Millfield Primary School
Information for Parents
2010 – 2011
Grange Lane, Littleport, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 1HW
Telephone: 01353 861612/863335
Fax: 01353 861635
Email: office@millfield.cambs.sch.uk
Website: Work In progress
Head Teacher: Mrs. Deborah Hannaford
Chair of Governors: Mr. Philip Taylor
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Contents
Page
3.
Aims
4.
Staff
5.
Governors
6.
Admission
8.
School Ethos
9.
School Curriculum
11.
Assessment
13.
Behaviour Management
17.
General Information
 Uniform
 School Day
 School Meals
 Medicines
 Absence
 Severe Weather Conditions
 Health & Safety
 Religious Education
 School Journeys
20.
Attendance
3
Millfield Primary School
Our Aims
At Millfield all staff, governors and children work together in an atmosphere of
harmony, respect, co-operation and fairness:
To provide a safe, secure environment where everyone feels valued, which includes the
development of appropriate behaviour and social skills.
To value and encourage the contribution of all staff, governors and parents/carers.
To offer a broad, balanced and creative curriculum.
To encourage children to be actively involved in the process of motivating and stimulating
learning, challenging all children to have high expectations to achieve their personal best.
To ensure your child gains maximum enjoyment and benefit from his or her education we
ask you to actively support these aims.
We are committed to the Every Child Matters agenda which is the Government’s vision
for childrens services.
 Be healthy
 Stay safe
 Enjoy and achieve
 Make a positive contribution
 Achieve economic well being
Mrs Deborah Hannaford
Headteacher
Mr Philip Taylor
Chair of Governors
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School Staff
Teachers:
Mrs Deborah Hannaford - Headteacher
Ms Sian Ayliffe
Mr Barney Brown
Mrs Toni Burgess
Mrs Rachel Cook
Mrs Sian Dilly
Ms Vic Holder
Mr Scott Horsley
Mrs Fiona Lowe
Mrs Emma Moffat
Mrs Jenny Newman
Mrs Fay Thompson
Learning Support
Mrs Amanda Freeman
Mrs Melanie Hennebry
Mr Sam Hodson
Mrs Tracey Lee
Mrs Carol Lyon
Mrs Carolyn Payne
Mrs Shane Thornhill
Mrs Janet Tomba
Mrs Leanne Weller
Office Administrator:
Secretary:
Mid-Day Supervisors:
Mrs Jacqui Nyiri
Mrs Amanda Bidecant
Mr Graham Butcher
Mrs Jane Doyle
Mrs Carol Harvey
Mr Sam Hodgson
Mrs Trudie O’Neill
Mrs Gwen Pepper
Mrs Nicola Prosser
Kitchen Staff:
Mrs Rosa Carter
Mrs Julie Appleby
Caretaker:
School Crossing Patrol:
Cleaners:
Mr Graham Butcher
Mrs Tracey Braddick
Mrs Tracey Braddick/ Mrs Carol Harvey
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Governors
Mrs Deborah Hannaford – Headteacher
Mr Scott Horsley – Staff Governor
Mr Ian Dulgarn – Vice-Chairman, Community Governor
Mrs Emma Gunbie – Parent Governor
Mrs Kara Miller – Community Governor
Ms Vic Holder – Teacher Governor
Mr Matt Holmes – Parent Governor
Mr Philip Taylor – Chairman, Community Governor
Tracey Tillett - Parent governor
Mrs Lisa Simmonds – Parent Governor
Mrs Amanda Bidecant - Clerk
School Governing Body
The governors’ remit is to provide a strategic overview of where the school is heading; to
act as a critical friend to the school, and to hold the school accountable for the educational
standards it achieves and the quality of education it provides. They meet once a term with
committees meeting more frequently, to discuss issues of personnel, finance, curriculum
and premises.
The governing body is made up of parents, staff, Education Authority and community
governors.
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Admissions
Admission to school
Starting primary school is a very important step for young children. It is essential that the
experience is a happy and exciting one and we work hard to achieve this. We welcome
the opportunity to meet you and your child long before admission time.
Admission to Reception Class
Children who have their 5th birthday between 1st September and 31st August of a school
year start school in September. All the children will be part-time when they start school
and will spend either the morning or the afternoon session in school. All children at
Millfield are offered full-time places from the October half-term. Parents may wish to
defer the place in agreement with the Headteacher, however all children must be full-time
by the end of the term in which they reach their 5th birthday.
An extensive induction period is undertaken during the summer term, including liaison
by our staff with local pre-school playgroups, children’s visits to class, parent meetings
and one to one parent/teacher interviews.
Admission to other year groups:
Children will start school in September or at any other convenient time if moving from
another school, provided there is a place available in their designated year group. Our
aim is to keep class sizes at around 30 pupils.
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Cambridge County Council Education Department
Admission criteria in the event of over subscription
In the event of over-subscription preference will be given according to the following
criteria:
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Children who are in public care
Children with a statement of educational need which names the school or for whom
this is the only school that can meet their long-term medical needs.
Children living in the catchment area of the school with a sibling at the school at the
time of admission.
Children living in the catchment area of the school.
Children living outside the catchment area who have been unable to gain a place at
their catchment area school because of over-subscription.
Children living outside the catchment area with a sibling at the school at the time of
admission.
Children from outside the catchment area.
Within this category priority consideration would be given first to any children unable to
gain access to their local school because of over-subscription.
(Note: if there is no alternative school within statutory walking distance by a safe route
then the LEA would consider whether this was a case for reviewing the schools capacity
or providing transport to another school.)
Appeals
If admission is refused owing to the school having reached its published admission limit
and capacity, the parent has the right of appeal to an independent appeals committee. The
appeals committee can allow a place for the child even if the school is full, if the committee
believes that the child or family’s case is sufficiently strong.
For further advice on School Admission please consult Cambridgeshire County Council
Admissions Department 01223 699200.
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School Ethos
“Learning for Life”
To have the skills to work alone and be part of a group
To give all the children the confidence to believe in themselves, so that they
realise their full potential.
To learn about, use and respect our local area, and the people who live in it.
For staff and children to see the value of the outdoor environment as an
extension to the classroom.
To have fun and enjoy our learning
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School Curriculum
Our aims are translated into action through a carefully designed and balanced curriculum.
Each member of staff participates in its overall design and contributes his/her expertise,
interests and talents to its development.
The curriculum will serve to develop the pupil as an individual, as a member of society
and as a member of the community.
Work is usually arranged around themes/topics and in the course of the year will cover
the following:
English – following the National Literacy Strategy
Maths – following the National Numeracy Strategy
Science
ICT (Information and Communication Technology)
Design technology
History
Geography
Art
Music
PE (Physical Education)
RE (Religious Education)
PHSE (Personal, Health and Social Education)
Sex Education
The learning programmes covered by the children are divided into Key Stages (see table
below). At Millfield we cover the end of the Foundation stage, the whole of Key stage 1
and Key stage 2.
Age
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
Stage
Foundation
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Year
Tests/Assessment
Reception
Foundation Stage Profile
Year 1
Year 2 Teacher assessment in English and Maths
Year 3 Teacher assessments
Year 4 Teacher assessments
Year 5 Teacher assessments
Year 6 National tests in English and Maths
The children spend about 23 hours per week on the following curriculum areas. These are
sometimes taught in isolation, but often a theme or topic is used to encompass many
different areas of the curriculum i.e. Victorians – History, Drama, Art, Numeracy, ICT,
Music.
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We aim to provide a stimulating curriculum that is both relevant and balanced. The
National Curriculum sets out targets or expectations for different year groups. Our
curriculum is planned to meet those targets. Work is carefully planned to meet the needs
of individual children so that each stage of learning is matched to their ability and
maturity.
The school has a Curriculum Map that outlines what your child will study each year, this
is available for inspection on request. At the beginning of each term, a curriculum
summary will be provided. If you would like to know more about what you child is
learning, please ask the class teacher who will be happy to share their plans with you.
In the reception class the areas covered relate to the Government Early Learning Goals for
the early years – again copies of these can be viewed in school.
Complaints
If a parent feels the need to express concern over the school curriculum, the procedure
would be to approach the class teacher first. Should there still be cause for concern the
next stage of the procedure would be to contact the Headteacher.
Complaints are nearly always resolved at this stage. However, should the parent wish to
pursue the complain further, they may make a formal complaint to the school’s Governing
Body. A parent may then take their complaint to the attention of the LEA.
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Assessment
We believe it to be important to monitor children’s progress throughout their time with us.
Therefore, in addition to the statutory assessment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 we have
a policy of continuous teacher assessment against National Curriculum targets and
standardised scores in English and Maths.
If we feel any child has a particular problem we try and offer extra help from within our
school resources; if this proves inadequate, with parental permission, we call in support
from other agencies.
Inclusion
The school have a policy for supporting children with special education needs which is
revised each year. This policy is available from the school office. Our aim is for all
children to have access to all aspects of school life, as far as is reasonable and practicable.
We aim to prevent disabled pupils in our school being placed at a substantial
disadvantage. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that people with a disability are
not treated differently without lawful justification. We will make reasonable adjustments
for disabled pupils and have succeeded when disable pupils are participating fully in
school life.
In order for effective partnership working between home and school to take place, we
anticipate parents will want to:
 Inform the school at the earliest opportunity if their child has a disability and the exact
nature of it;
 Provide any information the school needs to plan effectively for the child to be a full
member of the school community;
 Acknowledge that when deciding whether an adjustment is reasonable, one of the
factors the Headteacher must consider is the effect of the proposed change of all
members of the school community;
 Recognise the importance of school and home working in partnership.
Special Educational Needs
When the progress of a child falls outside the range normally expected for their age by
being significantly above below the relevant level, he/she is observed in order to evaluate
where difficulties may be occurring. Particular support and programmes are developed
for individual children. The same applies to any child who displays an emotional or
behavioural problem.
In some cases the advice of the Cambridge Access and Inclusion Specialist Teaching
Service and/or the area Educational Psychologist will be sought.
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Parents will always be consulted and kept fully informed should such action be
considered necessary. Parents will also be given copies of any referrals to these agencies.
Very able children are also given special consideration. Work is often ‘open ended’ so that
all abilities can be catered for. Topics and themes are planned so that areas of work can be
approached at different levels, making them stimulating and challenging to all children.
Reports on your child’s progress
At the end of each school year the children bring home a report detailing their progress.
You will also be offered an appointment to speak with your child’s teacher in the Autumn
and Spring terms.
Please remember that you do not have to wait to be invited into school, we welcome your
comments and queries as and when they arise.
Partnership with Parents
The school is committed to an active partnership with parents. We encourage your active
participation through:
 The active parent-school association (MSA) which involves parents and staff
throughout the year in fund raising and social events.
 A booklet sent home early in each term outlining the curriculum to be covered by each
class.
 Encouraging parents to assist in classrooms and on educational visits. If you would
like to help in class, please see the class teacher.
 Open afternoons in the spring and summer terms.
 Parents Forum which provides an opportunity to meet the Headteacher and exchange
views on educational issues.
 A non-denominational assembly of appropriate 15 minutes is held each day. On
Fridays parents and friend are invited to join us for our weekly Class Assembly. This
assembly starts at 2.30am.
 Parent governors
 Out of school clubs/activities – sharing your skills
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Millfield Behaviour Management
The importance of good behaviour cannot be over-estimated in our view. Parents, staff
and pupils all enjoy the happy social community at Millfield and wish to maintain this
through the help of all involved.
We aim to:
 Create an atmosphere in which children are encouraged to value themselves and other
regardless of gender, age, appearance, ethnicity and have access to all learning
experiences that the school offers.
 Have a school that is safe, secure and free from abuse.
We are particularly concerned with good behaviour and we ask for your co-operation. We
believe that good behaviour needs to be carefully developed. It is too important to left to
chance. Children learn best when they are clear about what they are supposed to do and
then they are continually and consistently encouraged to do it. Children also respond to
positive attention through praise.
How we encourage good behaviour:
 Children negotiating their class rules and therefore having an understanding of them
 Negotiation of playground rules
 Recognition of good behaviour
 Constructive criticism
 Demonstrations and explanations of the behaviour we wish to see by everyone
 Calm and responsive action by adults and children alike
 Encouraging children to be responsible for their own behaviour
 Letting parents know about their children’s good behaviour
We believe that good behaviour should be recognised and some ways include:
 A positive comment
 Certificates
 Stamps and stickers
 Mention in assemblies
 Privileges
 Star/person of the week
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Stopping Inappropriate Behaviour
Occasionally children forget out aims for good behaviour and are inconsiderate towards
others. Everyone at Millfield has agreed to try and prevent this happening by:
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Reminding children of our school aims
Noticing good behaviour as it occurs
Sometimes this may not be enough and depending upon the situation, it may be necessary
to deal with persistent misbehaviour by following these steps:
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Dealt with by class teacher or lunchtime supervisor.
Referred to Headteacher, parents informed if necessary.
The bottom line is that the safety and well being of all our children is paramount and will
not be compromised by the inappropriate actions of anyone.
If you need further information on any of the above points please contact your class
teacher or the Headteacher.
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General Information
Uniform
Children are expected to wear school uniform. Clothing embroidered with the school
name and logo can be ordered through the school office and/or Millfield School
Association. An order form is included in this pack for your convenience.
Boys:
White/pale blue shirt or polo shirt
Ocean blue sweatshirt
Grey/black trousers or shorts
Girls:
White/pale blue blouse or polo shirt
Ocean blue sweatshirt/cardigan
Grey/black trousers or skirt
Blue/white check dress (summer)
PE:
Plain blue t-shirt and black/blue shorts (No designer labels please)
PE kits should be kept in school during term time.
Trainers are not permitted. Shoes, boots or sandals, which should be dark in colour.
The school day
School hours are 8.45am– 3pm.
Children should not arrive at school before 8.40am, from which time children in
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are invited in with their parents to participate in settling
activities.
A member of staff will be on duty from 8.35am both playgrounds. The whistle will be
blown at 8.45am and all doors then opened. If it is raining heavily, doors will be opened
at 8.40am. A member of staff will also be on duty on the Key Stage 2 playground from
3pm until 3.10pm. Parents can wait near the children’s classroom to collect them. If you
need to talk to the teacher he/she is usually available at the end of the day for a few
minutes. If you would like a longer meeting please ask for an appointment which he/she
will gladly make at the earliest convenience time. Anything urgent can also be left as a
message on a teacher’s voicemail service, via the school office.
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All the children have a 15 minute mid-morning break, when it is strongly recommended
that all children eat a healthy snack such as fruit or nuts, as well as have a still drink – it’s
an awfully long time until lunch!
School Meals
Lunch hour is 12pm-1pm.
Hot lunches are available to all children attending school full-time at a cost of £2 per day.
A nourishing well balanced meal is served and meals are prepared and cooked on site by
Mrs Carter. Children have a choice of two main courses or a salad, and a choice of
desserts.
Money for all meals be paid for by cheque, made payable to Millfield Primary.
Payment should be on a first day of the week on a monthly or weekly basis. This
payment should be in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and class, indicating
what days/dates they require the meals.
If your child is absent, credit for the missed meals is carried forward to the following
week.
If you are on Income Support or Family Credit you could be eligible for Free School Means
and an application form is available from the school office.
Alternatively your child may bring packed lunch in a suitably named container. Please
include a balanced meal and a suitable drink. Please do not send your child to school with
a hot drink, or any drink in a glass bottle or tin can. Also sweets are not permitted in
lunch boxes.
Children who go home for lunch should not return to school until 1pm as adult
supervision is provided only for the number of children remaining on site for the lunch
period.
Medicines in school
Medicines cannot normally be administered at school and on no account should they be
given to your child or left with the class teacher. If your child has medication on a longterm basis please see the ladies in the School Office to make arrangements for him/her to
take the medicine in school. The exception to this is inhalers, which your child can selfadminister. Please inform the school if this is the case for your child.
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Children who are not well
Please do not send your child to school if she/he is unwell. Contact the school on the first
day
of
sickness
before
10am
on
01353
861612
or
email
abidecant@millfield.cambs.sch.uk. If your child has a continuous cold or cough it is
generally best to keep her/him at home as it is unreasonable to expect children to function
properly when they are unwell. Also such conditions spread rapidly, resulting in large
numbers of other individuals suffering too. If your child has sickness or diarrhoea then
she/he must remain at home for 24 hours after the symptoms have stopped.
If your child appears unwell or has an accident during the school day we will contact you
immediately, so please ensure that any change of address or telephone numbers are
passed onto the school office. Alternative contact names and numbers must also be given
to our office, together with details of any allergies or medical conditions.
The school nurse is Lisa Beary and she can be contacted at St Georges Medical Centre,
01353 864100.
Allergies
Food allergy forms must be completed for each child. This enables us to use foodstuffs in
lessons with confidence and also to be safe on trips. You must inform us of any changes to
your child’s allergies.
Accidents in School
All minor incidents that require first aid are recorded and dealt with by a member of staff
who is a qualified first aider. If necessary, a letter is sent home with a child to inform
parents of any head injuries.
Severe Weather Conditions
It is possible that in extreme weather conditions part or all of the school may be closed.
When the weather is bad please listen to the school reports on local radio stations; Star
107.9 FM or Heart 103 FM. In extreme weather conditions please do not send your child to
school unaccompanied – he/she will need to be returned home with a responsible adult.
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Child Protection
It may be helpful for parents/carers to know that the law (Children Act 1989) requires all
school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare,
including risk from non-accidental injury, neglect, emotional or sexual abuse. The staff
will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer, and where possible
seek their consent to a referral to social services. This will only be done where such
discussion and agreement-seeking will not place the child at increased risk of
significant harm. Schools are encouraged to take the attitude that where there are
grounds for concern they should be very cautious, and seek advice from Social Services,
rather than to risk a child’s safety. Occasionally, this duty means that a concern is passed
on which is later shown to be unfounded. It is hoped that parents/carers will appreciate
how difficult it is for schools to carry out this delicate responsibility, and accept that the
Headteacher was acting in good faith and in the best interests of all children. All our staff
and volunteers undergo rigorous Criminal Records Bureau.
The school’s expectations of governors/parents/carers/members of the public:
The school can expect parents/carers/members of the public who wish to raise problems
with the school to:
 treat all school staff with courtesy and respect
 respect the needs and well-being of pupils and staff within the school
 avoid any use, or threatened use, of violence to people or property
 avoid any aggression or verbal abuse
 recognise the time constraints under which members of staff in schools work and allow
the school a reasonable time to respond
 recognise that resolving a specific problem can sometimes take some time
 (in the case of a complaint) follow the school’s complaint procedure
R.E.
Religious Education taught at Millfield is based on the Agreed Syllabus for Cambridge.
Parents have the legal right to withdraw their children from R.E. and from assemblies.
Parent should discuss this with the Headteacher first.
Sex Education
The Governors have approved the Sex Education Policy. Parents have the right to
withdraw their children from sex education classes, but should discuss this with the
Headteacher first. Sex Education forms part of the PSHE curriculum and is taught by the
class teacher from Foundation to Year 6. More explicit information is taught by the school
nurse in Years 5/6. Parents may view the teaching materials upon request.
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Health and Safety
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Please notify the school immediately of any changes to relevant information e.g
address, telephone number, doctor, emergency contract numbers, etc
Dogs, with the exception of disability dogs, are not allowed on the premises including
the car park and playground, even those on a lead.
The school and its grounds have been designated a NO SMOKING AREA. We would
ask all parents to co-operate with this decision.
Jewellery should not be worn to school. This is for your child’s safety. Stud earrings
are permitted but must be removed or covered with tape, or left at home for PE
sessions.
Whenever possible arrive at school on foot. Cycle racks are provided for children and
parents to use. Cycling is not permitted within the school grounds.
Parents dropping off and collecting children by car should not leave their vehicle on
the yellow lines outside the school property from 8.30am-9am or 2.45pm-3.15pm, or in
the school gateway. Parents are not permitted to park in the school car park unless
they are a disabled badge holder. PCOs regularly monitor the parking situation and
issue tickets.
School Journeys and Residential Visits
As an important part of their learning, children are taken for day trips or on extended
residential visits when they are older. All visits are planned carefully with the children’s
safety paramount, including risk assessments. Parents are given advanced warning of
arrangements for all visits of a day or longer. Short local visits on foot may not be
announced and parents are asked to complete a general permission form to cover all such
events.
Governors have formulated a policy on charging for school activities, as required by law,
and a copy is available on request. In short, parents are invited to contribute towards the
cost of a school visit held during normal school hours and will not be penalised for not
doing so. Some trips may be cancelled however if the funding is insufficient.
Attendance
 All children are required by law to attend regularly and punctually
 Absences should be kept to a minimum
 All absences must be explained by parents
 Children who arrive late should report to the school office. If children arrive late and
fail to provide a satisfactory explanation they may be recorded as unauthorised absent
for that session.
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If you child fails to arrive at school we will assume they are absent. A note, telephone call,
personal message or email on the first day of absence should explain all absences. We
have to record a reason for every absence in the class registers and to list any
unauthorised/unexplained absence. Your child’s attendance is recorded on their end of
year report.
Holidays
The legal framework is that schools are not required to authorise absence for term-time
holidays, although they do have the discretion to grant up to 10 school days in any school
year. (Schools cannot authorise more than ten school days absence in any one school year
unless there are exceptional circumstances.)
We are keen to ensure that we promote the highest attendance possible for all our young
people as this is a fundamental life skill that will ensure young people’s future success.
Not only it is vital that our young people establish the very best habits and routines to
ensure their success as future employees but there is also very clear national data that
clearly shows the impact that poor attendance has on young people achieving the best
possible outcomes and educational achievements. In short, if children are not at school we
cannot teach them and this will affect their academic achievement at all levels.
-
As a result of this we are taking a very firm and consistent view when parents seek
permission for an absence from school for their child due to circumstances other than
genuine illness. All parents can expect that all requests from parents seeking
permission for leave of absence for their child will be refused and therefore
unauthorised. As you will be aware permission may be sought where there are
exceptional circumstances such attending the funeral of a close family relative.
Absence Figures
The absence figures for the period 2010/11 are:
Total authorised absences:4.7%
Total unauthorised absences: 1.7%
DISCLAIMER
The information in this prospectus relates to the school year 2010/11 and was correct at the
time of publishing. Changes to the published information may change at a future date. If
you have any comments about the contact of this prospectus, we will be placed to receive
them.
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