School Brochure 2020-21 - Whinfield Primary School
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School Brochure
2020-21
Augusta Close
Darlington
DL1 3HT
Telephone 01325 240499
Fax: 01325 240755
E-mail: admin@whinfield.net
Website: www.whinfield.net
Facebook Page: @WhinfieldSchool
Twitter: @WhinfieldSchool
DFE School Number: 841 3515
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2
Welcome to
Whinfield Primary School
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome to Whinfield Primary School!
We believe that primary education should be exciting, inspiring and give every pupil the opportunity
to achieve their full potential.
We offer a welcoming and nurturing environment which caters for all pupils based on respect.
Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and both listen to, and respect the
views of others. In this way they learn to be tolerant and develop the ability to empathise with
their peers.
We have a dedicated team of teachers, teaching assistants, play leaders and administration staff
who have your child’s well-being at the centre of all they do. Each individual is supported in a
variety of ways to achieve the best they can.
We are constantly looking at our curriculum and adapting it to ensure it both engages and
challenges your child. We are very much a learning school for all – both pupils and adults. The world
of education is forever changing and we pride ourselves on our ability to embrace change and use
it to create a vibrant atmosphere where pupils develop a thirst for knowledge.
We believe that pupils should leave Whinfield well prepared and ready to grasp the opportunities
offered to them in secondary education. Our environment enables pupils to understand safety,
make choices, solve problems and develop as a whole individual.
However, we cannot do this without your support. We operate an open door policy and welcome
parent’s views and comments and encourage you to become involved in our parent/ school activities.
Please contact your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Shirley Welsh
Head Teacher
34
Contents
Contents Page
A
Access To School 7
Admissions 11
Attendance 12
B
Behaviour 14
Bicycles & Scooters 15
Bullying 15
C
Cash & Valuables 18
Changing of Children 18
Child Protection & Safeguarding 18
Childcare Provision 19
Clubs 21
Communication 21
Complaints 22
Confidentiality 22
Curriculum 22
D
School Development Plan 28
E
Educational Visits 30
Emergency Contact 30
F
First Aid & Medication 32
G
School Governors 34
H
Holidays 36
Homework 37
Health & Safety 37
I
ICT & Computing 39
J
Jewellery 41
K 42
L
Lost property 44
M
Medical needs & Medications 46
Mealtimes 47
N 49
O 50
P
Parent Evenings 52
PE 52
Photographs 52
5Q 54
R
Rights Respecting Award 56
S
Safeguarding 58
School council 58
School day 59
School Nurse 59
Special Educational Needs 60
Separated Families 60
School closure - unavoidable 60
Staff 60
Starting School 61
No Smoking 61
T 62
U
Uniform 63
V
School vision 66
Visiting School 66
Volunteers 66
W
Water in school 68
X 69
Y 70
Z 71
6A 7
Access to School
School Day
(Please note: the school day has changed due to the current COVID-19 routines)
Reception and Key Stage 1:
The school day begins at 8.50a.m, please do not arrive in the playground before 8.45am. Parents
wait with their child until the doors open at 8.50am. The Key Stage 1 playground is not supervised
by staff before school and therefore it is important that as parents you monitor the safety and
behaviour of your children until they are safely in school.
Please ensure children dismount from bikes and scooters before entering school. We request
that children do not climb on the wall or play with the equipment before or after school and
that all bikes / scooters are stored safely in the storage provided.
The reception and KS1 doors are locked at 8.55am and the playground gates are locked at 9.00a.m.
All children who arrive after 8.55am must enter school by the main entrance.
Registration takes place as soon as the children enter school and is entered on SIMS.net, the
school computerised management system by 9.00a.m.
Key Stage 2:
The school day begins at 8.50a.m. All Key Stage 2 pupils enter school through the gate next to
ASDA. Parents say their goodbyes outside of the gates in Key Stage 2 and children make their
way onto the Key Stage 2 playground from 8.35a.m. where staff are on duty to supervise. The
whistle is blown at 8.45a.m in the playground. The whistle is the signal for the children to line up
on the playground at the designated area for their class, until asked to enter school. Gates are
locked at 8.50am. All children who arrive after this time must enter school by the main entrance
and sign in via the school system.
Registration takes place as soon as the children enter school and is entered on SIMS.net (the
school computerised management system) by 9.00am.
Pupils Breaks
Reception:
Reception sessions are from 8.50am to 11.30am and 12.30pm to 3.05pm. As they access continuous
provision both indoors and outdoors pupils do not have a morning or afternoon break.
Key Stage 1:
There is a 15 minute break during the morning session and a 10 minute break during the afternoon
session.
All classroom staff carry out playground duties and remain on the playground observing and
supporting pupils. All children should go outside unless they are injured, ill or have special
dispensation when they should stay with the medical staff at the First Aid point. The children are
allowed on the school field if the grass is dry.
Fruit – Fruit is issued to all Reception and KS1 pupils free of charge, however children are reminded
that fruit should be eaten sitting down, either in the classroom or on a playground bench. Pupils
MUST NOT run around whilst eating fruit.
Children are encouraged to participate in playground games. They learn outdoor games and how to
use and store the equipment safely. All outdoor equipment is stored in the storage units sited on
the playground and children are shown how to do this correctly at the end of every break. Tidying
up at the end of break encourages children to respect the resources available to them. Parents
8are encouraged to play tidy up time at home to practice and make it a fun activity with their child.
Parents are kindly requested not to allow children or younger siblings to either climb on the
wall or play with the equipment whilst waiting in the KS1 playground.
Key Stage 2:
There is a 15 minute break during the morning session and all classroom staff carry out playground
duties and remain on the playground observing and supporting pupils. All children should go outside
unless they are injured, ill or have special dispensation. The children are allowed on the school
field if the grass is dry.
Children are encouraged to use the toilet on their way outside and should not need to come back
into school until the bell has been rung to signal the end of break time. If any pupil needs the
toilet during playtime they report to the teacher on duty and are given permission.
Playground games are provided and children are encouraged to play outdoor games and use the
equipment safely. All outdoor equipment is stored in the storage units sited on the playground and
children take responsibility of doing this at the end of every break.
Wet playtimes:
During wet playtimes all children will stay in their own classroom. The staff timetabled to be on
duty will monitor their care at this time.
First Aid:
In the event of injury, pupils are seen by our trained first aid staff for medical treatment. In
the case of a serious injury parents will be contacted and/ or an ambulance will be called.
Lunch times:
(Please note: these times may differ due to the current COVID-19 routines)
11.30a.m. to 12.30p.m. Reception class
11.45a.m. to 12.45p.m. Key Stage 1 pupils
12.00p.m. to 1.00p.m. Lower Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 3 & 4)
12.15p.m. to 1.15p.m. Upper Key Stage 2 pupils (Years 5 & 6)
Lunchtime is organised in sittings. The children eat together regardless of packed lunch or school
meals wherever possible, however some allergies prohibit this. Children are supervised by our
trained Playleaders. Playground games and activities are available at lunchtime and the children
are responsible for tidying up before returning to class at the end of lunchtime.
Please remember packed lunches MUST NOT include nuts of any kind due to allergies in school.
Home Time:
The school day ends at 3.05p.m. for Reception and KS1 pupils and 3.15p.m. for KS2 pupils.
Parents of pupils in Reception wait in the KS1 playground and pupils are handed over one at a time.
Parents of pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 – the staff escort them out of the classroom side doors at
the front of the school.
KS2 pupils leave:
Year 3 through classroom doors to the gates at the front of school,
Year 4 and 5 escorted by their teacher to the Year 4 and 5 and doors
Years 6 through the Year 6 doors
Parents wait outside the gates where their child will exit.
KS1 Pupils who are attending our onsite childcare provision will be collected from their classroom
by a member of the after school staff. These pupils must wait in the classroom with the teacher
until they are collected. KS2 pupils will make their way to the KS2 hall where they will be met by
9after school staff and marked on the register. If there are any queries regarding before and
after school childcare please direct them to Mrs Paula Porter on 07900702316.
NO PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 16 MAY PICK UP CHILDREN FROM OUR SCHOOL.
Parents are asked to send messages in writing to the class teacher such as change of person
picking their child up. If there is an emergency change in a pupils pick up routine, you can contact
the school office that day and a message will then be relayed to individual class teachers.
Our School Day - please note, theses times have changed due to
COVID-19
Breakfast Childcare
All 8:00am to 8:45am when the children are taken to class.
years
Early Years Foundation Stage
Start of Morning Break Lunch Afternoon Break End of
day day
EYFS 8:50am Continuous 11:30am to 12:30pm Continuous 3.05pm
provision provision
Key Stage 1
Start of Morning Break Lunch Afternoon Break End of
day day
Year 1 8.50 am 15 minutes 11.45am to 12.45pm 10 minutes 3.05pm
Year 2 8.50 am 15 minutes 11.45am to 12.45pm 10 minutes 3.05pm
Key Stage 2
Start of Morning Break Lunch End of
day day
Year 3 8.45 am 15 minutes 12.00noon to 1.00pm 3.15pm
There is no
Year 4 8.45 am 15 minutes 12.00noon to 1.00pm afternoon break 3.15pm
Year 5 8.45 am 15 minutes 12.15pm to 1.15pm 3.15pm
Year 6 8.45 am 15 minutes 12.15pm to 1.15pm 3.15pm
After School Childcare
KS1 3.05pm 5:30pm
KS2 3.15pm 5:30pm
10Admissions
We host an open evening in November for parents of pupils considering placing their child at
Whinfield Primary School in the following academic year. This enables you to visit the school and
meet the reception staff before the closing date at the Local Authority for Primary Admissions.
Parents moving into the area or considering sending their children to the school are welcome to
make an appointment to view the school at any time. (Please contact the office as this is not
currently possible due to COVID-19).
All applications for places must be made through Darlington Borough Council Admissions
Team at the Local Authority (LA) as Darlington LA operate co-ordinated admissions for all
schools in the town.
www.darlington.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-years/admissions/
Whinfield Primary school has an admission limit of 90 pupils per year group. When numbers on
roll are below the admission limit of 90, pupils are admitted in accordance with the Admission
Policy criteria. If the school has reached its admission limit within a particular year group,
parents can appeal for a place through the admissions team at Darlington Borough Council. If a
school is oversubscribed, applications will be considered in the following order of priority:
(please see the primary admissions booklet on Darlington.gov.uk for full details).
The Local Authority’s Admission Criteria is as follows:
Priority 1: Looked After Children
A ‘looked after’ child is a pupil who is in the care of a LA or provided with accommodation by
that authority (For more in depth definitions see Section 22(1), Section 8, Section 14A of the
Children’s Act 1989 and Section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002).
Priority 2: Medical Reasons
Children with exceptional medical factors directly relating to school placement. Applications
under this criteria should be supported by written evidence from a doctor (see explanation).
Priority 3: Family Links
Children who have a brother or sister already attending the school and are expected to be on
roll at that school at the time of admission (see explanation).
Priority 4: Rural
Children living within the Rural Wards of the Borough of Darlington who have been unsuccessful
in obtaining a place at one of their preferred schools AND for whom the nearest alternative
school would otherwise be more than two miles from their home will be given priority over other
children for places at certain schools (see “Rural Wards” explanation under Home to School
Transport on pg 10).
Priority 5: Distance
Urban Wards of Darlington Borough Council Children who live nearest the preferred school
measured from the front door of the home address (including flats) to the main school gate, by
the shortest walking route. This will be based on the home address of the child. To remain
consistent the Authority uses a Geographical Information System to measure all distances. The
11Authority’s priority when measuring a route is to identify the shortest route judged to be safe
(safe is lit at regular intervals, paved/tarmacked). The Local Authority accepts there may be
exceptions and will treat each case on its merits.
Admission to secondary school:
A system of parental preference operates in Darlington. At 11 years of age most pupils from our
school transfer to Haughton Academy or Longfield Academy but it may be that you choose to
consider other schools in the Darlington area. You will receive more information about these
schools and how to visit them nearer the time of transfer.
Transition:
During the Summer Term, arrangements are made for our Year 6 pupils to visit their chosen
Secondary School. Parents are given information regarding this from those schools.
During this period, all pupils in school are able to spend time with their new teacher in their new
classroom in readiness for the new school year.
Reception new starters:
Parents/carers will receive a welcome pack detailing dates and times of parent’s introduction
evening and pupil visits during the summer term. The pack will ask for lots of details and can
seem a little daunting, however we ask for all the information at the start of the school year to
enable us to safeguard your child whilst the are in school (See S for safeguarding).
It is important to confirm your place in our childcare provision during the summer term prior to
your child’s September start. This is to enable school to provide adequate places with the
correct staffing ratio.
Attendance
Attendance is a high Government priority. It is extremely important that your child comes to
school every day so that they can develop the skills which will give them a lifelong love for
learning and therefore the opportunity to succeed.
Our attendance procedures:
If your child needs to miss a day at school you must telephone us that morning 01325 240499
and leave a message as soon as you can. If we have had no contact by 9.15a.m., we will text or
telephone you to find out why your child is absent. If your child’s absence is a regular occurrence
we will contact you to arrange a meeting to see how school can support an improvement in
attendance.
The school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) monitors all attendance. Mrs.
Murray is available to support any parent with attendance or any issue affecting your child’s
education. She can be contacted either on:
the school number 01325 240499 option 2
or mobile no. 07900 702323.
Medical absences:
If your child is really unwell, then we do not expect them to come into school. Absences that are
not medically related and that do not have a substantial reason will be classed as unauthorised.
Doctor/Dentist appointments:
12You are requested to make all appointments outside of school hours. On the rare occasion you
are unable to get an appointment outside of school hours you must write a letter to your child’s
class teacher and attach a copy of the appointment card so that the absence can be authorised.
Holidays:
From 1st. September 2013 Government regulations around holidays changed. Schools may not
grant any leave of absence from school during term-time unless there are exceptional
circumstances.
This will mean that applications for leave of absence for the purpose of a holiday in term-time
will be refused unless parents can demonstrate and prove there are exceptional circumstances
relating to the holiday request. In consultation with Governors school has compiled a list of
criteria which they view as exceptional:
Religious observance
Immediate family celebration eg. wedding, this does not include birthday celebrations
Parents who can only take holidays in term time – letter required from employer to
endorse this
Out of school programmes of music, sport or art operating at a high level of
achievement.
However, school will not agree if:
Attendance is below 96%
The application is for more than 10 school days.
Unauthorised Absences:
This is when there is no valid reason to explain your child’s absence. A number of unauthorised
absences will trigger an invitation into school.
Lateness:
It is important for your child to arrive in time for the start of the school day as it allows them
to come in to school with their friends and settle for registration so they are ready for learning
as lessons begin. If your child arrives at school after the gates have closed, they must enter
through the main school entrance and be signed in by an adult to ensure they are added to the
register. Arrivals to school after 9.05a.m. will be recorded as unauthorised and this in turn
affects your child’s overall attendance percentage. Pupils who are persistently late will again
trigger an invitation for parents to attend a meeting in school.
Persistent Absence:
All absences are recorded and pupils whose attendance falls below 90% are monitored.
Fixed Penalty Fines:
Unauthorised and persistent absence are monitored. If despite its’ best efforts, the school has
been unsuccessful in supporting you to achieve an improvement in your child’s attendance we will
then involve the Local Authority. This may lead to action being taken against you in the form of a
fixed penalty. Removing pupils for unauthorised holidays will be recorded as an unauthorised
absence and may result in parents or carers being issued with a fixed penalty fine for each child
who is absent.
13B 14
Behaviour
Whinfield Primary School has a whole school behaviour policy based on ‘High Five’.
The atmosphere which we seek to create in school is one which is warm, friendly and relaxed and
based on mutual respect. We promote Unicef’s ‘Rights Respecting Agenda.’ We believe that we can
best influence the children’s good choices through using praise and encouragement and by setting
an example in our own attitudes of care and commitment. We believe in developing self-discipline
in children and rewarding positive behaviour. Staff use reward strategies to motivate children by
recognising good work and good behaviour. It is our belief that good behaviour needs to be
taught and rewarded.
We use sanctions for choosing to break the agreed school rules. All pupils know the sanctions but
also know that they are given every opportunity to make the right choices. Where we experience
persistent difficulties or serious misdemeanours it is our policy to involve parents in seeking a
solution.
A copy of the school’s ‘High Five’ behaviour policy is available on the school website and all parents
are fully informed of how it is implemented on entry to the school.
Our Behaviour Policy is consistently used throughout the school, in lessons, before and after
school childcare and in all after school activities. Children are expected to show courtesy and
consideration to all staff and other pupils therefore displaying excellent behaviour at all times.
Any concerns with behaviour during our childcare sessions will be discussed with the child first,
followed with a phone call to parents if necessary. In extreme circumstances, where the
involvement of parents has not improved that child’s, the outcome could involve asking parents to
remove that child from the out of school provision.
15Bicycles & Scooters
Children are allowed to come to school on bicycles and scooters but must wear a helmet. There
are cycle shelters and parking in the KS1 and KS2 playgrounds. Children must dismount before
entering the school gates as bicycles must not be ridden on the school premises. Please note: Due
to COVID-19 we currently ask that your child does not bring their bike or scooter.
Bullying
Whinfield Primary School works hard to ensure that bullying, in any form, is not tolerated. Pupils
are taught through PHSCE and during assemblies that no-one has the right to make anyone else
feel unhappy or afraid and that they must always ‘tell!’ All adults in school take allegations of
bullying very seriously and will investigate any incidents.
Please inform your child’s class teacher if ever you are worried about any incidents then they can
be dealt with immediately.
The school has an Anti-Bullying Policy which can be found on our website.
16C 17
Cash and valuables
Children are discouraged from bringing money and valuables into school as we operate a cashless
payment system for dinner money, childcare and school visits. All parents are required to register
for the School Gateway payment system to make these payments weekly. A registration code for
the School Gateway will be sent home with your child once they have actually started school
in September. On occasions school will fundraise, for example, Red Nose Day, Friends of School
competitions etc. On these days children can bring cash donations to school. These should be in a
named envelope or stuck to the named competition entry.
Children are not allowed to bring mobile phones to school. However, we understand that some
parents may wish some of the Year 5 and 6 pupils to carry mobile phones as they begin to walk
home after school on their own. If this is the case parents must write to Mrs. Welsh to inform
her of that particular reason. Phones MUST be switched off as the child enters the premises
and handed in at the school office before the child goes for registration and collected at
the end of the day so it can be stored securely. Please note school cannot take responsibility
for expensive items being lost or damaged in school.
On occasions staff will deem it necessary to remove an item a child has brought from home for
safe keeping. Staff will return these items to the child themselves or their parents at the end of
that day. When items are removed, the school becomes responsible for them, therefore, all such
items will be kept in a secure place until they are returned.
MONEY AND VALUABLES SHOULD NOT BE KEPT IN THE CLASSROOM FOR ANY REASON.
Changing of Children
Reception /KS1:
On occasions, children do have ‘accidents’ where they will need to be provided with clean
underwear/clothes. Reception and Year 1/2 parents please ensure there is a spare set of clothes,
knickers, socks/tights and trousers/skirt in your child’s school bag for such emergencies. If there
is an issue or your child is distressed by the incident we will contact you to collect your child to
change them at home.
KS2:
If a child has ‘an accident’ at school we will ask the child to change into their PE kit. If your child
does not have a change of clothes in school we will contact you to bring spare clothing or collect
your child to change them at home.
Child Protection & Safeguarding (please also see S)
Safeguarding is of paramount importance to us. In order to safeguard children whilst in school
we follow rigorous safer recruitment checks ensuring all staff have enhanced DBS certificates.
We ensure ALL staff are trained in Child Protection, PREVENT Duty and Safeguarding
procedures and work closely with the Local Authority and other services.
School has a duty to take reasonable action to ensure the welfare and safety of its pupils. In
cases where the school staff have cause to be concerned that a pupil may be subject to ill-
treatment, neglect or any other form of abuse, staff will follow the Local Authority’s Child
Protection Procedures and inform Children’s Services of their concerns. This may involve a visit
18to the home by a Social Worker.
All employees and people who help in school are required to undergo a Fully Enhanced DBS to
ensure that they have no convictions for abuse against children. This helps to ensure that your
children are safe in school.
We have five designated teachers who are responsible for the management of Child Protection.
Mrs. Kay Murray is the Safeguarding lead and also acts as Assistant Headteacher and
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
Mrs. Shirley Welsh – Headteacher
Mrs. Carol Hall – Deputy Headteacher
Mrs. Debbie O’Callaghan – Deputy Headteacher
Mrs. Michelle Charlton – School Manager
Mrs Murphy - Assistant Headteacher
Mrs. Murray is our first point of contact for ANY concern relating to a child or adult.
If Mrs. Murray is unavailable please contact Mrs. Welsh, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. O’Callaghan or Mrs.
Charlton or Mrs Murphy.
Childcare Provision - Breakfast & After School
Whinfield operates ‘Breakfast & After School Childcare’ which is affordable, healthy and
creates an active start and end to the school day. This takes place in the Key Stage 2 hall and
offers peace of mind for working parents. Our childcare is currently available to all pupils
attending Whinfield Primary School, however, places are limited and must be booked 7 days in
advance using the School Gateway app or website.
Application forms are available from the school website, the main office or Mrs. Porter, who
leads the provision. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis.
When the number of places is exceeded, a waiting list is created. All children must have applied
and been allocated a place in order to attend.
Children’s details, medical conditions, parental contact details, allergy information, additional
emergency contact details are stored securely by the childcare staff and are separate from the
schools records. Parents have full responsibility for ensuring these contact details are kept up
to date, and that the ‘Breakfast & After School’ staff are promptly informed of any changes.
Childcare is provided and a range of activities are offered in the school hall, library and outdoor
play areas. We provide a safe, secure and relaxed environment for your children. We are open
Monday to Friday 7:30a.m. to 8.45a.m. then 3.00p.m. to 6.00p.m. during term time. Please note:
due to COVID-19, Breakfast club opens at 8:00am Monday – Friday. Afterschool club is open
3:00pm – 5:30pm. Unfortunately, there is no Afterschool Club on Friday due to school closing for
a deep clean at 12 noon.
Our childcare is not open during school holidays or on staff professional development days.
After school activities are included in the cost of our childcare provision although they are
booked separately on a termly basis as the activities change termly.
19Daily Childcare Procedures:
It is important to us that all children are accounted for at all times therefore we ask that
parents park in a space in the ASDA carpark, and escort children to the entrance next to
ASDA carpark. Please do not use the bus lane to drop off and leave children to make their own
way from ASDA carpark. Please ring the doorbell to contact the staff in the school hall from
8:00a.m. This ensures all pupils are handed directly to a member of school staff and marked in
the register.
Registers are taken each morning and afternoon session to ensure pupil safety in case of
emergency or the evacuation of the building. Games and activities are provided throughout the
sessions, encouraging social and interactive skills as well as learning through play.
Children can be collected from the school hall via the entrance next to ASDA carpark. Entry is
gained by ringing the doorbell and staff will greet parents/carers. Children are taught they
MUST NOT go to open the door for their parents so please do not try to catch their attention
to do so.
Fees & Notice:
Breakfast & after school childcare fees are:
£2.30 per session for BREAKFAST
£10.00 per session for AFTER SCHOOL
Fees are payable in advance when booking your sessions on the School Gateway whether
your child attends or not.
Please note: A late fee of £15 per child per 15 minutes will be charged for collections after
6.00p.m. as our staff finish work at 6.00p.m.
Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and can be booked and paid for 7 days in
advance using the School Gateway App or website. During normal operations, sessions cannot be
changed and are non refundable once they have been booked and paid for by parents so please
check your sessions carefully when booking. When school is closed to all pupils for holidays, staff
training days and emergencies, childcare will also be closed and therefore no fees are payable.
Fees are reviewed annually and parents notified in advance of any change. School accepts childcare
vouchers from many providers. Please contact the school office to confirm as to whether we are
registered with your provider or give us the details and we will register.
Childcare Staffing & Supervision:
Children are supervised at all times. Our Breakfast & After School play leaders all have
Enhanced DBS checks to work with children. They also have appropriate qualifications in First
Aid and Food Hygiene. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that their child is met by
Breakfast & After School childcare staff and not left unattended in the school entrance
either before or after school.
In the unlikely event of an emergency, procedures are in place for an organised evacuation or
lockdown. Registers will be taken and all children will be accounted for. These emergency
procedures are practiced regularly. In the event the building could not be re-entered, parents
would be contacted to collect children.
20Childcare Food & Activities:
Healthy food is served daily by our onsite catering provider and there is a wide choice.
Examples:
Breakfast:
CEREALS … Weetabix, Cornflakes, Shreddies and Rice Krispies.
TOAST … Served with spread, jam, marmalade, honey and golden syrup.
DRINKS… Milk, orange juice, apple juice, water, orange or blackcurrant squash.
After School:
A healthy snack is served after school, for example, jacket potatoes, salad wrap, beans
on toast, homemade biscuit, jelly, yogurt or fruit.
Activities vary throughout the week. A selection of toys and games suitable for all ages are
available daily and children are encouraged to participate and share. The school provides
additional after school activities such as yoga, dance, etc. and these are included in your
childcare fees.
Communication
Whole school communication is vital to make our school effective, efficient and outstanding.
Parents/carers are an integral part of this home / school partnership and communication is
fundamental in ensuring we all support our children.
School Website:
Our school website www.whinfield.net is the first port of call for school information, our weekly
newsletter and all updated diary dates and information are posted here first. In the event school
needs to close for any reason e.g. snow, the website will be updated first.
School Gateway:
Facilitates:
School sending parents emails, texts and app messages. It is vital that you inform the school
office immediately of any changes in contact telephone numbers or email addresses.
Online payment for school meals.
Booking childcare sessions
Booking enrichment activities after school
Giving consent for and contributing to educational visits.
You will be given full details of how to access the School Gateway once your child has started
school.
Newsletter:
School publishes a weekly newsletter to parents/carers which is placed on the school website/ social
media accounts and emailed through the School Gateway each Friday. In addition to the weekly
newsletter, every year group writes a termly newsletter to inform parents of their upcoming topics /
visits etc. These are posted on the year group page of the school website.
Contacting school:
Parents are encouraged to notify school in writing of any messages/changes etc. in relation to their
child. These should be sent to the class teacher with your child-the class teacher will forward the
notes in the class file to the school office. If you wish to speak to your child’s class teacher please
contact them at the end of the school day as staff find it very difficult to meet with parents prior to
the start of the day as there is a daily staff briefing session from 8.30a.m. then staff are on duty
with children.
Social Media:
21School has a Facebook page ‘Whinfield Primary School’ and a Twitter account @whinfieldschool where
we post our newsletter and other information. We have a strict photograph policy and only post
photographs of children when we have parental permission to do so or the press have already
released.
We respectfully request you do not share photographs or children’s information on any social
networking sites.(Please see S for safeguarding our children)
Complaints
In the event you are unhappy about something we request you contact school directly on 01325
240499 so we can deal swiftly with your concern. We request social media is not used to discuss
your issues, especially naming other children on social media. Contacting school directly ensures
that staff are given an opportunity to deal with your concerns. We endeavour to resolve any
complaints as quickly as possible to the satisfaction of all involved and in the unfortunate event
you feel we have not been able to work with you to resolve the issue the School’s Complaints
Procedure is available on the school website.
Confidentiality
School holds personal information on staff, pupils and parents and as such is registered with the
Information Commissioner (ICO). As an educational establishment this allows us to share data with
appropriate organisations’ e.g. the Local Authority, other schools and health organisations. These
organisations are detailed in our Data Protection and Information Security and Privacy Policy which
are available on the school website. Sharing of information unnecessarily is an erosion of trust,
and a breach of contract. Any such breach will be dealt with under the schools disciplinary and
information security policies.
Curriculum
At Whinfield Primary School the children access an exciting, broad and balanced curriculum.
In Reception all learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This does include
messy play, sand, water & paint; school uniform ensures they do not spoil any of their home /
special clothes.
Years 1 to 6 are taught the National Curriculum. This includes the core subjects: English,
Mathematics, RE and Science and the foundation subjects: Geography, History, Art & Design,
Music, PE, Design & Technology, ICT and PSCHE. Children in KS2 are taught French. We teach
using the topic based approach to learning.
Parents can log onto our website to explore curriculum plans and topics to enable them to discuss
and help their child with current topics.
PE is part of the National Curriculum and children can only be permitted to miss a lesson on
medical grounds upon receipt of a note from parents to the class teacher.
There is a balance of whole class teaching, group work and individual work throughout the school.
All work is matched to children’s level of ability.
We continually assess every child’s progress in all areas of the curriculum throughout their time
in school. Parents are informed of their child’s results and achievements.
22Religious Education:
Religious Education is broadly Christian and is taught in accordance with the Local Education
Authority regulations. We follow the Darlington Agreed Syllabus which is taught as part of
planned topics throughout the school.
Under the terms of the 1988 Education Reform Act parents have the right to withdraw
their children from the teaching of religious education and collective worship and there will
be alternative provision made for pupils who are withdrawn. Please contact Mrs Welsh in
writing if you wish your child to be withdrawn.
Children participate in a daily act of collective worship which promotes their spiritual, moral and
cultural development preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of
adult life.
Sex and Relationships Education:
The Governors take the view that children should receive relationship and sex education suitable
to their age, needs and maturity. Questions which arise from time to time will be answered in a
simple and straightforward manner. The subject is incorporated within the teaching of health
education, personal and social education and National Curriculum Science, using the ‘Lucinda and
Godfrey’ resources.
If parents would like to view the ‘Lucinda and Godfrey’ resources the key objectives are on the
school’s website or they can contact Mrs. Airey who is the PSHCE co-ordinator.
Parents may withdraw their children from relationship education lessons at primary school age
but not from the National Curriculum in Science, in which natural aspects such as growth and
reproduction are studied. However, we recommend that if parents should consider withdrawing
their children they should discuss their concerns with the Head Teacher before taking this
action.
Parents will receive a letter each year to inform them when RSE education will take place.
More Able and Talented Pupils:
Pupils who show talent in any area of the curriculum are also offered opportunities to develop
their skills. Whether it is academic, sporting or a creative talent, pupils will be monitored and
supported to develop their skills.
23D 24
School Development Plan
Our aim is that we are an ‘outstanding’ school in Ofsted terms, therefore, the School Development
Plan is created annually. This document identifies the areas of the school we are focusing on that
academic year in our drive to improve.
School Leaders and Governors agree the plan annually and all staff and children contribute to
ensure we are continually developing policies, procedures and practice to provide the best
educational opportunities for the children.
25E 26
Educational Visits
Please note: Due to COVID-19 Education visits are not currently taking place.
Educational visits and invited specialists form an important part of the curriculum. From time to
time the school will ask for voluntary contributions to assist with the cost of these exciting
activities. Failure to contribute does not prevent any child from going on the visit or
participating in the activity, however, a lack of sufficient contributions could prevent the visit
from taking place. Payments must be made through the School Gateway, the online payment
system.
Year 6 pupils are offered the opportunity to be part of an extended residential visit in the
Autumn Term which usually lasts 3 days. We offer parents the opportunity to pay in instalments
to support with the cost of this visit.
Parent volunteers sometimes accompany educational visits to help with the teacher/pupil ratio. Any
additional adult supporting a visit requires safer recruitment and DBS checks. If you would like to
volunteer in this way, please contact the school office for an application form.
Emergency Contact
In the event of an accident or illness at school, we will try to contact you but will also take
whatever emergency action is required. We need any information which will help us in contacting
you, including home, work and mobile telephone numbers. In the event of both parents working,
please supply us, if possible, with an alternative emergency contact number i.e. that of a relative
or a neighbour living near you who would look after your child should he/she become unwell at
school.
Please remember to keep this information up to date by informing us of any change of job,
circumstances or telephone number etc. School MUST hold contacts for more than one
person for each child.
27F 28
First Aid & Medication
Pease see our ‘medicines in school’ information under M.
29G 30
School Governors
All schools have a Governing Body to support and challenge the Headteacher and other school
leaders.
“The Department for Education has high expectations of governing bodies and stipulates they
are the strategic leaders of our schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child
gets the best possible education.
For maintained schools (which Whinfield is) this is reflected in the law, which states that the
purpose of maintained school governing bodies is to ‘conduct the school with a view to promoting
high standards of educational achievement at the school.”
Governing bodies should have a strong focus on three core strategic functions:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school
and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well
spent.
These functions are reflected in regulations for maintained schools departmental advice and in
the criteria Ofsted inspectors use to judge the effectiveness of governance in both maintained
schools and academies. They are also discussed further in the Governors Handbook available
from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governors-handbook--3
A full list of our current governors and the committees on which they serve is detailed on the
school website.
If you are interested in supporting our school as a governor please contact Mrs Welsh to
discuss any vacancies.
All Governors can all be contacted through their school email address or school postal address
and telephone number.
31H 32
Holidays
Please click the link below to view the school holiday dates:
https://whinfield.net/parents/school-holidays/
Homework
Homework is based on the work completed in class to offer extra practise. It varies from year
group to year group as shown below, however, this list is not exhaustive – expectations for each
year group will be sent to parents at the start of each new academic year.
EYFS – Reading activities/phonics revision daily.
Year 1 – given out Friday to be returned the following week.
Year 2 – Maths – Wednesday plus daily reading and spelling.
Year 3 – Monday to be returned the following Monday.
Year 4 – Friday Maths to be returned the following Friday and Wednesday.
English to be returned the following Wednesday.
Year 5 – Friday Maths to be returned the following Thursday, plus additional
topic based homework which may span a whole half term.
Year 6 – Tuesday to be returned the following Tuesday.
Both Years 5 and 6 run a lunchtime homework club if pupils prefer to complete their homework
during that time.
Reading is also a focus for homework in all classes across the school.
Health & Safety
The school takes the Health and Safety of its staff, pupils and visitors very seriously and as a
Local Authority Maintained School follows Darlington Borough Council Policies.
Visitors are admitted entry by signing in at the main reception and providing identification.
All other doors can only be opened from the inside when the children are in school
therefore, the only point of entry during the day is through the main entrance.
There is a perimeter fence around the playing fields. This is further segregated within
the grounds and the youngest children are behind a second fence.
When children are on the playing fields or playgrounds they are always supervised.
Food tasting and preparation is a planned part of the curriculum. Parental permission is required
for all food stuffs and allergies are considered. A number of school staff hold current Food
Hygiene certificates and are present whenever food is prepared.
33I 34
IT and Computing
School has a vast computer network consisting of a range of devices: PCs, laptops, i-pads and
windows tablets. Children also have access to various other computing devices such as bee bots
and digital cameras. In addition, children have monitored access to the internet. All children and
staff are required to comply with the schools E-Safety Policy, Guidelines and Acceptable Use
Policy. In the unlikely event this code of conduct is breached your child will be restricted from
accessing the computer network.
Children are taught about blogging and social media with secure sites in school and parents are
reminded that social media sites are inappropriate for children under the age of 13 years of age.
School teaches E-safety and there are a range of resources to help parents understand this
electronic world on our school website.
35J 36
Jewellery
The wearing of jewellery of any description is not allowed in school for Health & Safety reasons.
NO earrings are allowed to be worn in school.
37K 38
L 39
Lost Property
Children misplace lots of items when they are actively engaged – particularly during playtimes
and lunchtimes. It is for this reason we request you do not send expensive or valuable items into
school.
PLEASE can we request that you ensure all articles of uniform, P.E. kit, shoes, coats,
bags, water bottles and lunchboxes are all named.
In the event your child loses something there are lost property boxes in each year group
cloakroom.
Please note that due to the volume of unnamed items school accumulates every term ALL
lost property not claimed at the end of each half term will be disposed of.
40M 41
Medical
In some instances it is necessary for medication to be given during school hours and in these
cases a medical form, available from the school office, must be completed and returned to
school in order for the school’s medical record to be completed. All other medications are the
responsibility of the parents and should be administered by them.
We do not expect parents to ask staff to administer medication unless:
It is absolutely essential that this takes place during school hours ie. needs to be taken 4
times per day.
It is part of a child’s daily needs due to an on-going condition eg. diabetes, asthma etc.
Any medication brought into school must have been prescribed by a doctor, and parents should
ask the pharmacist, where possible, to dispense any such medication in a separate named
container, containing only the quantity required for school use.
We will only administer medication which needs to be taken 4 times a day.
There is no legal or contractual duty on any member of school staff to administer medicines or
supervise pupils taking their medicines. Nevertheless, we would wish to support pupils wherever
we can.
The school will deal with each request on an individual basis, considering whether or not we are
able to administer medication.
In the interests of safety, medication can only be brought into and collected from school by a
parent/carer. Medication brought in by a child will not be administered. The container should
have the original up to date pharmacist's label, clearly printed with the child's name, the
prescription and dosage regime. Any medications not presented properly will not be accepted by
school staff.
For certain medical conditions, eg. asthma, it may be necessary to draw up a care plan and this
will be done in consultation with parents. Mrs. Murray will arrange a meeting with parents to
complete this.
The school will ensure that the medication is kept in a secure place during the school day, and
that each time the medication is administered the school's medication record is completed.
At the end of the school day, or at the end of each week (whichever is appropriate) any
remaining medication will be handed back to the parent/carer. Any medication not collected will
be taken to a nearby dispensary for destruction.
Non-prescribed medication: For example, cough medicines, cough sweets, paracetamol
tablets/liquid, creams and ointments, will not be administered and should never be sent into
school.
Asthma Inhalers: We have a care plan available in school for each child who suffers from
asthma, giving important emergency information about his/her condition. If your child has
asthma, a care plan will be completed with you by a member of school staff. Inhalers and care
plans are kept in the child’s classroom and therefore available as necessary. It is vital we are
made aware if your child has Asthma even if they only take their inhaler at home. In the event
42of an emergency we will need to notify the hospital of this condition.
Allergies: It is vital we are made aware of any allergies your child has to enable us to provide the
correct care.
Warm Weather/ Sun Cream:
Parents are advised to apply 8 hour sun cream before school and send a sun hat, and water bottle
to school during warm weather, there are water coolers in school to refill with fresh cold water.
It is important parents keep school informed as to any child’s medical needs so that our
information always remains current and we are meeting all needs.
Mrs Murray, SENCo, deals with all medical issues and draws up the care plans in consultation
with parents. Please contact her directly if you require any advice or would like to discuss your
child’s medical needs.
She can be contacted either on:
the school number 01325 240499 option 2
mobile no. 07900 702323.
Medicals/Screening for Hearing and Sight:
These take place with selected children at arranged times during the year with the doctor and
nurse carrying out the examinations. Parental permissions are sought prior to these tests by the
NHS.
Mealtimes
School Meals: School meals, which are prepared and cooked daily on the premises, are available
for all who want them.
From September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools
in England were made eligible for Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM). This means
that children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will receive a school meal paid for by the
Department for Education regardless of their family circumstances.
However, we do still ask parents of children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2,
who are in receipt of certain benefits, to assist school by completing
a Free School Meals application form. This information entitles school to receive the
Government funding known as ‘Pupil Premium’ which is paid to schools at £1320 per
pupil eligible for free school meals (FSM).
Free school meals (FSM) will also continue to be available to all pupils (including children in
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) whose parents receive certain benefits and who are registered to
receive one.
The ‘Pupil Premium’ funding school receives is allocated to pupils
entitled to free school meals whose parents receive certain benefits. It is
therefore ESSENTIAL these parents continue to register with school even though
43all Reception and Key Stage One pupils receive a free school meal.
If you think you might be eligible please complete the application form and
we will check for you.
All dinner money is payable in advance each MONDAY morning. It should be paid via the
School Gateway, the online payment system.
The present cost of a school meal is £2.10 per day - £10.50 per week. (Please note this may
increase for September 2020).
Application forms for free school meals are available from the school website.
Packed Lunches:
We must have written notice to the school office half a term prior to a change if you wish to
start with packed lunches and a minimum of a half term if you wish to discontinue and start again
with school dinners. Any changes will commence on a Monday.
Your child must bring his/her packed lunch in a named container.
Packed lunches are not kept in a chilled environment so we recommend that children do not
bring certain foods eg. pork pies, yoghurt, items which could melt, or any items which need to
be kept in a refrigerator. Please see the packed lunch guidance on our school website.
Milk and water are available free of charge in the dining room each day for all children,
including those who bring packed lunch.
Please do not send sweets, hot food, soup / hot drinks, or fizzy drinks.
Due to allergies in school packed lunches MUST NOT contain any ‘nut’ products.
Neither should you send cans, glasses or flasks. Please send containers which your child can
open themselves.
Lunchtime Play Leaders:
Teachers are not on duty at lunch times. It is essential that children accept and respect the
authority of our Play Leaders. Children who persistently misbehave at lunch times may need to
have alternative arrangements made for their supervision during this time.
Our Play Leaders are dedicated and committed to engaging pupils in play activities throughout
the lunch break. They operate the schools High 5 behaviour system and pupils understand the
importance of ensuring their behaviour is of a high standard during this time.
44N 45
O 46
P 47
Parents Events & Evenings
Please note: due to COVID-19 parents events and evenings are not currently able to take place in
the school building.
There are various opportunities throughout the year to come to visit school, including our ‘Stay
and Make’ sessions where parents are invited to work alongside their child in the classroom.
Other opportunities are available to see your child’s work and talk with their class teacher upon
invitation. However, the school door is always open so please do not hesitate to contact us if you
have a problem or query, however small, concerning your child in school. If you wish to speak to a
member of staff, please arrange to see them when they are not teaching, preferably after
school, unless it is an emergency.
Parent/teacher meetings are held in October and March. At the end of the academic year
parents receive an annual written report and are welcome to discuss this at a designated evening
in July if they so wish. We cannot stress too highly the importance of attendance at these
parent/teacher events.
P.E.
P.E. is part of the National Curriculum and children can only be permitted to miss a lesson on
medical grounds upon receipt of a note from parents.
P.E. kit is available from our uniform providers – see U.
Indoor kit – gym shoes/sandshoes, shorts and red t-shirt.
Outdoor kit – shorts, sandshoes, training shoes or football boots, tracksuit.
Swimming (Year 4 only + top-up pupils) – towel, swimming costume and cap (if children have long
hair), waterproof bag.
Please note reception children will only need shorts and t-shirt for the first few weeks.
The school is part of the LA Sports Partnership and therefore children participate in various
events across the town at different times of the year. As you will appreciate not all children can
participate in these events so will be selected by the P.E. staff based on their abilities and the
nature of the event.
Photographs
Photographs form an integral part of the way we work at Whinfield. They are routinely taken in
lessons and observations to evidence children's learning.
All photographs are used and stored in accordance with our data protection policy - a copy is
available on the school website.
When your child starts school and periodically throughout school life we will ask parents to sign
photograph permission forms to enable their child's photograph to be used in certain
circumstances, e.g publicity in the local press, in the school brochure and on the school
website. We will only ever use photographs which portray your child and the school in a positive
way.
48Sometimes photographs are stuck in children's books and therefore will be sent home to other
parents when the child takes the book home. We try to ensure these are only of individual
children, however, when this is a group activity we cannot always guarantee your child will not be
photographed as part of that group and the photograph put in another child’s book.
We insist that in the interests of pupil privacy and to comply with the Data Protection
regulations parents do not take photographs when you are invited to teaching sessions,
assemblies, sports days and concerts.
The school photographers visit twice each year. During the Autumn Term they take individual
and sibling photographs, and in Summer Term they take whole class photographs for Reception
and Year 6. Every child is photographed, however, you are under no obligation to purchase any of
the photographs taken. The sale of photographs raises funds for school.
If for any legal reason your child is unable to be photographed or used in publicity please notify
the school in writing and this will be added you your child's records and shared with staff to
ensure your child's safety.
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