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After Sports Day: “Great activities” “It’s been really good. The children were really energised” “Great to see the Nursery children involved” Parent of Year 6 child: “My son had a great time trying out for Borough Sports and is really excited about the residential School Journey” Year 3 Girls: Dance Showcase was a great experience. We danced together and were proud to represent Elmgrove. We all had loads of fun, tried our best and had a great time”

Parent of Year 2 child: “My son loved Victorian Day. He liked dressing up and enjoyed the whole living and behaving as though you were in the past” Parent of Year 3 child: “Songfest was excellent, with a new kind of programme. My daughter was very excited about it and really enjoyed it. We’re looking forward to having this kind of concert again” Parent of Year 4 child: “My child is really happy to be representing the school in the Swimming Gala and is looking forward to

taking part”

Year 1 children: “I like school because we learn. If we didn’t go to school we wouldn’t learn at all” “When people get hurt teachers take us to the medical room so we can get better” Reception children: “When I play all the people are nice to me. I like doing writing” “I like doing adding and taking away”

Nursery Child: “I like playing with the water and the bricks. I like my teachers – they are kind” Year 5 children: “The learning is really good and the Headteacher is really keen to make our school better. It’s really fun at school”

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Welcome to Elmgrove Primary School and Nursery

On behalf of the staff and governors of Elmgrove Primary School & Nursery, I would

like to welcome you to our school. Elmgrove is a school where children always come

first and their happiness, achievement and well-being is the most important to us.

Elmgrove is currently a three form entry primary school, with four classes in some year

groups, catering for children from Nursery up to Year 6 in the London Borough of

Harrow. The school is situated in a cul-de-sac set in extensive grounds bordering

Kenton Recreation Ground. We are a mainstream school and we are very fortunate

to be additionally resourced for children with disabilities who cannot attend their

local school.

At Elmgrove children come first and our priority is to deliver high quality teaching and

learning whilst at the same time providing rich and truly enjoyable learning

experiences for our community of children. All the National Curriculum subjects are

taught, through topic and as separate subjects.

Everything we do as a school is to ensure that the children achieve their very best.

We are deeply aware that children only get one chance at their primary education

and it is our job to ensure that they all reach for the highest levels of personal

achievement and development.

We want every child to be successful; to reach for success from the very first day

they join us and throughout their school lives so that when they leave us, they have a

love of learning for the rest of their lives.

Elmgrove places a high priority on nurturing positive links with our parents and carers.

This strong commitment to parenting support includes signposting parents to national

and local sources of information and advice; providing access to parenting groups;

and delivering family learning sessions which allow children to learn with their

parents. On site we are very fortunate to have the Elmgrove Children’s Centre to

further support parents and their young children.

As a fully 'extended' school, we provide access to high-quality childcare, 8am–

5.30pm, five days a week, combined with a varied menu of activities which enhance

achievement and broaden interests. Our breakfast and after-school club is very

popular and children enjoy relaxing and playing with their friends of different ages.

We are extremely fortunate to have wonderful grounds and facilities at Elmgrove.

The school was built in 1966 and consists of one large building. We have two halls, an

ICT suite, Learning Group Rooms, a Music Room and a separate library - along with

open, green space, two playgrounds, large field, outdoor adventure equipment,

amphitheatre and a wildlife area. We take immense pride in the building and when

ELMGROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY

Headteacher: Mr D Aisthorpe B.Ed (Hons), M.A. (Ed)

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you visit you will find a calm, well-organised and purposeful atmosphere where

children always come first.

Music, arts and sports achievement are encouraged in all children. Our instrument

players have participated on school and local music events. Sports teams and

individuals have successfully completed in local sports events.

We warmly welcome visits to our school and we look forward to seeing you soon.

The information in this prospectus is intended for parents whose children will be

joining us in September 2014. The information in it is accurate as at June 2014, but

some details may change during the school year.

Darren Aisthorpe

Headteacher

June 2014

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Contact information

Elmgrove Primary School & Nursery School Office Hours

Kenmore Avenue Monday - Friday

Kenton 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

HARROW

Middlesex

HA3 8LU

Tel: 020 8909 2992

Fax: 020 8909 1477

School website: www.elmgrove.harrow.sch.uk

e-mail: office@elmgrove.harrow.sch.uk

Log on to our school website to access the latest news and information about our

school.

The staff will endeavour to keep the school open in all eventualities. However, if it

became necessary to close the school due to extreme weather or on health and

safety grounds, we would make this known to parents through the texting service,

the school website and via Opencheck on the link below. Select Harrow Borough

followed by Elmgrove Primary School and Nursery for the most up-to-date

information. http://map.lgfl.org.uk/opencheck/Default.aspx You can also phone

the Opencheck number for information on 020 8408 7508. The automated message

will prompt you for the school’s 7-digit number, which is 310 2082.

Admissions

Elmgrove Nursery admissions are co-ordinated by the school office. A nursery place

is part-time, 5 days a week (term-time only) for 3 hours a day – either a morning or

afternoon session can be offered. You can apply for a Nursery place after your

child’s second birthday. A child starts Nursery in the September of the school year

during which they will celebrate their fourth birthday. Please ask one of the office

team for any further details and an application form.

The admissions section of the Education Department deals with admissions to all

Harrow primary schools from Reception onwards. The criteria used for the allocation

of places are: children looked after (this term refers to children who are subject to

care orders and those who are accommodated by an authority), medical priority,

siblings already in school, and proximity to the school. Parents wishing to enrol their

child at the school can make an appointment through the school office to attend

one of our Open Mornings for a school tour. To contact the borough Education

Department please telephone 020 8863 5611.

School Organisation

Our school is organised into a Nursery, four Reception classes, three Year 1 classes,

four Year 2 classes and four further year groups of three classes each. Children are

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grouped according to their age. Most children come into the Nursery in the

September following their third birthday and spend three terms there before moving

into the Primary School Reception class. This year up to 120 children will be admitted

to the Reception classes, giving class sizes of up to 30, including a small number of

children with a physical disability who are fully supported by additional staff.

There are three classes in each year following the Reception year (with the

exception of Year Two which has four for 2014-2015): Year One (age 5-6); Year Two

(age 6-7); Year Three (age 7-8); Year Four (age 8-9); Year Five (age 9-10); Year Six

(age 10-11). At the end of each academic year, in conjunction with class teachers,

the Headteacher will review the structure of all classes. Where there is an imbalance

of gender, ability, educational or emotional need, the classes may be regrouped.

The Governors

The school Governing Body has a responsibility to make decisions about the way in

which the school is run. The Full Governing Body and the committees each meet

twice a term to discuss school finance, staffing, the curriculum, premises and other

aspects of school life. The Governing Body is made up of representatives of the

parents, the school staff, local council representatives and community

representatives.

Parent governors are elected by the parents, and stand for office every four years.

The current parent governors are:

Paula Sawh

Ross D’Souza

Deepti Bhardwaj

Chetna Chudasama

The Chair of the Governing Body is

Christopher Roberts Via school (020 8909 2992)

Dates and Times

School Hours:

Nursery:

Morning session: 8:45 – 11:45 am

Afternoon session: 12:15 – 3:15 pm

Full Time School – children can walk to class from 8:45 am for registration at 8:50 am

Reception and KS1: 8:50 am - 12:10 pm

1:10 pm - 3:10 pm

Key Stage 2: 8:50 am - 12:15 pm

1:05 pm - 3:10 pm

There is a break mid-morning of 20 minutes for all children.

Children should not arrive at school before 8:40 am, when a staff member will be on

duty. On wet mornings, they may come into the classroom from 8:40 am. We

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expect children to arrive at school in good time; being late is upsetting for pupils and

disrupts the learning of the whole class.

Dates for the academic year 2014 – 2015

First day of Autumn term for current children Tuesday 2nd September 2014 Staff Training Day – school closed to children Half term

Friday 24th October Monday 27th October – Friday 31st October

Last day of term Friday 19th December Staff Training Day – school closed to children First day of Spring term for children

Monday 5th January 2015 Tuesday 6th January

Half term Monday 16th February – Friday 20th February Last day of term Friday 27th March Staff Training Day – school closed to children First day of Summer term May Day Bank Holiday

Monday 13th April Tuesday 14th April Monday 4th May

Half term Monday 25th May – Friday 29th May Last day of term Friday 17th July

Pastoral Care & Child Protection

The school is concerned for the welfare of all its pupils. The class and year team

organisation enables us to get to know our children well. The class teacher is

responsible for the welfare of all children in the class and should be the first person to

contact if you want to discuss your child. Please do tell your child’s teacher if there is

anything which is upsetting or worrying your child.

The designated member of staff for Child Protection is the Deputy Headteacher. If

you have any concerns, please contact the Headteacher or the Deputy

Headteachers. The school is committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of all

children in school. All Harrow schools, including Elmgrove Primary School and

Nursery, follow the Harrow Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. The

school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns with parents

about their child/ren. However, there may be exceptional circumstances when the

school will discuss concerns with Social Care and/or the Police without parental

knowledge (in accordance with Child Protection procedures). The school will, of

course, always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents. The school’s

Child Protection Policy is available on request.

Charging and Remission Policy

Although all education which takes place in school hours is

provided free of charge, there are a number of activities that we

want to provide in order to enrich learning for your child and for

which no funding is provided. This may for example include entry

and transport costs for visits, or the cost of theatre groups

performing in school. When such activities are planned, voluntary payments are

sought to cover the cost. Parents will be invited to pay the cost and also informed of

the procedure to follow if this is a problem in any way.

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During the past year the cost of an educational visit has been from £5.00 to £10.00.

Children have been offered one or two visits in the course of the year. If children are

unable to attend on the day of the visit we will of course refund any money which

we are able to recover. The contribution to the cost of coach travel is non

refundable.

No child will be excluded from any event on the basis of parents’ inability or

unwillingness to contribute to the costs, but it may prove impossible to run a

particular event if insufficient contributions are received.

We may also ask for a voluntary contribution for materials used in some lessons and

parents may be asked to provide certain items, eg. ingredients for food technology.

All children participating in extra instrumental lessons are expected to pay a

percentage of the tuition fees. The school will further support families who have

registered as entitled to free school meals with music fees.

Charges will be made for optional courses or activities, which fall wholly or mainly

outside school hours (this does not include any activity that is required by the

National Curriculum or to fulfil statutory duties relating to Religious Education).

Year 4, 5 and 6 children are invited to go on a residential visit.

If there is any damage to school equipment, property or the building, by accident or

intent, the school will expect to recoup the costs involved from parents.

If there is any problem with payment for any of the above, parents are requested to

come and talk to the Headteacher.

Lunchtime and Play Time Arrangements

At lunchtime children may have hot dinners, bring a packed

lunch or return home. Children are looked after by a team of

midday supervisors during this part of the day, under the

direction of a Senior Supervisor and the School Leadership

Team.

Hot lunches are available to all pupils entitled to free school meals and parents who

pay a week in advance. The current cost for this is £10.00 per week. The school

meals meet current nutrition standards. For further information please speak to a

member of the school office team. You may be entitled to a free meal for your

child, for example if you are receiving income support. Further details may be

obtained from the school office or directly from the Civic Centre, Station Road.

Telephone 020 8863 5611.

Packed lunches are to be brought in a named container and

should not contain sweets, chocolate, cans, glass bottles, fizzy or

hot drinks. We would like packed lunches to be as healthy as

possible. Please bear in mind that younger children tend to eat

very slowly when they are chatting with their friends – so not too

much food please! The midday supervisors go out into the

playground with the children, or look after them in the classroom

if the weather is very poor. Play workers encourage the children

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to learn and play games at lunch time.

Children often take part in extra activities during the lunch time, and teachers often

use this time to work with individual children and hear children read. If you would like

to take your child home at lunchtime please inform the class teacher by letter. All

children who go home for lunch must be signed out on leaving and signed in again

when they return just before the beginning of the afternoon session.

Children may bring in a small, named toy to use at playtime, but nothing too

precious please. Children are welcome to bring in extra water in plastic water

bottles for playtimes. From Nursery to Year 2 children are given a small piece of fruit

to eat after playtime in the morning. In addition, the Nursery children are given milk

mid-session. Sweets and chewing gum are not allowed in school.

School Uniform

Children should wear our school uniform. Please help your child to feel a part of

Elmgrove by sending him/her to school in our uniform. The school colours are navy

blue, light blue and grey. Sweat shirts, cardigans, fleeces and polo shirts, as well as

our PE kit and book bags with the school logo can be bought from our official

uniform supplier, Mapac, from their website: www.mapac.com

School uniform is:

Light blue polo shirt with the school logo

Grey (not charcoal grey) trousers, shorts, skirt or pinafore dress

Navy sweatshirt or cardigan with the school logo

Plain grey, white or navy blue socks or tights

In the summer girls may wear a light blue and white checked dress

Shoes

Sensible black shoes should be worn to school, not trainers, boots, open toed

sandals, high heel or platform soled shoes.

Coats

We would recommend the children wear a navy or black coat

PE Kit

Navy shorts

White T-shirt (plain or with the school logo)

Elastic fronted black plimsolls

Navy tracksuit (for colder weather)

Navy drawstring PE bag with the school logo

If your child wears a headscarf, it should be white, navy or black.

Please ensure that every item that your child wears or brings to school is clearly

named.

If you have uniform that your child has grown out of and you wish to donate it to the

school, please contact the welfare or office staff who will be pleased to help you.

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Children should not wear jewellery to school for safety and security reasons. The only

exceptions to this are items worn for religious reasons, or very small stud earrings or

watches.

On days when the children have Physical Education lessons no jewellery should be

worn.

Personal Property

Any unnamed items which are found in school are kept in our Lost Property boxes

and children and parents are encouraged to check this for lost items.

Money should not be brought to school other than for special occasions, eg. Mufti

day and charity sales. Pupils and their parents are reminded that they are

responsible for their own personal property and possessions while on school premises

or engaged in school activities. Neither the school nor the Local Authority can

accept any liability for loss of or damage to such property and possessions.

Please do not allow your children to bring personal music players, mobile phones or

electronic games to school.

Children should not bring rucksacks to school as there is no space to keep them in

our cloakrooms. Book bags for carrying reading books and other work may be

purchased from the school uniform supplier’s website.

The School Curriculum

At Elmgrove we offer a challenging and accessible curriculum that is fun, relevant

and engaging. Our aim is to develop core skills in maths, literacy and

communication whilst fostering a child’s social and emotional development. This

enables children to develop independence, take risks and think creatively and

critically.

Through our curriculum we enhance the physical, mental, spiritual, moral and cultural

development of all pupils. All school curriculum policies and planning take account

of the National Curriculum and Foundation Stage areas of learning and Religious

Education.

The approach we take is largely through topics or themes, so that the work the

children do in different ‘subjects’ is related, although additional work is often

planned, more so as your child gets older. A topic’s length can vary; from a few

weeks to a term’s worth of work. Teachers work together to plan the work that the

children will do, so that we can ensure that children are offered more challenge as

they progress through the school.

The curriculum is enhanced through educational visits, visitors and outside speakers.

French is taught in Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 and currently Year 4 have swimming lessons.

Currently Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils have the opportunity to go on a School Journey to

an Activity Centre, whilst Key Stage 1 and Year 3 have sleepovers at school.

You will receive regular information from your child’s teacher concerning the work

which the children in that year are covering.

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Children’s progress is regularly monitored and evaluated by the

teachers so as to ensure continuity throughout the school. Targets are

set for mid-year and the end of the year and shared with families. You

will receive a mid-year and end of year report about your child’s

progress and attainment. You will also be invited to Parent Evening regularly to

discuss your child’s progress.

Your child will work individually, as part of a small group or as part of the whole class,

depending on the nature of the lesson. The type of work your child does will vary: it

may be practical, investigative, problem solving, oral or written. We use a wide

range of resources in the school, eg. computers, books, calculators, parents and

other adults. Children may sometimes work in a smaller group with support staff,

away from the classroom.

Parents support the curriculum in many ways. We welcome and need parental help

on educational visits, in the classroom to support practical work, for group reading

and to walk students to their swimming lessons. We also need your help to ensure

home learning is completed on time. Every year group undertakes a number of visits

each year that will enrich the curriculum and support learning.

English Literacy development is recognised as being the essential basis for all

learning. As part of the overall English curriculum and in common with

all other schools nationally, to promote and teach good practice in

reading, writing and speaking and listening the school uses the New National

Curriculum (2014) to plan work for children across the school.

Reading is taught carefully and systematically to all children in order that they

develop the skills they will need to read with fluency and understanding. We use a

letters and sounds scheme to encourage phonic knowledge.

The school promotes a close liaison with parent/carers regarding children’s reading

and encourages children to take books home.

A clear and legible style of handwriting is taught throughout the school to develop

style and fluency.

Mathematics In Numeracy, the new National Curriculum identifies a number of year

group expectations across three aims: Problem Solving, Mathematical

Reasoning and Conceptual Understanding (becoming fluent in the

fundamentals of mathematics). A large part of mathematical work is

based on practical experience, reinforced by more formal skills that we at Elmgrove

call ‘Non-Negotiables’.

Science The aim of teaching science in our school is to build on the inherent abilities

children have as young investigators. Children then learn to discover and

understand that science provides the explanations for many phenomena in

their world. We provide opportunities for pupils to work in a scientific way,

to think as scientists, to try out their own ideas and to work collaboratively.

Through such experiences they will develop intellectually and personally, and build

on, extend and refine their scientific knowledge.

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Information and Communication Technology Pupils are taught to use ICT equipment and software confidently and

purposefully to communicate and handle information and to support

learning in different areas of the curriculum. This includes word

processing, data collections, image handling and modelling. Pupils

are also taught to develop an awareness and understanding of

control systems using devices such as the floor turtle.

All class rooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards to support teaching.

Whiteboards are also installed in every shared teaching area.

The children have access to the ICT suite which is equipped with networked

computers and laptops to support whole class weekly ICT lessons. Laptop trolleys are

also available for use within class to support children’s learning across the curriculum.

We are very fortunate to have Ipads in school to further support learning.

The children have the opportunity to use Education City, Bug Club, and My Maths at

home to support their learning in school.

Children, parents and teachers are required to follow the school’s ‘Acceptable Use

of Internet’ document which helps to safeguard all users of the Internet including the

learning platform. Awareness of ‘E-safety’ is promoted throughout the school

through lessons and assemblies.

Foundation Subjects The school has resourced a programme of Topics which ensure that requirements in

areas such as History, Geography, Art and Design Technology are covered both in

terms of subject content and work study skills. The curriculum requires that a number

of attainment targets are taught in each of the subjects.

Music Apart from music as part of the National Curriculum, many children

have the opportunity to play a musical instrument in Key Stage 2. We

have a choir which takes part in local festivals and other events during

the year. We have a designated music room and the school works

closely with the Harrow Music Service whose peripatetic teachers visit

the school on a regular basis to provide class, individual and group

lessons to children.

Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education Children are never too young to begin knowing and practising the principles of a

healthy life style. Some awareness of healthy diets, the reasons for good hygiene,

the need for periods of rest and exercise, the importance of keeping safe and the

promotion of positive personal relationships, is all woven into a series of topics

throughout the years. Drug education is undertaken in the upper school.

Sex Education Schools are required to teach the elements of sex education contained

in the science curriculum, for example; pupils are expected to learn

that humans produce offspring.

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The Foundation Stage – Nursery and Reception In the early years at Elmgrove we are concerned with building on and

valuing children’s pre-school experiences and working in partnership

with parents to develop each child to their full potential.

We believe that young children learn through:

Play Play forms a very important part of an early years curriculum as children

explore and investigate, create and imagine, solve problems and practise skills

through play experiences.

Social interaction Language is essential to all learning and children learn

language skills by interacting with adults and children in a variety of situations.

Exploration In the early years children are given opportunities to learn through first

hand experience as they learn through actively doing and solving problems

physically before being able to do this in an abstract way.

As throughout the rest of the school children are offered a broad and balanced

curriculum which is planned through topics.

Physical Education All children participate fully in gym, dance, games, swimming (Year 4

currently) and athletic activities. Through all aspects of PE, children

practise and develop movement skills, agility and co-ordination.

They are encouraged to improve their own performance to gain self-

confidence and a sense of achievement. Competition, co-

operative skills and a “team spirit” are also developed. Through PE

we focus on issues associated with health and safety.

French At Elmgrove, all children are encouraged to develop a positive attitude

towards languages learning.

French teaching takes place from Year 3 onwards and aims to develop

knowledge about the language and a bank of vocabulary and

phrases, language learning skills and an ability to use and apply those to

new contexts. The school follows the Harrow Guidelines and Syllabus for Modern

Foreign Language.

Lessons are taken by a specialist French teacher and are presented in a varied and

stimulating way. Central to the learning are speaking and listening – written work is

used to reinforce and extend learning.

Religious Education Religious Education is taught throughout the school and we follow the Harrow

Agreed Syllabus. We also draw on the rich diversity of religion and cultures found in

the school. We believe it is important for each child and their family to know their

religion will be valued and respected. Educational visits and outside speakers are

arranged regularly and form an important part of our RE curriculum.

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Throughout the school, children are encouraged to explore and discuss their ideas

about themselves, about others and about the world around them. Parents have

the right to withdraw their child from religious education. If you feel that this is

necessary, please discuss this with the Headteacher.

Collective Worship A daily assembly is held which includes an act of collective worship. The children

may meet within and across key stages, in year groups or as a class. During this we

may focus on:

stories and festivals from different faith groups

the main tenets of Christianity such as kindness and thoughtfulness

(which are shared by other faiths)

exploration of feelings and values

awareness of the beauty and wonder of the world

appreciation of others

celebrations

The school acknowledges the wishes of parents to celebrate their own religious

festivals. Indeed we do so with the children in school. However, if this involves either

taking additional holiday or fasting, you should inform the school in writing. Any

parent wishing to withdraw their child from collective worship should contact the

Headteacher to discuss the matter.

Twice during the course of the year, parents will be invited to their child’s class

assembly.

Home Learning

We believe that home learning is a valuable addition to the work children undertake

in school, and all children are encouraged to take home tasks to share with adults.

Depending on the age of the child these might include: shared reading; maths and

science tasks; simple research related to topics being studied. The frequency of

these tasks and the time needed for completion will vary. Parents are given full

information through parents meetings and newsletters.

Children with Special Educational Needs

At Elmgrove we believe that full integration of children with special educational

needs adds to the school’s strengths and enhances the provision for all children.

The majority of children will experience a need for extra help in learning at some time

during their school career. This may be related to emotional, behavioural, or

physical reasons, and may be long or short term. The needs of your child will be

identified as early as possible. The school will then follow staged procedures which

help us and you to monitor the level of support that is required. For the majority of

children this will simply involve extra support in the classroom from the class teacher.

For concerns which are long term or more complex, additional support is given.

Parents are kept fully informed throughout. Some children have a “link book” which

acts as a two way communication between home and school.

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Some children benefit from extension work to take them a little further than the

majority of their peers. Often the class teacher meets this need: sometimes children

are withdrawn for this extra work.

A small number of children in our school are allocated a member of the learning

support team. Every member of the team develops a relationship with all the

children, encouraging continuity and independence. Class teachers, learning

support co-ordinators and team members meet regularly and the team exchange

observations enabling every member of the team to extend their working knowledge

of each child.

We work with various outside professionals to additionally support our children where

necessary.

Elmgrove is additionally resourced to meet the needs of children with

physical disability who cannot attend their neighbourhood school.

Admissions depend on the decisions of the Borough’s Special Needs

Panel and reflect the opinions of parents and involved professionals. The

school building has been adapted to improve access.

We believe that all children share equal value and status. We aim to provide an

environment where appropriate teaching and support allow this to happen.

Assessment

Teachers assess the children in their class throughout the year and use the

information they gain to plan relevant work for each child. Mid year and at the end

of the year a written record of your child’s progress will be given to you. During Years

2 and 6 children are assessed using Standard Assessment Tasks and Tests (SATs) and

the results of these are given to parents. For a link to the Department for Education’s

website which gives the school’s performance tables, please visit the school website

under Information/Performance.

We hold an extended evening consultation for parents of children in Years 5 and 6

regularly at which the child’s progress and areas for development are discussed –The

additional informal meetings and telephone calls between school and parents are

very valuable and we encourage close contact between home and school.

You have the right to see your child’s records held by the school and we are also

happy to supply an extra copy if required.

Behaviour in School

Our school is a community where we believe that behaviour is based on mutual

respect, courtesy and consideration for others. We expect all children to appreciate

their own and others roles and responsibilities. We have agreed behaviour

procedures which are shared with parents/carers. Throughout the school our

Golden Values for behaviour are displayed with a range of rewards for good

behaviour. These rewards include: verbal praise, stickers, house points (which lead to

treats/rewards), celebration certificates, eligibility to take part in special events,

postcards home, and recognition from the Headteacher/Leadership Team. In

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addition, teachers develop their own class rewards, eg. individual stamps and

stickers. Our aim is to discourage unacceptable behaviour, therefore more

emphasis is placed on rewards than sanctions.

If children unfortunately do not follow the rules then there are sanctions in place

depending on the misbehaviour. These may include missing a playtime, working in

another class for one day or missing their ‘Golden Time’ on a Friday afternoon where

there is a range of fun and educational extension activities, e.g. cricket, cooking and

modelling. When a stage 3 or 4 is issued, a letter will be sent home. Where a child

requires additional support to improve their behaviour, a meeting is arranged with

the parents to put a plan and support in place to improve the child’s behaviour to

an acceptable level to meet school expectations.

Out of School Hours Club

Before school, from 8.00 a.m., and after school to 5.30 p.m. there is a club for

children in the school. Children have the opportunity to play and take

part in organised activities, in the care of experienced playworkers. A

simple breakfast is provided before school and a small snack in the

afternoon. A charge is made to cover the cost of this facility. If you

would like more information about this please ask at the school office.

Although the club can be used on an occasional, flexible basis, places are limited

and must be registered, booked and paid for in advance.

Prices are as follows:

Breakfast Club: £3.00 per session (2nd child charged £2.50)

After School Club: £6.50 per session (2nd child charged £5.50)

Extended School Activities

Extra-curricular activities take place throughout the year. Over the past academic

year we have provided football, netball, cricket, badminton, recorders, wind band,

string group, dance, singing and theatre, multi-skills, healthy cooking, art, homework,

plastic modelling, Lego, craft, maths and ICT clubs. We are very proud of our

musical and sporting achievements and try to encourage these extra interests with

the children whenever possible. Activities are run by outside providers and school

staff. There is often a charge for these activities. Information about extra-curricular

activities is sent home on a regular basis.

Visiting teachers provide tuition for children in Years 3-6 in woodwind, brass, violin,

steel pans, guitar, keyboard and tabla. Places are limited and requests for lessons

should be made to the Headteacher.

The Parent Staff Association

All parents are automatically members of the Association when their child starts at

Elmgrove Primary School. The Association is very active in organising social events

and raising money for the school by organising many fund raising and social events

during the school year. Everyone is welcome to the events and any support parents

can give to the Association would be gratefully received. If you are interested in

finding out more about the PSA, please contact the school office.

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News and Special Occasions

Information about forthcoming events, educational visits and diary dates

is sent home each Friday, as far as possible to your e-mail address.

Should you not have an e-mail address, your child will bring home a

paper copy of the newsletter which is also posted on the school website.

Individual class letters regarding swimming, educational visits and assemblies are also

sent to parents/carers from time to time. Reminders and information is texted to

parents/carers. This is particularly beneficial when a club needs to be

cancelled at short notice. Parents/carers are encouraged to attend a

variety of special events, such as school concerts, class assemblies and a

summer picnic. Occasionally leaflets about external events and activities

will be sent home for parents/carers; the school is not recommending this

information, but making if available for parents/carers.

Home School Links

We know that education is a partnership between home and school

and we would like you to be involved in school life as much as

possible.

You will be invited to a meeting for parents of children new to the

School or Nursery during the term before your child starts school to

discuss the organisation of the Nursery or Reception classes, meet the adults who will

be working with your child and raise any questions you may have.

We have a consultation meeting each term which is a chance for you to meet the

teacher individually, and also informal meetings most half terms. Each year as your

child moves into a new class you will be invited to a meeting in September and hear

a little about the way in which the class will be organised. Newsletters are sent home

regularly with general information for all parents, and each year group sends

information about the topics the children are studying, and how parents can help

their child. Children will bring learning home to share with parents. Parents are

invited to class assemblies and concerts during the year.

We offer meetings and workshops on an occasional basis which

focus on different aspects of the school curriculum, the ways in

which we aim to teach and how we expect the children to learn.

We encourage parents to come in to help in school, on a regular

or occasional basis. This gives you an opportunity to see how the

school runs on an every day level, and it is invaluable for the children

to have extra adults working with them. We always ask for parental help for our

educational visits - in fact we couldn’t offer visits out of school without parental help.

Parents helping on a regular basis are required to complete a DBS (police check)

and sign a voluntary helper agreement.

We hope you will feel able to come in and talk to us. Parents/carers are welcome to

make enquiries on any matter, small or large, by letter, telephone or in person. Often

enquiries can be dealt with on the spot, although it is sometimes necessary to

arrange an appointment to talk the matter through in more detail. Your child’s

teacher or the school office will be able to answer most of your questions, and will

normally be your first point of contact. However, the Headteacher, Deputy or

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Assistant Headteachers are always willing to meet with parents/carers to discuss any

subject they wish to raise.

All visitors to the school should report to the school office for security reasons. If a

parent is on site for a length of time, s/he will be given a visitor’s badge, which should

be worn while on site and handed in when leaving.

The next page is your copy of the Home and School Partnership Agreement.

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Elmgrove Primary School and Nursery Home and School Partnership Agreement

The school will:

Care for your child’s safety and happiness;

Help your child to take advantage of the opportunities school offers to achieve his/her

potential as a valued member of the school community;

Provide a broad and balanced curriculum;

Encourage your child to be independent and develop a sense of responsibility including

taking care of the environment and those around them;

Inform you about your child’s progress through termly open evenings and annual reports;

Inform you about what we aim to teach and what is happening in school through regular

newsletters;

Be open and welcoming, offering opportunities for you to become involved in the life of

the school;

Strive to meet the school targets and improve on previous achievements.

The family will:

Read the information provided by the school;

Make sure that your child arrives at school on time and is collected promptly preferably

by an adult over 16 years of age (Nursery and Key Stage 1);

Make sure that your child attends regularly and inform the school on the first morning

of any absence;

Make sure your child wears school uniform, has a P.E. kit in school and brings relevant

items for the day;

Support and encourage your child in all home learning activities;

Attend meetings to discuss your child’s progress and learn more about what he or she

does in school;

When possible, attend other school events to support your child;

Be positive about the school to your child;

Conduct themselves politely and appropriately on the school premises.

Together we will:

Tackle any difficulties and special learning needs;

Support your child’s learning to help him or her achieve his or her best;

Encourage your child to keep the school’s rules.

The child will:

Keep the Golden Values;

Take care of the equipment and buildings;

Bring all the equipment he/she needs to school every day;

Wear the school uniform and be tidy in appearance;

Do all class work and home learning as well as he/she can;

Attend school regularly and on time and make the most of his or her time and

opportunities at school;

Be respectful towards other people regardless of ability, age, race, gender or religion.

Signed

For the school

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Attendance

We expect the children to be in school each day and on time so that they can learn

as much as possible. We will only authorise absence in the case of a child’s illness, or

in very exceptional circumstances. Any other absence has to be recorded as

unauthorised. If your child has a medical appointment, please let us know before

the date. Children should not be taken out of school for holidays. The Local

Authority wish parents to know that “sanctions could be imposed including: Your

child could lose their place; You could face a penalty fine; You could be subject to

legal action by the authority.”. Please see our Attendance Policy for further details.

If a pupil is late they need to sign in the late book outside the school office. Any

child arriving at school after the register is officially closed (at 9:30 am) will need a

note from home.

The school is able to authorise absence for religious reasons, up to three days in each

academic year. These need to be important set dates, recognised as major events

in any particular religion.

School staff will investigate any child with a high absence rate and, if necessary, the

LA Education Welfare Officer will become involved. Parents whose child’s level of

attendance is a cause for concern will be required to meet with a senior member of

staff to discuss how this can be improved. You will be kept informed about your

child’s attendance through letters home.

Attendance is recorded on your child’s annual report and although

we aim to reduce school absence rates every year, we depend on

the co-operation of parents to achieve this. Please do not keep

your child out of school unless it is absolutely unavoidable. After

all, we cannot teach children who are not in school and missed

lessons can never be replaced.

Absence, Accidents and Sickness

If your child is going to be absent, please notify the school immediately, by a visit at

the beginning of the day or a telephone message with the reason for absence. If a

child is absent and we receive no explanation, you may be contacted during the

day. On returning to school, a note should be sent in to confirm the child’s absence.

Any absences not explained counts as an unauthorised absence.

We have Welfare Assistants who are qualified First Aiders. We will only

give medicine to children who need it on a long term basis, for example

asthma medication. Children with asthma should keep a labelled

inhaler in school in case of an emergency, and parents/carers must

complete an asthma notification sheet. We cannot take responsibility for

giving any other medication. Any child requiring a lunchtime dose of medicine may

go home at lunchtime, or you can come in to school to administer the medicine.

Children must never be sent to school with any form of medication; an adult must

bring the medication to school, hand it to a member of the school staff, and

complete the relevant authorisation forms. Please ensure the school is aware of any

medical condition that your child may have.

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Of course, the school will advise parents if they feel that your child is too unwell for

normal school life, and parents must be prepared to collect their child in such

circumstances. We are unable to allow the children to leave the premises

unaccompanied during the school day. For this reason, it is essential that up to date

emergency contact numbers are left with the school office.

Children who are well enough to be in school should take part in all the usual

activities including Physical Education and playtimes. If you feel that there are very

special circumstances which make this difficult for your child please contact the

Headteacher.

Travelling to School

Children are never too young to begin knowing and practising the principles of a

healthy life style. As part of the school’s travel plan, we encourage parents and

pupils to walk to school, or perhaps to come by bicycle or scooter, where at all

possible. The school has 2 dedicated bike/scooter/buggy parks on the premises and

we would just ask that any items left there are named and secured to the rack.

Parking is very difficult in Kenmore Avenue so we would encourage pupils and

parents to use public transport rather than driving to school. Elmgrove is mainly

served by the H9 and H10 bus route.

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School Security and Vehicle Access

The safety of all children is our greatest concern. The two sets of

pedestrian gates are locked at 9:00 am and unlocked at 3:00 pm. This

enables parents/carers to deliver and collect children easily at the

beginning and end of the day. It also creates the opportunity for children

to be supervised effectively throughout the day. Should you need to visit us during

the school day, please press the buzzer at the gate to speak to a member of the

office team, and again at the main entrance door to gain entry.

Our staff car park is accessed through the barrier. In general, parents are

not permitted to park in the school car park. Parents who wish to park on

the school site, for example to collect a child with a physical disability, are

requested to write to the Headteacher. This will be discussed with the

Chair of the Governing Body.

Please can all parents respect the safety of everyone by never parking on the zigzag

lines or blocking access to the school for the emergency services; please keep the

double gates and mini roundabout clear. This is safer for all our children.

Documents open to view by parents

The following documents are available for parents to view:

- School curriculum policies

- School safeguarding policies (on website)

- A full copy of the complaints procedure

- The Harrow agreed syllabus for Religious Education

- Any statutory instruments and circulars sent to the School by the Department

for Education and Employment

- The Local Authority’s policy statement

- School Behaviour Policy (on website)

If you would like to see any of these documents please contact the Headteacher.

We will be very pleased to talk with you about any aspect of the school.

Complaints Procedure

If you have any concern about your child in school we would like you to come and

see the class teacher or the Headteacher so that the matter can be discussed. We

can then work together to plan the best way to help your child achieve and enjoy

the time at school.

If you feel that your concern cannot be resolved through this procedure you may

wish to see a member of the Governing Body. A copy of the formal complaint

procedure may be obtained on request from the school.

If you would like this information translated into another language, please contact

the school.

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School Council

Each class is represented on the School Council. The meetings, which are held

regularly, are chaired by a member of staff or one of the councillors. Various issues

are discussed, including points made by the ‘class councils’, fundraising initiatives

and school developments. Through the Council, pupils have been given a more

formal opportunity to be involved in how the school works, which they are

enthusiastically taking.

Additional Information

Each year there is additional information that is not included in this brochure due to

the data not being available at the time this document is printed. The additional

information for parents will include attendance rates, and Key Stage 1 and 2 SATs

results. This will be circulated to all parents as soon as it is available.

Childrens Centre

We are fortunate to have the Elmgrove Children’s Centre on our site.

For more information on the various sessions currently being run, please

contact 020 8907 4941 or look on the notice board.

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Primary School and Nursery Responsible Internet and Computer Network Use

The school has installed computers and internet access to help learning. These rules will keep everyone safe and help us to be fair to others.

I will only access the system with my own login and password, which I will keep a secret.

I will not access other people’s files.

I will not bring in any CD or pen drive from outside school unless I have asked my teacher.

I will only use the computers for school work.

I will ask permission from a member of staff before using the internet.

I will only e-mail people I know, or my teacher has approved.

The messages I send will be polite and responsible.

I will not give my home address or telephone number, or arrange to meet anyone.

I will report any unpleasant material or messages sent to me. I understand my report would be confidential and would help protect other pupils and myself.

I understand the school will check my computer files and monitor the internet sites I visit.

Sanctions

1. Violations of the above rules will result in a temporary or permanent ban on the internet or computer network use.

2. Additional disciplinary action may be added in line with existing practice on inappropriate language or behaviour.

3. When applicable, police or local authorities may be involved.

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FAIR PROCESSING NOTICE – LAYER ONE

Elmgrove Primary School & Nursery processes personal data about its pupils and is a

“data controller” in respect of this for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. It

processes this data to:

support its pupils’ teaching and learning;

monitor and report on their progress;

provide appropriate pastoral care, and

assess how well the school as a whole is doing.

This data includes contact details, national curriculum assessment results,

attendance information, characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational

needs and any relevant medical information.

This data may only be used or passed on for specific purposes allowed by law. From

time to time the school is required to pass on some of this data to local authorities,

the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), and to agencies that are

prescribed by law, such as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA),

Ofsted, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Department of Health (DH), Primary

Care Trusts (PCT). All these are data controllers in respect of the data they receive,

and are subject to the same legal constraints in how they deal with the data.

The Fair Processing Notice has been prepared at a time of change with the

restructuring of the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Trade

and Industry into three new Departments: the Department for Children, Schools and

Families (DCSF), the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the

Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulator Reform (DBERR). It may be that,

[during the period covered by this FPN], steps will be taken to enable the DCSF to

match individual pupil information with higher and further education attainment

data held by the DIUS.

Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act, including

a general right to be given access to personal data held about them by any data

controller. The presumption is that by the age of 12 a child has sufficient maturity to

understand their rights and to make an access request themselves if they wish. A

parent would normally be expected to make a request on a child’s behalf if the

child is younger.

If you wish to access your personal data, or that of your child, then please contact

the relevant organisation in writing. Details of these organisations can be found on

the website www.harrow.gov.uk or for those pupils/parents where this is not practical,

a hard copy can be obtained from the School. Please contact Mrs Deborah

Campbell, School Office.

Your attention is drawn to Layer 2 of this Fair Processing Notice, which gives

supplementary information about the processing of pupil data by the organisations

mentioned above, and to the Full Notice (Layer 3) which gives greater details of how

the pupil data is processed and the rights of parents and pupils. Either can be

obtained by requesting a copy from the School Office.