Bodymain Right
Attendance
Schools are required by law to keep a check on authorised and unauthorised absences. We can authorise absences due to illness or medical treatment. Activities such as shopping or visiting relatives would have to be recorded as unauthorised. We prefer children not to take holidays in term time. The maximum time permitted for a family holiday is 2 weeks.
The following absences may be authorised in consultation with the headteacher:
· Educational visit
· Exceptional family reasons e.g. bereavement
· Religious observance
· Participation in approved public performance.
If a child is absent without notification, then we will contact the parents/guardians immediately to find out why the child is not in school.
We have enclosed the current Derby City Policy for more information.
Contacting Parents
We keep up to date contact details for all children in the school office. Parents must inform us when contact details, such as mobile numbers change. It is important that you keep the office informed of such changes.
We also have a system of passing on information to parents by text. We will send texts out from school whenever we need to pass on information quickly. Again, please inform the office of any change of mobile numbers.
When children are ill
Firstly, we encourage children to come into school if at all possible - sometimes when they are a little off-colour they forget about it when involved in activities. We think it is vital that children establish a regular pattern of attendance. If children become ill in school we have facilities for them to rest for a short period of time and we will contact parents as soon as possible. We ask parents to avoid the need for children to bring medicines into school - prescriptions can sometimes be modified to avoid a lunchtime dose and parents are welcome to come into school to administer medicines if necessary. School cannot give non-prescription medicines such as paracetamol.
Inhalers
These are kept in the classrooms so that the children have easy access to them. Please ensure that your child’s inhaler is clearly labelled with his/her name. They will be sent home every half-term for checking by parents.
Head-lice
Please examine your child’s hair regularly. The school or the chemist can advise on treatment. If your child does get head lice, keep him or her at home until the treatment is completed. Let us know of the problem so that we can warn other parents to check and treat their child’s hair and prevent re-infestation. We have leaflets and a DVD/video for parents to borrow if you need any advice on treating your child’s hair. The Governors of the school have drawn up a policy which advises that if a member of staff notices that a child does have head lice, then we should contact the parent or guardian and ask them to take the child out of school, and return them after they have been treated.
School Nurses
Contact Vicky Rodgers - Tel: 01283 731614, Greater Wells Lodge, Eggington Road, Etwall, Derby.
Child Protection
All parents need to be aware that we are required to take reasonable action to ensure children’s safety. In cases where we have reason to be concerned that any child may be subject to ill treatment, neglect or other forms of abuse, we follow an agreed set of procedures and inform social services. Mrs Hammond is the child protection co-ordinator.
School Meals
Children intending to stay for dinners should bring their money on Monday mornings. If meals are not paid for the week they are taken, the pupil concerned may have to go home for lunch until the arrears have been paid. Any parent who feels they may be eligible for free school meals can get a form from Mrs Wilson in the school office. She will then tell them the procedure for applying.
We are very pleased that our school meals are being updated. From September we will have a pasta bar and a jacket potato bar as well as our normal school meals and usual salad bar. We have also purchased new crockery and cutlery for the start of the new school year.
R.E.
We teach RE through a scheme of work based on the ‘All our worlds’ scheme. Although the school has no affiliation with any one religious denomination, we have excellent relationships with local Christian churches. Members of the Derby City Church run a weekly ‘Chatterbox’ bible club and also lead regular assemblies. We also have links with Castlefields Church. Their pastor also leads assemblies once every half term. We welcome visitors from all religious denominations and faiths.
Parents who do not wish their children to participate in collective worship for religious reasons should contact Mr Hall or Mrs Hammond to explain their viewpoints and, where possible, alternative arrangements will be made.
Extended Schools
We have made great strides forward in the last few years to extend opportunities available to both children and the local community. Mr Steve Berry, our extended schools co-ordinator works jointly between ourselves and Brackensdale Infants. He organises various clubs for children, but also parent courses and information sharing groups. He is always open to suggestions and new ideas and can be contacted by e-mail s.berry@brackensdalej.derby.sch.uk.
Current out of school opportunities include:
Breakfast club: Every morning 8.05 - 8.40am
ICT club: Monday, Tuesday & Friday lunchtimes in school.
Central Soccer: The pupils love the services offered by Central Soccer UK. We have Multisports on a Wednesday lunch, and girls’ football on Friday lunch. .
Parenting Programmes: We have run parenting programmes with a varying degree of success. The next one will be in September and be about Managing Challenging Behaviour in 0 – 11 years.
Physical Activity and PE
Over the last few years our school has become a B-Active school. We ensure that physical activity is high profile within school and that all children realise the importance of regular physical activity. Our programme of physical activity includes:
· Playground exercises every morning, break time and afternoon before the children come into school (this is called Activate to Concentrate).
· Brain Gym in the classrooms before the start of lessons.
· ‘Take 10’ activities in the classrooms. (These are quick bursts of 10 minutes activity in the classroom)
· Twice weekly PE lessons either in the hall, on the playground or field when weather is suitable.
· Encouraging children to either walk to school or to come on their bikes. We became a ‘Bike It!’ school recently and many children come to school on bikes regularly. Children who wish to use their bike for school must see Mr Hall for a permission form. We try to insist that all children wear a helmet.
· Extra-curricular activities - we have various sports clubs for children to attend. These include football, badminton, multisports, hockey, basketball, cricket and tag rugby.
P.E. Kit
Plain shorts and t-shirt (these should not be too baggy for reasons of safety.) These can be purchased from school. Pumps for indoor use and trainers or pumps for outdoors. Swimming kit for Year 4. For safety reasons, girls with long hair should have it tied back for P.E.
Jewellery
We ask that children do not wear jewellery apart from sleepers or studs and a watch. On days when children have P.E., jewellery is better left at home as it can cause a hazard and may be mislaid.
Curriculum
We aim to offer the children a broad range of teaching and learning experiences during their time with us. All elements of the National Curriculum are taught through our ‘Creative Curriculum’ which links the subjects together within themes to make them enjoyable and relevant to the children’s lives. At the beginning of each term we send out information to parents about the theme being taught. This is to show parents the areas that will be covered and to provide an opportunity for parents to contribute to the themes, which is always welcome. There is an emphasis on progress in Literacy and Numeracy.
We use a variety of teaching approaches including whole-class teaching, group activities and opportunities for individual work. Children are taken on regular visits out of school which support and enrich their work in class. We also have visitors into school who add another dimension to children’s learning.
Literacy
Just like most schools in the country we teach English from the National Strategy Renewed Framework for Literacy. The teachers plan work carefully to include basic skills in Literacy which meets the needs of all of our children. We are careful to provide a good structure to develop both reading and writing skills. Children are introduced to a wide variety of texts and learn to read and write for different purposes. We ensure that children apply their learning to all areas of the curriculum and assess work frequently. Teachers review children’s progress regularly with senior managers to ensure that maximum progress is being made.
At Brackensdale we also devote additional curriculum time to give children the opportunity to engage in additional reading activities. Much of the reading practice however, takes place at home, supervised by parents and recorded in the Home/School reading record.
A ‘Normal’ School Day Is Usually As Follows
8.20 – 8.40am – Breakfast Club (Children can attend with or without parents to have toast, cereal bars, fresh fruit, hot chocolate or fruit juice. Cooked breakfasts will also be available from September. We only charge a small amount and children attending regularly find it a happy and sociable way to start the day!)
8.40am -Teacher on duty on both playgrounds.
8.55am- A bell will ring on both playgrounds and the children come into school for registration after ‘wake & shake’ activity.
9.00am -First lesson of the day
9.25am - Numeracy (unless Y4 Tuesday swimming)
10.25am - Break time
10.40am- Lesson time
11.40am- Whole school reading time in classrooms with midday
supervisors helping.
12.00pm- Lunch time. 
1.00pm- End of lunchtime - assembly in the hall (except Mon.)
1.20pm(approx)- Afternoon lessons*
3.15pm- End of the school day.
*Some classes have a short drinks break in the afternoon when necessary.
Admissions
It is important that parents who wish to start their children at Brackensdale Junior in September 2011 express a preference for the school by the end of the Autumn Term 2010. Children will not automatically transfer from the Infant School. By law, children whose parents have expressed a preference will have priority when Governor’s decide on admissions. Admission forms are available from Derby City Local Authority, Middleton House, 27, St. Mary’s Gate, Derby DE1 3NN.
In the Summer Term we provide a number of opportunities for Year 2 children and their parents to get to know our school. The children will attend assemblies regularly, but also visit us for a special assembly when they will have the chance to meet their new teacher in a familiar environment. Class meetings will be held for ‘new’ parents where you can find out about school routines and receive information about the planned curriculum for the year.
Our aim is to make the transition from Infant to Junior school a smooth and stress free process for both children and parents.
Any parent whose children have not attended Brackensdale Infants should make an appointment to come into school. We will then arrange for you and your child to look round and meet the teachers.
School Term Dates 2010/2011
Autumn Term 2010
Tuesday 7th September to Friday 22nd October
Monday 1st November to Tuesday 21st December
Monday 1st November to Tuesday 21st December
Spring 2011
Tuesday 4th January to Friday 18th February
Monday 28th February to Friday 15th April
Monday 28th February to Friday 15th April
Summer 2011
Tuesday 3rd May to Friday 27th May
Monday 6th June to Friday 22nd July
Monday 6th June to Friday 22nd July
There will also be days when school is closed for staff training (INSET). We will let you know the dates for these at least 6 weeks in advance.
From September 2010 the teaching staff are as follows:
Mr D Hall - Headteacher
Mrs. C Pearson & Mr. B Radbourne– Associate Headteacher
Mrs H Wallace—Inclusion Manager
Mrs A Lumley – Phoenix Suite Manager
Mr B Radbourne - Y5/6 team leader
Mrs C Pearson - Y3/4 team leader
Mrs M Chappell - Y5 /6Teacher
Mr M Harton - Y5/6 Teacher
Mr D Tee - Y5/6 Teacher
Mrs D Fox - Y3/4Teacher
Miss A Mortlock- Y3 /4 Teacher
Mr M Haslam - Y3/ 4 Teacher
Mrs. Tabor – Phoenix Suite Teacher
Miss S Law – Phoexix Suite Teacher
Mrs N Neale – PPA cover
Support Staff includes:
Mrs. D. Cockeram - School Business Manager in reception.
Mrs E Wilson - Clerical Admin Assistant.
Mr T Kidd – Site Manager.
Mr S Berry – Extended Schools Co-ordinator.
Chair or Governors – Mr D Parker.
Clerk to Governors – Mr. M Green
We have a very skilled support staff. Our teaching assistants are highly trained in all areas of classroom and school lifeand provide excellent support for learning for the children. In some classrooms the Teaching Assistant teaches the class for an afternoon while the teachers have their preparation time. Every class works closely together with the others in the Year group