Lower School

Information Brochure

Jump On Board The School Bus

Member ISC, CISC Registered Charity No. 237760

Lower School Brochure

Contents Page Numbers

Mission Statement 4

Welcome from the Headteacher 5

The School 6-12

School Rules 13

Health and Safety 14-15

Comments and Complaints 16

The PTA 16

General Information 17-18

The Curriculum 19-20

Extra Curricular Activities 21

Uniform 22

The Gallery 22-23

Contact Information

17, Mangate Street, Swaffham, Norfolk,

PE37 7QW

TEL School 01760 721330

House 01760 724577

Email: info@sacredheartschool.co.uk

www.sacredheartschool.co.uk

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MISSION STATEMENT

The Sacred Heart is a community committed to

the education of its pupils within the Catholic

Christian ethos, where each person is invited to

serve God and others in faith, hope and love.

AIMS

To foster growth in Christian faith and values

To value appreciate and enjoy learning

To work for excellence

To further curiosity and creativity

To aspire to high ideals

To stimulate generous service to others

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Dear Parents

I would like to welcome you to the Sacred Heart School and hope that you will be very

happy being associated with our friendly school.

We are a small school for pupils aged 3 - 16 with around 100 pupils on roll and are now

fully co-educational. Any pupil is naturally nervous when starting a new school, but they

soon settle in and get to know everyone.

Uniform is an important part of school life, it is a great leveller and makes everyone feel

that they belong. We expect pupils to respect their uniform and to be turned out smartly.

Please support us in this matter.

There are many different activities in the school year. Children benefit from participating

fully in all aspects of school life. Special events, such as concerts and plays are ways to

enable your child to mature, grow in stature and gain confidence.

Our motto ‘Service Before Self’ is the inspiration to share with others and to care for them.

This applies to both our school community and the wider community. Please encourage

your child to adopt this selfless attitude.

We hope to work in partnership with you in educating your child. We will communicate

regularly with you about your child’s progress, both social and academic and in return, ask

you to support events in which your child is participating, as well as attending Parents’

Evenings, Bazaars and Garden Fetes.

We look forward to educating your child.

Yours faithfully,

Sister Francis Ridler FDC, B.Ed. (Hons), EYPS

Headteacher

Contact information

Tel 01760 721330 / 724577

Email: info@sacredheartschool.co.uk

Web: www.sacredheartschool.co.uk

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Senior Management Team

Headteacher Sister Francis Ridler FDC, B.Ed. (Hons), EYPS

Deputy Headteacher

Head of Humanities

Mrs Irene Henden BA (Hons) PGCE

Mrs N Wilson MA, BA (Hons), PGCE

Head of Early Years

Lower School Teaching Staff

Little Pedlars

Reception

Year 1 & 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Senior School Staff who teach

Years 3, 4 and 5

Miss J Sandford BSC (Hons) PGCE

Miss J Sandford BSC (Hons) PGCE

Mrs J Cockman City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma

Mrs Bogusiewicz

Mrs C Clifton BA (Hons), QTS

Miss J Navarre, MA, BA, Cert of Ed

Mrs C Riedlinger, BA(Hons), PGCE

Miss L Laska, City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma

Miss L Lewis, BSC (Hons) PGCE, QTS

Sr Michaela

Mr M Smith, BSC (Hons) PGCE, QTS

Miss J Wasag, BA (Hons)

Mrs A Scrafield, MA, PGCE, QTS

Miss F Hart, Level 4 Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Mrs Irene Henden BA (Hons) PGCE

Mrs S Edwards, MA, BSc(Hons),C & G Level 3

Mrs J Ahrenfelt BA (Hons), QTS, MA

Mrs H Childerhouse BSc (Hons), PGDE, QTS

Mr R Glenister BSc (Hons), PGCE, QTS

Mr J Hodges MA, BA (Hons)

Mrs M Heale Dip Art & Design, BTec Nat, Dip Ceramics

Mrs S Pickard BA (Hons), QTS

Mrs N Wilson MA, BA (Hons), PGCE

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The School

Our Staff:

We are proud of our talented and dedicated teaching staff whose details together

with those of our specialist and peripatetic staff are available on the School’s website

at www.sacred-heartschool.co.uk

Arriving at school

Years 1 and 2 may arrive at school on the playground at 8.30 a.m. where a member

of staff is on duty. All should be present on the playground by 8.40 a.m when they

are lined up and taken into school for registration at 8.50 a.m. In wet weather the

children go to the Activity Room.

Years 3 to 6 should be present at school by

8.30 a.m. ready for registration at 8.40 a.m.

In cases of need there is a facility for early

morning care but an arrangement must be

agreed with the school. Pupils arriving by car

should enter the school through the gate at

the back, by the field from Sporle Road

(opposite the hospital). Please treat the

Sporle Road as a one way system so that

pupils can disembark on the pavement

adjacent to the school.

Parking

Please do not use the front of the school for collecting or dropping off pupils by car.

Use the back gate entrance located in Sporle Road. The gravel car park is for staff

only.

There are school managed mini-bus services from Downham Market and King’s Lynn.

Details are available from the school office. There is parking designated at the front

of the school for the buses to drop and collect pupils safely at the end of the day.

Please do not use this space between 8.15 - 9.00am and 3.15 - 4.15pm.

For your child’s safety, please do not park, or drop children off, in the staff car park.

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A typical school day for Year 1 and 2 comprises:

8.50 am Registration. Lessons begin.

10.35 Break.

10.55 Lessons.

12.00 Lunch and then outdoor play followed by 15 minutes

organised time inside plus milk/water to drink.

1.30 pm Afternoon lessons.

3.20 End of school day and pupils are taken to the gate by

the Sports Hall at 3.30. The member of staff on

duty will take any pupil not collected back to the

Boarding House.

A typical school day for Years 3 -6 comprises:

8.40am Assembly / Form Period / Lessons.

9.05 Lessons.

10.35 Break.

10.55 Lessons

12.10 / 12.15pm Lunch and playtime / Various lunch time clubs and

activities

1.30 Lessons

3.45 School Ends

Please inform the class teacher, in writing (in emergency, by phone) of any changes

to ‘going home’ arrangements. It is important for the class teacher to know who is

collecting the child. Verbal advice from a child cannot be accepted.

Pupils are not left to await collection at the back gate; but are taken back to the

Boarding House and signed in. Pupils must be signed out when collected.

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Late Departures Children waiting to be collected and those who have finished activities wait at the

Boarding House. Parents must sign their children out.

Additional child-care arrangements:

It is possible for children to stay at the Boarding

House by prior arrangement, for any length of

time. A charge is made for this service. If parents

have an unforeseen problem then they can be

sure that their child will be safely looked after in

the Boarding House. Years 3-6 may board.

Attendance and Punctuality Parents are asked to telephone the office on the first day of absence, a letter

confirming the absence must be sent in when the pupil returns. Without a letter this

counts as an unauthorised absence.

Children should be in school on time. When they miss the first part of the day they

can feel out of touch with what is going on.

Illness: Please do not send a child to school if they are ill. For most sickness 48 hours

off school is the norm.

Holidays during term time Parents must ask permission from the Headteacher, by filling in a holiday request

slip, for pupils to miss school. We have long holidays and we ask that you avoid taking

pupils out of school in term-time for holidays because when a child misses school it

not only disadvantages your child but also others in the class.

Adverse weather Please send children to school in wellingtons, and their shoes to change into, if the

weather is wet. Kagouls need to be brought into school. School closure for snow The school will usually remain open to ‘look after’ children but if you think that

conditions are too severe, do not risk travelling.

Emergencies The school office is open from 8.15am. Earlier phone calls go through to the Boarding

House, but the Sisters are at prayers until 7.45 am.

Newsletter This is an invaluable form of communication so please read it carefully. Parents also

receive a calendar. Both of these items can be viewed on our website:

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Assemblies

Assemblies are important and there is either an assembly or a class act of worship

every day.

The Lower School has one assembly a week together and each class produces an

assembly, during autumn and spring terms. The summer term is given over to sports.

etc., to which parents are invited. Dates and times for the class assemblies are on

the weekly newsletters and the school calendar. Years 3 – 6 also attend Senior

Assemblies.

Celebrating Christmas

(A very special time when the whole school joins together)

Dem Bones

Mass at Walsingham

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Homework: Pupils have a homework diary / organiser which parents are asked to

check and sign regularly. The homework policy is available on the school’s website.

Assessment Pupils’ work is continually assessed by the teachers and records are kept of pupils’

progress. Year 1 upwards undertake NFER standardised tests in the autumn and

summer term. Year 6 take theirs during scholarship week in January and take internal

exams in the summer.

Reports Reports are issued at the end of every term: an interim report at the end of the first

two terms and a full report in July.

Parents’ Evenings These are held in the autumn and summer terms. Please refer to the website

calendar or newsletters for dates.

Prize Giving This takes place at the end of the summer term to acknowledge academic

achievement and effort and sporting success.

Special Needs In agreement with parents we can refer pupils for specialist help. Mrs Henden co-

ordinates Special Needs in Senior and Miss Lewis in the Lower School.

House System Years 3-6 join the Seniors in the House System – Balmoral, Buckingham, Sandringham

and Windsor. They take part in various House events e.g. House Music Festival,

House Sports, Swimming Gala, organised by Year 11.

Rewards Hard work and academic achievement are recognised and children are praised for

their effort and kindness.

Years 1 and 2 are awarded Stars and Year 3 upwards with House-points and Service

awards. Certificates (for every 25 earned) are given out in the Lower School

Assembly and printed in the newsletter.

Sanctions Please refer to our Behaviour Policy which can be found on the school website.

Usually a quiet word and explanation of appropriate behaviour is sufficient.

Fund raising for charity Pupils raise funds for those less fortunate through a variety of events throughout the

year.

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Educational visits Pupils enjoy a number of outings and visits during the academic year. Parents are

asked to sign a permission slip for their child to attend all organised outings. Packed

lunches are provided by the school kitchen in lieu of a hot lunch on the day of an

outing (except for the first day of the school year when Year 3 upwards go to

Walsingham and a packed lunch must be provided by parents). Parents, however,

must provide bottled water.

Working Together

Termly contribution

Parents pay this levy at the same time as the fees. It covers the costs of any visits or

speakers to the school. It means that we do not have to keep asking parents for

money for visits and workshops. We let parents know through the newsletter the

cost that is being deducted from this money. Surplus money is carried forward to

subsequent terms and to the next year.

Lost Property Please make sure that all your child’s property is clearly labelled. There are lost

property boxes in the cloakrooms.

Money: Parents are asked to send any money in an envelope that is named and

has your child’s Year group marked on it.

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Valuables: Please do not let your child come to school with items of personal

value. Jewellery, mobile phones, i-pods, etc. are not allowed. If a mobile phone is

necessary for any reason they must be handed in at the office on arrival and collected

at the end of the day. Wristwatches with a plain brown, black or navy leather strap

may be worn.

School events: The school expects that parents will support school events e.g.

concerts, performances, Prize-giving, Christmas Bazaar, Summer Fête and PTA

activities. The Christmas Bazaar and Summer Fete are regarded as school days.

Admission to the Senior School

The Senior Department caters for children from 11 to 16 years old. Pupils simply

transfer from Year 6 to the Senior Department.

Pupils transferring from Year 6 may apply for a scholarship. These are awarded in a

number of categories, including Academic, Music, Sports and Art.

A limited number of bursaries are available. Parents receiving bursaries are expected

to offer something in return.

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School Rules We ask pupils to conform with the following:

Present a neat and well-groomed appearance

Wear correct tidy uniform with hair tied back with a blue or black band or

scrunchie.

Keep nails short – no nail varnish

Be mindful of other people

Walk on the left side of the corridor

Eat tuck outside

Take care of all property

Look after uniform and personal possessions

Do not bring in valuables

Sign mobile phones into the Office

Avoid walking on wet grass

Report breakages

Keep classrooms tidy

Ensure personal safety

Hand in all medicines

Sign in and out when arriving late or leaving early

Go to Boarding House when parents are late

Bring in any drinks in safe containers – no tins or glass

Be kind and respectful to others

“PATS are kind things that are

said or done. Change ZAPS into

PATS.”

Hannah Turner

Report any kind of bullying

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Health and Safety

Health form and permission slip Parents are asked to fill in a medical form when the child starts school and to confirm

that the information still applies each year. This covers – illnesses, injuries,

medicines, inhalers, glasses, hearing aids etc. On the same sheet parents give

consent for their child to go on outings and to have their photograph taken.

Medicines Medicines are not generally administered at school. If children are on antibiotics they

are not well enough to be in school.

We are aware that for some children medication is a necessary part of their daily

routine e.g. kidney infections or allergies. If this is the case we need written

permission from parents to administer medicine to children.

The letter and the medicine (clearly labelled with the child’s name and the dosage),

should be handed directly to the Class Teacher for safe keeping.

Younger pupils hand in their inhalers but from Year 3 upwards pupils are responsible

for their own inhalers.

First Aid A First Aider treats children with minor injuries. There

are First Aid boxes in every building.

Accidents If there is an accident requiring a doctor, parents will be contacted. If necessary,

children may be taken to the Doctor’s surgery in Swaffham, or be sent to the Queen

Elizabeth Hospital at King’s Lynn.

An accident form is filled in at school and is sent home to parents. Parents must sign

and return this to school.

Accident / Illness: Contacting parents In case of an emergency, it is essential that we have telephone numbers where we

can definitely get hold of parents. The Secretary will try to telephone parents to ask

them to collect the child.

Children must be signed out before they leave.

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Fire practices These are held each term.

Break and lunchtime Pupils are supervised at all times on the Lower School playground.

Wet lunch playtimes – the pupils have a session in the Sports Hall or Gym and are

then brought back to the classrooms.

Policy on food The school wants to support parents in their aim to raise their children eating a well-

balanced diet.

Please ensure your child has some breakfast before school.

The school employs a Catering Manager, who is responsible for the running of the

kitchen and its staff. The school provides nutritional, well-balanced meals.

The menu rotates in a four weekly cycle, with winter and summer menus, but we aim

to expand to what is in season. The menus are available to view on the website.

There is a choice of a hot meal with vegetables or cold selections from the salad bar.

There is always a vegetarian option.

As an alternative to puddings, fresh fruit is offered.

Payment for school meals is included in the School Fees.

Break-time: Sweets are not allowed. The children are allowed to eat a piece of

fruit or raw vegetable, brought from home.

Lunchtime is staggered with the youngest pupils starting at 12.00.

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Comments and Complaints

Who to approach?

In the first place, you may have an informal word with the class teacher.

For more difficult issues, you should make an appointment to see the class teacher

or the Head of the Lower School, Miss S Gooderson.

For serious personal, educational or social problems you should see the Headteacher

who will liaise with the Class Teacher.

Please do not attempt to leave complicated messages about difficult private matters

with the office– simply ask for an appointment with the Headteacher or deputy,

saying that the matter is important.

The PTA does not deal with these matters.

Formal complaints should be made in writing to the Headteacher.

The PTA All Parents are members of the PTA and are invited to the AGM in September

The PTA raises funds at the Annual Bazaar and Garden Fete.

There are a variety of other events such as: The Ball, Beetle or Reindeer Drives,

Discos, Bingo etc. The Committee welcomes any new fund raising ideas; either come

along to a meeting or talk to a committee member if you are inspired. If you would

like to join the Committee, new members are always welcome.

Parents are, of course, asked to support these events.

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General Information Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1).

Pupils are encouraged to bring in items of interest relating to the current class topic.

Parents are always welcome to pop into the classroom to see our work.

Homework: There are weekly spellings and either a Literacy or Maths homework

sheet. Reading books will be sent home to share at home with an adult when your

child has finished reading the book in school.

Equipment: The children may bring pencil cases, however, the equipment they

need is provided. The children will need:

a glue stick for their own use.

a named plastic mug.

Years 3-6 (Key Stage 2).

Key Stage 2 and marks quite a change for pupils because they move to a Senior School

timetable with a longer day. In Year 3 the children begin French, German or Spanish

lessons. Homework increases to nightly in Year 3. The amount given builds up slowly,

increasing each term. They have more specialist teaching and have to organise

themselves to move to different classrooms.

Equipment: Pupils need:

their own pencils and colouring pencils.

Berol type handwriting pen (blue ink).

scissors, sharpener, rubber, a glue stick and a ruler.

2 x A4 size document wallets.

1 x A4 size folder.

A named unbreakable cup.

An organizer / planner helps with timetables, recording homework and

communication with parents. It is taken to every lesson.

Parents should look at this every night and sign it at the weekend.

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Visits and visitors

This is a very important method for teaching children. All pupils in the Lower School

have the opportunity to enjoy visits and learn from visitors to the school. Popular

visits include: West Stow (a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village), Kentwell Hall (Tudor

Recreation), Great Cressingham and Gressenhall (Victorian), the seaside and

theatres. Lower School pupils also have the opportunity to play in sports teams, both

at home and away.

Visitors include: police (stranger danger and internet safety), dentist, doctor, NSPCC

and storytellers.

Dr McPartlin tells us all about our

teeth and how to look after them properly. Crafts with Mrs Smith

Lower School Netball Team

Lower School

6 a side Football Team

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The Curriculum The school regards the National Curriculum as a framework for our curriculum

programme. All pupils receive a broad education in their years during their time in

the lower school. The curriculum includes: Mathematics, English, Science, History,

Geography, French, Music, Religious Studies, Art, PHSE, Physical Education, Games

and Home Economics for Years 5 and 6.

Religious Education: Years 1 to 6 Although the majority of our pupils and staff are not Catholics, the Catholic ethos of

the school is very important to us. We are sensitive to the varying views and

backgrounds of our pupils but we have daily class or school assemblies and a school

Mass at least once a term to which all pupils come and participate.

Pupils follow “The Way, The Truth and The Life” Catholic syllabus from which they

acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of the beliefs, values and

traditional Catholic Christianity. Pupils need to have an appropriate positive regard

for self and others and their needs and to develop life skills to enable them to

participate effectively and safely in society.

Sex Education The school has a programme for this area which ties in with the R.E syllabus. We try

to pitch the work at the level that the children themselves seem to need. PSHE covers

personal and social development, citizenship and relationships.

Promoting British Values at Sacred Heart School At our school British values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways:

Democracy We have a lower school student council which meets regularly to discuss issues

raised in class. Every child on the student council is voted in by their class. The council

is genuinely able to effect change within the school.

The Rule of Law The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or

the country, are consistently reinforced at our school.

Pupils are taught from an early age the rules of the school and the value and reasons

behind rules and laws, that they govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this

involves and the consequences when laws are broken.

Individual Liberty Pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and

supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries for young

pupils to make informed choices, through a safe environment and an empowering

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education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and

personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely, for example through

our eSafety and PSHE lessons.

Mutual Respect Mutual respect is at the heart of our values. Children learn that their behaviours have

an effect on their own rights and those of others. All members of the school

community treat each other with respect.

Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs Religious Education lessons and PSHE lessons reinforce messages of tolerance and

respect for others. Members of different faiths and religions are encouraged to share

their knowledge to enhance learning within classes and the school.

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Extra-curricular activities There are a wide range of activities which are published at the end of each term.

Parents book in advance of each term.

These include;

Junior Choir: Open to any interested pupil in Years 2, 3 & 4 Senior

Choir: Open to any pupil from year 5 upwards.

Junior Orchestra: Years 4 to 6

Tennis lessons

Instrumental Tuition

The school is well served by a team of peripatetic

music teachers covering: piano, violin, ‘cello, flute,

clarinet, saxophone, guitar and drums.

(All requests for instrumental lessons should be

made in the first instance via the school office.)

Music

Dance

LAMDA The children work at Speech and Drama for an official certificate which, if pursued all

the way through the school, can count towards UCAS points for university entrance.

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Uniform

The uniform is available from John Lewis and Birds of Dereham.

There is also a second hand uniform shop at school.

The lists for summer and winter uniforms are available on the school’s website.

In addition pupils in Year 5 upwards will need an apron and hat for Home

Economics.

The Gallery

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