagination.
• Song sacks, to increase vocabulary and knowledge of words along with rhyming in language.
• A quiet space for reflection, calming down, gathering thoughts and personal wellbeing.
• Feelings and emotions books and activities to support children with expressing themselves and their needs and thoughts.
• A math’s area, with counting resources, shape space and measure equipment, times tables and multiplication activities, sums and number activities and guidance activities. Puzzles and sequencing and ordering games.
• Literacy area, with marking making and writing activities, letters-capital and lower case, Jolly Phonics-blends, phonemes and graphemes, high frequency and sight words, Letters and Sounds activities. Story writing props and spelling activities.
• Fine and gross motor skill activities to promote physical development.
• A success board for celebrating achievements.
Accessing Learning Support and the Journey Room:
• Parents and families are free to come and speak/contact a member of the Learning Support team at any time to discuss any questions or concerns they may have regarding their child and their learning.
• A teacher or teaching assistant can discuss a child they have in their class and ask for advice or support.
• The Learning Support Team will then either do one or more of the following:
• Offer advice and support
• Sign post to out side agencies with bespoke skills and specialties
• Assess, observe and review the child.
About Learning Support:
At Learning Support, we will then in agreement with parents/families and class teacher offer a pathway to move forward. We will then write a Learning and Educational Plan, the plan will consist of what the children’s strengths are, what is the specific goal is for them and what are we going to support them to achieve this. The child will then be given a minimum of two sessions a week at Learning Support where they will have either 1:1 support with a teacher or learning with a group of up to 4 children.
We will then review the child’s progress after 12 weeks. At the review we will then write another goal for the child to be supported with to continue to enhance their learning and continue with lessons in Learning Support.
When a child has made progress and all parties are confident with their achievements the child may cease to need the support of Learning Support and will Graduate from Learning Support. Children may receive Learning Support for a short period of their school life or for the majority of their school life this is unique to each child.
Learning Support will provide:
• An individual assessment of the child
• Discussion time parents and families
• Discussion time with the class teacher
• Recommendations for additional professional support
• A Learning and Educational Plan
• Lessons at Learning Support
• Review dates
• Availability to speak with Learning Support teachers at any time
Our Learning Environment:
We are dedicated to every child receiving the best education that meets their needs. We have an ever-evolving school that is committed to a learning environment that not only contributes to a child’s learning but facilitates it also.
At Mount View we boast a bright and fresh learning environment that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the children.
We have the following:
• Modern, fresh and stimulating classrooms
• “The Journey Room” for Learning Support
• Therapy rooms for our resident Occupational and Speech and Language Therapists
• Science laboratories
• A music room with a variety of musical equipment
• An art room to promote expression and creativity
• P.E facilities and open spaces
• ICT rooms, for both children to use across the school
• A Library and Librarian
• Designed outdoor areas in the Early Years to develop children’s physical development.
• Cooking Suit
• Design Technology Suit
• Art room
• Music room
Therapists:
We have Nditha Rehabilitation Centre who attend Mount View Primary on Mondays and Wednesdays each week. They provide a range of therapies including Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy and Physiotherapy. This allows children to access therapies whilst at school. Each therapist will provide an assessment of the child’s needs along with a written report within two weeks. The report will outline the child’s strengths and areas which need support. The areas that need support will then be support by both the therapist, class teacher and Learning Support. Parents and families will also receive activities and learning plans to follow at home.
All costs for the therapists will be between the child’s family and Nditha Rehabilitation. Cost can be covered by Medical Insurance or families can pay privately but the Mount View Primary will not be involved.
Policy September 2021 and will be reviewed annually.
We have a dedicated teaching staff that works with your child to educate them following the Cambridge Curriculum in the Upper and Lower Primary School. In the Early Years Centre, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Our Ethos:
We want to inspire each and every child with a passion for life learning and for them to aspire to have ambitions and seek adventure and opportunities as a citizen of the world. We will sensitively support each child to become the very best they can be.
Our Aims:
• To welcome all children to Mount View Primary and celebrate their individual learning achievements.
• To work closely with families to learn about their child’s needs and capabilities and to share their child’s successes and achievements.
• To have a reciprocal professional relationship with parents to discuss any of their child’s needs.
• To create with families and professionals a detailed written plan of how their child will be supported. To have agreed review dates to monitor their child’s achievements.
• To have a school culture of continuing to support and help each other.
• To continue to train and support our teachers and teaching staff with their knowledge and personal development. To provide exciting and poignant training opportunities.
• To work closely with other professionals to support an individual child and developing a clear and detailed learning and educational plan.
Learning Support:
Mount View Primary has developed and specific and bespoke learning environment for children to receive additional support with their learning. The learning environment is paramount for children as it creates a sense of safety and comfort along with structure for children to access resources to support them with their learning.
We have three designated Learning Support teachers that work exclusively with their key students. Each teacher will write a detailed Individual Education Plan (IEP), the plan will be used to support the student in school, at home and to inform support of other outside agencies.
The Journey Room contains:
• A book corner with a variety of books both fiction and non-fiction to promote a love of books and reading.
• Story sacks for story telling to promote sequencing, vocabulary development, knowledge of grammar, sentence structure and imagination.
• Song sacks, to increase vocabulary and knowledge of words along with rhyming in language.
• A quiet space for reflection, calming down, gathering thoughts and personal wellbeing.
• Feelings and emotions books and activities to support children with expressing themselves and their needs and thoughts.
• A math’s area, with counting resources, shape space and measure equipment, times tables and multiplication activities, sums and number activities and guidance activities. Puzzles and sequencing and ordering games.
• Literacy area, with marking making and writing activities, letters-capital and lower case, Jolly Phonics-blends, phonemes and graphemes, high frequency and sight words, Letters and Sounds activities. Story writing props and spelling activities.
• Fine and gross motor skill activities to promote physical development.
• A success board for celebrating achievements.
Accessing Learning Support and the Journey Room:
• Parents and families are free to come and speak/contact a member of the Learning Support team at any time to discuss any questions or concerns they may have regarding their child and their learning.
• A teacher or teaching assistant can discuss a child they have in their class and ask for advice or support.
• The Learning Support Team will then either do one or more of the following:
• Offer advice and support
• Sign post to out side agencies with bespoke skills and specialties
• Assess, observe and review the child.
About Learning Support:
At Learning Support, we will then in agreement with parents/families and class teacher offer a pathway to move forward. We will then write a Learning and Educational Plan, the plan will consist of what the children’s strengths are, what is the specific goal is for them and what are we going to support them to achieve this. The child will then be given a minimum of two sessions a week at Learning Support where they will have either 1:1 support with a teacher or learning with a group of up to 4 children.
We will then review the child’s progress after 12 weeks. At the review we will then write another goal for the child to be supported with to continue to enhance their learning and continue with lessons in Learning Support.
When a child has made progress and all parties are confident with their achievements the child may cease to need the support of Learning Support and will Graduate from Learning Support. Children may receive Learning Support for a short period of their school life or for the majority of their school life this is unique to each child.
Learning Support will provide:
• An individual assessment of the child
• Discussion time parents and families
• Discussion time with the class teacher
• Recommendations for additional professional support
• A Learning and Educational Plan
• Lessons at Learning Support
• Review dates
• Availability to speak with Learning Support teachers at any time
Our Learning Environment:
We are dedicated to every child receiving the best education that meets their needs. We have an ever-evolving school that is committed to a learning environment that not only contributes to a child’s learning but facilitates it also.
At Mount View we boast a bright and fresh learning environment that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the children.
We have the following:
• Modern, fresh and stimulating classrooms
• “The Journey Room” for Learning Support
• Therapy rooms for our resident Occupational and Speech and Language Therapists
• Science laboratories
• A music room with a variety of musical equipment
• An art room to promote expression and creativity
• P.E facilities and open spaces
• ICT rooms, for both children to use across the school
• A Library and Librarian
• Designed outdoor areas in the Early Years to develop children’s physical development.
• Cooking Suit
• Design Technology Suit
• Art room
• Music room
Therapists:
We have Nditha Rehabilitation Centre who attend Mount View Primary on Mondays and Wednesdays each week. They provide a range of therapies including Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy and Physiotherapy. This allows children to access therapies whilst at school. Each therapist will provide an assessment of the child’s needs along with a written report within two weeks. The report will outline the child’s strengths and areas which need support. The areas that need support will then be support by both the therapist, class teacher and Learning Support. Parents and families will also receive activities and learning plans to follow at home.
All costs for the therapists will be between the child’s family and Nditha Rehabilitation. Cost can be covered by Medical Insurance or families can pay privately but the Mount View Primary will not be involved.
Policy September 2021 and will be reviewed annually.
Aims and Objectives
General Statement
Phonics is one of the many skills needed to become a reader and writer. We aim to give children the best possible start on their reading/writing journey by teaching them the essential phonological/phonemic skills and knowledge to decode (read) and encode (spell) words independently from the outset. At the point of reading/writing, children will use phonics as their first strategy to read and spell unknown words until it is embedded and automatic for them. We recognise that the development of spoken language and the enjoyment and comprehension of quality literature go hand in hand to develop a lifelong love of reading and aim to nurture and develop these attributes alongside the phonics program.
Our policy sets out the means by which we ensure consistency and a systematic approach to the teaching and learning of synthetic phonics, as the prime method by which children learn to read and spell independently, automatically and confidently in the first years of their schooling. It aims to reinforce our high expectations for pupil progress.
Specific Aims
Children should:
• Be able to recognize each grapheme and its corresponding phoneme.
• Learn the skills of blending and segmenting as a first priority as they are introduced to the grapheme/phoneme correspondences for reading and spelling. This ensures that from the outset children are able to read and spell simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words with the grapheme to phoneme correspondence (GPC’s) they know.
• Be reading with increasing automaticity by the age of 6.
• Apply their phonic knowledge in the context of reading and spelling in the wider curriculum and understand how and when to do this.
• Develop their spoken language and comprehension simultaneously as they are learning phonics in the first years of school.
• Use phonics as their first strategy to decode and encode unknown words until a degree of fluency is reached.
Teaching Methods
Allocated time on our timetables given to the teaching of high quality, systematic synthetic phonics from Reception to Year 6. We have a whole school Phonics Progression plan that is based on the Letters and Sounds programme.
In Reception and Year 1 songs and actions from ‘Jolly Phonics’ are used to aid memory when introducing and revisiting phoneme/grapheme correspondences as part of this multisensory approach during the first 3 phases of Letters and Sounds, and until the children are secure in using the initial alphabetic code (44 phonemes). From Years 2-6 Letters and Sounds phases are followed as per the school’s Phonics Progression plan.
Phonics/Grammar/Spelling sessions are structured in the same way each day and build in strong, consistent and familiar routines . Each phonics group follows the four-part structure of Revisit, Teach, Practice and Apply. Using this method allows children to understand what to expect/are aware of expectations and are not distracted in their progress towards the learning objective.
Marking (spelling)
Staff need to ensure that invented spellings, e.g. hoam for home, are corrected sensitively and selectively so that a balance is achieved between acceptance of the child’s application of current knowledge of phonics and ensuring that invented spellings do not become ingrained. Selection of spellings to correct will be based upon what the child has been taught, ie, if the grapheme has been taught, the spelling will be corrected if the child continues to spell incorrectly.
Learning Environment
Resources in the classroom support the children in applying phonics to reading and writing. In each classroom throughout the school there are phoneme/grammar displays as appropriate, tricky word displays and word mats to support children to be independent in their spelling whilst at the same time reinforcing the link between discreet phonics teaching and learning and its purpose in reading and writing.
Grouping:
Grouping for phonics/spelling is decided in response to the needs of the children. There is some whole-class teaching and sometimes smaller groups are arranged to enable more precise teaching or to give children access to appropriate year group content. Where this is the case, we use assessment data to ensure they are in appropriate groups and following their next steps accurately. As each group follows the same 4-part phonics structure; transition between groups can be facilitated in a more seamless way.
If children need intervention or boosters to reach age related expectations in phonics, this is provided in addition to the daily phonics session so that as many children as possible can access their year group learning objectives and reach age appropriate outcomes. Similarly, children who are exceeding their age related expectations have the opportunity to access objectives beyond their year group for phonics and spelling.
Phonetically Decodable Texts:
Children are not expected to read texts which they cannot decode for themselves until they are reaching fluency by the end of Year 1. We have a choice of phonetically decodable books for both guided and home reading, which are carefully selected to match the children’s developing phonic knowledge, so that every child can experience success in their reading by using the skills they have so far been taught.
Curriculum
The school has a phonics progression plan to ensure a consistent system is followed, and that learning can be tracked and monitored within the systematic framework.
Blending and segmenting. Oral blending and segmenting are taught first before being applied to reading and writing. Children are taught that phonemes are blended in order from left to right, ‘all through the word’ for reading. They are also taught how words are segmented into phonemes for spelling. These skills are taught throughout each Phase of Letters and Sounds so that as children meet more complex words or grapheme phoneme correspondences they are able to tackle them with confidence.
Common Exception Words
Children are taught high frequency words that do not conform completely to grapheme-phoneme correspondence rules. We call these ‘tricky’ words. Children are specifically taught the ‘tricky’ part of the word and strategies to remember this. They are taught to apply their knowledge of these words in reading and writing. The words are taken from Phases 2 to 5 of Letters and Sounds in addition to those listed in the Cambridge curriculum.
Comprehension and reading for meaning
Comprehension and meaning are addressed separately within the English and wider curriculum planning. Teachers and practitioners are clear about which activities are designed to teach children to acquire word recognition skills, and which will help children develop high-level comprehension skills.
Assessment and tracking.
In Reception and Lower Primary phase assessments are conducted half termly to ensure each child’s progress is being tracked and that the children are able to decode and encode confidently in the phases taught. In Upper Primary, we use the Twinkl spelling programme as a basis for our spelling teaching when children are secure in their use of phonics (end of phase 5). Phonic knowledge continues to underpin spelling with the developing of increasing understanding of the role of morphology and etymology. Children’s spelling is assessed and tracked within the writing assessment framework. If children do not meet their age related expectations in English, they will be identified through regular assessments.
If difficulties arise as barriers to learning for any children, year group teachers will ensure that their planning includes provision for these children in the form of support or intervention as necessary. The English Co-Ordinator oversees spelling for the school and further information can be found in the Curriculum Policy.
The Phonics Co-Ordinator along with Head of Departments will oversee teacher’s assessments of all pupils and ensure that children receive intervention, catch up/accelerated learning where appropriate and needed. Monitoring is carried out using assessment evidence to generate data which provides a picture of what the needs for intervention and support or acceleration are, and the impact of teaching and learning. Any children causing concern will be discussed with the Headteacher and the Learning Support team and suitable action plans will be put in place. Children who have not met termly expectations are provided with phonic intervention support from Learning Support and Head of Departments.
Parental Involvement
At new starter meetings, parents will be made aware of the school phonics policy. Written information is given to new parents and copies are uploaded onto the school website.
Parents are invited to phonics sessions or workshops in school during the year to see teaching and learning strategies in practice. Progress in reading and spelling development will be discussed at the usual parent’s evenings, or by appointment where necessary with individual parents and also through the home school reading diary.
Where concerns arise about a child’s progress Parents will be invited to a meeting to discuss support and intervention strategies that are to be placed both at home and school.
This Policy will be reviewed in June 2023
General Statement
Phonics is one of the many skills needed to become a reader and writer. We aim to give children the best possible start on their reading/writing journey by teaching them the essential phonological/phonemic skills and knowledge to decode (read) and encode (spell) words independently from the outset. At the point of reading/writing, children will use phonics as their first strategy to read and spell unknown words until it is embedded and automatic for them. We recognise that the development of spoken language and the enjoyment and comprehension of quality literature go hand in hand to develop a lifelong love of reading and aim to nurture and develop these attributes alongside the phonics program.
Our policy sets out the means by which we ensure consistency and a systematic approach to the teaching and learning of synthetic phonics, as the prime method by which children learn to read and spell independently, automatically and confidently in the first years of their schooling. It aims to reinforce our high expectations for pupil progress.
Specific Aims
Children should:
• Be able to recognize each grapheme and its corresponding phoneme.
• Learn the skills of blending and segmenting as a first priority as they are introduced to the grapheme/phoneme correspondences for reading and spelling. This ensures that from the outset children are able to read and spell simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words with the grapheme to phoneme correspondence (GPC’s) they know.
• Be reading with increasing automaticity by the age of 6.
• Apply their phonic knowledge in the context of reading and spelling in the wider curriculum and understand how and when to do this.
• Develop their spoken language and comprehension simultaneously as they are learning phonics in the first years of school.
• Use phonics as their first strategy to decode and encode unknown words until a degree of fluency is reached.
Teaching Methods
Allocated time on our timetables given to the teaching of high quality, systematic synthetic phonics from Reception to Year 6. We have a whole school Phonics Progression plan that is based on the Letters and Sounds programme.
In Reception and Year 1 songs and actions from ‘Jolly Phonics’ are used to aid memory when introducing and revisiting phoneme/grapheme correspondences as part of this multisensory approach during the first 3 phases of Letters and Sounds, and until the children are secure in using the initial alphabetic code (44 phonemes). From Years 2-6 Letters and Sounds phases are followed as per the school’s Phonics Progression plan.
Phonics/Grammar/Spelling sessions are structured in the same way each day and build in strong, consistent and familiar routines . Each phonics group follows the four-part structure of Revisit, Teach, Practice and Apply. Using this method allows children to understand what to expect/are aware of expectations and are not distracted in their progress towards the learning objective.
Marking (spelling)
Staff need to ensure that invented spellings, e.g. hoam for home, are corrected sensitively and selectively so that a balance is achieved between acceptance of the child’s application of current knowledge of phonics and ensuring that invented spellings do not become ingrained. Selection of spellings to correct will be based upon what the child has been taught, ie, if the grapheme has been taught, the spelling will be corrected if the child continues to spell incorrectly.
Learning Environment
Resources in the classroom support the children in applying phonics to reading and writing. In each classroom throughout the school there are phoneme/grammar displays as appropriate, tricky word displays and word mats to support children to be independent in their spelling whilst at the same time reinforcing the link between discreet phonics teaching and learning and its purpose in reading and writing.
Grouping:
Grouping for phonics/spelling is decided in response to the needs of the children. There is some whole-class teaching and sometimes smaller groups are arranged to enable more precise teaching or to give children access to appropriate year group content. Where this is the case, we use assessment data to ensure they are in appropriate groups and following their next steps accurately. As each group follows the same 4-part phonics structure; transition between groups can be facilitated in a more seamless way.
If children need intervention or boosters to reach age related expectations in phonics, this is provided in addition to the daily phonics session so that as many children as possible can access their year group learning objectives and reach age appropriate outcomes. Similarly, children who are exceeding their age related expectations have the opportunity to access objectives beyond their year group for phonics and spelling.
Phonetically Decodable Texts:
Children are not expected to read texts which they cannot decode for themselves until they are reaching fluency by the end of Year 1. We have a choice of phonetically decodable books for both guided and home reading, which are carefully selected to match the children’s developing phonic knowledge, so that every child can experience success in their reading by using the skills they have so far been taught.
Curriculum
The school has a phonics progression plan to ensure a consistent system is followed, and that learning can be tracked and monitored within the systematic framework.
Blending and segmenting. Oral blending and segmenting are taught first before being applied to reading and writing. Children are taught that phonemes are blended in order from left to right, ‘all through the word’ for reading. They are also taught how words are segmented into phonemes for spelling. These skills are taught throughout each Phase of Letters and Sounds so that as children meet more complex words or grapheme phoneme correspondences they are able to tackle them with confidence.
Common Exception Words
Children are taught high frequency words that do not conform completely to grapheme-phoneme correspondence rules. We call these ‘tricky’ words. Children are specifically taught the ‘tricky’ part of the word and strategies to remember this. They are taught to apply their knowledge of these words in reading and writing. The words are taken from Phases 2 to 5 of Letters and Sounds in addition to those listed in the Cambridge curriculum.
Comprehension and reading for meaning
Comprehension and meaning are addressed separately within the English and wider curriculum planning. Teachers and practitioners are clear about which activities are designed to teach children to acquire word recognition skills, and which will help children develop high-level comprehension skills.
Assessment and tracking.
In Reception and Lower Primary phase assessments are conducted half termly to ensure each child’s progress is being tracked and that the children are able to decode and encode confidently in the phases taught. In Upper Primary, we use the Twinkl spelling programme as a basis for our spelling teaching when children are secure in their use of phonics (end of phase 5). Phonic knowledge continues to underpin spelling with the developing of increasing understanding of the role of morphology and etymology. Children’s spelling is assessed and tracked within the writing assessment framework. If children do not meet their age related expectations in English, they will be identified through regular assessments.
If difficulties arise as barriers to learning for any children, year group teachers will ensure that their planning includes provision for these children in the form of support or intervention as necessary. The English Co-Ordinator oversees spelling for the school and further information can be found in the Curriculum Policy.
The Phonics Co-Ordinator along with Head of Departments will oversee teacher’s assessments of all pupils and ensure that children receive intervention, catch up/accelerated learning where appropriate and needed. Monitoring is carried out using assessment evidence to generate data which provides a picture of what the needs for intervention and support or acceleration are, and the impact of teaching and learning. Any children causing concern will be discussed with the Headteacher and the Learning Support team and suitable action plans will be put in place. Children who have not met termly expectations are provided with phonic intervention support from Learning Support and Head of Departments.
Parental Involvement
At new starter meetings, parents will be made aware of the school phonics policy. Written information is given to new parents and copies are uploaded onto the school website.
Parents are invited to phonics sessions or workshops in school during the year to see teaching and learning strategies in practice. Progress in reading and spelling development will be discussed at the usual parent’s evenings, or by appointment where necessary with individual parents and also through the home school reading diary.
Where concerns arise about a child’s progress Parents will be invited to a meeting to discuss support and intervention strategies that are to be placed both at home and school.
This Policy will be reviewed in June 2023