A welcome from the Head teacher

Dear Parent/Carer, On behalf of the staff, children, parents and governors, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Westwood with Iford Primary School. I hope that this prospectus helps you to gain an understanding of how our school is organised and to appreciate the exciting opportunities on offer to children in our care. We believe our school is a happy and purposeful place to learn, with a strong sense of community and where children are always encouraged to aim high. A primary school is the most vital stage in a child's learning and development as it is the foundation on which all further education will be based. Our aim, therefore, is to provide a happy and secure environment in

which your child will develop academically, socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually, in order to maximise his or her potential. I am extremely proud to lead a team that is committed to providing the very best opportunities for the children who attend Westwood with Iford School. Staff, supported by governors, work hard to deliver a rich and challenging curriculum; to prepare children for future education and to help them acquire the skills and enthusiasm needed to pursue learning for the rest of their lives.

Whilst your child is here with us, you will have many opportunities to share in their education and to celebrate their achievements and we look forward to welcoming you to our school and to developing happy and successful partnerships with all our new children and families.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help you in any way and I would be delighted to show you around our school.

With very best wishes,

Ian Rockey

Head teacher

A Letter to your child from the School Council

Dear Friend,

Westwood School is the most amazing school because everyone is

friendly and you get to know lots of people in the village.

We have 5 lovely teachers who share ideas and teach you things

you don’t know in a fun and interesting way. Every day we have

after school clubs and we are lucky to have delicious school

dinners, too.

Around our school we have lots of space to play with friends and

a small forest that we call the ‘Wild Area’. Each class has its own

blog and we regularly write about the exciting learning taking place.

We also have a website and a wonderful library that is open three

times a week. Lots of us like to borrow books to read. We like

writing book reviews so that other people might like to enjoy the

same books too.

We hope that you would like to come to our school and we know

that you would have lots of fun.

The School Council

About Our School

Nestled at the heart of the Wiltshire village of Westwood, our school building is sited on beautiful and extensive grounds with hard surface areas, an open and spacious playing field, adventure play equipment and our very own woodland area.

Our buildings house four classrooms and benefit from a large school hall, a child’s cooking area, a fully stocked and catalogued library and we even have our own radio station, Westwood Radio!

Originally a Church of England elementary school, Westwood School later became a Board School. Log-books exist for the late nineteenth century when the school was accommodated in buildings built in 1841, enlarged in 1880, and situated opposite Orchard Close in Lower Westwood.

The school moved to its present premises in May 1976. From the 1944 Education Act until September 1999 it was a County Primary School. Now it is classified as a Community school and its official title is Westwood with Iford Primary School.

Westwood is a Locally Managed School. This means that we receive an annual budget from the Local Authority and decisions on spending are determined by the Governing Body. The LA however, remains responsible for determining education policies which we must follow. All Staff remain in the employment of the LA.

Inspiring success in a world of possibilities

In our school we aim to

Encourage all pupils to develop their self-motivation, esteem and self-discipline and their independence.

Create a learning environment where children are happy to take risks and are able to accept the challenge of Life Long Learning, and are enabled to achieve their best.

Encourage a responsible and caring attitude to other people and the environment.

Offer an environment in which pupils are able to express their ideas and emotions confidently and can respond successfully and adapt to change.

Ensure that all pupils are treated equally and helped to develop tolerance and respect for others irrespective of their ability, ethnicity, gender, creed or need.

Foster and develop a close and co-operative relationship between school and parents, and school and the community.

Organisation

The school is a state maintained primary school. The children range in age from 4 to 11 and are organised into three phases of education within the school.

Phase 1 we call the Foundation Stage. Children join our Reception class at the age of 4. By the end of their Reception year children have completed their ‘Foundation Stage’.

The second phase is called Key Stage 1 and covers Years 1 and 2. Children finish Key Stage 1 at the age of 7 by completing their end of Key Stage Assessments (KS1 SATS).

The third phase of their primary years is called Key Stage 2 and covers Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. At the end of this phase, further assessments are made (KS2 SATS).

Within these three phases are 4 class bases. Our class structure is determined by our intake year on year but is usually:

Thistle Class for Reception and Year 1 children Lotus Class for Years 3 and 4

Clover Class for Years 1 and 2 Orchid Class for Years 5 and 6.

The School Day

School gates open………………………………...8:45am

School Starts/Bell rings………………………...8:55am

Break …………………………………………………..10:30 – 10:45am

Lunch …………………………………………………..12:10 – 1:10pm

School finishes …………………………………..3:15pm

School Admissions

A place at a community or voluntary controlled school is available for children from the September following their 4th birthday. Full-time education is available to pupils from the September of the academic year in which they turn 5. We are very flexible and happy to negotiate phased or delayed full time entry into school with parents.

Admission forms for entry to school need to be completed by January of the previous academic year. Applications can now also be made online at www.wiltshirecouncil.gov.uk. Parents are notified of a place by the LEA in March.

Curriculum

The 1988 Education Act requires the National Curriculum to be introduced into all state maintained

schools. It also requires all schools to teach religious education and hold a daily act of worship.

The school's curriculum is developed with regard to the National Curriculum; the chart below illustrates

how the year groups are divided into National Curriculum Key Stages:

The Foundation Stage

At Westwood with Iford we follow the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our

curriculum planning focuses on the Early Learning Goals and on developing children’s skills and

experiences, as set out in this document.

We teach children by ensuring challenging, playful opportunities across the ‘Prime’ and ‘Specific’ areas of

learning and development. Prime areas are fundamental; they work together to support development in

all other areas. These are:

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Communication and Language

Physical Development

Specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the prime areas and provide

important contexts for learning. These are:

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design

We believe every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable,

confident and self-assured. We strive to provide an environment which responds to children’s individual

needs, based on a strong relationship between practitioners and parents and carers. We use a range of

stimulating resources, relevant to all the children’s cultures and communities, alongside rich learning

opportunities through play and playful teaching. We also support children to be independent, take risks

and build positive relationships in a safe and secure environment.

Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2

Reception Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Age of majority of pupils at

the end of academic year

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The ways in which children engage with other people and their environment – playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically – underpin learning and development across all areas and support children to remain effective and motivated learners. We understand and observe each child’s development and learning, assess progress and plan for next steps.

We support the way in which children develop in the contexts of relationships and the environment around them. This is unique to each family, and reflects individual communities and cultures.

English

At Westwood with Iford School we believe that English provides the cornerstone for pupils'

achievement throughout the curriculum.

We recognise that English is unique among the subjects of the National Curriculum, as it is a

subject in its own right, but also the medium for communication and learning in all other

subjects.

We believe that our pupils learn best when they are provided with a range of opportunities and

skills for Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing across the curriculum.

We want all of our children to become confident speakers and listeners and independent readers

and writers.

We aim for a child to be able to:

Read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding, orchestrating a range of independent

strategies to self-monitor and correct.

Have an interest in books and read for enjoyment.

Have an interest in words and their meanings; developing a growing vocabulary in spoken and written forms.

Discuss reading and writing comprehensively, expressing opinions, explaining techniques and justifying preferences about a wide range of fictions and non-fiction texts, using suitable tech-nical vocabulary.

Understand a range of text types and genres.

Write in a variety of styles and forms appropriate to the situation.

At Westwood with Iford we also use the Big Write to develop high quality writing and writing stamina. We use our class blogs extensively to widen our audience and to showcase the children’s learning.

Mathematics

At Westwood with Iford School, mathematics is taught discretely in a daily lesson as well as forming part of a lesson in other subject areas. Emphasis is placed on oracy, mental calculations and problem solving. This encourages a practical application to learned mathematical rules. We also use a wide range of resources to reinforce the children's mathematical learning which match their age and ability.

We want to develop a confident approach to learning and applying understanding, to foster an

interest in mathematics and an enjoyment of the subject.

We aim for a child to be able to:

Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics through frequent and varied practice, and

show the ability to recall knowledge

Reason mathematically using appropriate language

Solve problems by applying their skills in a range of contexts

To achieve and celebrate these aims we use a range of strategies that are both engaging and

innovative. These include online activities such as Mathletics and Doodlemaths and also a mental

calculation award strategy, Rainbow Maths.

The International Primary Curriculum

All non-core subjects are broken down by Key Stage and are taught through the

International Primary Curriculum. The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is a

comprehensive, thematic, creative curriculum for 3-11 year olds, with a clear

process of learning and with specific learning goals for every subject, for

international mindedness and for personal learning.

The IPC has been designed to ensure rigorous learning but also to help teachers

make all learning exciting, active and meaningful for children. Learning with the IPC takes a global

approach; helping children to connect their learning to where they are living now as well as looking

at the learning from the perspective of other people in other countries. The IPC is used by schools in

more than 92 countries around the world.

IPC Learning Goals

The Learning Goals are the foundation on which the International Primary Curriculum is built. The

Learning Goals define what children might be expected to know, what they might be able to do and

the understandings they might develop as they move through school. Well written learning goals

guide teaching and learning and help to focus assessment and evaluation.

The Subject Goals

The subject goals cover the knowledge (the facts and information children might learn), the skills

(those practical abilities children need to be able to do) and the understandings (the deeper

awareness of key concepts which develops over time). There are subject Learning Goals for

Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Computing, Design Technology, History, Geography, Music,

Physical Education, Art and Society.

The Personal Goals

The personal goals refer to those individual qualities and dispositions we believe children will find

essential in the 21st century. They help to develop those qualities that will enable children to be at

ease with the continually changing context of their lives. There are personal goals for enquiry,

resilience, morality, communication, thoughtfulness, cooperation, respect and adaptability.

The International Goals

The International Primary Curriculum is unique in defining learning goals that help young children

begin the move towards an increasingly sophisticated national and international perspective.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding

All the IPC learning goals include the development of knowledge, skills and understanding; an

essential combination to ensure the most effective learning experience. The learning tasks within

each IPC unit guide teachers through the process of helping children develop their knowledge, skills

and understanding.

Children will undertake between 6-8 exciting units of work each year and have the opportunity to

ask questions and research their topic, immersing themselves in engaging and stimulating learning.

Religious Education

Our Religious Education policy follows the LA’s agreed syllabus. Assemblies and Collective Worship reflect a Christian tradition and are a part of a carefully planned syllabus which includes the recognition of other faiths. Parents have a right to withdraw their child from Collective Worship or from Religious Education lessons.

Personal Social Health Education and Citizenship

Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship is taught on its own and through other subjects. There are four key themes: Personal (self esteem, personal safety, spiritual and moral health), Health, (nutrition, drug education, sex and relationships, exercise and personal hygiene), Social (family, friends,

peer pressure, equality) and Citizenship (communities, careers, financial awareness, democracy, human rights, global independence and sustainability).

PSHE is continually promoted at Westwood with Iford through Circle Time, assemblies, School

Council, Buddies, Digital Literacy etc.

Computing

Through teaching Computing, we aim to ensure that children become digitally literate in this modern world. We teach children how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. We ensure that children are responsible and confident users of different technologies. We teach online safety on a regular basis in every year group to develop children’s understanding of the risks and benefits of the modern world. At Westwood with Iford we have a range of resources to reflect our curriculum such as visualisers, cameras, Android tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, desktops and laptops. We have a wide range of software to develop and further children’s learning. As a school we are also prolific in our use of blogging and have developed a wide international audience and learning network. Communication skills form an important part of our cross curricular approach, and Computing skills will be applied in every subject across the school.

Physical Education

Our Physical Education programme includes involving all children in physical activities which challenge

them at their own level. The aim is to allow children to develop individual physical skills to their full

potential and to promote a healthy, active lifestyle within and outside of school.

All children participate fully in gymnastics, dance and games. Small team games often form the basis

of outdoor lessons. The children are frequently involved in creating their own games and have the

opportunity to use a wide range of skills.

Through all aspects of Physical Education the children are able to practise and develop physical skills, agility and co-ordination and to improve their own performance, so gaining a sense of achievement and self-confidence. Co-operative qualities and the care of and respect for equipment are also encouraged during PE activities, many of which involve working with a partner or in a group.

We continue to use our government sport funding to employ a sports specialist teacher to work with all of our children and provide excellent training for staff.

Curriculum Enrichment

During the year each class will make visits to places of interest connected with their class topics, or may have in-school visitors. We also have special weeks or days when the normal curriculum may be suspended in order to cover aspects more intensively. We believe that first-hand experience is a vitally

important part of the learning process.

Child Protection and Safeguarding

The school places Child Protection and Safeguarding at the heart of its work. All staff, governors, volunteers and parents are expected to support the school in this. Copies of the Child Protection and Safeguarding and Online Safety policies are available on the school website and also from the school office.

Special Needs

If children are considered to have Special Educational Needs (SEN) they are then identified and parents are consulted. Their needs will then be assessed and individual programmes of work devised and monitored by the teacher concerned. Parents will be fully consulted should it be felt necessary to involve the various support services or our Educational Psychologist. The school follows the guidance of the S.E.N. Code of Practice closely. A child identified as having special educational needs may have an Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.) drawn up. Those parents involved will be invited into school regularly to discuss progress and agree future targets.

Able and Gifted Pupils

We feel that able children also have particular needs. The school’s assessment policy and screening procedures help teachers identify children with special talents. This process does not just apply to children with academic ability. Musical, creative or sporting abilities are also recognised, encouraged and developed.

Behaviour Policy

We emphasise the provision of a happy working environment where children feel secure and comfortable, not only within their own class but in the school as a whole and we are proud of our friendly and welcoming school community.

We believe that adults should provide role models for the type of behaviour we expect from children and encourage everyone to be respectful, kind and courteous to one another.

We reinforce good behaviour with praise, stickers and certificates, and achievements are celebrated in our weekly Celebration Assembly.

Bullying and Unkindness

Westwood School has signed the charter ‘Bullying – A Charter for Action’ which means that bullying is not tolerated in our school community. We have an anti-bullying policy, which is available on the school website and from the school office. As a school we are proud of the positive relationships and happy, caring environment that exists between all children within our school community.

Educational Visits

Each class teacher organises their own class trips to support the school curriculum. A residential trip is organised for the year 5 / 6 children every other year. The experience of living and learning together alongside friends away from home is invaluable.

Extra Curricular Activities

There are a wide variety of extracurricular clubs available during the year to extend and broaden the children’s enjoyment. They provide sporting, creative and social opportunities. All clubs are open to girls and boys alike and to most age groups. They include: Dance, Forest School, Code Club, Gardening, Radio, Football and other sports.

Clubs are run by a variety of leaders, some are school staff, some outside coaches and some are run by par-ents and volunteers. DBS clearances are always sought. The school is part of the Bradford Cluster of Extended Schools, and has good links with the Children’s Centre in Bradford on Avon, the Community School Nurse and School Nursing Service and the Parent Support Workers for Bradford on Avon. The school also takes part in extended schools activities such as cluster Sports Festivals and the Bradford Arts Festival.

Music Tuition

At Westwood we strongly support the value of music and learning. As a school we pay for the

First Access Music Project where all Year 3 children can learn the violin free of charge for a year. We like to

encourage children to learn a musical instrument with a wide range of instrumental tuition

available, including piano, cello, violin, viola and guitar lessons with a private tutor during school time.

We have a strong relationship with the Wiltshire Music Centre, with many of our pupils having played in

the Junior Orchestras.

Wrap Around Care

In order to support our families we offer Breakfast Club and After School Care from Monday to Thursday during term time; Breakfast Club runs from 7:55am and After School Care runs until 5:15pm. There are a range of activities for the children to enjoy including supervised games in the playground, obstacle courses and team games in the hall, and quiet activities such as colouring, reading and computer games. Cereal is offered at Breakfast Club and is currently charged at £2.50 per day. After School Care which is charged at £4.50 for 1 hour and £7.50 for 2 hours per day, and children are encouraged to bring in a snack from home. Further information is available from the school office.

Reports

Reports are issued to all children in the Summer Term. A Parents’ Evening is held in the Autumn Term to ensure that your child has settled in and to discuss progress. There is another in the Spring Term and again in the Summer Term following the distribution of reports when you are invited for a detailed discussion of your child’s attainment and achievements. In addition teachers make regular assessments during the course of the school year of pupils progress particularly in English and Maths which they are happy to share with you at parents evenings.

School Council

A School Council has been established at Westwood since 2005. Each class elects two councillors, a boy and a girl, to represent them on the School Council. They meet regularly with one of our class teachers, who offers support and advice when necessary, as they discuss and vote on issues important to all of the pupils.

Digital Council

From each class within the school, two Digital Leaders are elected each year. Forming part of the online safety committee, our digital leaders learn simple computing procedures and basic troubleshooting, to develop a whole school knowledge of using computing within learning. As a Google Apps for Education School, which utilises blogging and digital literacy to raise standards, these children learn essential skills which they share with their peers.

Westwood Community Library

Westwood Community Library is open as a community lending library for pupils, staff and parents of Westwood with Iford School and members of the surrounding community, established by the school and Friends of Westwood School. We have an exciting range of children’s fiction and non-fiction and a small adult fiction section.

Westwood Radio We are very lucky to have our very own radio station, Westwood Radio. Each show is planned, scripted and run entirely by the children who broadcast live online each week on radio.westwoodwithiford.org to the community and beyond. Developing key skills in confidence and resilience as well as excellent written and oracy skills, our station has a growing listener base and we are one of the only primary schools in the country that broadcasts live quality shows every week.

Newsletters and Communication The principal way in which we give you information about the day to day events at the school is through our school website westwoodwithiford.org or via ParentPay online, using our email service to keep you up to date with all that is happening at our school. Our school Newsletter is issued once a fortnight and sent via email or a copy may come home with your child. We use the newsletter to pass on information, celebrate successes and advertise community news and events. We also use ParentPay for all payments relating to school lunches, trips etc. As an innovative school, we have our own twitter feed @wwischool and our blogs are always full of exciting content. They can be found at westwoodblogs.org

Medical Issues

Audio, visual, dental or weight examinations may take place periodically as your child progresses through school. Parents are not normally involved in these routine examinations but are always alerted if there are any concerns.

School Uniform

We have a code of dress in school and rely on parental support to ensure our children are suitably dressed for school and are smart, comfortable and safe.

Home/School Learning Partnership and Home/School Agreement

The key elements of effective partnership are communication and clear expectations. Our communications network includes:

Parent Governor Representatives

Regular emails and newsletters via ParentPay

Website updates

Twitter updates

Parents evenings

Open Days

Topic exit points to which parents are invited

Formal Reports

Annual Parent Questionnaires

Home Contact and Home Pay systems

Also staff are always happy to discuss concerns raised by parents and will make an appointment to see you if they can’t talk to you immediately.

As part of our Home/School learning partnership we have a Home/School Agreement for the school, parents and pupils which you will be asked to sign when your child joins school. This will be regularly reviewed and children are asked to sign it too, from Y1 upwards. A copy is included in the additional information at the back of the Prospectus.

Trousers/shorts/skirts Grey/black PE Kit

Shirts/blouses White Plain White T-Shirt

Polo Shirts White/Red Black Shorts

Sweatshirts/cardigans Red Trainers/Daps

Shoes Black Black/Navy/Red tracksuit in winter

Summer Dresses Red Gingham

Parental Involvement

Parental help in school is always appreciated. We encourage parents to come in and work alongside the children as we value the part parents can play in enriching the life of the school. Do offer your help if you have any spare time. If you would like to become involved in any way, please talk to your child’s teacher. You will be asked to apply for a DBS disclosure at no cost to yourself.

Starting School – Infant Induction

We have close links with local nurseries, in particular Westwood Nursery, who regularly visit our Reception class. At the start of the summer term, before your child starts school in the September, we invite all the parents of new pupils to an Induction Meeting to explain our Induction Programme and answer any questions. We then hold a series of induction afternoons for new pupils to share in the life of Thistle Class and get used to the routine of coming to school. During this time our reception teacher will also visit all the children in their pre-school settings. She will talk to parents individually to discuss any concerns about starting school. In September reception children usually start half days for a couple of weeks, building up to full time as soon as they are able. We aim to be as flexible as possible with this to help children as they start school life. If you feel your child needs a longer period of half time induction please speak to the Reception Class teacher.

Your Child’s Next School

At the age of eleven (the end of Year 6) children transfer to Secondary School. Communication between local schools is very good and should parents have any concerns regarding transfer, the Head teacher will be happy to help. At the end of Year 6 most of our pupils transfer to St. Laurence, Bradford-on-Avon, John of Gaunt in Trowbridge, Beechen Cliff or Ralph Allen in Bath, although some may go to other local schools including private schools.

Friends of Westwood School (FoWS)

Every parent is automatically a member of the school’s FoWS. Meetings are held on a regular basis. Each year there is a programme of fund-raising, recreational and educational activities. The FoWS aims are to work with the staff team to support the school, its enrichment and development. Our FoWs are a very active and committed group of people that have raised a lot of money for us in recent years through their fundraising activities. More information on the wonderful work our Friends do can be found on their website, fows.westwoodwithiford.org

Charity Policy

It has been agreed by staff and Governors that the school shall support a limited number of good causes as and when the need arises.

Food and Drink

Our school meals are popular, accommodate all tastes, and provide excellent value for money. All children in KS1 are eligible for free school meals. These are ordered on a weekly, monthly or half termly basis. Children not wanting a school dinner can bring a packed lunch to school. Milk is available to all pupils via the ‘Cool Milk’ scheme. This is free for all under-fives and subsidised for pupils aged five or older. You can register at www.coolmilk.co.uk or pick up a registration form from the school office.

Children in KS1 also participate in the daily School Fruit and Vegetables scheme at snack time. As part of our Healthy Schools Status we encourage the children to bring in healthy snacks for morning break such as fruit, a healthy snack bar or yoghurt, and to avoid sugary snacks such as sweets, biscuits, crisps and carbonated drinks. Fresh water is always available for children.

Parking & Road Safety

We have a good relationship with our local community and we are very keen that this should continue. To maintain this, we always ask parents to park their cars further down Boswell Road away from the school if they need to drive their children to school. This also keeps the road immediately surrounding the school safe for our school community.

Mobile Devices

For the safety of the children’s belongings and to avoid distraction, we ask that your child does not bring any personal mobile device onto school grounds, unless requested to do so.

Cycling to school

We actively encourage a healthy walk or cycle to school and provide bike shelters for cycles and scooters. Please ensure that if your child does come to school on two wheels that they wear a helmet for safety.

Contact Us

Westwood with Iford Primary School

Boswell Road

Lower Westwood

Bradford on Avon

Wiltshire BA15 2BY

Tel: 01225 862408

Email: admin@westwoodwithiford.org

Website: www.westwoodwithiford.org

Twitter: @wwischool

Blogs: www.westwoodblogs.org

Radio: radio.westwoodwithiford.org

Home-School Agreement

School will:

Ensure that every child has a broad and balanced curriculum, which is both relevant and suited to

individual needs.

Provide information each year about what children will be taught and targets for achievement .

Provide information about children’s progress through Parent Consultation meetings each term

and a written report in the Summer Term.

Be open and welcoming at all times.

Keep parents informed through newsletters, meetings, letters and a regularly updated website and

blog.

Teacher’s Signature…………………………...

Parents/Carers will:

Make sure child attends school regularly and on time.

Attend Parent Consultations and other meetings for parents.

Support child’s learning at home.

Support the school’s Behaviour Policy and expectations.

Make school aware of any concerns or problems that might affect their child.

Respect the school’s policy of not parking on school grounds and near the gates.

Parents signature……………………………………….

Child will:

Follow the school rules and classroom expectations.

Always do their best.

Child’s Signature…………………………….