Osbaldwick Primary School is located in the heart of Osbaldwick and accepts children from age 4/5 to 11 years. We are housed in a brick building erected in 1957 which consists of 7 classrooms, a modern computer suite, library, hall, staff room, Head’s office and entrance/reception area and office. We also have a small Special Educational Needs room and the Reception classroom updated to an Early Years Unit with their own outdoor learning area. An ample playground is sited adjacent the school building and a large playing field is situated behind the school. There is a quiet garden area to the front of school, with flowerbeds, which the children help to look after.

The Osbaldwick Community Partnership Annexe is a building on the site housing our Breakfast Club and After School Club providing quality childcare, as well as a pre-school provision with the Osbaldwick & Murton Playgroup.

The school is a primary school which means we teach children from the age of 4/5 to 11.

Reception class - Children who are 5 during the academic year

Key Stage One - Often known as infant classes

• Year 1 - average age 6
• Year 2 - average age 7

Key Stage Two Often known as junior classes

• Year 3 - average age 8
• Year 4 - average age 9
• Year 5 - average age 10
• Year 6 - average age 11
  

Excluding time spent in registration, break and assemblies, 24hrs per week are direct teaching time. The school hours are a follows:

• Morning Session - 08.50 until 12.30
• Afternoon Session - 13.30 until 15.15 / 15.20

A typical day would follow this pattern:

• 08.50 - Registration
• 09.00 – 10.30 - Teaching Period 1
• 10.30 – 10.45 - Break
• 10.45 – 11.35 - Teaching Period 2
• 11.35 – 11.40 - Snack Stop
• 11.40 – 12.30 - Teaching Period 3
• 12.30 – 13.30 - Lunch
• 13.30 – 15.20 - Teaching Period 4
• 15.15 / 15.20 - End of school day KS1 (infants) / KS2 (juniors)

Please make every effort to have your child in school on time, as they may miss something important and will receive a late mark. Lateness is monitored by the head teacher as persistent/regular late arrivals will affect a child’s learning and progress. We ask parents/carers arriving to collect and drop off children to think carefully where they park. There are some spaces directly in front of the school, although staff or visitors sometimes use them and parking is also available in the Sports Club car parks. All infant children must be accompanied into and out of the school playground by an adult and cross the road with the Crossing Patrol lady.

As there are no arrangements to supervise children in the playground prior to 08.40am we ask that they do not arrive before this time in the morning, unless attending the Breakfast Club.

From September 2010

Reception -    Mrs J Snowball, Teaching Assistant Mrs A Stamp
Year 1       -    Mrs M Hine (Mon-Thurs), Mrs Gray (Fri), Teaching Assistant Mrs M Burn and Mrs J Yorke
Year 2      -    Miss H McIntyre, Teaching Assistant Mrs D Thompson
Year 3      -    Mrs C Tasker, Teaching Assistant Mrs K Jones
Year 4      -    Mr M Brown and Miss A Magee, Teaching Assistant Mrs A Souter
Year 5      -    Mrs C Borrett, Teaching Assistant Mrs Phillips
Year 6      -    Mr Shoobridge, Teaching Assistant Mrs Lowe

Pastoral Worker/Teaching Assistant Mrs N Bryan-Smith

The class topics are detailed in a letter to parents at the beginning of each term. The Parents Information letters for the Autumn term will be posted as soon as they are available.

Pre-school
We have a very close working relationship with Osbaldwick & Murton Playgroup, co-located on the school site, and Tiddlywinks Day Nursery. We offer joint curriculum planning opportunities and assessment to ensure a smooth transfer of information and regular visits by the new starters so school is a familiar place for them.

A Lunch Club is also offered between the Playgroup and School and is run by school midday supervisors. This again gives the pre-school children an opportunity to become familiar with the school premises and key members of staff. Together with the Wacky Breakfast and After-School Club we form the Osbaldwick Community Partnership.

Transferring to Secondary Education
At the end of year 6, when the children reach 11 years, they usually transfer to Archbishop Holgate’s School/Science College. A few children sometimes choose to transfer to Burnholme Community College for Business and Enterprise. Much emphasis is given to easy transition and to this end our Year 6 children visit both Archbishop Holgate’s School and Burnholme College to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings and situations. The staff from the Secondary Schools also visit our children.

From Year 5 upwards there are gifted and talented sessions and regular half day subject familiarisation visits to Archbishop Holgate’s School in subjects such as literacy, modern foreign languages, mathematics and design and technology. There are also special sessions for pupils who have particular talents in mathematics. Burnholme Community College also offers special days for pupils in enterprise and other activities, and there is a locally agreed induction day for Year 6 pupils to attend their allocated secondary school. All these help provide children with an experience of secondary education.

Liaison meetings with Archbishop Holgate’s are held on a regular basis to discuss schemes of work and the children’s welfare and progress. We also have one or two children who may transfer to Burnholme Community College and a similar procedure works here to ensure the closest possible liaison.

We have skipping for ten minutes each day during the morning and the children are becoming very proficient with some quite sophisticated techniques. This is very popular and helps keep children fit.

We have school teams for netball, two for football (girls and boys) and TAG rugby. We participate in local league and friendly matches and events and also run clubs in cricket and table tennis and dance.

Swimming lessons are provided once a week for Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6 pupils on a rota basis. These lessons are held in Archbishop Holgate’s swimming pool and incur a cost which the school office will notify you of when necessary. Parent helpers are very important to ensure the correct number of adults when walking up to the secondary school so if you can help we would be most grateful. Just let the class teacher know.

The school was one of the first schools to achieve the Inclusion Award, externally validated by the local and regional Chartermark authorities.

Osbaldwick Primary School endorses the City of York Council’s policy on Equal Opportunities in which every child and adult is respected regardless of race, religious belief, colour, gender, personal orientation, culture, ability etc. There are currently no staff with a disability in school, however, all posts are advertised as being open to all applicants who meet the minimum requirements of the role. The Governing Body’s admissions policy does not discriminate against pupils with disabilities and the Governors together with the LA have undertaken some major work to the building to ensure that the school can admit pupils with a disability in the future, as stated in the School’s SEN, inclusion and race equality policies.

We follow the Government’s Code of Practice for Special Needs and meet the requirements of the Disability Equality Duty. Our Special Needs Policies and Procedures respond to the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities as to other children with special needs.

“Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.” (Ofsted).

There is wheelchair access to the school building, Partnership Annex (home to the local playgroup and Wacky Breakfast and After School Clubs), and within school. Each building has a disabled toilet available. Some classes are fully wheelchair accessible and school would alter year group classroom arrangements to meet the needs of physically access for children’s learning. Similarly within classes teachers are fully versed in altering the curriculum approach, planning and learning, equipment and class design to meet individual needs and ensure full and equal access for all. Our access plan is available for viewing if requested.

We request help from the Local Authority when and where required, and involve parents/carers with helping their children.

Funding is given to the school to enable us to cater for those children who are identified as needing extra help. This funding is used to employ a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). She advises staff, assesses children, liaises with LEA and other agencies and teaches groups and individuals within school. Funding is also used to pay for both specific and general Teaching Assistant hours, and purchase dedicated learning resources.

Governors look at provision for learning difficulties and disabilities and there is also an experienced Governor with
responsibility for learning difficulties and disabilities.

Particular staff, teachers and assistants, are trained in specific interventions and curriculum access skills such as speech and language therapy, and specialised skills and equipment linked to particular learning needs.

If a child is experiencing difficulties with some aspect of learning we design specific work programmes to try to remedy this. These programmes are designed after consultation with the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator in school and the parents/carers. These programmes are reviewed and the child taken off them as he/she progresses. If difficulties are not resolved, then other programmes, designed sometimes with advice from area specialists, are undertaken. Specialists involved may include, educational psychologists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, outreach teachers for learning and behaviour issues and paediatricians.

“Provision for gifted and talented pupils is very good” (Ofsted).

We actively encourage pupils to become involved in a rich a varied curriculum where there are many opportunities to develop any particular skills. There is a register in school of pupils identified as being particularly able in aspects of the curriculum; for example in mathematics, sport, social skills and music, to name but four.

We have close links with local sports clubs and ensure part time music specialists are available in school if your child wishes to learn a particular instrument, together with the opportunity to play at concerts. This is done in school time and would mean your child having to do both the music tuition and class work. To reassure you, their enthusiasm invariably means they cope exceedingly well!

We offer a rich variety of extra curricular activities so that children may have the opportunity to extend their experiences. These are usually held after school although some are at lunchtime. Activities we are offering this year are included in a complementary letter within this booklet and may include boy’s and girl’s football, netball, athletics, TAG-rugby, drumming, choir, film making, art and craft infant and junior clubs and cycling proficiency. Some of these involve inter school competition.

These are parents, grandparents and other friends (both male and female) of the school who commit time, energy and enthusiasm to working with individual children, groups and classes. Their support is highly valued by staff, children and parents. Volunteers help in a number of ways:

• By helping in the classroom and library
• Supporting children with difficulties under the guidance of the special needs leader or class teacher
• By ‘buddy reading’
• Helping the children in sewing
• Helping with cookery, as well as various other activities
• Parents/carers often help with educational visits, football, and swimming
• Sharing a special talent (such as music, needlework or pottery)

All under the guidance and supervision of the class teacher.

If you would like to help, or have a particular skill you please contact the Headteacher or class teacher.

The school has an active, interested Governing Body. All Governors live locally and represent community interests; many are parents/carers. The Governing Body has a wide range of duties in the management of the school: agreeing school policy; monitoring the budget; making appointments and dealing with staff matters; overseeing the curriculum.

The commitment of Governors to their increased responsibilities is of great importance to the life of the school and their support is invaluable.

A full list of Governing Body members is included here. Do please remember that Governors’ responsibilities relate to the management of the school. If you have any problems regarding your child then you will need to speak to the class teacher or the Headteacher.

It would be most helpful if parents/carers who may be interested in becoming Governors would inform the school. We would be glad to tell you more about it. The election for the parents/carers’ representative on the Governors is usually held at the beginning of an academic year. Voting takes place by post and pupil post. These take place every four years.

The Governors hold an Open Evening Meeting for parents, usually in the Autumn Term. The Open Evening Meeting is also an opportunity for parents to meet Governors and ask questions about how school is run.

In response to wishes expressed by the majority of parents/carers, the Governing Body endorse the wearing of a uniform as follows:

• Trousers, shorts or skirts dark grey, black or navy
• Sweatshirt or pullover or cardigan Jade
• Shirts, blouses or T-shirt Navy or white
• Summer dresses Blue, yellow or green

Sweatshirts, T-shirts, caps and book bags with the school badge are available on order from school.

One of the main reasons that parents/carers and Governors settled on the uniform code of dress was that it helped prevent arguments between parents/carers and children over clothing for school. It is a self-supporting system. If a child is allowed to wear alternative clothes this often undermines the efforts of other parents/carers. The uniform also supports the ethos of the school, where children can take pride in a sense of everyone belonging to Osbaldwick Primary School ‘team’.

Pupils, in the interest of safety, are expected to wear sensible and appropriate footwear. Training shoes are
discouraged for everyday use but can of course be worn during outdoor P.E. If children come to school in trainers they will be asked to change into their plimsolls for the day.

We do try to discourage children bringing large school bags into school due to the lack of space on hooks. However, if you feel that your child needs to bring a bag to school, we recommend a small one that can be hung on their coat peg easily.

The school uniform order form can be downloaded here.

All children need a pair of plimsolls for indoor P.E. Trainers are not suitable for apparatus work as they prevent a child from achieving a proper and safe grip on certain types of apparatus. Bare feet will be suitable if plimsolls are not available. However, trainers give much better support for outdoor work and are therefore allowed. Children also need blue or black shorts and a white T-shirt or a black leotard.

For hygiene reasons we stress the importance of a change of clothing for P.E. and Games lessons - this is a must. As with any item of clothing all P.E./Games kit should be marked with your child’s name and kept in a named drawstring or similar bag. Due to space restrictions we discourage all sports holdalls.

If a child does not have a kit at school when P.E. is carried out they will either sit out the session, or use suitable items of lost property. However, if this happens more than twice, parents/carers will be contacted explaining that P.E. is a requirement of the National Curriculum and could they ensure that their child does not forget their kit in future.

In the interests of safety and to comply with Local Authority guidelines, we request that jewellery should not be worn, especially in P.E. and Games. ‘Medic-Alert’ bracelets and necklaces are exceptions to this rule. If ears are pierced, only stud type sleepers should be worn. We strongly advise against piercing. However if you are considering having your child’s ears pierced the most appropriate time is the first week in the summer holidays. This causes least disturbance to school routine.

Children cannot be released from P.E. on the grounds they are wearing ear studs. If worn, they must be able to take them out. If children are unable to remove ear studs then parents are asked to send in some micropore tape for their child’s ears.

Responsibility cannot be accepted for any jewellery/valuable items brought into school even though they are collected and kept in the classroom for safe keeping during P.E.

All absences from school are logged on our computer system, and these are passed onto the City of York Council at regular intervals. Under this guidance, we are asked to obtain an explanation of all absences.

We require notification of illness by telephone on the first day and this will be noted and regarded as a written explanation. If your child is ill for a longer period than one day, please either telephone or send them with a written explanation on the day of his/her return. If your child has not arrived at school by 9.20 a.m. we will attempt to contact you or use your emergency contact number, to ascertain the reason for their absence. If we have a concern about your child we may contact the police to make sure no harm has come to your child between home and school. Please let us know if your child is absent, it is very important. There will be someone on duty to take your message from 8.30 a.m. onwards and an answer service prior to this.

Should your child need to attend an appointment e.g. dentist, doctor, hospital please inform your class teacher and call into the school office prior to the appointment, and a police authorisation slip will be completed for you to take with you. This slip should be returned to school on your child’s return. If your child is taken out during the school day please sign them out at the main office. Children will need to be signed back in on their return.

The Government does not encourage holidays to be taken during school time because of the missed work and the consequent effect on a child’s progress. However parents/carers are entitled to request up to two weeks annual holiday (10 school days) and need them to be authorised by the Headteacher who will have to take into account the age of the child, time of year, overall attendance, parental wishes and the child’s stage of education and progress. If no authorisation is given the absence will be recorded as unauthorised (truancy). Any parent wishing to take their child on a family holiday needs to complete a Holiday Authorisation form at least 2 weeks before departure. Please try to avoid holidays during the National Test period (SATS) in early to mid May – usually about 11th - 20th.

Please note that we are unable to authorise single day absences. Please refer to the poster on the notice-board near the school office and the letter from the Headteacher detailing new rules from September 2008.

Your childs attendance and attainment are closely linked and you can see how, here.

When you register your child you will be asked to complete an admissions form. Some of this information will be held on computer to assist with the efficient management of the school and the pupils’ educational needs. The information is confidential and security measures are taken to ensure that it remains so. The school has registered with the Data Protection Register the details of persons to whom we may wish to disclose information. The Data Protection Act 1984 states that we may only disclose information to other persons in accordance with our registration.

The School's Data Protection Policy can be viewed as a PDF file here.

The School's Freedom of Information Policy can be viewed as a PDF file here.

If you are concerned about any aspects of personal information held on the computer please contact the Headteacher.

Osbaldwick Primary School and the LA process personal data about the children and young people attending the school and are therefore acting as “data controllers” under the Data Protection Act 1998. We are therefore required to inform you of the purposes for which we hold personal data and how it is used. This is set out in the following PDF documents:

• Fair Processing Notice Layer One
• Fair Processing Notice Layer Two

The Internet has become an important aspect of everyday life to which children need to be able to respond safely and responsibly. The Internet offers a valuable resource for teachers and children and ways to communicate with others world wide. At the same time there are risks, due to the unregulated nature of the Internet, that children may gain access to material that is inappropriate.

This policy sets out the measures to be taken that minimise these risks.

It would be appreciated if parents/carers, as far as possible, dealt with the administration of medicine at home. If a child requires medication during school hours then parents are asked to deliver the medication to the school secretary and not the class teacher. The medicine should be brought to school by a parent or other adult. It is also necessary for you to complete a form giving permission that the medication may be administered to your child. The medicine should be in a properly labelled container, in the smallest practicable amount. The label should contain the following information:

• the name of the prescribing person
• the name and home address of the pupil
• the name of the medicine
• the dosage and time of administration

If your child has a long-term illness such as epilepsy or asthma and requires medication on an infrequent and irregular basis you should contact the school. The school is advised that it should only accept responsibility where specific guidance has been received on the nature of the emergency and the procedure necessary to cope with it.

Certain medical conditions can affect learning.

• Spectacles - we encourage children who need to wear spectacles to follow the optician’s instructions. Please inform the class teacher.
• Hearing - please inform the class teacher if your child is susceptible to hearing loss as this can affect your child’s ability to know what is happening in class.
• Asthma - we keep a record of all children who suffer from asthma, however mild. Please fill in a ‘Medicines in School’ form if your child needs to use an inhaler.
• Hay fever - again a ‘Medicines in School’ form may be necessary and children will be expected to be outside at play times (weather permitting). Requests to remain inside school will need adult supervision and is therefore difficult to arrange. Please ensure your child has taken or is competent to take their required medicine or inhaler.

Knowledge of health problems helps the staff give your child the understanding and assistance he/she requires.

Children are expected to go outside at break times where they are carefully supervised. On rare occasions your child
may be fit enough for school but not able to go outside for a day or so. If this is the case please send a note including how long this is to continue.

You will be invited to bring your child for a medical examination during his/her first year in school. You will be sent a form from School Health to complete beforehand; this asks for details of your child’s earlier health and about any problems or worries which you may have. Other questionnaires will be sent later in your child’s school life. These questionnaires and any other records about medical problems are seen only by the School Health Services staff and not by the Headteacher and school staff – records are kept in Health Service premises at York and Selby.

In addition, eyesight, hearing and colour vision tests are carried out in school. You will not normally be told about these in advance, but will be informed if any problem is found. Any parents/carers wishing to withdraw their child from medical examinations should inform the Headteacher.

General Rules
All rules are covered by the overriding rule:-
All members of the school community will act with respect and consideration to everyone at all times.

These could be divided into several aims:-

The children should:

• Do as you are asked by an adult and move around school quietly and sensibly.
• Do nothing to upset or harm others and keep your hands and feet to yourself.
• Listen when required and put your hand up if you have something to say.
• Work and play co-operatively, value and respect others.
• Respect all property.

We set and expect high standards of politeness and behaviour from pupils at all times and we are proud of our pupils as a result. All staff and adult helpers are role models for our children and older pupils are expected to set high standards for younger ones. Pupils have a very good understanding of right and wrong and behave well in lessons and out in the playground.

In our school we develop a quiet, calm, caring and working atmosphere with that very special addition of enjoyment which makes learning at Osbaldwick so much fun. Children and parents tell us this and that consequently they like coming to school – and so do the staff!

Ofsted noted that:

• “Relationships between pupils and staff were very good and the atmosphere around the school was happy, friendly and welcoming.”
• “Staff take time to get to know each child as an individual, their personality, needs and potential."

The staff, throughout the school, know the children well and have a good trusting relationship with them.” (Ofsted) We always endeavour to match teaching strategies to children’s learning styles but also encourage children to persevere and build resilience ready for the challenges of secondary education and their life ahead.

We encourage the children to be responsible for their own actions and to realise the consequences these have on others. We expect them to develop courtesy, respect and care for other people and property. Bullying is not tolerated and our behaviour policy addresses any potential problem.

Great emphasis is placed on praise and encouragement coupled with the best possible working atmosphere, rather than punishment. We want our pupils to make correct choices in the way in which they behave. We would prefer them to do this because they wish to, rather than because of outside compulsion.

Our reward system is set up to provide praise for positive attitude and behaviour. This takes the form of spoken feedback as well as certificates and awards:

• A variety of certificates are awarded weekly to pupils, by the Headteacher during our Friday Assembly, for demonstrating success, effort or improvement in their attitude and/or learning, good manners or thoughtfulness.
• A Cup is awarded to the pupil of the week for success and effort in the curriculum, or for positive attitude and
  behaviour.
• Merit badges can be earned and worn for achieving five team points and all team points are collected weekly
  contributing to the awarding of the team trophy.

Each class has drawn up a set of simple, easy to follow rules that apply generally in the classroom and around school. As mentioned above, we encourage pupils to follow these rules by praising them whenever we can. Teachers will apply a number of strategies to ensure classroom discipline.

Sanctions in ascending order of disapproval. These should be applied taking into account individual circumstances. The pupil should know why sanctions have been taken, what to expect if their misbehaviour continues and how they can improve their behaviour.

• Warning
• Stay behind one minute
• Stay behind two minutes
• Send to Headteacher for warning
• Contact parents

Incidents of physical or verbal abuse towards others, will be followed up by staff, and serious incidents will be referred to Headteacher. More serious offences shall be dealt with using clear local authority guidance and by involving parents in the process at all stages.

We aim to use rewards. Rewards are given by all staff in class activity, extra-curricular activities etc. for pleasing work, behaviour, attitudes or for a display of kindness etc by:

Individual Awards

• Head Teachers Silver Book Certificate
• Weekly Cup
• Certificates
• 5 Team Points earn a merit badge
• Stickers /lunchtime behaviour

Group Awards

• Total House Points each Half Term and School Association Chairman’s Cup handed out
• Sports Cups
• Class Reward Points - ‘Golden Time’ or Non-Uniform Day

Praise can be delivered to individuals, group or class or indeed the whole school. Opportunities for greater responsibility are given when and where appropriate.

Children are encouraged at an early age to confide in teachers if they have any concerns, including those relating to the behaviour of others towards them. The reasons for bullying may be varied and include racial or sexual harassment, harassment due to disability or any other ‘perceived difference’. Whatever the reason, the Governors, Staff and School will not tolerate such action.

We have every confidence in this tried and tested method of reinforcing positive behaviour in school. Parents/carers are invited to be part of our Behaviour and Discipline policy, being informed of any difficult behaviour and working in partnership with the school to improve this. If the parents/carers feel the school can give any support in coping with difficult behaviour at home please ask.

Pupils learn how different substances can be beneficial or harmful to their bodies (food, medicines, smoking, drugs) and how hygiene and exercise can help a healthy lifestyle. Pupils are taught they have choices to determine their future health.

Children are maturing at an earlier age. Y6 work includes physical, mental; and emotional changes in both girls and boys. Y6 children are shown a film about these changes, with the school nurse. All discussion and information relates to the framework of a caring/loving “family” environment. We stress respect for oneself and others and pupil choice to help them make the right choices as they grow older.

For Y5 children, the Governors have approved the School’s approach which is reviewed regularly. A letter will be sent to all parents prior to the lessons taking place. They will also be given the option to view the material on a video beforehand. Parents/carers who do not wish their children to take part should contact the Headteacher and arrangements will be made to take part in other education within the school during this time.

The school meets the requirements of the 1988 Education Reform Act with Collective Worship taking place on a daily basis: the acts of worship are strictly non-denominational. Parents/carers do have the right to ask for their child to be withdrawn should the beliefs of the family be offended by the child’s participation. If parents/carers do wish to withdraw their children from acts of worship they should contact the Headteacher. The pattern of assemblies is shown below:

• Monday Whole School Assembly
• Tuesday Separate Key Stage Assembly
• Wednesday Separate Key Stage Assembly
• Thursday Separate Key Stage Assembly
• Friday Whole School Merit Assembly

The Vicar and Community Church representative often comes in to take assemblies.

There will be an act of Collective Worship at some time during the school day. This will last approximately 10 - 15 minutes.

School is very fortunate in our Information and Communication Technology provision. We have a suite of computers (15) in our ICT room together with a large interactive Smart Board with sound and video operations. Each classroom has a further interactive Smartboard with sound and vision and there are some individual and group station connected computers in classrooms and other learning areas. These are all networked and with access to the internet / National Grid for Learning. The suite is timetabled daily for all classes throughout the week and we have a teaching system which allows the teacher to demonstrate on one computer and this information to be shown on all the others; even amended. Equipment and software are kept up to date on a regular basis. With another PC in our library we benefit from a ratio of 1 computer to 6 children.

We have internet connections with other schools in the UK and across the world and this is used in our Geography and other subjects. ICT is used across the curriculum to support and enhance learning for all pupils so they can develop their ICT skills and an understanding of when and how ICT can be useful and appropriate to need.

The school has a policy in place regarding the Internet and pupils are aware of their responsibilities. Any child not keeping to this agreement will not be allowed to make use of Internet provision. We have a digital film making club for older children and the adult education service provide adult ICT learning from October each year according to demand.

Homework is a very important part of school life and includes reading regularly, spellings, times tables etc., and not only written, method work. Parents/carers’ involvement and encouragement are very important to reading progress and we ask for your help in maintaining a good reading habit over a broad range of material. Children are sometimes asked to learn or practice specific items such as spelling, handwriting or number relationships. They may also be asked to gather information for a particular project. The support of parents/carers of children with special educational needs has already been mentioned.

Older children have regular homework and a Homework Diary which we ask parents/carers to sign when the work set is satisfactorily completed. We request the active support of parents/carers in overseeing the tasks and ensuring that work is done. Tasks are set which require a commitment from children in their own time and which will help their progress in school. All homework tasks are carefully planned to be purposeful; the work is set to target particular aspects of the child’s or the class’s work. Homework is intended to help children to take on more responsibility for the organisation of their work and to encourage efficient routines that will help them in all phases of their education.

Children are expected to take their homework seriously, to do it well and to hand it in on time.

We see our Home School Agreement as an important link between home and school. It helps to promote a basis for effective support in you child’s learning and behaviour. Please read and sign the loose-leaf agreement within the Home-School agreement pack.

The Governing Body is required by the Education (No.2) Act 1986 and the Education Act 1993, to prepare and keep up to date statements of policy on the content and organisation of any sex education in the school.

The aim of this policy is to help children to gain knowledge and understanding of how humans and other animals grow and change and to encourage and help them consider and deal with the emotions, relationships and responsibilities such knowledge engenders.

The full Sex Education Policy can be downloaded here.

A specially prepared booklet designed to provide parents with children already in school with the information they need.

Download the Parents Information Booklet in Adobe Acrobat format.

A brochure designed to provide parents looking for primary education for their children with key information about Osbaldwick Primary School.

Download the Prospectus in Adobe Acrobat format.

Following the passage of the Education Act 2005, Governing Bodies are no longer required to hold an annual meeting for parents or produce a Governors' annual report to parents. The report has been replaced by the school profile, which is designed for schools to communicate with parents about the school's progress, priorities and performance. Profiles are completed and published online.

The profile contains, where relevant:

• Data provided and updated by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on an annual basis
• A summary of the latest Ofsted report provided by the DCSF and updated at least every three years
• Narrative sections written by the school, updated at least once every academic year

The narrative sections include the following headings:

• What have been our successes this year?
• What are we trying to improve?
• How have our results changed over time?
• How are we making sure that every child receives teaching to meet their individual needs?
• How do we make sure our pupils are healthy, safe and well-supported?
• What have we done in response to our Ofsted report?
• How are we working with parents and the community?

Read the school profile for Osbaldwick Primary School

School meals are healthy and popular! The children of the School Council helped amend the North Yorkshire County Caterers standard menu with the Head and catering staff to create a menu that all children will like, meets popular demand – not always chips – and match the recommended Schools’ Food Trust and Ofsted approved requirements. There is an element of choice, including vegetarian options. The current school meals menu is here.

Each term we have an open lunchtime for parents, carers, grandparents and friends to enjoy a meal with their child and this is very popular and well received. Letters will be sent from school to notify you of these events.

Dinner money should be sent on the first day of the week with meals being paid for in advance. Cheques for dinner money should be made payable to “City of York Council” (C of YC). You may pay half-termly or termly in advance if you wish. If you do not want your child to have a school dinner, they may bring a packed lunch or even go home for dinner. Please put money in an envelope with child’s name, child’s class, the amount enclosed and the reason for sending in the money.

Parents/carers who feel that they may qualify for free school meals should contact the school for the necessary forms. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. Children who have free school meals are not treated differently from the others.

Parents/carers should be aware that school would take any reasonable action to ensure the safety of its pupils. In cases where the school has reason to be concerned that a child may be subject to ill treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, staff has no alternative but to follow the City of York Child Protection Procedures and inform the Social Services of their concern.

The school communicates with parents/carers in various ways including:

• Newsletters
• Questionnaires
• Class letters
• Homework diaries for older children
• Reading record books
• Information on this website

Teachers, given reasonable notice, are always available to discuss your child’s progress or any problems or concerns. Please do not hesitate to telephone school or contact a member of staff personally, verbally or by letter, to arrange an appointment should the need arise. Staff are always available at the end of the day in the playground when children are being collected.

Open Evenings are held in the Autumn and Spring terms to enable both parents/carers and staff to meet and discuss the children. A written report on each child’s progress will be provided to parents/carers in the Summer Term. Other meetings asked for by either parents/carers or teachers can always be arranged where concerns arise.

‘Help your child’ in literacy or numeracy afternoon and/or evenings are held throughout the year as are Governors and School open evenings where children are invited back into school to demonstrate lessons for parents and visitors and where pupils’ work will be on show. These are always popular and all are welcome

These include a Harvest Festival in October, Church Concerts at Christmas, a Sports Day and Gala in the summer, musical events and concerts. Football and netball matches are held regularly home and away, as well as TAG Rugby matches and choir visits, and parents/carers are always welcome to attend and support the children. There may be times when special visits take place to festivals or as a result of other invitations from the local authority and business and enterprise partnerships. School will always keep you informed.

The children in Year 6 usually go on a two day residential visit, which helps to promote team building etc. For the last two years they have visited Robinwood Activity Centre in Todmorden or Alston, which the children have thoroughly enjoyed.

When money needs to be sent to school for educational visits, swimming etc, please send it in an envelope marked with the following:

• Child’s name
• Child’s class
• The amount enclosed
• The reason for sending the money

Cheques should be made payable to Osbaldwick Primary School.

One of the basic principles of the 1988 Education Reform Act is that all education provided in school time must be free of charge. Voluntary contributions may be used to subsidise any activity-taking place either in or out of school time.

No child can be penalised because his/her parents/carers are unwilling or unable to pay. The school’s policy closely follows that of the City of York. However, we do not charge unless it is necessary. Without voluntary contributions, most activities would be unavailable to children.

• Residential visits in school time - parent/carers are required to meet the full costs except board and lodging where they are in receipt of Income Support.
• Activities outside School Hours, not within National Curriculum - parents/carers will meet full costs.
• Individual/Group Music tuition - school may bring in outside tutors within school hours and a charge to parents/carers will be made, provided it is not part of a National Curriculum examination.
• Other Activities - there may be times when school asks for a contribution towards materials for specific activities eg. art club, cooking etc..
• School Visits - parents/carers may be asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost. School may find it necessary to cancel a planned educational visit if sufficient funds are not available. The School and School Association have subsidised visits where possible.

Parents will be asked to reimburse the school for any deliberate breakages by pupils or breakages as a result of inappropriate behaviour on behalf of the child.

The City Council does not carry personal accident insurance in respect of pupils. It is the responsibility of parents/carers, or carers, to take out an insurance policy if they are concerned that their child might suffer injury whilst engaged in school activities. However, the school does arrange insurance cover for those children participating in residential visits, including residential visits organised by commercial businesses.

All parents/carers who volunteer to transport children in private vehicles to out of school activities, must ascertain that their vehicle is insured for such a purpose. A copy of the Insurance Policy must be seen by the school and an ‘Own Vehicle Journeys’ form completed. Also a child booster seat must be available for each child.

Children should have their belongings named so they can be returned quickly. Unnamed belongings are put in the Lost Property Bin. This bin is cleared every half term so please check in it. As the children get older they must take personal responsibility for the safe keeping of their own property. Parents/carers will be expected to replace lost items of school property. Please help by returning reading books etc. each morning.

The Foundation Curriculum is based around progressive stepping-stones and Early Learning Goals which are put in place by the Qualification & Curriculum Authority.

We cover 6 main subjects:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Mathematical development
• Knowledge and understanding
• Creative development
• Physical development

We ensure that all of these are covered within our half termly topics such as Ourselves, Nursery Rhymes, Dinosaurs. The learning takes place through first hand experiences and we aim to develop early language and mathematical skills and personal and social development in particular. Through playing and talking the children learn about themselves and the world around them. We provide them with imaginative and creative experiences, as well as a cheerful, colourful, stable, stimulating environment, and most importantly, we have fun!

If you wish to know more about how to help your child with the best possible start to their school life, just make an appointment to come and see us.

From Year 1 onwards, children at school follow the National Curriculum in accordance with the 1998 Education Act. The National Curriculum consists of ten subjects:

Core Subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Information and Communication Technology

Foundation Subjects:

• History
• Geography
• Art
• Design Technology
• Music
• Physical Education
• Religious Education
• Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education.

Teaching in these subjects is guided by the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and other non-statutory guidance.

Religious Education also forms part of the curriculum and the school follows the locally agreed syllabus. The central part of this is Christian, and assemblies, which are held daily, are broadly Christian. We have close links with both St. Thomas’s Church and the York Community Church, with the Vicar and other representatives taking assembly regularly. We also visit St. Thomas’s Church to celebrate Christmas and Harvest Festival. This work is supplemented by study of other major world religions and the humanitarian viewpoint is also acknowledged. If you wish to withdraw your child from Religious Education please see the Headteacher. Supervision within Health and Safety guidelines will be provided for your child with another adult in school.

Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship education is also taught and this includes areas such as varied aspects of health education, sex and relationship education, moral, cultural and spiritual education and increasingly aspects of enterprise education. Many elements of these often form part of the teaching and learning within the main subject area.

Drama

There are summer and Christmas concerts and the juniors audition for main and secondary parts, so if your child mentions acting as an interest they may well be preparing for a major production!

School Council

We actively encourage children to participate in appropriate decision making in school. This takes the form of class and school councils.

Each class elects two representatives from Year 1 upwards to represent there views on the school council. This council is consulted about many aspects of school life, in particular that which directly affects the pupils of the school. This may involve decisions about school meals, school rules or playground equipment.

Monitors

Year 5 and 6 and other junior age children have the opportunity to become monitors throughout the school day, being responsible for a variety of ‘jobs’. These may include:

• Running the Tuck or Stationery Shop
• Ensuring registers are distributed
• Collecting and calculating team points
• Cleaning and refilling water bottles for classes
• Being librarians
• Being lunchtimes monitors helping the younger children
• Being play leaders during morning and lunch breaks

This helps build responsibility and we have been praised for the positive and conscientious attitude of our pupils.

"Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary."

"Pupils really do enjoy school and respond with great enthusiasm."

"The school’s welcoming atmosphere and the staff’s high level of concern for individual’s leads to pupils feeling valued."

"Osbaldwick School is a good school with outstanding features."

Just some of the comments from the January 2008 OFSTED Inspection. Read the full inspection report here.

The children’s progress is continuously assessed by the teacher. This helps us to see what progress a child is making and also helps us to decide what activities are next needed to develop his or her skills and knowledge to a higher level.

We aim to help every pupil achieve proficiency in the basic skills and then to build on this firm foundation to achieve their full potential. We base our targets for next-step learning on this assessment. Children will be set targets to achieve in order to progress in their learning. As individuals these may be different from others in the same class.

“Assessment procedures are very thorough leading to effective planning and target setting for pupils. …Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are very skilled when matching pupils’ work to their previous attainment. This rapidly raises standards. … This means that children’s progress is tracked successfully and supports planning for the next steps of learning. Teachers have high expectations and a strong desire to enable pupils to achieve their best, whatever their starting point” (Ofsted).

Pupils themselves will be involved in developing their own self-assessment and parents/carers too will be kept informed, through consultations and target information for reading, writing and numeracy.

If parents/carers have a complaint about their child’s schooling, they should raise it with the class teacher or Headteacher. However, there is a special procedure for dealing with complaints about the school curriculum, including religious education and collective worship. If you have a complaint or query you should contact the school so that the matter can be discussed with the Headteacher. It is expected that the majority of questions and anxieties can be dealt with in this way. However, if complaints cannot be resolved, then a formal procedure involving the Governors and the LA can be invoked, a copy of which can be obtained from the school or the City’s Education Office.

At the beginning of each year we will ask you to complete an Emergency Contact Form. This enable us to get in touch with you speedily should the need arise. You will also be able to tell us about any allergies your child suffers from.

Children may be invited to visit other schools to play games, take part in rehearsals, school visits etc. For all visits outside school you will receive a consent form or letter with a tear-off slip dealing specifically with the proposed visits.

All local visits will be covered by our Local Visits Consent Form which should be completed when your child starts school.

In response to wishes expressed by the majority of parents/carers, the Governing Body endorse the wearing of a uniform as follows:

• Trousers, shorts or skirts dark grey, black or navy
• Sweatshirt or pullover or cardigan Jade
• Shirts, blouses or T-shirt Navy or white
• Summer dresses Blue, yellow or green

The school uniform order form can be downloaded here.