William Barnes Primary School

Prospectus for parents

Welcome to William Barnes Primary School

At William Barnes Primary School we believe in our mission statement that "Every Child Counts". Staff and Governors are committed to the

pursuit of high achievement alongside a love of learning and the development of a well-rounded child. This is shown through our school

"Vision" -

 A stimulating and well resourced environment

 A high quality professional staff team

 Preparing children for life

 A safe secure school in the heart of the community

 Taking pride in all our achievements

 Inquiry, independence and enthusiasm for learning

 High standards of behaviour from all

We believe in a "Growth Mindset", where everyone can succeed if they work hard and recognise new challenges as opportunities. Underpin-

ning this is developing healthy, emotionally resilient children, who will become independent thinkers and confident learners.

William Barnes welcomes the partnership between staff, children, parents, governors and the community so that all children can live fulfilling

lives as 21

Century citizens. I am always available before school on the playground if parents/carers would like to chat or welcome parents/

carers to make appointments if they would like a longer talk.

Please come and share your thoughts with me, they are always appreciated.

Karen Wrixon - Head Teacher

Contents

4 Working together School Vision and Curriculum Intent. Encouraging good behaviour. Celebrating success.

5 Learning together Assessment for learning. Growth Mindset.

6 How can you help? Keep teaching. Praise, praise and praise again. Reading, writing and maths. Speaking and lis-

tening. A good night’s sleep—homework part 1. A reading routine—homework part 2.

8 Getting started School Uniform. Breakfast Club. Snacks and drinks. Lunchtime. Arriving and home time. Illness

and absence. Medicines. Seeing your teacher. After school clubs. Outings, visits, trips.

10 Our school year The school day. Events in a week. The annual cycle. The Summer term. Barnestorm.

12 Class to class Class organisation. Moving year groups. The house system.

13 Our connected

curriculum

Topic based approach. English. Maths. Science. Information and communications technology.

RE. History. Geography. Design technology. Art. Music. Physical education. Outdoor educa-

tion. Forest school. Social and emotional aspects of learning. Sex education. High achieving

children. Special educational needs and disability.

18 Meet the staff The teachers. Teaching assistants. Non teaching staff. Other staff. Governors.

19 Stepping Stones Meet the Stepping Stones Staff. Early years and foundation stage.

20 Starting school—

admissions

How can I find out about the School? Part time or full time? Worries or concerns. Helping your

child make a good start.

21 Other information School Address. School clothing. PTFA. Healthy snacks and lunches. Religious education. Safe-

guarding. National curriculum assessment at Key Stage 2 for 2018.-2019 Attendance figures.

23 Term dates Dates for the academic year 2020-2021.

Working together

School vision

The school vision is a series of statements that summarise the values

and aspirations of all of the staff, governors and children at William

Barnes.

When decisions are

made at William

Barnes, staff and gov-

ernors always refer to

the School vision to

ensure that any

change is for the long

term benefit of the

children and that it is

consistent with the val-

ues that the staff and

children have agreed.

Curriculum intent

The purpose of the

curriculum at William

Barnes is explained in

the school’s curricu-

lum intent. This draws

together what the staff

and Governors believe to be key principles that underpin all the learn-

ing your child will enjoy throughout their journey through our school. It

recognizes the essential role of parents, our need to prepare children

for life and our place in the global community, as well as the need for

education to provide a balance between knowledge and skills.

Every child counts

This is the school mission statement. It summarises the values of the

staff who feel strongly that any child should be able to thrive at William

Barnes, regardless of their ability or background.

Encouraging good behaviour

The children’s behaviour at William Barnes is very good due to a hard

working staff who create a safe and calm environment for the chil-

dren. The school code of conduct is shared with the children regularly

during assemblies and lessons. Essentially, the children are expected

to treat each other with respect and consideration and they are ex-

pected to do as any member of staff asks straight away. Staff expect

children to behave well and they respond accordingly.

Occasionally children need to be reprimanded and this is done in line

with the school’s behavior policy. Children are expected to reflect on

the effects of their actions and make amends.

Assessment for learning (AFL)

AFL is a very important part of the way we teach at William Barnes. It

consists of a number of teaching strategies that allow the children to

have more control over their own learning. For example, children work

with their teachers to develop success criteria for their work that are

written up for the children to

see. When they have finished

they check their own work to

see if they have used the suc-

cess criteria. At parents eve-

nings you may notice that your

child’s work has been high-

lighted in pink and green.

Pink shows work that the

teacher is really pleased with,

whilst green shows work that

needs further improvement.

With AFL children are also

taught to learn together as

partners, particularly when

sharing ideas and answering difficult questions.

Growth Mindset

At William Barnes, children are taught that irrespective of any natural

talent, everyone can become more intelligent if they work hard all the

time and recognise new challenges as opportunities. This outlook has

been researched by Professor Carol Dweck of Harvard University and

is known as the “Growth Mindset.” The symbol of the growth mindset

is the brain which you will see displayed in all classrooms. Children

are encouraged to “grow their brain” by doing their best and not worry-

ing when they make mistakes.

Code of conduct

Be kind and polite to everyone

Follow instructions from staff straight away

Always keep the playground tidy

Tell the truth and make sure you can be trusted

Understand that there is no place for violence, rudeness, bullying or

bad language

Tell an adult if someone is behaving badly or dangerously

Be in the right place at the right time

Play fighting is still fighting

Hands and feet to self

Learning behaviour at all times

How can you help?

All parents want the very best for their children and the teachers at

William Barnes will do everything they can to make your child be suc-

cessful in the learning. However, there is much that you can do to

help and this section might give you a few ideas.

Keep teaching!!

Up until the point at which children start school, the vast majority of

their learning will have been from you, their parents or guardians. You

will have read them stories, taught them

nursery rhymes, played games with them

and helped them to learn to count. You

will also have taught them good man-

ners and basic life skills like how to get

dressed and so on. Please don’t stop!!!

Parental involvement is still hugely im-

portant as children get older. Research

has shown that children from families who show an interest in their

children’s schooling and get involved with school life do better than

children from families who don’t support their children and “leave it to

the teachers.”

Praise, praise and praise again

Everyone responds to praise and children in particular respond well to

encouragement and positive comments. The general rule is that you

need to give at least three positive comments before a child will take

notice of any suggestions you may have for improvement.

This approach builds confidence. If you think of new challenges that

we have all had, like riding a bike or playing a musical instrument, the

willingness to give it a try is essential. This confidence comes from

years of encouragement and praise from teachers and other adults. If

children are confident they will succeed then they will. It may take

more time for some children than others but they will get there in the

end.

Reading, writing and maths

You do not need to be a qualified teacher to help your child with any of

these areas, but you do need to be willing to spend time with your

child. Children love sharing stories and reading to adults. A bedtime

story is a wonderful way to say good night to your child and this does

not need to stop once they have learnt to read on their own. Enjoying

books and sharing stories will help your child to enjoy reading and see

it as a fun and relaxing alternative to television and video games.

Give your child the opportunity to write their own stories at home. Chil-

dren who write at home will develop into confident writers at school.

Provide your child with lots of pens and notepads and encourage them

to write and praise the results.

Tracing and drawing pictures is a wonderful way to develop the fine

finger and hand movements required for writing

and other skills like playing musical instruments.

Again lots of colouring pencils, crayons and felt

tips and different sorts of paper will give your

child confidence at school and hours of enter-

tainment. To give your child even more confi-

dence pin their pictures up in their bedrooms

and or stick them to the fridge door.

Talking about numbers that we see in everyday life such as house

numbers, television channels and coins helps children develop a

sense of how the number system works. Walking to school or driving

in the car is a great time to practice adding numbers together quickly.

Help your child to learn

their times tables as well,

particularly tricky facts

like 9 x 8 = 72 and 8 x 7

= 56.

Board games like Monop-

oly, Scrabble and many

others provide great fami-

ly fun and help to develop

reading, social and math-

ematical skills.

Speaking and listening

Chat with your child and be interested in what they are doing at

school. Compared to a younger child we are all expert communica-

tors. When we talk with children and listen to them we are showing

them skills that they will learn to copy for the rest of their lives. Don’t

be afraid to introduce new vocabulary; children of all ages enjoy using

precise and technical words.

Homework

At William Barnes children are expected to work hard in all of their les-

sons. At the end of the day the children should be quite tired and we

believe that they should have the opportunity to relax and be them-

selves once they get home.

A good night’s sleep — homework part one

We all know how nourishing a good night’s sleep can be and how it

affects our day if we have stayed up too late. We also know how

“grouchy” our children can be if they get up too early or go to bed too

late. So a good night’s sleep is essential for your child if they are go-

ing to do well in school. Children who are growing and have given their

all at school can sleep for as long as twelve hours if they are given the

opportunity. Well rested and refreshed they can enjoy a good break-

fast before coming to school and giving one hundred percent. Too

many children arrive at school tired and ill prepared for the day.

A reading routine — homework part two

Developing a regular reading routine at home is really important be-

cause there is not enough time in the school day for your child to read

as much as they need to. Fifteen minutes or more a day is recom-

mended for children if they to become enthusiastic readers. Of

course, good reading habits and early nights will help you to have

some time to relax once the children have gone to bed. In Key stage 1

and 2, children are ex-

pected to read five times

a week and record this in

their reading journal.

As the children get older

they will receive increas-

ingly regular homework.

For example, in KS2 chil-

dren will be given weekly

Maths activities to com-

plete. Children also use

the school’s Mathletics or TT Rockstars web site to complete activities

set up for them by their teachers. In year 6, children will also be given

additional homework to help them to prepare for the end of key stage

2 SATs test in Reading, Writing, Spelling and Grammar and Maths. All

the children across the school have Microsoft Teams accounts and

may be asked to complete homework within Microsoft Teams from

time to time.

Getting started!

A flying start is something that all parents want for their children and

this section aims to make sure that this happens.

School uniform

All Children at William Barnes wear school uniform. This is simply a

green school sweatshirt, black/grey trousers or skirt, a white shirt and

black shoes.

Children also need a PE kit. It is really helpful if parents can label all

their children’s uniform so that lost property can be easily returned.

(For more details about uniform please see page 20.)

Breakfast and after school club

All children are welcome to attend breakfast club and after school

club. For a charge of £3.50 per session a breakfast of cereal, toast,

fruit, fruit juice and a hot drink is provided. The breakfast club opens

at 7.30 and finishes at 8.30 when school opens. After school club

runs from 3.15 to 5.15 with a charge of £3.50 per hour. Bookings are

made in advance in the school office.

Snacks and drinks

A daily snack of fresh fruit is provided for all children in key stage one

free of charge. Children may also bring an additional healthy snack if

they choose. One packet of crisps and a treat sized chocolate contain-

ing item are allowed as part of a packed lunch. Children in key stage

one and children who are eligible for free school meals can also have

a free carton milk each day.

A water fountain is available for children to drink from at play times.

They may also bring a bottle of water that they can keep in their class

room for when they are thirsty during lessons.

Lunchtime

Children can choose between bringing a packed lunch from home or

hot lunches. The meals are delivered to the school daily and are pro-

vided by Local Food Links. Children will be offered high quality food on

a three week cycle of menus including vegetarian options. All children

in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free hot meal, as are

some older children whose families are receiving particular benefits.

All our children stay to lunch and every-

one eats in the school hall. The children

have the chance to enjoy a leisurely

meal chatting to their friends, super-

vised by the lunchtime supervisors and

Mrs Wrixon or Mr Hull. When the weath-

er is dry and warm the children can pic-

nic on the school field. Again the school

encourages parents to provide a healthy packed lunch for their chil-

dren. (For more details about school policy on healthy snacks, drinks

and packed lunches see page 21.)

Arriving and home time

Children are welcome in school from 8.30 onwards when either Mrs

Wrixon, Mr Field or Mr Hull are on duty in the playground. School

starts at 8.45. On rainy days the children can wait in the school hall

from 8.30. Please ensure that your child arrives promptly. Late arrival

can be upsetting for children and gives them a bad start to the day.

The school day finishes at 3.15. Parents collect their children from

the school playground. Some of the older children walk home without

adults but we expect younger children to be met. Again, please be

punctual as children can become upset and worried if they are not col-

lected on time. If you are unexpectedly delayed then please ring the

office and we will look after your child until you arrive.

If somebody different is to collect your child, please contact the school

office so that we can make sure that they go home safely.

Illness and absence

The school has a very good attendance record and there is no truancy.

Children who are sick should not be in school. However, persistent

unnecessary absence can adversely affect a child’s confidence and

how well they learn.

If your child is unwell then please let the office know as soon as possi-

ble. If we do not hear from you

and your child is absent the

school will try and contact you to

ensure that all is well. If your

child has been absent please let

us know why, either by tele-

phone, in person or in writing.

Please note that under govern-

ment regulations, Mrs Wrixon

can only give permission for chil-

dren to be absent from school in

exceptional circumstances.

If you think your child is well

enough to come to school but

think they may become ill during

the day, then let us know so that

we can keep a special eye on them and contact you during the day.

Medicines and first aid

In general, we do not administer medicines. Most prescriptions re-

quire that the medicine be taken three times daily, i.e. once before

school, once after school and once before bedtime. If your child has

been prescribed a medicine that needs to be taken during the school

day, the medicine should be taken to the school office and a short

form completed. Only medicines which have been prescribed by a

doctor and are with the original container and the pharmacist’s in-

structions can be given to children.

Children with asthma will need a reliever inhaler in school; children

can keep their inhaler in the classroom.

All teachers, teaching assistants and

lunchtime supervisors have regularly up-

dated training in basic first aid. As well as

the staff on the play ground at break

time, a member of staff is also on duty at

the office to deal with any injuries.

Seeing your teacher

If you have any concerns or questions then it is possible to speak to

Mr Wrixon, Mr Hull or Mr Field when they are on duty between 8.30am

and 8.45am. Teachers are also available before school, but they are

often in a rush at this time and may not be able to speak to you for

long. Similarly, teachers are available after school to deal with minor

problems, queries or difficulties. However, if you need more time then

it is best to arrange an appointment so you will not be interrupted.

Parents can also contact teachers using each class’s dedicated e-mail

address.

Please feel that you can come in and speak to us so that we can deal

with any problems at an early stage.

After school clubs

After school on Monday to Friday your child will have the chance to at-

tend various clubs. These vary slightly from year to year but typically

include seasonal sports, environmental, art and music activities. Chil-

dren are sent a letter with a list of the clubs running at the start of

each term. They then return this to the office to book a place. Once a

child is signed up for a club they are expected to come each week un-

til the end of the half term when they can decide if they wish to carry

on.

Outings, visits and school trips

Each year all parents receive a letter asking for permission for children

to go on outings within Sturminster Newton and the surrounding coun-

tryside. There are also opportunities for all the children to go on trips

to make a topic more exciting. Often these trips will require us to ask

for a contribution towards the cost. We recognise that this is not al-

ways easy for parents to pay and we do all that we can to keep costs

to a minimum. In Septem-

ber the children take part in

a sponsored sports event

and the money raised is

used to subsidise outings

during the rest of the year.

Parents are often asked to

help on school outings, par-

ticularly with the younger

children. If you can help

please contact Wendy or

Mandy in the office or speak

to Mrs Wrixon and it will be

much appreciated.

Our school year

After registration the whole school meets in the hall for ten minutes of

“Wake and Shake”, an aerobic dance routine to popular music.

Events in a week

There is an assembly each day at 10.10am. On Mondays and Tues-

days this is given by Mrs Wrixon or a visiting speaker. On Wednesday,

Reception and Key Stage 1 have their own assembly, whilst KS2 have

assembly in class. On Thursday, there is a key stage 2 singing assem-

bly. Finally, on Friday, each teacher takes their turn in giving an

achievement assembly where we celebrate children who have done

well.

The school day

7.30 Breakfast Club opens

8.30 The rest of the children may arrive

8.45 School starts—registration

10.25—10.45 Morning play time

12.00—1.00 Lunch (Years R,1,2)

12.10—1.00 Lunch (Years 3,4,5, and 6)

2.00—2.10 Afternoon play time (Years R,1 and 2)

3.15 End of school—After school club starts

4.00—4.15 End of school clubs

5.15 After school club finishes

The annual cycle

School is an incredibly dynamic

and exciting place to be and in

the table on the left we have

listed some of the key events

that you might find in a typical

year.

The summer term

With the arrival of fine weather

children can play on the school field at play times and “Wake and

Shake” can take place outside in the sunshine. Each class gets the

chance to improve their swimming after the May half term with the

opening of the pool. The pool is also opened by a group of volunteers

for after school sessions. Please let us know if you would like to help.

Barnestorm

Barnestorm is the name of our

school newspaper that is pub-

lished at the end of every term.

Children and staff submit articles

to Mr Hull who puts together a

summary of all the key events that

have taken place over the previ-

ous term. Every child in the school

eagerly awaits their copy that of-

ten includes examples of chil-

dren’s work. Barnestorm has

been part of our school for thir-

teen years now; back issues are

available to read if you ask in the

school office.

Term Event

Autumn Harvest celebration

Year 6 Residential at Weymouth PGL centre

PTFA AGM and fundraising events

Parents evening - termly report

Life education bus

Book fair - Forest school

Family learning week

Carol services, pantomime and KS1 performance

Netball, football and rugby tournaments

Spring PTFA discos and fundraising events

Year 5 residential to Leeson House

Parents evenings - termly report

Family learning Week - Forest school

Netball, cross country and football tournaments

Summer Year 4 residential to Carey Camp

Family Learning Week - Cluster athletics trials

Athletics, tennis, aquathon and cricket festivals

Swimming pool opens - Forest school

Sports day - Annual day trips for years R to 5

Year 6 visits to High schools

Family barbecue evening

Keys stage 2 production

Annual school reports

Leavers assembly

Class to class

Class organisation

Traditionally, there have been seven classes at William Barnes, one

for each year group, beginning with reception and finishing at year 6.

Each class has roughly twenty five children, although the exact num-

bers vary from class to

class and from year to

year.

Throughout the school

children are taught in

their classes for all

subjects. Occasional-

ly, teachers will swap

classes to take ad-

vantage of specialist

teaching skills in sub-

jects such as art or

French. All the teachers in the school have roughly half a day each

week when they do not teach so they can plan their lessons. Cover is

then provided by teachers who are contracted members of staff (see

page 17). If staff are absent due to illness cover is provided from a

small pool of carefully selected teachers who are well known and liked

by the children such as Mr Hack , Mrs Hoey and Mr Wharton.

Moving year groups

Changing class at the end of a school year can be a worry for some

children. To help them get used to their new teachers each class

spends time with their new teacher in the second half of the summer

term. Year 6 children also have a series of workshops, visits and festi-

vals at the High School in the summer term to help them prepare for

secondary school. On transfer day in July the year 6 children from all

the primary schools spend a day

at their new Secondary school.

On this day each of our classes

works with their new teacher

for the morning. Similarly, from

the Spring term children who

are starting Reception in Sep-

tember are able to come and

join in with the reception class

for one hour each week.

The house system

During their first year at the

school children are given a

House to belong to, either Cedar, Bulbarrow, Meadow or Stour, (all plac-

es or things that can be seen from the school grounds). As the children

progress through the school they are given opportunities to play for

their House in sports com-

petitions such as netball,

football, cricket, hockey

and tennis. In the Summer

term, the Houses race

against each other during

sports day for the William

Barnes Cup.

Clockwise from the left; gui-

tar assembly, Shoebox

Christmas appeal, Netball

tournament winners.

Our connected curriculum

Although the national curriculum divides learning into separate sub-

jects, research shows that children learn best when these subjects are

linked together to form a connected curriculum. For example, when

studying India in year 2, children will learn about the religions and cus-

toms of India in history and RE, know how to find India on a globe or

map in geography, cook Indian food in design technology, read tradi-

tional stories from India in English, develop their own Indian dances in

PE and produce paintings and prints based on India in art, as well as

listening to Indian music.

English

We believe that reading is vital to children’s learning as well as a

source of pleasure and relaxation. As children begin to read they are

given a lot of individual help so that they can learn to “sound” out

words using their understanding of phonics. As the children get older

and they read more fluently, they tend to be taught in small groups so

that they can improve their understanding of what they have read.

Each year, all children in the school are given a reading journal to rec-

ord their reading at home and in school.

Writing is another vital skill and as the children get older they spend

increasing amounts of time putting their ideas into clear written pieces

of work. The children are taught the same handwriting style through -

out the school. We also lay great importance on developing each

child’s ability to write in different types of sentence. By year 6 children

are writing imaginative and exciting texts that are accurately spelt and

mature in style.

Speaking and listening skills are vital to the development of success-

ful writers. Before a child can express an idea in written form they

must be able to speak it aloud. In class, children are taught to listen

carefully to each other and express their thoughts clearly. Class dis-

cussions, debates, plays and assemblies provide opportunities for chil-

dren to improve their ability to speak and listen. Children have about

one hour of English daily.

Mathematics

Mathematics teaching has changed over the years and the emphasis

is very much on understanding rather than repetition of methods. Par-

ents sometimes comment that we teach maths differently now com-

pared to when they were at school. Actually, the final methods taught

in years 5 and 6 such as long multiplication have not changed at all.

What has changed is the many small steps that children now learn on

the way to understanding a method.

Up until the end of year 3, the children will use a resource called Nu-

micon to help them to visualize numbers and the relationships be-

tween them. By year 4, most children no longer require Numicon, but

some children who need extra help will continue to use Numicon in

small groups. Each child from year 1 to year 6 is given a username

and password for the Mathletics website. Children can then practice

their mathematical skills at home using the activities set up on line by

their teachers.

Children are normally grouped within their class by ability so that the

teacher can give challenging work to each child at their level. About

one lesson a day is devoted to mathematics (60 minutes).

Science

The 2014 National Curriculum aims to develop scientific knowledge

and understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, physics

and chemistry. Children study topics such as living things and their

habitats, plants, animals Including humans, uses of everyday materi-

als and rocks.

Computing

Each week the children have at least one time-tabled slot using the

school’s set of laptops and iPADs. In addition to this the children can

access computers in most classrooms during any lesson to enrich

their learning. In computing, the children are taught to use many dif-

ferent programs to present information

including word processors, desk top pub-

lishers, spreadsheets, databases,

graphics packages and web site design

software. Children are also learn to

write computer code using programs

such as “Scratch” and to debug any pro-

grams they write.

The school has a highly filtered and safe connection to the internet.

Any explicit content is blocked as is access to social networking sites

such as Facebook. and Twitter. When your child starts school you will

be asked to read and sign our Safe Internet Use policy.

Religious education (R.E.)

R.E. provides the children with the oppor-

tunity to reflect upon the world and their

place within it. The children learn about all

the major world religions including Islam,

Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism

and compare the beliefs and customs of

these religions to Christianity. The children

are encouraged to develop open minded-

ness and tolerance as well as a sense of

awe and wonder at the amazing world

around them by following the widely ac-

claimed Discover RE scheme of work.

History

As children progress through the school their sense of the time and

history is developed. At first the children focus on the recent past and

their lives and that of their families. As they move into key stage 2 they

begin to look further back in time to learn about particular historical

periods and civilizations. These include the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient

Greeks, Romans and Celts, the Tudors, Vikings and the Stone Age.

Geography

Again, in geography children are given the opportunity to broaden their

horizons by expanding their knowledge of the planet on which they

live. As well as comparing and contrasting a variety of different places

such as the Lake District and the Himalayas; they also learn about the

weather and how to read maps and atlases. As they move towards

year 6, the children investigate more complex ideas such as the ef-

fects of tourism on traditional cultures.

Design technology

Most children really enjoy this area of the curriculum as it gives them

the opportunity to design and make things. Children use a variety of

simple tools and materials to make their own finished products. There

are opportunities to work with other children

to develop a range of skills. Often John Allen

(a specialist teacher) works in school on a va-

riety of projects including building water mills

or a models of the London Eye. The children

also get the chance to use the school’s kitch-

en to make sandwiches, breads, hot meals,

pizzas, smoothies and cakes that are some-

times sold at PTFA events or charity days orga-

nized by year 6.

Art

The main corridors of the school are always filled

with art work produced around a whole school

theme. Once a year, each class produces work

for display based on a picture chosen by the Na-

tional Gallery ; this is a national competition

called the “Take One Picture” project. The work

of the children is then photographed and sent to

a panel of

judges at the

National Gal-

lery; the winning school’s work is

then displayed in a special exhibi-

tion. In 2014 and 2016 the school

was chosen as winners and the

children traveled to London to see

their work on display .Art work in-

cludes printing, drawing, painting and modeling in a variety of materi-

als and scales. Children are encouraged to express themselves freely

and to enjoy creating their own work.

The school frequently works with professional artists who will spend a

period of time inspiring a particular

year group.

Music

Music is a very important part of

school life. Children can learn a

number of musical instruments.

Each week there is a school choir

practice. Children in year 4 are all

given the opportunity to learn an in-

strument such as the violin, trumpet, percussion or guitar. Parents

can pay for additional instrument tuition in years 5 and 6.

One assembly each week is devoted to learning traditional songs and

hymns. In class the children take part in challenging and enjoyable

lessons where they learn to sing and play their own compositions us-

ing the wide range of instruments

available to them.

The children are given many opportu-

nities to perform to an audience in-

cluding talent shows, assemblies,

school productions and collective

musical events for all the local prima-

ry schools.

Physical education (PE)

Each week children have two PE sessions; one is normally in the hall,

whilst the other takes place outside. Children need to wear appropri-

ate and safe clothing for PE; if you would like full details see page 20.

As children move up through the school PE becomes progressively

more challenging. At first the children are

taught basic skills such as running, catching,

throwing, jumping, hopping and so on. As

they grow older and these skills become sec-

ond nature they apply them in various sports

and activities such as football, cricket, net-

ball, tennis, volleyball and athletics.

As well as sports, PE also includes gymnas-

tics, orienteering and dance. Professional

coaches in basketball, tennis, hockey and

football work with children on a weekly basis. The school’s excellent

PE provision was recognized when we received the Gold School

Games award in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

In the Summer, the swimming pool opens and the children can learn

to swim at the school. The recreation ground

and the top playground are used all year for

matches and practices.

The school offers many opportunities for chil-

dren to join PE related clubs such as tag rug-

by, football, cricket, handball, netball, swim-

ming, basketball and athletics. Throughout

the year, local schools come together to com-

pete in matches and festivals. In 2017 and

2018 the tag rugby team won the Sturminster

Cup, and the school were winners at the football, cross country, Aqua-

thon and area athletics competitions.

The school has an active curriculum so that teachers plan lessons that

other than PE that require the children to be as active as possible. In

KS2, each class runs for 15 minutes around the new running track,

twice a week and a whole school dance routine called ‘Wake and

Shake’ starts each day in the school hall.

Outdoor education and annual trips

Outdoor education is an important

part of the national curriculum and

children are expected to take part in

the school’s programme of residen-

tial visits that begins in year 4. (See

the table on page 13 for details).

Residential visits are great fun and

the children often look back and see

these as the highlights of their time

at primary school.

Children are also given the opportunity to go on an annual school trip.

Please note : these trips

will change from year to

year depending on the

curriculum

Outdoor Education and Annual Trips

Programme (all costs are approximate)

Sandbanks Reception, Summer trip to Sandbanks or

working farm, £10

Sandbanks

Moors Valley

Year 1, Summer trip, beach study, £10

Year 1, Summer trip, £10

Sandbanks Year 2, Summer trip, £10

Mash Up Music

Festival

Year 3, Tutankhamen Exhibition £11

Year 3, Summer trip, £12

Carey Camp,

Wareham

Year 4, Spring, one night, shelter build-

ing, orienteering, low ropes, team build-

ing, approximate cost, £60

Leeson House

Ancient Technolo-

gy Centre

Year 5, Spring, two nights, pond, beach,

castle studies, environmental art, £95

Year 5, Summer Stone Age day - £20

Weymouth PGL

Centre

Poole Light House

Year 6, Autumn, two nights, rafting, ca-

noeing, archery, climbing etc. cost £160

All children attend the Pantomime — £12

These change from year to year but typical examples are shown in the

table. The children also go on many other trips, such as a Stone Age

related trip to Cranborne Ancient Technology Centre, and a whole

school visit to Salisbury playhouse to see a pantomime.

Forest school

In years 1 to 6 children are given the opportunity to learn in the school

grounds for a half term, with visiting teachers who have expertise in

using the outdoor environment for education.

Personal, social and health education (PSHE)

Following the “Jigsaw” scheme of work , children learn how to lead

healthy lives, both physically and emotionally. Each half term every

class in the school works on a theme such as “New Beginnings” or

“Changes” at a level appropriate for the child’s

age. Assemblies are then linked to these

themes and children who have excelled are

celebrated during Friday’s achievement as-

sembly. Each year the “Life Education” bus

visits the school for three days to support the

children’s understanding of the human body

and how to make healthy life choices. Bullying is also a theme dealt

with in class during JIGSAW lessons and during anti bullying week.

Sex and relationship education

In the Summer term, all years take part in a short program of sex and

relationship education based on the Jigsaw scheme. This introduces

the issues around growing up and relationships and is ideal for chil-

dren of this age. Parents are given the opportunity to view the re-

sources before the children if they wish at a parent’s meeting.

High achieving children

Children who are working at a high level are given extra opportunities

to deepen their understanding both in and beyond the classroom.

These can include special residential visits at Leeson House for very

able scientists, athletics camps and clubs, as well as workshops at the

High school for outstanding mathematicians. The school has also run

its own “Able Learners” programme where very bright children across

the school are given extra teaching in a small group to stretch their

abilities in maths and writing.

Special educational needs and disability (S.E.N.D.)

All children have strengths and weaknesses and at some point in their

school career they will probably need some extra help. The level of

help can vary enormously from child to child. Some will require just a

little extra support from their teacher or teaching assistant to move

on. For children with a more persistent difficulty the teachers will work

with the Special Educational Needs and Disabled coordinator

(SENDCO) to find out exactly what the child’s difficulties are and how

they can be remedied. Sometimes help is needed from experts out-

side the school and teachers who specialize in working with children

with S.E.N.D. visit the school weekly to help children. Often this is

backed up by one to one and small group help in the classroom from a

teaching assistant. Occasionally, a child has such severe difficulties in

school that they are given an Educational and Health Care Plan. Such

children will often have a teaching assistant working one to one with

them for the majority of their time in school.

If your child does have a special educational need then a plan individ-

ual education plan (IEP) will be drawn up showing the support they will

be given. This plan is shared with parents at parents’ evening or at

any other time you may wish to make an appointment.

Teaching assistants

Other staff

Governors

Mrs Karen Wrixon

Head - Safeguarding, health and safety,

PSHE, assessment, SENDCO

Mrs Naomi Lewis

Mrs Hannah Dyke

Year R French

Year R science

Mrs Jo Haslegrove Year 1 history, geography

Mrs Laura Gilham Year 2 phonics, global learning, choir

Mr Joshua Newman Year 3 PE, swimming pool,

Ms Lisa Cox Year 4

Dr Richard Hull

Year 5, deputy head, maths, computing,

assessment, Outdoor Education

Mr Russell Field

Year 6, English, art, teaching and learning,

leading teacher

Reception Lisa Welch, Emma Roake

Year 1 Hannah Bealing

Year 2 Fiona Palmer

Year 3 Yvonne Day

Year 4 Mary Warwick-Price

Year 5 Dawn Chant

Year 6 Lorna Howarth

Clare Kendall / Sarah Pitman Finance and office

Maureen Armstrong Janitor

Fiona Palmer

Phyllis Johns

Breakfast club supervisor

Assistant supervisor

Sarah Selby

Emma Roake

After school club supervisor

Assistant supervisor

Kacey Ayres / Sarah Dennett Cleaners

Meet the staff and governors

Teachers

Non-teaching staff

Ceejay Henley Lunch time supervisor

Alison Baker Lunch time supervisor

Phyllis Oliver Lunch time supervisor

Keelie Iva Lunch time supervisor/ cleaner

Daniella Wicks Lunchtime supervisor

Hannah Bealing Lunchtime supervisor

Chair Cliff Walters

Vice Chair Maria Dixon Amphlett

Staff Governor Russell Field, Richard Hull

Parent Governor Chris Jones, Janine Wagner-Hales

Community Governor Cliff Walters, Annabel Smith

Clerk to Governors Catherine Dunkley Jones

Val Cuff Leader EYPS

Donna Peters Deputy NVQ3

Hayley Hookins

Mary Ford,

Sarah Blackhall

Sarah Selby

Hayley Frear

Sam Dowding

Assistant

DCPW Level 3

DEYP Level 3

DCPW Level 3

CCYPW Level 3

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Your child will be in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) from when

they enter a pre-school such as Stepping Stones until they finish their

first year at school in a reception class. Children are given the opportunity

to learn through experience and play in open ended activities guided by

their teachers. Learning is fun and teachers plan to pursue the interests

of the children through activities that develop the whole child in three

prime and four specific areas of learning. These are:

Prime areas

 Personal, social and emotional development

 Physical development

 Communication and language

Specific areas

 Literacy

 Mathematics

 Understanding the World

 Expressive Arts and Design

At William Barnes the

pre-school staff and our

reception teachers Mrs

Naomi Lewis and Mrs

Hannah Dyke work close-

ly together to make sure

that the experiences that

children receive in the

EYFS are enjoyable and

stimulating.

Stepping Stones and the school have worked together over many

years to make the transition for the “little ones” to school as smooth

as possible. See the admissions section (page 19) for more details.

Stepping Stones pre-school

Meet the Stepping Stones staff

Stepping Stones preschool has been part of Sturminster Newton for

the past thirty years and moved on site at William Barnes in 2009.

This thriving and popular pre-school enjoys the use of a large outdoor

learning area which creates a safe and exciting place for young chil-

dren to learn.

The pre-school offers places for children who are aged two and above

and is open daily during school terms from 8.45am to 3.15 pm. Chil-

dren over three may also attend the William Barnes breakfast club

and after school club if they are mature enough to cope.

Stepping Stones is a committee managed pre-school and is non profit

making. This allows Val, Donna and the rest of the team to provide

the very best in early years education but at affordable rates. Over

many years, pre-school staff have cultivated successful links with local

childminders, who can pick up from Stepping Stones when required.

The new extension (opened January 2019) allows more children to

have a rich pre-school experience and benefit from a smooth transi-

tion into their reception class.

and young children get very tired when they stay for the whole day, es-

pecially if they are used to being at home or have Summer birthdays.

Whether you want your child to start full or part time it is important to

discuss your child’s needs with Mrs Wrixon, Mrs Dyke or Mrs Reed. If

Mrs Reed, Mrs Dyke or Mrs Wrixon feels that your child isn’t ready to

come for the whole day, then they will start mornings only to begin

with.

Starting school - admissions

How can I find out about the School?

Before deciding to send your child to William Barnes, you and your

child are given a number of opportunities to visit us to ensure that you

make the right choice of school. The table to the right gives details of

these events.

If you wish to get more of a flavour for life at our school, then you can

also look at the school’s web site, www.williambarnes.dorset.sch.uk or

pick up a copy of our termly school newspaper “Barnestorm”, (see

page 6 for more details). Back issues of Barnestorm are also availa-

ble to peruse at the school office.

When can my child start?

Children can be admitted to school in the September following their

4th birthday. However, if a parent or the school thinks that a child is

not ready, then starting school can be delayed for a while. We are al-

ways happy to discuss individual needs with you.

In the term after a child’s fifth birthday the law requires that he/she

must start school.

Part time or full time?

There are two main options available to parents up until Christmas.

1. You may wish that your child starts school gently by attending for

mornings only. School will start at 8.45 and the children are collected

on the playground at 11.45.

2. You may want your child to start full time. School will start at 8.45,

the children stay for lunch and are collected at 3.15.

Before making this decision remember that school is very demanding

When? What? How? Who?

All year Take a tour of the school

with Mrs Wrixon the head

teacher and see the chil-

dren enjoying their lessons.

Ring the school

office to make

an appointment.

Parents, guardi-

ans, grandpar-

ents of all year

groups

October Open meeting - presenta-

tion, tour of school, meet

Yr R teacher Mrs Lewis, Mrs

Dyke and head Mrs Wrixon,

chance to ask questions

informally, refreshments.

Details in local

press, infor-

mation sent to

preschool, ring

school office for

details.

Parents, guardi-

ans, grandpar-

ents of all chil-

dren starting

reception fol-

lowing year

From

Spring

Half

term

Weekly “Rising Five” after-

noons - children starting

school in September join

reception class to help

them to settle in.

Details available

from the school

office and local

preschools.

Parents, guardi-

ans, grandpar-

ents of all chil-

dren starting

reception

July Open meeting - presenta-

tion, tour of school, meet

Yr R teacher Mrs Lewis, Mrs

Dyke and head Mrs Wrixon,

Details in local

press, infor-

mation sent to

preschool, ring

school office for

details.

Parents, guardi-

ans, grandpar-

ents of all chil-

dren starting

reception fol-

lowing year.

Worries or concerns

We always make sure that you are aware of how your child is settling

in. If there are any problems we will let you know and then work to-

gether to sort them out. Similarly, if you have any worries or concerns

please come in and speak to either Mrs Wrixon, Mrs O’Rourke or Mrs

Reid.

Helping your children make a good start

 Label all of their belongings so they don’t get lost.

 Get them into school on time.

 Play lots of games with your child like I-spy, card games and

board games.

 Go to the library, share

books, read your child a

bedtime story.

 Read signs, newspapers,

menus, recipes, instruc-

tions whenever you are

with your child.

 Write and draw together

letters, shopping lists etc.

 Teach your child nursery

rhymes and make up sto-

ries together.

 Talk about numbers, on telephones, the pages of books, the

numbers on doors. Count together and sing traditional songs

like “there were ten in the bed and the little one said...” and “ten

green bottles...”

 Play Lego and other building games with bricks and blocks

 During the walk to and from school practice numbers, chant ta-

bles, talk about shapes and other things you see.

Other information

School address

William Barnes Primary School,

Bridge Street,

Sturminster Newton

Dorset

DT10 1BZ

Telephone 01258 472257 fax 01258 472257

E-mail : [email protected]

Web site : www.williambarnes.dorset.sch.uk

School clothing

We encourage children to take a pride in their appearance and it is

expected that they will all wear the recommended School Uniform.

Parents’ co-operation concerning this is appreciated. The uniform is

simple and can be obtained from many shops. Uniform can be or-

dered online at tesco.com or using the link on the school web site.

It is recommended that children do not have hairstyles that are likely

to be very different to those of their peers, and long hair should be tied

back neatly. Jewellery should not be worn, including earrings, alt-

hough children who have pierced ears are allowed to wear simple

studs. In the interest of safety, chil-

dren will not be allowed to take part in

any PE activity or swimming wearing

earrings of any kind, including studs.

Staff are not expected to assist in

searching for lost jewellery of any kind.

All items of clothing and footwear

should be clearly marked with the

child’s name. Neither the school nor Dorset council can accept re-

sponsibility for any personal property in school.

Healthy snacks and packed lunches

William Barnes was awarded “Healthy school” status in 2010. To

maintain this award the school must have a “healthy food” policy. To

encourage children to develop healthy lifestyles our policy requires

that children do not eat confectionary in school, and that they only

have crisps and one chocolate treat sized item, as part of their packed

lunch. If you would like ideas for healthy alternatives to crisps and

chocolate, please see Mandy or Wendy in the school office.

Teacher assessment and national tests

One of the school’s many strengths is the accuracy with which teach-

ers continuously assess their children. This allows the teachers to

know exactly where each child is and what they need to do next to im-

prove. Teacher assessment is very accurate because it is based on

the teacher’s knowledge of what the child can do day after day.

In contrast, annual tests provide a snapshot of a child’s ability and can

lead to unwelcome pressure on children to do well which can make

them anxious.

It is the law that each year national SATs tests must be given to chil-

dren in years 2 and 6, and phonics screening for children in year 1.

These take place during the Summer term and your child’s teacher will

do everything they can to ensure that your child does as well as they

can without being worried or upset.

Religious education

Under Section 23 of the Education Reform Act parents have the right

to withdraw their children from RE lessons and collective worship.

However, even with a very sensitive approach by staff, children who

are identified as being different by other children feel uncomfortable -

parents should bear this in mind when making this decision. Our RE

Recommended school uniform

Plain white shirt

Plain dark green pullover, school sweatshirt or cardigan.

Plain grey skirt or black skirt, pinafore dress, trousers or shorts

Summer dress optional - white and green check print

Plain grey, white or dark green socks or tights

Low heeled black shoes or sandals. Trainers are not suitable for all

day wear in school.

Recommended PE kit

No jewellery. Long hair is to be tied back. All kit should be named and

kept in a drawstring bag or PE bag.

Inside - green school PE shirt with logo purchased from school, navy or

black shorts, black or white plimsolls, extra socks.

Outside - tracksuit trousers and plain jumper or sweatshirt over recom-

mended PE kit. Trainers are required for outdoor games in winter.

Children who play football at after school clubs or for the school teams

must provide their own football boots and shin pads.

Swimming art, craft & technology

Swimming trunks or one-piece swimsuit, swimming hat, towel and a

separate plastic carrier bag to hold wet items. Earrings (including

studs) must not be worn in the pool.

Some form of overall is essential for Art, Craft and Technology work to

protect the child’s clothes - a shirt, suitably altered, is most accepta-

ble.

Parents, teachers and friends association

The PTFA organises a variety of social and fundraising events through

out the school year. The proceeds of these events are used to im-

prove the educational facilities and opportunities for children. The

PTFA have recently provided funding for the swimming pool, maths

and EYFS resources.

% of children reaching expected standard in Reading 72%,

Grammar 69%, Maths 79%

% of children reached the expected standard in Grammar, Maths and

Reading combined 69%

% of children reached a high level of attainment in Reading 31%, Writ-

ing 17%, Maths 31%

Progress was above national expectations in Grammar, Reading and

Maths.

The school exceeded the floor standards.

Holiday dates for 2022/ 2023

lessons and assemblies are not denominational and use stories and

ideas from many religions. They include many moral issues which are

of interest to children and are acceptable amongst all religious and

non-religious groups.

Safeguarding

Our first priority is your child’s welfare and we will usually discuss any

concerns we might have about your child with you. There might be oc-

casions, however, when we have to provide information to or consult

other agencies such as Children’s Services Social Care before we con-

tact you. Our responsibility to do so is determined by Bournemouth,

Dorset and Poole Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures, 2006. If

you want to know more about these procedures, please speak to Mrs

Wrixon, who is the Designated Safeguarding Officer for the school, Mr

Hull, who is the deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer or to Mr Pete

Lagden, who is the Designated Governor for Safeguarding.

Attendance figures

Attendance during 2018/2019 (the last year unaffected by the pan-

demic) was 96.3% with authorised absence at 2.2% and unauthor-

ised absence at 1.5%.

Please help us to improve this excellent record. If your child is absent

then make sure that we are told the reason either in person, by phone

or by letter.

KS2 national test results in 2018 - 2019

There were no national test results in 2019-2021

End of Key Stage 2 results Summer 2019

Average Scaled score for Reading 105.1 Grammar 106.1 Maths

105.6

Term / holiday

Autumn

Start date

Thursday September 1st

End date

Autumn half term Monday October 24th Friday October 28th

Christmas Holidays Monday December 19th Tuesday January 3rd

Spring half term Monday February 13th Friday February 17th

Easter holidays Friday April 3rd Friday April 14th

Summer half term Monday May 29th Friday 2nd June

Summer holidays Monday July 24th Thursday August 31st