Prospectus
INTRODUCTION
DIDBROOK STAFF
THE GOVERNING BODY
TERM DATES 2006-2007
SCHOOL TIMES
STATEMENT OF AIMS
ADMISSIONS
THE CURRICULUM
THE INFANT CURRICULUM
THE JUNIOR CURRICULUM
INTRODUCTION
These are exciting times Didbrook and our neighbour Toddington Primary School. We are to be amalgamated and the process will be completed by September 2008.For many years our two schools have worked closely together and this is a wonderful opportunity for us to enhance the education we provide for our pupils. The new school will probably operate like Oak Hill Primary School which has an Infant base at Dumbleton and Juniors in Alderton.
The new school?s Temporary Governing Body is set up and will soon start work. For more than a century children have been taught in Didbrook and in Toddington and this tradition is now secure.
A Modern Learning Environment
# multi-purpose hall
# two modern classrooms
# large playing field
# refurbished offices and workrooms
# award-winning school garden and environmental area
# an interactive whiteboard in each classroom
# six modern computers in the Juniors and five in the Infants.
# networking provides safe Internet access throughout the school
# a well stocked library
# a climbing frame in the playground with a safety surface.
The ethos of the school generates a happy, caring environment producing confident individuals.
Investment of over a third of a million pounds in 2002 produced a school equipped for the 21st Century.
Tradition: generations of local people have been taught here.
We have strong links with our church but as a community school we are independent.
The school?s location provides an excellent, safe learning environment. Within walking distance are woods, farms, streams, hedgerows, a church, the village, Stanway Manor, Hailes Abbey and the GWR steam railway.
We hold cluster group activities with neighbouring schools to provide a broad range of opportunities: from workshops with the Young Shakespeare Company to technology challenges involving the whole school.
The children are educated in a beautiful and peaceful rural environment.
Low class sizes ensure each child receives individual attention: currently we have 14 Infants and 17 Juniors.
We are a healthy school. Fruit is offered to each pupil every morning, milk can be purchased and hot school meals are available every day. Back to top
DIDBROOK STAFF
Mr. David Ogden HeadteacherMrs. Sue Brewin Infant Teacher
Mr. Graham Murray Junior Teacher
Mrs. Clarice Berlouis Learning Support Worker (Juniors)
Mrs. Nikki Webb Learning Support Worker (Infants)
Mrs. Jane Brooks School Secretary/Midday Supervisor
Mrs. Dawn Porter Cleaner-in-Charge Back to top
THE GOVERNING BODY
Mrs. Alison Whiston: ChairMr. Darren Hayling: Vice-Chair
Lord Neidpath
Mrs. Jean Uedelhoven
Mr. Dave Collins
Prof. Jill Mann
Mrs. Gaynor Alexander
Cllr. Ron Allen
Ms. Rachel Court
Mrs. Sue Brewin
Mr. David Ogden
Miss Jackie Gommer: Clerk to the Governors Back to top
TERM DATES 2006-2007
Autumn TermMonday 4th September to Tuesday 19th December 2006
Half-term Holiday: Monday 23rd October to Friday 27th October
Spring Term
Monday 8th January to Thursday 5th April 2007
Half-term Holiday: Monday 19th to Friday 23rd February 2007
Summer Term
Tuesday 23rd April to Friday 20th July 2007
May Day Holiday: Monday 7th May 2007
Half-term Holiday: Monday 28th May to Friday 1st June 2007
A School Diary is published at the start of the school year and is
updated periodically. Back to top
SCHOOL TIMES
Morning School9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon
Afternoon School
1.05 p.m. to 3.15 p.m.
The Infants have a short break
outside during the afternoon.
Hours spent on teaching during a normal school week:
Infants: 23 hours 20 minutes
Juniors: 24 hours 35 minutes Back to top
STATEMENT OF AIMS
Our school is an inclusive community of pupils, staff, parents, Governors and friends extending into our neighbourhood and beyond.Our AIMS
We provide the school community with a secure environment that produces confident and autonomous learners through achievable and challenging experiences. They will acquire the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values that will enable them to understand the world and their responsibilities as citizens.
Our PHILOSOPHY
Pupils learn best when they know the purpose of learning and can use their individual learning styles. We enable the best learning by:
Having high expectations in terms of achievement and behaviour.
Using mistakes and misconceptions as an opportunity to learn.
Ensuring adults act as role models for lifelong learning.
Our ETHOS
We seek to encourage by example the values of peace, respect, tolerance, honesty, love and happiness.
Pupils and staff should feel valued and respected.
We are developing a positive feeling of community where there is a sense of well-being. Back to top
ADMISSIONS
The statutory age for admittance to school is the term after a child?s fifth birthday. However, in Gloucestershire the policy is to admit a child at the start of the academic year during which his or her fifth birthday falls.Initially, admission will be on a part-time basis. Full-time education will begin when, in consultation with parents, the Infant teacher feels the child is ready to cope with the demands of a full day at school. The following timetable is seen as the minimum timescale for such a transition:
Stage One Mornings only
Stage Two Mornings and lunch
Stage Three Full-time for part of the week
Stage Four Full-time for the full week
Parents and children registered to start school will be invited to visit in the Summer Term when the opportunity is given for the parents to discuss school life with the Headteacher and class teacher whilst the children become acquainted with their teacher and classroom.
A full copy of the School?s Admissions Policy can be obtained from the Headteacher on request. Back to top
THE CURRICULUM
Our curriculum is shaped by two considerations: the demands of the National Curriculum and the right of each child to receive a broad and balanced education.We aim to enable a child to develop to their full potential so that they may have a full and satisfying life and can happily contribute to society.
The National Curriculum comprises:
The Core Subjects
English
Mathematics
Science
Information and Communication Technology
The Foundation Subjects
Citizenship
Personal, Health and Social Education
Technology
History
Geography
Music
Art & Design
Physical Education
We follow the Gloucestershire syllabus for Religious Education
The distinctive parts of the curriculum offered at Didbrook include:
# French as a part of the curriculum
# Weekly swimming lessons for two terms a year from Reception to Year 6
# Specialist coaching in rugby and football
# Music tuition in guitar, keyboard, woodwind, strings and brass
# Outstanding computing facilities
# Extended school journeys in each year of the Juniors
# Access to a thriving school garden and environmental area Back to top
THE INFANT CURRICULUM
The Infant Class is the responsibility of Mrs. Brewin assisted by Mrs. Webb as Higher Level Teaching Assistant. The ages range from 4 to 7. The emphasis is on acquiring basic reading and numeracy skills via the methods outlined in the National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy.In the Foundation Stage (Reception Year) the children are introduced to a wide range of traditional, nursery and modern rhymes, chants, action verses, poetry and stories with predictable structures and patterned language. Simple non-fiction texts are also introduced at this stage.
As the children progress through Key Stage One (Year 1 and 2) they are introduced to different genres and each term?s work is focused on a particular range of reading and writing. Reading and writing tasks are closely linked throughout, using the texts pupils are reading to provide structure for their writing. There are three ?strands? to the work: word level, sentence level and text level. We use a range of high quality reading schemes. Handwriting is based on the ?Nelson? style.
Similarly in mathematics the development of the mathematical understanding is achieved in Reception through a variety of activities:
stories, songs, rhymes and finger games
board games
sand and water
construction on a large and small scale
imaginative play
cooking and shopping
two and three dimensional creative work with a range of materials
observing numbers and patterns in the environment and daily routines.
By the end of the Reception year, a dedicated mathematics lesson of about 45 minutes related to the key objectives outlined in the National Numeracy Strategy will be part of each day. Mental maths warm-up sessions are employed at the start of each session to develop oral and mental skills.
As the children progress through Key Stage One, the work covered includes Number and the number system, Calculation, Solving Problems and Measures, Shape and Space. The Rigby Maths Scheme is used to provide the basis for this work and is supplemented by tasks in topic work and practical activities.
During each half term, the Infant class studies a topic that incorporates programmes of study from Science and the Foundation Subjects. Ourselves, Birthdays, Traditional Stories, Day and Night, Pirates and The Oak Tree are this year?s areas of study. This approach gives scope for individual work together with whole class and group work. P.E. and R.E. are taught as distinct subjects in class lessons. Back to top
THE JUNIOR CURRICULUM
The Junior Class is the responsibility of Mr. Murray with the assistance of Mrs. Berlouis, the Learning Support Worker. Ages range from 7 to 11. As in the Infants, the key elements of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies form an integral part of the teaching framework in English and maths, whilst topics are also used to provide coverage of some of the foundation subjects. Science, music, art, P.E. and R.E. are taught as separate subjects.Teaching takes the form of both whole class lessons and group activities. The skills we aim to foster are outlined below:
Reading
Shared reading, group reading, independent reading are all employed to provide the range and balance of fiction and non-fiction materials needed to deepen and broaden children?s understanding of text.
Writing
Through guided writing and independent work, the children focus on the key objectives outlined in the Literacy Strategy. In addition, we are continually asking children to record in the written form, so much of the children?s learning can come through analysis of their own work, reporting, recording and analysis of data and an imaginative approach through creative writing. As in the Infants, handwriting is based on the ?Nelson? scheme.
Spelling
Regular spelling work is practised and there is a weekly spelling list to learn. In addition, there are individual corrections from stories and English workbook practice.
Speaking & Listening
In an all-age class it is essential for the young to listen to others and vice-versa in order to develop logical thought, thereby sharing ideas, giving confidence, formulating opinions and transmitting information.
Maths
The objectives outlined in the National Numeracy Strategy are addressed through weekly topics taken from the Rigby Maths Scheme. This work is augmented by maths investigations, mental maths, calculator maths and tables work.
Science
We teach science as a distinct subject through a published scheme of work. Particular emphasis is given to practical work, recording and analysis.
Information and Communication Technology
We have a network of six modern Dell computers in the Junior classroom. These form an integral part of the children?s learning and are augmented by interactive whiteboards, digital cameras and a colour laser printer. We use a mixture of widely available programs such as Word and Publisher along with explicitly educational programs. The children have the opportunity to use the Internet for research. Content is carefully screened by our Internet Service Provider.
Geography
To aid our understanding of the people, places and the world we live in: through individual and local studies to more far-reaching world issues such as pollution, conservation, etc.
History
It is difficult to understand the state of the world and the challenges of the future without first delving into the past and identifying with the people of long ago. Our topics range from ?Ancient Egypt? through to ?Britain Since 1930?.
Design & Technology
The capability to investigate, design, make and appraise, closely linked with science within the study units.
Music
We aim to nurture an interest and response to music through singing, the playing of instruments, listening, creativity, music making and movement. A Recorder Club is run as an extracurricular activity, whilst guitar, keyboard, brass, woodwind and string tuition are available for Junior children for a small charge through Gloucestershire?s Music Service.
Art & Craft
Our aim is to introduce the children to as many media and techniques as possible.
Religious Education
We follow the Gloucestershire agreed syllabus. Parents who wish their children to be withdrawn from attendance at religious worship or instruction are asked to discuss this with the Headteacher.
Sport in School
P.E. and sport play an integral part in school life. We believe in developing enjoyment, confidence and skill in physical activity and introducing pupils to the pleasures of sport. Every week during the Spring and Summer Terms we visit Evesham Swimming Pool, whilst the other key activities of dance, gymnastics, athletics and games (including Unihoc, football, netball, short tennis, 'kwik cricket' and rounders) are integrated into a progressively planned programme through both Key Stages. School teams play fixtures at football, swimming, netball and rounders. We take part in an annual small schools? swimming gala and athletics tournament. The school hosts an annual small schools? rounders tournament at Stanway Cricket Club.
Sex Education
This is taught in various topics throughout Key Stage Two.
Foreign Languages
We consider it important that children are exposed to other languages and cultures from an early age. The children are taught basic words and phrases in French during Key Stage 2 by a specialist teacher from Winchcombe Secondary School. Back to top