Welcome to our school...

1. Welcome to our school...

2. 7.00pmWelcome from Headteacher, Mrs Jane Troth • 7.05pm School choir • 7.10pmYear 6 pupils: ‘What it is like to be a pupil at Cliftonville Primary School’ • 7.15pmHeadteacher’s presentation • 7.30pm Literacy and mathematics teaching in Year R • 7.45pm Families will have the opportunity to look at the information stalls and meet with staff • 8.00pm Close

3. SCHOOL ORGANISATION • The Early Years Foundation Stage is the learning framework for children in Year R. • This follows on from the curriculum in the nursery

4. SCHOOL ORGANISATION Key Stage 1 • This includes Year 1 and Year 2 classes • The children are aged 6 & 7 • Reception classes + Year 1 + Year 2 is sometimes called the ‘Infants’

5. SCHOOL ORGANISATION Key Stage 2 • This includes Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 • These children are aged 7 – 11 • These classes are sometimes called the ‘Juniors’

6. Senior Leadership Mrs Jane Troth: Headteacher Ms Claire Whichcord: Deputy Headteacher & Inclusion leader Mrs Heather Weitzel: Assistant Headteacher & Mathematics leader Mrs Louise Wilson: Assistant Headteacher & English leader

7. In all year groups, from Reception to Year 6, there are three classes of 30 children • Each year group has a year group leader: Miss Buckland leads Year R and Mrs Wilson oversees the Nursery and Year R • There are at least three Teaching Assistants in each year group, supporting named children or groups

8. Year R Miss Buckland Year Group Leader Miss Buckland (RB) Mrs Balasa (RBA) Mrs Setterfield & Mrs Hill (RSH) Need photo

9. Who is my child’s teacher? • We are in the process of finalising class lists. You will be notified by letter of the name of your child’s teacher by the 24th June • We take lots into account including established friendships, balancing boys and girls, month of birth etc • Once published we don’t change class lists

10. Transition to Year R • We want to make the transition to school as smooth and enjoyable as possible. • You will receive a welcome pack in the post including a letter to your child telling them who their new teacher and teaching assistant will be. • There will be some photos of the school so they are familiar. • If your child wants to come and look around their classroom they are welcome on Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd July after 3.10pm.

11. Taster Days • The letter will also tell you when your taster session in September will be. • It will either be a morning or afternoon session for 2 hours with a small group of other children from the new class. • You and your child will have an opportunity to meet the teacher, find their peg and tray. They can find out where the toilets and the school hall are. • There is plenty of time for a story, a play and a chance to talk to the adults in their new classroom. • To allow your child to be independent, you are invited over to the family house for refreshments and a chance to meet some of our staff.

12. Starting school • Children attend on a part time basis for the first two weeks of term in September. • The first day of term is Wednesday 3rd September. • There are two sessions – a morning and afternoon session. The morning is from 9am until 11am and the afternoon session is from 1pm until 3pm. • The children will attend in this time slot every day for the two weeks along with half of their class. • After this time, they will attend every day –all day! • It would really help your child to encourage them to be as independent as possible e.g. putting on their coat, dressing themselves, going to the toilet independently.

13. Learning Packs • A whiteboard, pen and rubber • A phonics DVD • An alphabet arc • A laminated picture guide to the sounds your child will be learning • A number line • A personalised name card showing how children will be taught to write their name. • A handwriting guide demonstrating how to form letters using the cursive handwriting style.

14. Just some of the staff that your child may meet through the school day… • Mrs Standen, SENCo • Mrs Kirby, EAL teacher • Miss Cooke, School Business Manager & PA to the senior leadership team • Mrs Sear & Mrs Glover, Education Attendance Officers • Mrs Frame & Miss Grant office administration • Mrs Harper, Pastoral Care manager • Midday Meals Supervisors • Mrs Crittenden, Mr Mason & Mr Donovan Premises & road crossing patrol

15. Uniform Don’t we look smart? (Opposite AMF Bowling)

16. Label everything! This is your child’s lunchbox ..or is it this one? This is your child’s coat ..or is it this one?

17. Free School Meals (FSM) • For free school lunches in Year R, 1 and 2: • You will be required to make an initial commitment for at least one seasonal term (Sept-Dec/Jan-April/May-July) • The commitment will be to have a school meal every day (not just Fridays!) • If, having opted for free school lunches for your child at first, circumstances change and you no longer wish to continue, you must give us notice in *writing of at least four weeks before you change.

18. If you decide not to take up the offer initially and then choose to do so, we will need four week’s notice in *writing before we are able to offer your child free school lunches. • There will be hot meals and cold meals (packed lunch) provided each day. However, the school cannot guarantee your child’s first choice. We will, of course, continue to respect religious dietary practices. • *Forms will be available in the office. The notice period will take effect from the date when returned to the school office.

19. Website... www.cliftonvilleprimary.co.uk Key information: term dates for pupils Calendar: event dates (most are planned a year in advance)

20. Behaviour I’m sorry... Teachers are here to teach and children are here to learn. The vast majority of our children behave well 100% of the time. A small number need additional support from our pastoral team. We have a zero tolerance policy on learning being disrupted by inappropriate behaviour. We teach children to learn from their mistakes. We always try to sort problems quickly and fairly for all children.

21. Good attendance = good progress When, legally, does my child have to be in school? Your child is of "compulsory school age" on the 1st January, 1st April or 1st September following their 5th birthday. Until that point, legally they do not have to attend school but we hope that you feel able to support our policies on developing good, life-long attendance habits. • 95% attendance is the minimum standard expected • If your child misses 10 days of school in an academic year their attendance drops below this, to 94.73% • The highest achieving children generally have the highest attendance • We have two Education Attendance Officers who closely monitor attendance

22. We will support you in any reasonable way to get your child to school but it is your legal duty to make sure they attend • Schools can no longer authorise ANY holiday in term time • We will use penalty notice fines for 10 unauthorised marks in a seasonal term (Autumn, Spring, Summer) • If your child arrives after 8.55am, without an acceptable reason, legally the whole morning session has to be recorded as unauthorised and will count towards a penalty notice. This includes arriving at 8.56am...!!

23. Please put this on your ‘fridge!

24. If your child is too ill to attend school...(and for most that doesn’t mean a cold/cough) • Please contact the school between 8.30am and 9.30am • A follow up letter should be given to the class teacher or the school office • We use ‘first day calling’ if we have not heard from you • Appointments must be supported by a hospital letter or an appointment card • Only the school can authorise an absence. It doesn’t happen very often, but....if, with good reason, we believe your child should/could have been in school an absence will be unauthorised

25. Lots of carrot….(help, support, guidance, genuine open door policy) …occasional stick!

26. Beginning & End of Day Morning Supervised from 8.40am Bell is rung at 8.50am Afternoon Teachingfinishes at 3.10pm Please meet children at front of school Staff will make eye contact with the person collecting. Only people authorised by you will be allowed to collect your child. No dropping or stopping on yellow zig-zags & please park considerately

27. Lunchtime & break • Universal Free School Meals for Year R, 1 and 2 • Home packed lunch No fizzy drinks No sweets Crisps are allowed for packed lunch • Break Healthy tuck shop (free for Year R, 1 and 2)

28. What we would like from you!Essential... ...but with over 600 years of combined teaching experience, we have an idea of what makes for happy, high-achieving children!

29. What we would like from you! • Children who attend regularly & arrive at school on time • Children always in uniform, school shoes & have a PE kit in school every day • To attend all parent consultation evenings • Read regularly with you child (at least three times a week) • Keep contact details up to date (especially mobile numbers) • Tell us if there are circumstances which may affect your child • Ask us if ‘what you have heard’ is true!!

30. What we would like from you!Desirable... • Take a real interest in your child’s learning • Children have breakfast every morning • Children watch appropriate TV, especially if they have unrestricted TV/Sky in their bedroom • Children get a good night’s sleep (10 - 12 hours for a 5 year old) • The highest achieving children generally have the best sleep patterns

31. Children do not use 12+ rated games on PSP/X Box etc (they are 12+ for a reason) • Speak favourably about the school and your child’s teacher and respect our professional judgement, even on those rare occasions when we have to agree to disagree • Attend information sessions that we offer

32. And finally... We don’t always get it right...but we never, ever set out to get it wrong ‘cos that just would just be plain silly!

33. Any questions?