A- Z of AMESBURY

Accidents

If we think it is necessary, you will be called to collect your child. If your child has a bump to the head or sustains an injury at school they will come home with an injury/treatment form.

Admissions

Like most schools, we keep a register of children whose parents are interested in them taking up a place at our school. Putting your child’s name onto this register does not guarantee you a place at our school; it is merely an indication about possible demand for places and enables us to ensure that we have sufficient resources to provide a balanced curriculum.  

Please contact the school office on 01980 623009 if you wish to be placed on the register. 

At the start of the year during which your child is to start school, Wiltshire will send you a letter asking you to state, in order of preference, the school/schools you would like your child to attend. It is the Local Authority Admissions Team and not the school that allocates places. If a parent does not get the school of their choice, they have the right to appeal to Wiltshire County Council.  For more information, please visit Wiltshire's school admissions page: 

Applying for a school place - Wiltshire Council

Admissions – In Year

If you would like to enquire about a place for a child in-year, please contact Miss Jones in the School Office on 01980 623009.

After School Club/Breakfast Club

If you would like to book your child into either breakfast or after school club, please speak to Miss Jones in the school office on 01980 623009.

Allergies/Asthma

Please inform us of any allergies/asthma your child has already or develops later. Please ensure we have inhalers and chambers that can be kept in school and it is parents' responsibility to check that they are in date.

Appointments

If your child needs to see the doctor, dentist, etc. we ask that, wherever possible, you make appointments outside of school time. When this is not possible, we should be notified in advance of the appointment and provided with a letter/appointment card to confirm the time and date of the appointment. If this is not provided, your child's absence will be marked as unauthorised. 

Assessment

Teachers are continually assessing children’s progress so that they are sure of delivering the curriculum in a way that is most appropriate to each child’s needs. In addition, the school has devised its own testing to support the teacher. This is incorporated into our normal lessons and the children may be unaware that this work is any different from the norm. At the end of each Key Stage the children are required to undergo Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs). We will endeavour to make this as stress free as we are able. Parents are notified of levels achieved by their child after the formal SATs testing in years two and six.

Attendance

Our school attendance target is 97%.  If we have not been informed as to why your child is not in school, you will receive a text/phone call from the office to find out why your child is not in school.

We ask that parents call 01980 623009 and either leave a message or speak with one of the staff in the office before 9am if your child is absent from school.

If attendance becomes a concern, you will be asked to make an appointment to come and see Mrs Rogers.

The school keeps daily attendance records, each half-day denoting one period of attendance. Copies of these records are sent annually to Wiltshire County Council Children & Young People’s Directorate and to the Department of Education and Employment. When a child is absent, please telephone or e-mail the school to report the reason for the absence, If for any reason this is not possible, a note of explanation is required on his/her return to school. If an absence is likely to be lengthy, early notification would be appreciated.  An Attendance Officer visits the school regularly to inspect our registers.  Any child with less than 85% attendance is liable to be sent a letter or be notified of a visit. 

Bags

Amesbury Book Bags - no rucksacks until Year 6 please. This is brought to school and back home again and will contain your child's reading book, their reading record and any letters the school send home regarding school events. Please check your child's book bag every evening. 

A PE bag - (stays at home) and will contain an Amesbury PE shirt, plain navy shorts, plain navy tracksuit bottoms, plain white sports socks, trainers and games socks in your child's house colour. Children should come into school dressed in PE kit on their PE days. Please message your child's class teacher via SeeSaw if you have forgotten which days your child's class has PE. 

An outdoor clothing bag containing the following - plain navy tracksuit bottoms and top (large enough to go over school uniform), waterproof trousers (optional) and wellies/trainers to wear on the field. Please note: we use the field all year round and we go out to play even if it is raining. 

Behaviour

Children at Amesbury CE Primary School are encouraged to manage their own behaviour with the aid of the staff and our school Behaviour Policy. We have high expectations of behaviour and will follow class rules which we agree at the beginning of the year with the children. If we have concerns about your child’s behaviour, we will talk to you and work together on this. You can view our school's Behaviour Managment policy on the policy page of our website. 

Bicycles

Bicycles and scooters are brought to school entirely at your own risk. School cannot be responsible for them. Please bear in mind that there is limited space for bicycles and that children without cycling proficiency certificates should always be accompanied by an adult. We do advise you to lock bikes.

Bullying

At Amesbury, we regard bullying as a deliberate act, which results from a conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone. The staff has agreed on and the school adheres to our anti-bullying policy.  

Clubs

A list of clubs is produced at the start of each term. You will be notified via the school newsletter or a letter home. Please pay for your child's attendance at clubs in a timely manner. Thank you. 

Coats

We go outside in ALL weathers so children must always have a suitable coat at school (warm in Winter and shower- proof in Summer!).  Please provide a sun hat for hot weather and/or sun cream.

Consultations 

You will have an opportunity to discuss your child’s learning in October and March on a formal basis. A full, written school report will be sent home in January and a Summer Attainment Profile in July for all classes.  

Cooking

We have a kitchen and make as many opportunities as we can for children to cook in school. You may be asked to make a voluntary contribution to the cost of ingredients. 

Email

If you wish to contact the school or the Head Teacher by email, please use the following address: office@amesbury.wilts.sch.uk

Earrings

Only plain gold or silver stud earrings are allowed to be worn.  If your child wears any other type of earrings, they will be asked to remove them,.

Emergencies

Please ensure that you let us know if your contact details change so that we can always contact the specified person(s). It is very important that we have up to date contact details for you in case of an emergency. 

First Aid

We are committed to all staff having the relevant level of First Aid training.

Food Policy

We want to continue to actively encourage and promote healthy eating as part of a healthy lifestyle. There is much evidence that diet and activity levels experienced during childhood are reflected in our bodies in our teenage years and adult life. Healthy eating and being active not only aids physical development but also increases mental capacity and concentration. In addition, everyone in school should also respect diversity in diet related to faiths, ethnicity and cultural differences. If you choose to provide a packed lunch for your child, please ensure that it does not contain chocolate and/or sweets. We are also committed to reducing the use of single use plastic so please support us in this endeavour by providing your child with reusable pots. 

Freedom Of Information Policy

You can read Amesbury's Freedom Of Information Policy on the Policy page of our website.

Home Learning

It is an expectation that all children who attend Amesbury CE Primary School should undertake to complete home learning dependent on their year group with their parent/carer's support.

Why do Home learning?

Regular, well-planned homework can:

• Develop good work habits and discipline for independent life-long learning
• Encourage skills and attitude which help children improve educational performance
• Help parents/carers gain an insight into their child’s schoolwork
• Provide opportunities to access resources not found in school
• Assist preparation for future class work
• Provide a context for pupil/parent interaction
• Provides targeted, personalised practice and consolidation of key skills e.g. reading, times tables.

ICT

Read the school's ICT policy on the policy page of our website

Labelling

Please label EVERYTHING with your child’s FULL NAME.

• All uniform items including shoes, socks and hats
• All P.E. and swimming items
• School bags
• Stationery

Lost Property

Any lost property is put in the wicker basket in the entrance foyer. There should be little use for this, however, as we expect all items to be named, which will mean that they can be returned to the individual. A lot of time is wasted searching for lost property and staff members are not obliged to assist with searching for any items that are unnamed.

Music Lessons

Children are able to take individual music lessons in piano, voice, recorder, guitar, and percussion. Parents enter into private contracts with the music teachers and pay them directly. Please enquire at the school office.

Nuts

Please be aware that Amesbury CE Primary is a nut free school, and we ask that no foods containing nuts be brought onto the premises.

Open Evenings/Parent Consultations

We schedule parent consultations twice per year to discuss targets and review progress. It is preferable that children do not accompany parents to these evenings. 

Pick-up

Children must be picked up at 3:00 pm.  While we do understand that sometimes unavoidable situations arise, it is very important that you are on time to pick up your child. Children can find being picked up late very upsetting and our teachers have a full programme of staff development after school. If you are unable to get to school for 3.15pm, we offer an After School Club where your child will be supervised, have access to a range of activities and be given a snack. Please note that the gates to the playground will be locked at 3.15 pm as clubs begin then.

P.E.

Children are expected to bring their full P.E. kit on their PE days. Parents must write a note before or on the day, if a pupil is to be excused from a lesson. If this is long-term, it will require a GP's note. Pupils who forget their kit will be given alternative work to complete. 

Playground

In the playground, the children follow these rules:

Take care of each other, play safe and friendly games (no personal toys), take turns, talk with the other person to work out my problem, tidy equipment away, walk in quietly when the whistle goes. The children are supervised in the playground by enough members of staff, depending on which playtime it is and how many children are out.

Policies

All of our policies are available at the office for viewing. Many of these are also available on our website: Admissions, Anti-bullying, Attendance, Behaviour & Discipline, Child Protection, Complaints, Confidentiality, Data protection, Disability & Equality, E Safety, Inclement Weather, Inclusion (which includes SEN, EAL & G&T), Mobile Phone & Electronic Devices & Records Management.

Queries and concerns

If you have a concern about your child, please see the teacher in the first instance. If the concerns are not addressed or not addressed satisfactorily, please see the Head. Beyond that, matters can be raised with the Chair of Governors- Bev Small. A copy of our Complaints Procedure can be found on the school website.

EYFS complaints to Ofsted - Parents are asked to note that these can be made in writing to Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD or by phone to 0300 123 4666.

Reading

Reading is a vital part of your child’s learning as the skill is essential to help children learn about the world in which they live and to make progress in all other subjects. Developing a love for reading is important and parental involvement is essential.

Children are more likely to become good readers if parents;

• Read to their children
• Read with their children and talk about the text
• Listen to their children read – encouraging phonic awareness of letter sounds and blending
• Show the usefulness of reading via newspapers, magazines, TV guides, books, leaflets, text messages, emails, road signs
• Visit the library with their children
• Enjoy reading themselves 

It is important to remember that every child is different and children progress at different rates. A positive, encouraging attitude is helpful when listening to your child read, so avoid becoming impatient or over anxious.

Reading is multi-layered and involves;

• Word recognition-building up a visual image of the text to identify and decode words
• Comprehension-understanding the text
• Fluency-the ability to read with speed, accuracy and expression 

There are three layers of comprehension:

• Literal – Where the information is directly stated within the text

• Inferential – The information isn’t directly stated but inferred. The reader may have to put two or more parts of the text together to understand the author’s intent
• Critical – The reader is asked to make a personal judgment. There are no clues
  in the text.

Early reading books will consist of literal information but as your child increases their fluency and understanding, the reading books will require more inferential and critical skills. Your child will need to be taught how to think inferentially and critically through questioning and comprehension activities. You can help your child develop these skills by asking questions about the text such as “Why do you think she said that? “, “How do you think he felt when that happened?” “What do you think will happen next?” Allow time to develop reading skills; encourage fun and pleasure in reading together a wide variety of books, including fiction, poetry and non- fiction.

Sickness

If your child is not well, then it is best for him/her to stay at home. Please telephone the school on the first day of absence, by 9am, explaining the absence. A note will be filled in and sent to your child’s teacher and the absence will be marked as ‘authorised’. 

The office cannot administer medication without your written consent. If you wish us to do so, please complete the Medication Form and hand it in at the office along with the medicine. (Please state how many days the child will need to take it.) Please inform us if your child develops a medical condition that has not been disclosed on the medical form at entry to school.

Children who become ill at school will be looked after for a while. If they do not improve, we will contact you to pick up your child. Please ensure that we have all your up-to-date contact details and those of other trusted adults, in the event that we are unable to reach you.

We strongly encourage parents to fully immunise their child prior to them enrolling in school. Immunisation is a simple and effective way of protecting children from serious diseases. It not only helps protect individuals, it also protects the broader community by minimising the spread of disease. 

Sickness - Head Lice

Please check your child regularly for head lice and ring worm. See your pharmacist immediately for treatment. Children with head lice or ring worm will have to stay at home until they are clear or no longer contagious.

School Hours 

The school day is 8.45am - 3.15pm, with a morning and lunch break. The gates are opened at 8.30am and registration is taken at 9am. 

Stationery

All stationery is provided by the school. Pencil cases are not permitted but children may bring them in on Friday to use during Golden Time. 

Trips

Musicians, artists, actors, authors etc. are invited to perform, stage and run workshops at school. Trips away from school are also organised. Parents must sign a letter of consent before each trip and may also be asked to contribute to the cost of these trips. Unless otherwise specified, children will be required to wear the full school uniform and bring packed lunches and drinks in disposable bags (parents/carers will be notified of any exceptions to this.). Coaches all have seat belts and all our destinations are risk assessed.

Uniform

Every pupil is expected to wear the correct uniform. At Amesbury, we take pride in our appearance and expect our children to be clean, neat and tidy at all times. This also applies to PE kits. 

The winter uniform is to be worn from the start of the Autumn Term, through to the Spring Term. The summer uniform is worn from the start of the Summer Term. The Headteacher will advise of any changes to this procedure, via e-mail or the newsletter.

Please note that no jewellery is permitted apart from plain stud earrings in silver or gold and/or a religious symbol necklace on a plain chain in gold or silver. Pupils may wear a plain wristwatch, ideally with an analogue clockface as this will help them with learning to tell the time.

Swimming

Children will have swimming lessons during their time at Amesbury CofE Primary School. Parents are asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of swimming lessons and transportation.