Pre-school Playgroup Prospectus
WELCOME TO THE PRE-SCHOOL
St. Mary’s Duckpool Pre-school provides education and childcare in pre-school sessions for children from age three years up to school age.
June 13, 2008
January 28, 2008
Congratulations!
St Mary's has been awarded the Basic Skills Primary Quality Mark.
March 26, 2006
Summary of Complaints Procedure
Under Section 23 of the 1998 Education Act every school has to provide a parent or guardian with an opportunity to raise concerns about curriculum matters with his or her son or daughters, or wards, teacher or Head Teacher. All schools encourage this kind of ‘discussion’ to take place whenever there is a concern in order to avoid further anxiety for both parent and pupil. In the great majority of cases parental concerns are satisfied in this way.
Special Educational Needs Policy
Every child at St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School is entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum. It concerns all members of Staff to ensure that each child with special educational needs has access to the wider school curriculum and is fully integrated into the social and academic life of the school.
March 25, 2006
Mission Statement
St. Mary’s School aims to value each child as a unique individual whose full potential can be developed in a Community which has Christ at its heart.
March 23, 2006
Medicines in School Policy
In line with official recommendations concerning ‘The Use of medicines in School’, medicines should not be sent to school, whether prescribed by a Doctor or not. The advice states that: ‘Children who are acutely or seriously ill should not be in school, although some will be well enough to attend school in the convalescent phase. Medicines will usually be antibiotics, the vast majority of which can be given on an eight hourly basis, and therefore need not be taken at school. Where a child has a specific medical condition, requiring medication or attention during the school day, an individual agreement will be made between them and the school staff, through the Head Teacher, drawing up a suggested health care plan which would include medication arrangements.
March 22, 2006
Home-School Policy
Our Home-School Partnership Agreement form is available for download below.
Educational Visits Policy
The Governors of St. Mary’s School encourage educational visits as an important part of the curriculum as they enhance the learning process by enabling first hand experience.
An educational visit refers to any journey, adventurous activity, or residential period, which entails pupils travelling away from the school under the supervision of a member of the teaching staff. Any visit must have a clear educational aim established before any arrangements are made.
March 21, 2006
Citizenship Policy
Citizenship is not an additional subject – it is an ethos.
To look into some aspects of the future we do not need projections by supercomputers. Much of the next millennium can be seen in how we care for pupils today. Tomorrow’s world may be influenced by science and technology but more than anything, it is already taking shape in the bodies and minds of our pupils.� Kofi Annan, Director General of the UN – Why make a special case for children?
Citizenship education aims to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in society at local, national and international levels.
March 20, 2006
Child Protection Policy
It is the policy of St. Mary’s Primary School to follow the guidelines laid down by Gateshead Area Child Protection Committee, which has the responsibility of developing systems to prevent, diagnose, and manage cases of suspected and known child abuse.
Anti-Bullying Policy
This Policy is to help all of us involved in St. Mary’s to understand what is meant by bullying and shows how we intend to deal with it when it arises.
Bullying can be described as being ‘a deliberate act done to cause distress solely in order to give a feeling of power, status or other gratification to the bully’. It can range from ostracising, name-calling, teasing, threats and extortion, through to physical assault on persons and/or their property. It can be an unresolved single frightening incident, which casts a shadow over a child’s life, or a series of such incidents.’
At St. Mary’s staff, parents and children work together to create a happy, caring, learning environment. Bullying, either verbal, physical or indirect will not be tolerated. It is everyone’s responsibility to aim to prevent occurrences of bullying and to deal with any incidents quickly and effectively.
March 19, 2006
Drugs Policy
“We aim to maintain a Catholic Ethos within which each individual has a sense of self respect and esteem, and the capacity to live as an independent, self disciplined and self motivated person."
March 18, 2006
Health and Safety
This document is written for teachers, parents, governors and other interested parties in order to provide criteria to evaluate the school’s Health and Safety Policy. The documents on Site and Accommodation, the Staff Handbooks, Buildings and Grounds Plan, the school’s Policy on Educational Visits and the G.M.B.C. Health and Safety Policy Statement also form an integral part of the Health and Safety Policy.
March 17, 2006
Collective Worship Policy
Worship is a corporate activity and a feature of most religions. It is a community celebration of what we believe about God and our relationship to God and each other.�
(Jim Gallagher ‘Our Schools and Our Faith’)
Collective worship in St. Mary’s will contribute to the social, cultural, spiritual, and moral development of our pupils. As there is a clear link between the aims of this policy and those of the R.E. Policy, then the partnership between school – home – parish is once again reinforced.
March 16, 2006
Attendance and Truancy Policy
At St. Mary’s we believe that children can only learn effectively if they attend school regularly. It is important too, that children arrive and leave school on time. It is equally important that children should not be at school if they are unwell.
St. Mary’s is a happy school. Children learn best when they are happy and relaxed. All staff show concern and care about each child’s welfare.
As attendance is crucial to effective learning and the continuity of learning experiences school places great emphasis on this in its communication with parents.
March 12, 2006
Duckpool Pre-School Prospectus
St. Mary’s Duckpool Pre-school provides education and childcare in pre-school sessions for children from age three years up to school age.
MISSION STATEMENT
We aim to provide a caring, safe and stimulating environment where children can learn through play at their own pace, and be cared for in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
We recognise that parents are the first and most important educators of their children and aim to work in close
co-operation with them at all times.
OPENING DAYS AND TIMES
Pre-school sessions are held on weekdays from 9.00am until 11.30am.
Holidays mirror those of St. Mary’s School and include school INSET days.