St Luke’s Church of England School

2014/2015 Parents Handbook

St Luke’s Church of England School, 12 Kidderpore Avenue, London. NW3 7SU

www.stlukesschool.org.uk

All enquiries should be made to the school administrator and all mail should be sent to the school address. Please note that email, post and phones are checked during school holidays but it may take a few days before we are able to respond. St Luke’s Church of England School is a company limited by guarantee (No. 7451568). Registered in England with registered office address at Kidderpore Avenue, London NW3 7SU. St Luke’s Church of England School is a member of the LDBS family of schools.

Mrs Liz Mortimer School Administrator office@stlukesschool.org.uk 020 7435 5604

Mrs Gill Tyler Head Teacher gtyler@stlukesschool.org.uk 020 7435 5604

Mrs Penny Roberts Chair of Governors proberts@stlukesschool.org.uk 07847 479124

Welcome to St Luke’s Church of England School!

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Welcome from the Headteacher

Dear Parent Welcome to St Luke's School. We hope that this handbook will be useful and provide you with all the information you need to help you prepare for the “big day”! If one of your questions is not answered in the handbook, please phone the School Office or ask at our Welcome Morning in July. St Luke’s School was the first Church of England free school in the country, opening in September 2011 to help meet a local shortage of primary school places. For this reason, children are admitted to the school by geography, so St Luke’s School is fully inclusive, welcoming families of all faiths and none. We are thrilled to be over seven times oversubscribed for September 2014. Our vision is to develop an excellent school for the local community where the Christian values of faith, hope and love are evident in everything that happens. Through nurturing our children, both academically and spiritually, we aim to provide them with secure foundations for life, so that they leave St Luke’s with an excellent all round education and a love of learning. As Headteacher, I feel privileged to be leading this school and to be working with such a motivated and talented group of staff and governors. We are very fortunate to have supportive and engaged parents who play an important role in decision making, as we look to continually develop our school. This is an exciting time for St Luke’s School! We are delighted that you are now part of our story. Gill Tyler Headteacher St Luke’s Church of England School

Our History St Luke’s School, and its short history, is unique! It opened in September 2011 as the first Church of England Free School in the country.

In 2010 there was a severe shortage of primary school places in the London Borough of Camden and the North West of the borough, where St Luke’s Church is located, was a particular pinch point. In Spring 2010 the Department of Education set out how local groups could serve their communities by setting up new state funded independent schools where there was a proven need.

A local group from St Luke’s Church coordinated an application to convert the extensive church halls to set up a new school. A whirlwind of activity took the group from making its application in July 2010, through to being announced as one of just 16 successful proposals nationally in September 2010, through to signing a funding agreement in April 2011. Building work started in May 2011 and opened the doors to the first Reception class in September 2011.

The project was a partnership between St Luke’s Church and the local supporters group, who ultimately formed the core of the first Governing Body. The London Diocesan Board for Schools project managed the establishment of the school and they are still involved through the governing body and through the provision of school advisory services.

On 9th September 2012 the school was officially opened by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. The official opening was marked by a service and reception attended by a large cross section of the local community, including parents, pupils and churchgoers from St Luke’s. At the service, the Bishop of London stated:

“St Luke’s School is an illustration of the historic purpose of Church of England schools to serve the whole community. Church members who have contributed hours of voluntary effort to set up the first free school in the Diocese, have done so in the knowledge that none of their own children will be eligible to attend because of the strict admissions criterion which is based solely on how far children live from the school. This excellent school is a contribution to provision in the borough of Camden which is currently over 150 places short for children of reception class age. I found my visit inspiring.”

Background to St Luke’s Church

St Luke’s Church is a community-focused Church serving a local congregation and with a heart for local families. For many years the Church has run youth clubs, children’s after-school activities, pre-school drop-in and support groups for parents and carers. These activities have always been open for non-Church members and Church members alike and it is this vision and heart for the whole local community which has inspired our own vision for St Luke’s School. As well as providing an army of volunteers who helped in so many ways, the Church allowed us to take over their extensive halls and then extended us endless patience while the halls were being converted into our school.

The original vision for St Luke’s School as a Christian school for the whole community is closely tied to the vision and ethos of the Church.

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Welcome to St Luke’s Church of England School!

St Luke’s School Vision, Aims & Ethos

Secure Foundations Excellent Practice Faith, Hope, Love

St Luke’s Church of England School is a Christian school for the whole community.

We aim to serve local children and their parents by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. Our Collective Worship follows Christian practices and we identify Christian perspectives where appropriate in the curriculum. If a parent wishes to exercise their legal right to withdraw their child from Collective Worship we will of course respect that decision, but would like you to note that our ethos is central to all that happens at school. We advise any parent who has a concern in this area to discuss the matter with the Headteacher. We aim

• to create a caring and supportive environment where children are encouraged to persevere and to learn from their mistakes

• to provide an excellent grounding in reading, writing and mathematics so that all children are able to apply their skills across the curriculum and in everyday life

• to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which is responsive to individual needs, based on, but not limited by, the National Curriculum

• to inspire each and every pupil with a love of learning

• to promote a distinctively Christian ethos.

Our central concern is the education of the whole child. This stems from the Christian belief that all people are made in God’s image, so all are equally worthy of care and all have a valuable contribution to make to the school and wider community. From this belief also comes a determination to meet the individual learning, social, emotional and spiritual needs of each child, through the small size of the school and the use of small teaching groups. Careful assessment of children’s skills and abilities when they join the school and continual monitoring of progress help us to plan appropriate work for children and to identify and plan for children with Special Educational Needs.

Our vision is for an education of the highest quality, achieving good academic outcomes for pupils and producing well-rounded individuals who combine a care for others with a love for learning and an appreciation of the importance of spiritual and physical well-being.

We base our policies and procedures on our core values of “secure foundations - excellent practice - faith, hope and love”. This strap line was devised by Governors and staff in the first year of opening and underpins all the decisions we make at St Luke’s School.

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Welcome to St Luke’s Church of England School!

St Luke’s School opened in September 2011 with a Reception class of 15 boys and girls. It will grow gradually; each year another 15 children will join the Reception class.

By the time the school reaches its capacity it will be a small community accommodating 105 children aged 4-11 (from Reception to Year 6). Remaining small will allow for each child to be known as an individual.

When full, the school will be arranged into four classes.

There is a two-year curriculum to ensure that children do not repeat topics. We use the flexibility that a small school offers to work across year groups, key stages and even across the whole school as opportunities arise. Where possible, the curriculum will be arranged so that children have focused time in smaller groups for literacy and mathematics lessons.

School Organisation

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Class Size

Reception 15 children

KS1 (Years 1&2) 30 children

Lower KS2 (Years 3&4) 30 children

Upper KS2 (Years 5&6) 30 children

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Arriving at School

Children can arrive at school anytime between 8:50am, when the school opens, and 9am at the formal start of the school day. We encourage parents to spend this 10 minutes sharing a book with their child. However, please note that children are not the responsibility of the school until 9am, so parents should make sure that children are supervised until this time. Please do ensure your child is in school by registration at 9am. A focused start to each day is vital in order that your child does not miss their welcome and the introduction to the day’s learning. Your child will be marked late if he/she arrives after the register closes. If your child is unwell and so cannot attend school, please telephone the school before 9am to let us know.

The School Day

Time Activity 08:50 School Opens 09:00 The school morning begins

Collective Worship, lessons and activities (age appropriate) 12:00-13:10 Lunchtime (children and staff eat together before their lunchtime play) 13:10 The school afternoon begins

Lessons and activities (age appropriate) 15:30 The school day ends 15:30-17:00 After-school activities (please see “ Extra-Curricular Activities”)

Snacks Reception and KS1 children have a fruit snack break in the morning and children under 5 years receive free school milk. Once your child is 5 you can order milk through the school. Collecting Your Child at the end of the Day Please collect your child promptly at 3.30pm. When your child starts at St Luke’s School we will ask you to tell us who will collect them from school each day. We will only let children go with the person or people you have told us about, so if your arrangements change it is essential you inform the School Office or write in the class contact book. Please note if we have not had any contact from you after one hour from the end of the school day/after school club, we are required to contact Social Services.

The School Day

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Proposed Extra Curricular Activities 2014-15

Monday Art Club Hampstead School of Art- all year groups 4 - 5.30pm

Sports Club SLS– Reception and Year 1 3.45 - 4.45pm

Tuesday Crescendo Music Club SLS- all year groups 3.45 - 4.45pm

Science Club SLS – KS1 3.30 – 4.30pm

Wednesday Spanish for beginners SLS- Reception and Year 1 3.45 - 4.30pm

Sports Club SLS- Year 2 3.45 - 4.45pm

Thursday Ballet King’s College- all year groups 3.45 - 4.30pm

Adventurers St Luke’s Church Hall- Rec- Yr 2 4 - 5pm, Sports Club (Year 3) 3.45 - 4.45pm

Friday Drama Club SLS- all year groups 3.45 - 4.45pm

Tennis Club (Aut 1) - KS1 3.30 – 4.30pm

We aim to provide after school provision for each year group once they attend SLS fulltime. Our staff look after the children until the after school club begins. If your child is staying to an after school club please provide a small snack for them to eat after school.

Term Dates 2014 - 2015

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Autumn Term 2014

Spring Term 2015

Summer Term 2015

Bank Holidays 2015

• New Year’s Day 1 January • Good Friday 3 April • Easter Monday 6 April • May Day Monday 4 May • Spring Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

Inset Days 2014/2015 (school closed to pupils)

• Monday 1 September • Tuesday 2 September • Monday 5 January • Monday 20 July • Tuesday 21 July

Polling Day

• Thursday 7 May

IMPORTANT Information about Attendance For children to progress as well as they are able, they need to come to school every day, unless they are ill. Please do not take your child out of school during term time for a holiday or for any other reason and, as far as possible, any medical or other appointments should be arranged after school hours. As it is now a legal requirement that parents make sure their children attend school, only in exceptional circumstances will applications for in-term absences be considered. Applications should be made to the Headteacher, in writing, at least 3 weeks prior to the event. Please see the Attendance and Punctuality Policy.

Term Starts Term Ends

First Half Wednesday 3 September Friday 24 October

Half Term Monday 27 October Friday 31 October

Second Half Monday 3 November Friday 19 December

School ends 1.30pm

Term Starts Term Ends

First Half Tuesday 6 January Friday 13 February

Half Term Monday 16 February Friday 20 February

Second Half Monday 23 February Thursday 2 April

School ends 1.30pm

Term Starts Term Ends

First Half Monday 20 April Friday 22 May

Half Term Monday 25 May Friday 29 May

Second Half Monday 1 June Friday 17 July

School ends 1.30pm

Parent Partnership Starting School for the First Time

Starting school is a very important time for you, your child and the school. We all need to work together to make the transition smooth and rewarding. Mrs Patel and Mrs O’Rourke are your child's key workers in Reception – you should always speak to one of them if you have any worries or concerns about your child.

We have a comprehensive transition process to ensure you and your child’s start at St Luke's School is the best it can be.

June • Letter of welcome with invitation to our transition events. July • Reception Welcome Morning – opportunity for children and parents to “play” in their

classroom and meet the EYFS staff, presentation to parents about preparing for school and settling in routines.

• Pre-school Transitions Meeting – opportunity for staff to meet with Camden Local Authority pre-school leaders to ensure we are ready to meet your child’s needs.

September • Home Visits - opportunity to meet children in own environment, for parents to speak

confidentially with keyworkers and for staff to support parents in completing medical forms. • Drop In mornings – opportunity for children and parents to drop in to class to become more

familiar with classroom environment. • Staggered intake – children start school in two smaller groups, ensuring children and staff

have a chance to get to know each other as fast as possible. • Reception Meetings –informative and social events for parents to familiarise themselves with

the EYFS curriculum, with talks from key members of the school community.

Whatever age your child is, communication is the key to success Please do speak to someone in school straight away if you have any queries or concerns (see Home-school communication page). If you feel you need a little extra support, Ms Martin is our Parent Mentor. Her role is to support you in order that you can best support your child’s sense of well-being and enjoyment of school.

Parenting Support The following websites will also help if you feel you need some advice with parenting. www.calmerparenting.co.uk www.canparent.org.uk www.camden.gov.uk/play www.familiesandschools.org/international.php

Mrs Patel Mrs O’Rourke Miss Martin

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Early Years Foundation Stage - Reception class In developing our curriculum we aim to provide pupils with the highest quality education, combining academic achievement with personal development so that children are well rounded individuals who combine a care for others with a love of learning. The Early Years Curriculum is grounded in active and fun learning. Through practical activities, purposeful play and talk, children develop an understanding of the world and the basic concepts they will need for their later learning. The Early Years curriculum comprises:

Communication and language

We will be learning to listen to one another, ask and

answer questions, talk confidently to each other and to

adults; join in and enjoy stories, songs and music.

Mathematics

We will be learning about numbers,

patterns, shapes, mathematical words,

problem solving, sorting and measuring.

All the evidence indicates that carefully planned creative activities provide the best environment for young children to explore and make sense of the world. Through activities like weighing, measuring, listening, singing and experimenting, children are learning all the time and laying the best possible foundations for their future. As parents, you play a major role in fostering good attitudes for learning, developing good language skills and promoting good behaviour.

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The National Curriculum – Years 1-6 The National Curriculum sets out the essential skills and knowledge that all children should acquire. At St Luke’s School we have the freedom to decide how to teach this most effectively and to design a wider school curriculum that best meets the needs of our pupils. Where possible we aim to promote a creative, cross curricular approach to the curriculum, so that learning is relevant and children are able to make connections between subjects. The subjects taught in our KS1 class are: • English (Spoken Language, Reading and Writing) • Mathematics • Science • Computing • Religious Education* • Geography • History • Music • Physical Education • Art • Design and Technology • Languages *Religious Education is taught in accordance with procedures and guideline as set out in the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education Agreed Syllabus. It is through this syllabus that children are introduced to the Bible and Christian festivals. The children also learn about the other main religions of the world.

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Helping Your Child to Learn at Home

At St Luke’s we believe that achieving success is a partnership between school and home. Activities that children do at home can be a valuable way to reinforce and extend learning that takes place at school. You can support your child by finding the time to be actively involved with them to show that you value home learning activities. Establishing a clear routine is important so that activities are done each day and ideally in a quiet place. In the early years of school it is essential to foster a positive attitude towards homework. If your child does not enjoy doing the activities they are given, or if it is difficult for you to establish a positive routine, please make an appointment to speak to the teacher.

Reading books together

Use the front cover to discuss what the book might be about

Use pictures as clues to help predict what might happen next

Use phonics to sound out words

At the end, discuss what the story was about

Practise recognising high frequency words on sight

We will give you a “Helping Your Child to Read” booklet at the Reception Evening. Spare copies are available from Reception staff.

Home activities and Maths games

Please try to find opportunities to play games with your child. Simple board games are great for mathematical language, simple addition and taking away, for turn taking and for enjoying learning with your child. Don’t forget to read the “Helping Your Child with Numeracy” booklet we give you at the Reception Evening. Spare copies are available from Reception staff. Every Friday the children will have a home activity linked to school topics.

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Reading and Phonics at St Luke’s There is a heavy emphasis on learning to read because good reading skills are the key to success. At St Luke’s we use “Letters and Sounds” and “Jolly Phonics” to deliver a systematic approach to teaching phonics. The children have a daily phonics session, they learn different sounds in school each week and if appropriate will practise these at home as part of the reading partnership. The children will be given a book from our reading schemes to practise their phonic skills. Our reading books are “banded” and include fiction and non fiction texts to ensure the children have access to a full range of appropriately differentiated texts.

Behaviour & Discipline At St Luke’s we aim to create a supportive environment where all children can learn and develop. We want to ensure all members of the school community treat others with utmost respect and care. Our starting point is always our overarching golden rule - “Treat others as you want them to treat you” Luke 6:31.

We believe that: • children should always feel and be safe

• in order to be fair we need to set clear, consistent boundaries

• there is an important place for forgiveness and a fresh start

• it is important to have an environment of trust and respect, that is both nurturing and disciplined

• expectations for positive behaviour and attitudes apply equally to adults as to children

• any kind of discrimination or bullying is always unacceptable.

Our Practice:

We have high expectations for children’s behaviour at St Luke’s School. We work hard to ensure our ground rules are maintained consistently and to recognise the effort made by children to keep these rules. Very early on children are taught about our code of conduct and shared values:

A major aim of the school policy is to encourage all children to practise good behaviour through a system of praise and reward. We do this at St Luke’s through verbal praise, reinforcing and sharing good behaviour with all the children in the class, stickers, class incentive systems and entry into the Golden Book.

Most children respond to this positive approach where their efforts are seen to be valued. However, sometimes children behave badly. Children need to discover where the bounds of acceptable behaviour lie, as this is a part of growing up. Each case is treated individually. Poor behaviour is generally dealt with by the class teacher in a supportive and fair manner, with some flexibility regarding age and needs of the child. Normal classroom sanctions are non-verbal and verbal warnings, time-out or speaking with the Headteacher. The class teacher will speak with the parents at the end of the day if the child’s behaviour has given cause for concern. If the problems are serious or the behaviour is persistent, the Headteacher will meet with parents to discuss strategies for assisting the child to make appropriate choices.

How you can work in partnership with the school

• By being consistent – setting clear boundaries and praising good behaviour

• By talking to your child about our central rule (“Treat others as you want them to treat you”), emphasising your support for it and, if helpful, using it in home situations

• By helping your child keep our Garden Rules before and after school

• By talking to the teacher as soon as possible if you have any concerns, recognising that there are usually two sides to a story and finding out all the facts before reaching conclusions.

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Our Golden Rules

“Treat others as you want them to treat you”

We care for each other

We try our best

We listen to each other

We are honest

We look after our school

Our Garden Rules

“Treat others as you want them to treat you”

We stay where the grown-ups can see us

(not behind the gazebo or down the side of

the school)

We include everyone in our games

We are gentle – we don’t push or pull

We take care of equipment

Welcome to St Luke’s Church of England School!

Food & Drink

Lunch

As a small school community, meal times provide an important opportunity to reinforce our ethos and for the whole community to share a meal together. We know too that the food that children eat makes a real difference to their ability to concentrate and learn.

For these reasons we have prioritised providing healthy, nutritious meals, prepared on-site by our school cook. She caters for a wide range of allergies. Please let us know if your child is effected. We have a three week menu cycle which changes each term. You do not have to order the meal - the children will have a choice of a meat/fish dish or a vegetarian dish. Salad, freshly baked bread, jacket potato, yoghurt and fresh fruit are available every day.

Termly menus are available on the Caterlink website.

From September 2014, school meals for children aged 4-7 years will be free.

We really hope you will support our aim for all the children to “share” the midday meal.

If you claim particular government benefits your child may be entitled to free school meals, free milk and free fruit snacks during the day. Please check our “Pupil Premium” page.

St Luke’s is a Healthy Eating School

We have a healthy eating policy and we do not allow any nuts on the school site at any time.

Snacks

Children have ready access to water throughout the day.

Each day, children will have a drink of milk during the morning.

Children will also have a fruit snack, for which we will ask a small contribution.

Birthdays

If it is your child’s birthday and they would like to bring something to school to celebrate, feel free to send in a treat for the class, but please make sure it does not contain nuts.

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In 2011-12 the Government launched its Pupil Premium funding. This money is sent to schools based on the numbers of pupils in the school who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). From 2012-13, it has been expanded to include all children who have been eligible for FSM within the last 6 years. This money is allocated to initiatives to ensure pupils reach their full potential, both academically and socially. We use our Pupil Premium Funding to help provide the following initiatives:-

Pupil Premium

Children are eligible to receive Pupil Premium Funding if their parents are in receipt of any of the following benefits: • Income Support • Income-based Job Seekers' Allowance • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance • support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 • the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit • Child Tax Credit, provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income

of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. Please speak to Mrs Mortimer in the School Office or Mrs Tyler if you think your child may be eligible for this funding.

Use of PP Aim

Parent Mentor To work alongside parents in order that they can better support their own children’s

learning, sense of well-being and enjoyment of school.

Interventions by

Inclusion Teacher

and TA

To support individual children through targeted intervention groups.

Funding places on

school outings

To ensure all children are able to participate in enrichment activities, in order to

develop a positive and inquisitive attitude to learning.

After school clubs To ensure all children are able to participate in an enhanced school experience, in

order to develop personal skills of resilience, co-operation, negotiation etc.

Printing, parents’ use

of school internet

Printing and translating newsletters, homework etc. for those parents who do not

have access to the internet/EAL

Welcome to St Luke’s Church of England School!

Health and Safety

Walking to School

We do encourage all our families to walk to school as a daily routine. Walking is one of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and set good habits. It is also a wonderful opportunity to talk with your child and it is, of course, good for the environment.

Allergies and On-Going Health Issues

When your child joins St Luke’s School we will ask you to tell us if your child has any allergies or ongoing medical conditions. Please let us know if this information changes at any time. Parents are responsible for ensuring inhalers and epipens are up to date.

Infectious Diseases

If your child has any infectious disease (e.g. rubella, conjunctivitis, head lice, impetigo, measles, mumps or ringworm) you should alert the school office immediately.

You should keep your child away from school until they are well again and no longer infectious. The table gives minimum guidelines.

Illness or accidents during the day

There will always be at least one member of staff at school with a Pediatric First Aid qualification. We have clear procedures to follow If your child becomes ill during the day or has an accident. If your child is well enough to remain at school we will still tell you at the end of the day what has happened.

If your child is not well enough to remain at school we will contact you during the day and ask you to collect them.

When your child joins St Luke’s School we will ask for your contact information and the information about someone else who could collect your child if you were unavailable. Please let us know if your contact details change at any time.

If there is an emergency we will phone for an ambulance.

Illness Guideline

Vomiting Return to school after 48 hours clear of symptoms

Diarrhoea Return to school after 48 hours clear of symptoms

Head lice Treat the whole family and then return to school

Conjunctivitis Treat on medical advice and return to school after 24 hours clear of symptoms

Chicken Pox Return to school when all the blisters have fully crusted over, usually 5-7 days

after the first blisters

Asthma Clearly labelled pumps and spacers can be stored at school. These will always be

taken on school trips.

Impetigo/Ringworm Return to school when symptoms have completely cleared.

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Home-School Communication

Communication between home and school is crucial. It is part of our Christian foundation that we aim to develop and nurture strong relationships within the school community. We hope that many of the day-to-day problems and concerns that will inevitably arise can be resolved quickly and simply through early communication and open honest discussion. We always welcome suggestions for how to improve our school.

If you have important information for the teacher

In the morning there may be something you need to tell the teacher e.g. if your child is going to be collected by a different adult from usual.

It is helpful for the school to have a written record of matters like this. The teacher will be busy and if there are several messages, she may not remember them all. Parents are asked to write any such messages in the class day book, which will be read as soon as the children have settled and are engaged in activities.

If you have a concern that you want to discuss with staff

If you do find that you have a concern about some aspect of school life, we would like you to tell us about it, so that we can talk with you and try to seek a resolution.

Your first port of call is your child’s class teacher. The start of the school day is usually a busy time and the teacher will be settling the class for the day ahead. She may not be able to speak to you immediately but will ask you to make an appointment.

If your concern persists, you can also make an appointment, through the school office, to see the Headteacher.

The school does have a system of formal complaints and you are welcome to read the policy available at the school office, but this informal procedure is usually the quickest and most effective way to resolve concerns.

Newsletter Please ensure you keep up to date with everything going on at St Luke’s by reading the newsletter each week. The newsletter is given out every Friday and contains information on current and future events, dates for your diary and other items of interest.

Texts There may be occasions where we want to confirm some information or pass on an urgent message and we may do this in a text message.

Website The school website contains lots of information about the school, including a News and Events page. You can also access some of our school policies. We try to update the content regularly.

Home-School Agreement When your child starts at St Luke’s School we will ask you to sign a home-school agreement. One of the things this spells out is the ways that we have agreed to communicate with parents and the ways that we hope you will communicate with us.

Parents’ Evenings In the Autumn Term and Spring Term you will be invited to school to look at your child’s work and meet the teacher to discuss your child’s progress. In the Summer Term you will receive a written report summarising their progress over the year.

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All pupils wear school uniform to help maintain a strong sense of identity and belonging. Our uniform is smart but deliberately simple to avoid unnecessary expense.

Please help us by sending your child to school each day wearing correct school uniform which is clearly named.

Some items have a school logo embroidered onto them and those items are marked *. They are manufactured for us by Marks and Spencer. They are available on-line from

www.mandsyourschooluniform.com

Items without a logo can also be ordered on this website, along with accessories.

If you prefer, you can purchase items without a logo from several high street shops. If you are in receipt of certain government benefits we may be able to help you with school uniform costs. Ask at the school office for details.

Uniform List Winter Royal blue logo sweatshirt* Royal blue logo cardigan (available soon)* White logo polo shirt * Grey trousers – no jeans please Grey skirt or pinafore Grey opaque tights White or grey socks Sensible black shoes Summer Royal blue logo sweatshirt* Royal blue logo cardigan* White logo polo shirt * Grey trousers – no jeans please Grey shorts Pale blue gingham dress Grey skirt or pinafore Grey opaque tights White or grey socks Sensible black shoes PE Kit Pale blue logo T shirt* Navy blue logo sweatshirt* Navy shorts (Summer) Navy joggers (Winter) Black plimsolls or lightweight trainers Navy blue logo PE bag* Royal blue logo book bag*

School Uniform

Health and Safety As a matter of health and safety, long hair should be tied back (school colours) and no jewellery should be worn, with the exception of small stud earrings (no hoops) which have to be removed for Physical Education or covered with an elastoplast. 19

Supporting our School

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Helping in School We welcome parents into the school to support the children's learning. Parents fulfil a variety of roles at SLS, including listening to readers, helping to escort the children on outings, sharing their family’s cultural celebrations and helping children to learn new skills such as cooking and chess. If you have a special skill you would like to share or you would like to support us in any other way, please speak with the class teacher or the Headteacher.

Friends of St Luke’s School (Parents Friends Association) The “Friends of SLS” run a variety of social and fund-raising events over the year. We have recently focused on raising money for our school garden project, which has enhanced playtimes and provided greater educational opportunities for all our pupils. We also have an annual tea party in aid of the Marie Curie cancer charity. However, the PFA is about much more than fundraising - it enables us to work together as a community and thus provides closer links between home and school. All families are automatically members of the Friends of St Luke’s PFA when their child joins our school. We encourage parents and carers to get involved, as it is a great way to get to know other families. Working parents may not be able to come to the meetings, but can still support the PFA by helping in other ways (eg attending after school events, baking cakes or donating prizes for the fairs).

St Luke’s School Staff

Miss C Milne Class Teacher

Miss Milne has always enjoyed working with children. Her first degree was in Childhood, Culture and Education before training to be a teacher specialising in Early Years and KS1 teaching.

She teaches our Key Stage 1 class on a full-time basis.

Mrs J Gibson School Business Manager

Mrs Gibson has many years experience as a School Business Manager. Prior to joining SLS, she worked extensively both in business sector and in mainstream education. She is a member of

the Senior Leadership Team, with responsibility for Finance, Business and Operations.

Mr H Benitez Caretaker

Mr Benitez has worked in local schools for many years. He has a multitude of practical skills and plays a valuable role in the school team.

Mrs G Cawthorne

Higher Level Teaching Assistant Mrs Cawthorne is an experienced full-time HLTA in Key Stage 1. Prior to joining the team at St Luke’s she worked in another LDBS school, where she supported children’s learning in both key stages. Mrs Cawthorne is the staff governor where she leads on Health and Safety.

Mrs J Galton Inclusion Teacher/ SENDCO

Mrs Galton qualified as a teacher in 1993 and has experience in both mainstream and special school settings. She is a specialist in teaching children with a range of additional needs.

Mrs O Heaney SEN 1:1 TA

Mrs Heaney is an experienced Teaching Assistant. Prior to joining the team at St Luke’s she worked as a 1:1 SEN TA in another local school, where she worked across all age groups of

children.

Ms J Martin Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Ms Martin is a full-time HLTA in Reception class. Prior to joining the team at St Luke’s she worked for twelve years as a teaching assistant in a local school. She has worked with all age groups and is a trained paediatric first-aider. She is also our Parent Partner.

St Luke’s School Staff

Mrs E Mortimer Administrator

Mrs Mortimer has worked in administration for nearly 30 years, both in the UK and overseas, for a variety of companies including a large industrial conglomerate, an auction house and a bible college.

Ms K Price SEN 1:1 TA

Ms Price is an experienced early years practitioner. She has worked in the EYFS for 12 years and was manager and special needs co-ordinator in a local pre-school.

Miss Lisa Mullaney School Cook

Miss Mullaney has worked in school catering for several years. She especially enjoys working in a small community where she can get to know the children.

Mrs G Tyler Head Teacher

Mrs Tyler has more than 20 years experience in primary education and has held a variety of school leadership roles in the past 10 years.

She is committed to developing the whole child within the Christian ethos and ensuring that all children receive an excellent all round education.

Mr Stephenson Class Teacher

Mr Stephenson is looking forward to joining the SLS team in September as our first KS2 teacher and Phase Leader. He is always “up for a challenge” and enjoys learning new languages – he is able to speak Swedish and a little Arabic, French and Maltese.

Mr Stephenson will teach our Year 3 class on a full-time basis.

Mrs A Patel Assistant Headteacher

Mrs Patel is a very experienced Early Years and Key Stage 1 teacher. She is a member of the Senior Leadership Team, with responsibility for Teaching and Learning.

Mrs Patel teaches the Reception class on a part-time basis alongside Mrs O’Rourke.

Mrs K O’Rourke Class Teacher

Mrs O’Rourke qualified as a teacher in 2002 and has worked in Australia and London. Her passion and experience is in Early Years Education.

She teaches the Reception class on a part-time basis alongside Mrs Patel.

St Luke’s School Governors

Penny Roberts Chair of Governors

Adrian Barrett Vice Chair of Governors

Monica Duncan Oliver Hughes

Jana Mercereau Chair of Resources Committee

Rev. Alistair Tresidder Vicar of St Luke’s Church

Phil Taylor

Tanya Berridge-Burley Ian Mackie MBE Assaf Lennon

Being a St Luke’s School Governor

The Governing Body

Before St Luke’s Church of England School was established, its founders agreed with the DfE how the school should operate and who can be on the Governing Body. The agreement stipulates that the governing body of St Luke’s School is made up of:

• 7 Community Governors nominated by St Luke’s Church PCC, to include St Luke’s Church Vicar

• 2 Parent Governors elected by parents with children attending St Luke’s School

• The Headteacher

• 1 Staff Governor elected by the teaching and non-teaching staff

• 1 LDBS (London Diocesan Board for Schools) nominee

Governors are appointed for a four-year term.

The role of Governors

Governors at St Luke’s School:

• Support the vision of the school as a Christian school for the whole community, and its core values of faith, hope and love

• Provide strategic leadership that enables the school to fulfil its vision

• Are responsible and accountable for major decisions affecting the school

• Build capacity for on-going school improvement

• Celebrate achievement and ask challenging questions as a critical friend to the school

• Fulfil statutory duties

How to apply

We currently have two parent governors but we will let all parents know if a vacancy arises through our newsletter and a personal letter to parents from the Chair of Governors. If more than two parents would like to stand, we would hold an election. Our current parent governors are:

Mrs Tanya Berridge-Burley

Mr Assaf Lenon

For further details contact our governor with special responsibility for new governors, Mr Philip Taylor at ptaylor@stlukesschool.org.uk.

Minutes of the full Governing Body are available from the school office. Dates of the full Governing Body meetings for 2014-15 are available from the School Office.

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