Hook Norton CE Primary School€¦ · Hook Norton C of E Primary School The Learning Challenge Curriculum The school aims to provide a stimulating curriculum, to encourage a love

Prospectus 2020

Hook Norton CE Primary School

Live Love Care Think Learn Dare

Hook Norton C of E Primary School


Head Teacher: Mr Justin Stone Chair of Governors: Mr Joe Wiliams

Our School Details

Address: Sibford Road Hook Norton Banbury Oxon OX15 5JS

Tel: 01608 737379

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.hook-norton.oxon.sch.uk

Age range: 3-11 Number on Roll October 2018: 265

Number of Classes: 11, including Nursery and Reception.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.hook-norton.oxon.sch.uk/



Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to Hook Norton School. I hope you find this

prospectus interesting and that it helps you understand how

our school is organised and appreciate the range

of exciting and challenging opportunities available to

our children.

Our school is friendly and welcoming and we all enjoy

working here to make your child’s time with us both

productive and happy. Visitors comment on the special

‘feel’ of our school, the excellent behaviour of the children

and their obvious love for learning.

Ofsted said in 2017:

“There is a strong climate for learning throughout the school.”

We are proud of our school and work hard to promote a climate rooted in

our Owl Values where each child is cared for as an individual and

achievements are celebrated.

Our school continues to develop to provide enriching experiences with high

expectations for our children to become lifelong learners, equipped and

confident to embrace the future.

The best way to find out more about our school is to come and see for

yourselves and meet the staff and children. Please telephone the school office

on 01608 737379 to arrange a visit.

I look forward to greeting you as members of our school community.

Yours sincerely

Justin Stone Head Teacher

What our parents say:



Our School Vision

Live Love Care Think Learn Dare The whole school community came together to formulate our school vision which encapsulates everything we stand for and hold dear. The cover of this prospectus shows in Wordle everything our school community believes we do well.

Each half term we develop Christian and British values through studying one word from our motto. We learn what it means to Live joyfully, kindly and respectfully, Love our neighbours and be world citizens, Care for each other and our environment, Think deeply and considerately, Learn like the wise owl on our school emblem, Dare to take risks, embrace challenges and stand up for one’s beliefs. These are our own special Owl Values.

Our Values and Aims Our school has served the community of Hook Norton and the surrounding villages as a church controlled school for over a hundred years. As a Voluntary Controlled Church of England school we aim to reflect our Christian foundation in all aspects of school life. All children are welcomed into a caring, committed atmosphere, which promotes an attitude of mutual tolerance and understanding. Each child is nurtured and encouraged to give their best in all aspects of school and community life. On leaving, they are confident to make the most of the opportunities ahead of them having experienced the best possible all-round education. Our core Owl Values are based on our school motto: Live Love Care Think Learn Dare.

Our Facilities The school is a modern, purpose built design set in very attractive grounds on the Sibford Road in Hook Norton. It is bright and airy and well maintained inside and out. Facilities include: light classrooms, all with interactive screens, large hall/gym with an adjoining kitchen serving hot meals, computer suite, library, purpose-built Nursery and Reception

classrooms with a self- contained outside play area, large playing

field, wildlife garden, adventure playground and fully equipped Study Centre which is also available for lettings. Policies covering all aspects of the school can be found on the website or obtained through the office, including Safe-guarding children, Behaviour, Equal Opportunities, Race Equality, Anti-bullying, Sex and Relationships, Drugs, Access, Special Educational Needs, Disability and Health and Safety. You may request a paper copy of any document; please ask at the office.



The Learning Challenge Curriculum

The school aims to provide a stimulating curriculum, to encourage a love of learning in our children and to enable every child to reach his/her potential. We follow an enquiry based curriculum where children are asked a ‘Big Question’ at the start of each unit and follow their own research to study and learn about a subject in depth. As a result we have curious, enthusiastic children who love to learn and share their knowledge. The Big Question is often based on History, Geography or Science and forges links between subjects.

English Basic literacy skills are fundamental to everything we do and we put great emphasis on gaining these skills as quickly and proficiently as possible. This subject includes Speaking and Listening, Reading, Writing, Handwriting and Spelling and these elements are taught separately and within the Learning Challenge Curriculum. We love to read! Our

main reading scheme is Oxford Reading Tree and in the early years we follow a structured phonic programme: Read, Write, Inc. Parents play a big part in supporting children’s reading through sharing books, bedtime stories and imaginative play. Our aim is for children to become confident,

creative writers with a neat, fluent style. We do this through modelling writing ourselves and inspiring children to write from an early stage in a variety of genres.

Mathematics We aim to ensure that children become numerate as soon as possible and that they enjoy mathematical work. Building confidence is at the heart of developing mathematical thinking and learning. This is begun in the Foundation Stage where maths is embedded in everyday experiences and related to children’s own lives. We follow the Abacus Maths scheme and consolidate mathematical skills across our Learning Challenge Curriculum.

Science

Science is one of the ‘drivers’ of our Learning Challenge Curriculum, where children are encouraged to explore and learn about the world around them. Opportunities are given to the children to investigate everyday



occurrences and phenomena in a manner which develops critical questioning and logical thought. Children are taught how to observe and measure with care and to work safely. They have the chance to consider the impact of events on a variety of systems and habitats and care of the environment is promoted. We use our beautiful grounds and wild life area for environmental studies.

Computing

Information Technology is an everyday tool to be used across the curriculum. We teach our children the skills necessary to use a wide range of applications and programs, including word processing, spreadsheets, data handling, coding, the internet and e-mail. Children will also use digital cameras and programmable robots, digital microscopes

and weather stations, i-pads and Interactive Screens.

Physical Education and Games School plays a vital role in encouraging healthy

lifestyles in children. Children have timetabled 2 hours

of PE each week, which includes swimming lessons from Y3 to Y5. We play a variety of games and sports and we have a balance of competitive

tournaments and festivals through the Chipping Norton Schools Partnership to include as many children as possible. We also have intra-school competitions termly between the different houses. We have the Silver Kitemark for Sport. Our Sports Funding is used to enhance participation and improvement in skills in PE and Sport. (See report on website). In 2018 we had an all-weather track installed to encourage children to do The Daily Mile’.

Music Music is an integral part of the curriculum and the life of the school. Musical experiences are gained through singing, recorder playing and simple percussion work. Recorder classes are available from Year 2. Many children take advantage of our private individual music tuition and our choir enjoys their yearly excursion to Birmingham to sing at Young Voices.

Collective Worship The Education Reform Act 1988 requires that

all

schools have a daily act of Collective Worship, either



as a whole school or in separate groups. For the majority of occasions the worship has to be ‘wholly or mainly of a Christian character’ and must reflect the broad traditions of Christian belief. We are a Church of England Controlled School and this is reflected in both Collective Worship and Religious Education.

Collective Worship is held daily following a termly plan. The whole school meets three times a week, with separate worship for KS 1 and KS 2 and class worship being held on the remaining two days. The local churches regularly lead our Collective Worship. The clergy and lay members of St. Peter’s and the Baptist Church a l s o run the after school J A M club and offer pastoral support to children and staff. The village church of St Peter’s is visited regularly and children’s services held there. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from these acts of worship. Please inform the Head Teacher so that alternative provision can be made to suit the needs and interests of the child.

Religious Education Religious education lessons follow the Oxfordshire agreed syllabus for controlled schools. The syllabus is available in school and all our schemes of work are based on this document. Although there is a major

emphasis on Christianity, we feel it is important to gain an understanding of other

faiths; therefore we also study Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. Each class has one RE lesson per week. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from these lessons. Please inform the Head teacher so that we can make alternative arrangements.

Special Needs The school recognises that every child is an individual, with unique talents and needs. Each class teacher encourages the

development of these attributes; however there may be times when children need extra support or a carefully developed individual programme of work to help them reach their potential. All children on the SEN register are assessed and identified as having a primary need in one of four areas:

• Specific Learning Difficulties

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health

• Communication and interaction, including speech and language and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Sensory and/or physical, including



hearing, visual, physical needs. Assessments of need are carried out by the school Special Educational Needs Co- ordinator (SENCo) in collaboration with the class teacher and, where necessary with the support of outside agencies, e.g. Special Educational Needs Support Service (SENSS). Pupil Profiles are written by the class teacher, with the support of the SENCo, for each child on the SEN register. The Profile details objectives and appropriate support for the child and progress against these targets is monitored by the SENCo. Outside agency advice and expertise is called on as required. The school considers close communication with the parents of all children, including those with special educational needs, to be of paramount importance. Parents of children on the SEN register work in collaboration with the school to develop the pupil profile and are invited to review meetings at least three times a year to discuss progress with the class teacher and with the SENCo and outside services when appropriate. Parents are also always welcome to arrange a meeting with the class teacher or SENCo at any time to discuss concerns.

Equalities The school recognises its duty to

promote equality and support the eradication of discrimination in all its forms – we are a fully inclusive school with excellent access for people with disabilities. We promote and celebrate diversity through the curriculum and the ethos of the school, from

ensuring equal gender representation on the School Council to integration programmes for children from Frank Wise special school. In 2018-19 there were no reported racist or homophobic incidents. Our Equality objectives can be found on the school website on the Equalities page.

Able Children

Children succeed highly at our school, in many aspects, from the academic to music, the arts and sport. Excellence is encouraged and celebrated. The school enjoys a strong academic reputation: children leave Hook Norton highly literate and numerate. Our end of Key Stage 2 test results are consistently well above national averages. Children are encouraged to follow independent study and to have enquiring minds. Work is challenging and expectation is high. More able pupils are chosen to attend courses run by Chipping Norton Secondary School in Science, Drama, Dance or Music for example. We identify children with talents in music, giving them the opportunity to play in public, children with sporting talents join our many and varied teams and some have gone on to play at county level. Our after school clubs enrich and extend the talents of our children.



Nursery and Reception The Foundation Stage at Hook Norton covers the phase of education for children from three to five years old (Reception and Nursery).

The staffing is two teachers in the current Reception class which can cater for up to 45 children (1.5 form entry). The Nursery Class has one teacher and one Nursery Nurse for up to 26 children morning and afternoon. Each child is assigned a Key Adult on entry who acts as a consistent point of contact for child and parents for the year. The unit forms an integral part of the school providing opportunities for children up to five to learn through play and investigation, in a friendly and caring atmosphere. It provides a stimulating and gentle introduction to school following guidelines for the Foundation Stage which emphasises early literacy, numeracy and the development of personal and social skills. The school follows the Read, Write, Inc structured phonics programme and Oxford Reading Tree reading scheme. Play is a means by which children gain access to the curriculum. This involves investigation and problem-solving, sustains interest and motivation as well as developing social skills needed in order to work collaboratively with others. Activities, thematic work and visits, which reflect these experiences are often the most productive starting points for learning. Forest School: trained leaders take Foundation Stage children for outdoor learning every week.

The Areas of Learning set out what most children are expected to achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage. These are organised into Three Prime Areas: • communication and language • physical development • personal, social and emotional development And four Specific Areas of learning: • literacy • mathematics • understanding the world • expressive arts and design As part of a whole school approach, the staff have a regular process of planning, recording and assessment and in the Foundation Stage, this starts with the needs of the youngest children. Children’s attainment is recorded in the Foundation Stage Profile. Foundation Stage sessions for part time children are held Monday – Friday from 9.00am -11.30am, and from 12.40- 3.10pm. Nursery Children are offered 15 hours per week: one full day and four mornings or afternoons. We also offer 30 hours funded places for children of working parents who qualify, or you can pay for additional hours. (£18/session).

Homework

Homework plays a part in consolidating and extending children’s learning. It also gives parents an insight into what their child is doing at school. All children are encouraged to do homework - class teachers will set out what is required. With younger children, the emphasis is mainly on reading; later tables, spellings and other tasks are set. Information on homework is given out at the start of the academic year during class parents’ meetings.



PSHCE/SMSC The promotion of a positive attitude towards health and well-being is central to life within the school and the community. The subjects covered by PSHCE are citizenship, personal hygiene, sex education, drugs education and smoking. Children are taught the importance of looking after themselves and others as well as keeping safe from bullying, including cyber-bullying and safe use of the internet. We have received the Oxfordshire Healthy Schools Award. The School Council gives the children a voice and has helped to shape decisions at the heart of the school as well as promoting the British values of democracy and respect for the law. British Values are promoted through our adoption of our Owl Values which teach tolerance, respect for the law, democracy and responsibility, amongst others which help shape our school and our children.

Sex and Drugs Education Sex Education forms part of the school curriculum from Year 1 onwards, providing a gentle start to help each child develop as a social being. It is delivered within the framework of a broad and balanced health education programme and is often integrated into the curriculum.

Parents are the key figures in helping children understand the aspects of growing up and the school aims to support parents in preparing children for their development into adulthood. Towards the end of KS2, there are a number of lessons run by the School Nurse

providing more factual information. Parents are always informed when these sessions are taking place and children may be withdrawn from the lessons at parents’ request. Drugs Education involves educating the children in the safe handling of medicinal drugs as well as drawing attention to the consequences of misusing substances such as alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. Parents wishing to know more about our PSHCE programme, including sex and drugs, can view our policies on the school website or request a paper copy from the office.

School Council/Eco Committee The School Council is an important instrument for children to air their views and make decisions. Two representatives are democratically elected from each class from Year 1 to Year 6. They meet every other week to raise and discuss issues that any child in the school considers to be important. The children run the meetings taking the roles of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The School Council organises fund-raising

events and decide how they wish to spend the money. (Within reason!) The school is very proud of how the children have embraced the School Council and have made it work for all the children in the school.

International Links We believe that the school has a duty to prepare childrento be global citizens and with this aim in mind we have developed strong international links. Since 2000, the school has had a strong link with a school in Sweden, originally as part of a programme supported by the British Council. We have continued our partnership with our Swedish Partner School through regular exchange visits for staff and pupils, video conferencing and pen pals.



Hook Norton C. of E. Primary

School

We have completed British Council projects with schools in Sweden, France, Turkey and Spain. In 2017 we received the full International Award for the third time recognising our commitment to global citizenship.

Behaviour

“Each pupil is treated as an individual and through ‘Live, Love, Care, Think, Learn and Dare’, they develop a love of learning and

enthusiasm for life.”

Church Inspection May 2019

We encourage children to develop self- respect, consideration for others and a caring attitude towards their environment. Children are expected to behave thoughtfully and exercise self-control. Any incidents of bullying, including cyber-bullying and homophobic bullying are dealt with promptly and we work with children and parents to resolve differences or improve behaviour. School rules are kept to a minimum and are in place to ensure the health, safety and well -being of our children. Reward System: Children are assigned teams/houses on entry – Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. These are their sports teams and they can earn house point tokens which are collected. The team with the most tokens is awarded the cup each term. The school has a set of GOLDEN RULES, drawn up by children through the School Council.

Golden Rules Believe in yourself and do

your best. Tell the truth.

Be responsible. Treat others as you would

like to be treated. Respect other people’s

Property. Treat the School as though it’s your second home. Think

before you speak.

These rules were drawn up by the

School Council on behalf of the whole

school. They apply to everyone on

school premises.

The school accentuates the positive and

actively promotes hard work, enthusiasm, good manners and a caring attitude by rewarding children with praise, stickers and merit certificates. Our Friday Well Done Assembly acknowledges children who have made significant achievements that week and their names are published in our weekly newsletter to parents. Our yearly prize-giving awards children with prizes and certificates for 100% attendance. We also award the 2 Harry Bartlett cups 3 times per year to 2 outstanding pupils. Should any child behave inappropriately, then he/she is dealt with according to our behaviour or anti- bullying policies (see school website) and in accordance with our Christian ethos. The policy is implemented with regard to the teacher’s knowledge of the individual child and the nature of the misdemeanour.



Safeguarding: The school has a safe-

guarding policy and procedures in place that are in accordance with local authority guidance and locally agreed inter-agency procedure, which may include sharing relevant information with other schools and agencies to ensure the safety of the children in our care. The school operates safe recruitment procedures and makes sure that all appropriate checks are carried out on staff and volunteers who work with children. The designated person for child protection is the Head teacher

Assessing and Reporting

The assessment of children is an ongoing process and

their progress is carefully monitored and

recorded. During the Foundation Stage (3

– 5s) children are assessed using the

Foundation Stage Profile. The results at the end of the Foundation Stage are reported and discussed with parents. At the end of the school year, a report is issued giving full details of progress made over the year. Parents are given the

opportunity to comment on the report and appointments can be made for discussion. For those children at the end of KS 1 (Year 2) and KS2 (Year 6), the report will include information on statutory and

teacher assessment, and details of assessment target levels reached in the core

subjects of Maths, English and Science. The opportunities for parents to see and discuss their child‘s work are: Autumn Term Individual appointments. Spring Term Individual appointments. Summer Term Open afternoon to view children’s work. Annual reports to parents – parents are welcome to make an individual appointment to discuss the annual report. Parents of children in the Foundation Stage Unit are a l s o offered a home visit prior to their child starting.

Appointments can also be made with class teachers or the Head teacher, out of school hours, to discuss children’s progress and any queries or concerns you may have. At the start of the school year each class teacher holds a parents’ information meeting which gives parents an opportunity to meet the class teachers and learn about areas of study planned for the year and homework arrangements.



Pupil Achievements The school aims to develop a positive

attitude in all children and to continue to raise standards in all areas. We want our children to leave Hook Norton proud that they are the best that they can be. Under the National Curriculum, all children are assessed at the end of KS1 and KS2. The results for Hook Norton School can be found on the school website.

Communication Good communication between home and school is vital to the smooth running of the school. The school issues a weekly newsletter, via Parentmail, to keep parents informed of activities, holiday dates and other items of interest. A copy of the latest newsletter is placed in the cabinet by the school gate and posted on the school website. The school website is also a mine of information with the weekly newsletter, parental guides and policies available to download. www.hook-norton.sch.oxon.uk The village newsletter and the village section in the Banbury Guardian often contain items relating to the school. In the entrance hall you will also find a parents information shelf

with leaflets on everything

from reading and writing to head lice and library times. The school has written policies covering all areas of school life and the curriculum – please see the school website.

At Hook Norton School we operate an “open door” policy and welcome the opportunity to chat informally to parents and carers about issues surrounding the school day and the wider work of the school.

Admissions The school is in the process of moving to 1.5 form entry which means we can take up to 45 children in the current Reception class (with 2 teachers). All other classes are 30. Over the next few years the school will gradually move to 1.5 form entry for each year group.

Our Nursery takes in children from the term after they are three, spaces permitting, for 15 hours per week (one full day plus mornings or afternoons). We also offer the 30 hours funded places for children of working parents, subject to eligibility. Children may be registered for the Nursery when they are two. Application forms can be obtained from the school office.

It is considered to be good educational practice for a child to spend at least three terms in the Nursery. Children attend either mornings, 9.00 - 11.30am, or afternoons, 12.40 - 3.10pm and one full day when they stay for lunch. After consultation with parents, it was agreed to allocate sessions to ensure a good balance of children in both morning and afternoons. The Nursery accepts up to 52 part-time placements. The allocation of Nursery places is based on the following criteria:-

• Looked after children, children with special or additional needs.

• Applications from the school catchment area of Hook Norton, Wigginton, Swerford and Milcombe will take priority over children from the surrounding villages.

• Children living outside the

http://www.hook-norton.sch.oxon.uk/



designated area with an elder brother or sister attending either the Nursery or the primary school.

• Other children - in age order or date of registration, proximity to the FSU, or proximity to other school.

• Morning or afternoon places are allocated to ensure the optimum mix of children in both sessions.

Parents of non-statutory school age children attending the Nursery should be aware that their child is not guaranteed a place at Hook Norton Primary School. The LA administers the admissions policy for children starting school in the academic year in which they are five. All children wishing to attend the school need to be registered by completing the appropriate form in the booklet sent directly to parents by the Local Education Authority.

Criteria for Admissions 1. Children with an EHCP that

names the school in the statement. 2. Looked after children. 3. Disabled children who need to be

admitted on the grounds of physical accessibility.

4. Children who live in the designated area. If there are more applicants than places, priority will be given in the following descending order:

a) Children with siblings already in school.

b) Children living closest to school. 5. Children outside the designated area who

have a sibling at school at time of entry. 6. Children living closest to school.

School Structure At present, the school is organised as follows: Nursery 3 to 4 year olds Reception 4 to 5year olds Elf Owls Y1/2 Forest Owls Y1/2 Little Owls Y1/2 Barn Owls Y3/4 Eagle Owls Y3/4 Tawny Owls Y3/4 Year 5 9 to 10 year olds Year 6 10 to 11 year olds

The School Day

Morning: 8.55am – 11.50 am (12.05 Key Stage 2)

Morning Break: 10.30 - 10.45am Afternoon: 1.00pm - 3.15pm

The children are supervised on the school playground from 8.40am and may enter the school building from 8.50am. It is the responsibility of parents to see that children do not arrive at school early except with prior permission of the Head Teacher.

The school operates the free fruit and vegetable scheme for children in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One when each child is provided with a piece of fruit to eat at morning break. Th e r e i s a h e a l t h y S n a c k B a r f o r K S 2 c h i l d r e n . Children are welcome to bring a healthy snack from home to eat at morning break. Sweets are allowed on birthdays when children can share sweets and chocolates with their classmates. Parents who collect or deliver children by car are requested, in the interests of safety, to park considerately outside the school. The school car park is closed from 8.30 - 9.15 am and from 2.45 - 3.15 pm. Those walking to school should only cross the road at the designated crossing, under the control of the school crossing patrol officer.

School Meals We believe that the school has an important part to play in promoting a healthy lifestyle in children. Our school meals are cooked on the premises and include a range of healthy options, including freshly prepared vegetables, fruit, milk and salads. Children



can choose a school meal or bring their own packed lunch. Children with a vegetarian or special diet are catered for. We request that in the interest of health and safety packed lunches should not contain fizzy drinks, nuts (including peanut butter) or glass containers. Meals are eaten in the school hall and are supervised by mid-day supervisors. Free School Meals : All children from R-Y2 are entitled to a free school meal, although we would urge you to still sign up if you are in receipt of particular support payments and meet certain criteria, because the school receives additional funding called the Pupil Premium, to support children from less well-off households. Should you feel you might qualify, please contact the School Office for an application form.

Sign up for Parentmail and you can pay for

colour: no ‘Ugg’ style boots, high heels, crocs, flip-flops, neon trainers.

• PE: school t-shirt, navy or black sports shorts, plain joggers and sweat shirt, plimsolls or trainers.

The school operates an online uniform service and has a small selection of second hand items for sale through the office. Please ensure that all articles of clothing are clearly marked with your child’s name. Lost property may be found in containers in the cloakrooms. The school follows the LA guidelines regarding jewellery: jewellery should not be worn for PE and practical activities, including swimming. At other times, only small studs or sleepers and a watch may be worn.

Accidents or

school meals, visits etc online for your convenience. Or dinner money should be handed in on a Monday in an envelope clearly marked with the child’s name and the number of dinners required. Cheques should be made payable to Hook Norton Primary School.

Our School Uniform

Illness If your child is ill or involved in an accident, every effort will be made to contact you and you will be asked to take him/her home, or if necessary to a

School uniform gives children a sense of belonging and identity. free We have a smart, fuss- uniform that we expect all children to wear from Nursery onwards. The school uniform:

• Navy sweatshirt, cardigan, sweater, preferably with school logo.

• Black/grey school trousers (KS1/FS children may wear joggers), skirts or pinafore dress.

• Pale blue gingham summer dress.

• Plain navy/black/grey tights.

• White polo shirt, shirt or blouse.

• Sensible plain footwear in a dark

doctor. Please ensure the school has an up- to-date telephone number where you can be contacted during school hours. The school has procedures for recording accidents, and informs parents if they are of a serious nature. In the case of minor accidents, the child will be attended to by a qualified first- aider. Any child with a bumped head will be issued with a note home.

Medicines Schools have no legal obligation to administer medicines, however, office staff members have agreed to do so on a voluntary basis. If your child needs to take prescribed medicine during the day, please hand the medicine in its original container (we cannot accept decanted doses) to the office staff and complete a consent form. The school cannot accept responsibility for the administration of medicine. We can only



administer medicines prescribed by a doctor. Please do not allow your child to bring in over-the-counter lozenges or herbal remedies.

Holidays in Term time/Absences The school cannot authorise leave of absence in term times unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please see our attendance policy on the school website for more details. Please notify the school before registration on the morning of any absence. To ensure the safety of our children, the school will telephone home if any child is absent without explanation.

Registration The register is taken at the beginning of both morning and afternoon sessions. Children returning to or leaving school outside of morning registration should report to the school office. The office staff should also be advised of any lunch-time requirements if children are not present at morning registration.

Security A safe, secure environment is a high priority. The Head monitors and assesses the safety and security needs of the school on a regular basis. All visitors should report to the school office, sign in and wear a visitor’s badge. Regular helpers at the school are police checked.

Parents need to advise the relevant class teacher if a child needs to leave school during the school day or go home with another adult. Money is only required on fund raising activity days. Please leave valuables, toys and sweets at home. Children are requested not to bring in electronic equipment and mobile phones. If, however, it is necessary to bring in a phone for use after school, it should be left at the office and collected at the end of the day. The school has an e-safety policy that requests parents

not to use mobile phones in school with children present. The school has a minibus used for small groups and Forest School. All the seats are front facing and have seat belts. All drivers undertake training and pass the OCC Minibus Test. For longer journeys or larger groups, coaches with seat belts are hired.

Educational Visits We are committed to giving children first

hand experiences therefore all classes go on educational visits – these include theatre trips, museums, places of local interest and residentials for older children.

.

These visits greatly enrich children’s learning

All visits have a risk assessment undertaken by the visit organiser, overseen by the Educational Visits co-ordinator, before the decision to go ahead is made. Parents are given full details of proposed visits and children are taken only with parental consent.



experiences and are a valuable part of school life. Often they are the times that children recall the most vividly when they look back on their primary school days! Currently our residential programme includes a five day outdoor pursuits visit to Yenworthy and a six day overseas exchange to Sweden for Y6 and a five day residential for Y5. Charging for these visits is in accordance with the Governors’ policy set out below.

Charging policy The governors support the present policy of arranging school activities on the basis of voluntary contributions. Any request for voluntary contributions stress that there is no obligation for parents to contribute and children are treated the same regardless of parental contribution. No child is excluded because of non-payment; however activities may have to be cancelled if there is not sufficient financial support. The school can provide some financial support for those parents finding payment difficult. Please speak to the school in confidence. The above policy will be kept under review and may be modified at the Governors’ discretion notwithstanding the constraints of existing legislation.

Parents in School We hope that parents will feel totally committed to and involved in our school. We welcome parents into the school to help wherever possible. Not only does parental help give us much needed extra pairs of hands, it also allows parents a valuable insight into the workings of the school. We enjoy significant parental involvement in the daily life of the school. We have a team of parents who help in many different ways both inside and outside the classroom. Parents who are willing to help should contact the class teacher. All regular helpers will have to undertake the statutory safeguarding checks prior to starting.

The Friends of Hook Norton School Hook Norton School has a 'Friends of the School' (FOHNS) organisation which includes all parents and the village community as a whole. The aim of the group is to raise funds for the benefit of the school and also to provide practical help as and when needed. The group welcomes contributions from everyone and supports a number of fund- raising activities.

After School Clubs The school organises a comprehensive range of extra-curricular activities and clubs which vary according to the time of year and availability of tutors and coaches. The clubs we offer are run by a mix of staff and parent volunteers and professional organisations. We aim for a good mix of sporting, arts and other interests to appeal to the widest number of children.

The School and the Community The school sees itself very much at the heart of the local community: we enjoy being part of local events and we have close links with local

clubs and societies. In addition, the school acts as host for community events and private functions. We have a superb Study

Centre, a self-contained facility that we hire to local groups and for children’s parties.



Brownies and Guides and other schools also use our premises for residential visits. St Peter’s Church in the village has family services on the first Sunday every month. Please see the church board in the school lobby for times. The Baptist Church and St Peter’s together run the JAM (Jesus and Me) Club from the school for school age children. Hook Norton Low Carbon has provided the school with funding to carry out a large programme of energy saving initiatives, including PV panels, energy monitoring and a ‘greener’ hot water system.

Child Care/Extended Services Breakfast Club: the school operates a Breakfast Club for all Hook Norton School children from 8.00 am, run by trained school staff in our Study Centre. Please contact the office for a registration form.

Owl Club The school provides after school care in our Study Centre from 3.15pm to 6.00pm which also dovetails with after school sports and other activity clubs. It is run by trained school staff and offers a safe and relaxing time for children 3-11 who attend our school. Please contact the office for more details. For information on registered Child Minders and other child care options please telephone 08452 262636. The study centre is available for hire and includes kitchen, toilets, showers and bedroom.

The Governors

The Governing Body of the school is made up of parents, teachers, representatives from the church and local community. A governor is elected or co-opted, usually for a period of 4 years, as a volunteer to help ensure the smooth running

and success of the school. As a body, the governors make decisions on improvements, staffing and the premises In addition, governors play an important part in monitoring the work of the school and reviewing progress. (Please see the governor page on the school website).

Chipping Norton Schools Partnership The school is an active member of the

Chipping Norton Partnership. This is a group of Head Teachers and Governors from the feeder schools to

Chipping Norton Secondary School. The

Partnership meets six times a year to discuss a

wide range of topics and to maintain good links

between the schools. Sporting, Gifted and

Talented and artistic links are also fostered through

the Schools Partnership Programme. At the age of 11+ children transfer to secondary school. The school is a feeder school for Chipping Norton Secondary School; however some children have gone on to other comprehensives, selective grammar schools and independent schools. Children visit their new school in the summer term of Year 6 and more sensitive children are given additional opportunities to visit more frequently. Applications for non-selective schools are submitted during the autumn term of the final year.



Key Stage 1 (KS1) Children in Year 1 and 2, aged 5-7

Key Stage 2 (KS2) Children in Years 3-6, aged 7-11

Foundation Stage Children in the Foundation Stage Unit, aged 3-5

ICT Information Communication Technology (computers)

DT Design Technology

PSHCE Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Emotional Education

National Curriculum

The programmes of study for pupils aged 5 to 16

One form entry One class per year group

LA/OCC Local Educational Authority/ Oxfordshire County Council

Catchment Area A defined geographical area from which the school takes its pupils

OFSTED Office for Standards in Education, the body that carries out school

inspections

DFE Department for Education

INSET Staff training and development

Pupils on Roll Pupils registered at the school

Complaints Under the 1988 Education Act, the LA has established a Complaints Procedure. Copies of this document are available in school and on the school website. However, complaints concerning individual children should firstly be addressed to the class teacher. If the issue remains a concern please arrange to see the Head Teacher. In the event of the matter still being unresolved, the Chair of Governors should be contacted in writing.

Public Access to Documents and Information

As required by Government directive, please contact the school office. The details in this prospectus were correct at the time of preparation but may be subject to change.

Attendance Attendance of our pupils remains at an extremely high level. There were no exclusions 2018-19.

Glossary of Terms