Live, Love, Learn
Prospectus
September 2015
Head teacher: Gillian Harrington
Church Lane,
Great Kimble,
Near Aylesbury,
Bucks .
HP17 9TH
Tel: 01844 346189
Email: office@greatkimble.bucks.sch.uk
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Practical Details and Classifications of School
Great Kimble Church of England School has provided high quality education since
1854. The School is housed in a traditional Victorian building within the village of
Great Kimble, a short distance from St. Nicholas' Church. In August 2009 the
adjoining old school house was demolished and a new extension was completed in
March 2010. Bucks County Council have recently bought a neighbouring property
with a view to expanding the school to incorporate Key Stage 2 pupils, ie from
ages 4+ to 11. We are awaiting the final decision for this important change.
The School is approached along Church Lane, turning off the A4010, and is
situated within an area of outstanding natural beauty.
We are a voluntary controlled school, and as such we enjoy close links with the
church. Staff lead collective worship daily with regular visits from the Rector of
St Nicholas’ Church and the Free Church. We hold our school celebrations in St.
Nicholas’ Church, to share many activities such as Harvest Festival, Christmas,
Easter and Mother's Day with our parents.
The School is an integral part of our community, and we use the surrounding area
in order to allow the children maximum access to all areas of the National
Curriculum. Since September 2012 the school has received in trust a piece of
meadow land which we are slowly turning into a nature reserve: this is a wonderful
addition to our facilities. We call this land ‘Smokey Row’.
Great Kimble is an Infant School presently accommodating 70 children from 4+ to
7+.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Ethos and Values
Our school welcomes all children into a caring, Christian community where
each child matters, and is valued for their individuality.
We embrace children from all cultures and faiths, and those with no religious
beliefs. We foster kindness, empathy for others, tolerance, a clear
understanding of right and wrong whilst together sharing the joy of learning.
The values which underpin all that we do were chosen by the children, staff and
governors and are explored through our daily collective worship, RE and PSHE. Our
current values are:
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Forgiveness
Respect
Thankfulness
Endurance
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Introduction
Thank you for taking an interest in Great Kimble School. I hope you find the
information contained in this prospectus useful. We have aimed to portray our
school as clearly and honestly as we can, but the Governors, Staff and I are
aware that a booklet is only an introduction.
The mission of Great Kimble School is to provide a caring, Christian community
where all children are educated to become confident, happy, successful,
independent learners. We believe that effort and attitude towards learning are
key indicators for progress: we seek to develop children who have a growth
mind-set rather than a fixed mind-set. We want children to understand that
‘failing’ is only the first attempt in learning, rather than a barrier to success.
We believe we provide an outstanding quality of education for our pupils. We
place a very high emphasis on providing equality of opportunity and personalised
learning. This ensures that our pupils have the opportunity to make outstanding
progress.
All governors, staff and volunteers encourage and nurture our pupils, supporting
the development of their confidence and self-esteem. As a result our pupils say
they feel listened to and valued, and they are extremely proud of their
contributions towards our school. Certainly we believe that our small school
offers the ideal start to school life.
If you would like the opportunity to visit the school, to get a feel of its individual
and happy atmosphere, please do not hesitate to call and we will be delighted to
make arrangements for a visit.
Kind regards,
Gillian Harrington
Headteacher
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
School Aims
Live, Love, Learn
The Aim of Great Kimble Church of England School is to create a happy and
positive atmosphere in which all our children can develop to their full
potential.
Our curriculum drivers are:
 To extend the world of possibilities for our pupils, widening their horizons
and encouraging them to achieve the very best they can be, academically,
socially and spiritually;
 To develop in our pupils understanding and respect for fellow pupils, their
situations and abilities, whilst developing a positive sense of well being which
will enable them to contribute to society whilst meeting the demands of
everyday life;
 To develop in pupils a sense of community where they feel valued and secure,
not only in their school community and village community but developing a
sense of their belonging to the wider world community too.
Our school curriculum policies are designed to create a joy of learning, to
stimulate lively enquiring minds, imagination and the ability to question and argue
rationally. Our aim is that all our children:
 Apply themselves to a variety of tasks and physical skills, including regular
Physical Education (PE) activities
 Apply themselves to a variety of tasks and physical skills
 Acquire knowledge, skills and attitude relevant to their future lives in a
fast changing world
 Develop growing respect for religious and moral values and an understanding
of other races, religions and ways of life
 Develop spiritually, demonstrating an ability to appreciate and reflect on
the beauty and wonder of the created world.
 Learn to display respect and courtesy for each other and the wider
community, whilst upholding British Values
 Understand the world in which they live and the interdependence of
individuals, groups and nations
 Appreciate past and present human achievements and aspirations
 Develop self-confidence in order to reach their full potential in all areas of
life.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
School Curriculum Aims
Live, Love, Learn
The school will provide a broad and challenging curriculum that meets the
requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (aged 4-5 years) and National
Curriculum (from Year One onwards) and is also relevant to the needs and
abilities of each individual child.
Whilst our curriculum is broad we strongly believe that the core skills of
Speaking & Listening, Reading, Writing and Numeracy are fundamental to
successful learning in all areas of the curriculum. Mastery of these skills
promotes confidence in individuals and enables them to become independent
learners and to share their learning effectively with others.
Within the Literacy curriculum we place a great emphasis on speaking and
listening, reading and writing. All pupils participate in shared reading, guided
reading and individual reading throughout the school. Books are put into colour
bands, and pupils become fluent in one reading band before moving on to the next.
We use a variety of reading schemes, including Oxford Reading Tree, All Aboard
and First Facts. Our aim is to foster in pupils positive attitudes towards books
so that reading is both a pleasurable and educational activity.
Children are encouraged from Reception to mark make, leading to emergent
writing and then writing for a range of purposes, including lists, notices, letters,
invitations, diaries, stories etc. We hold daily 20 minutes phonic sessions, where
children are grouped by their phonic knowledge. We link phonics with writing
and spelling. We use the Government’s Letters and Sounds programme, and
enrich this with a range of practical activities and learning experiences. (Please
see our Learning to Read section on the Curriculum page of the website. Should
you not have access to the website, you are welcome to ask for a paper copy of
this document.)
Within the Numeracy curriculum children engage in a range of practical
activities to encourage an understanding of the number system. We emphasize
the importance of number bonds, the skills of doubling and halving and simple
multiplication tables. Pupils are encouraged to figure out answers mentally, as
well as developing a range of calculating strategies that they can record with
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
pencil and paper. Our schemes of work are linked to the attainment targets and
programmes of study of the National Curriculum and are continually being
reviewed. The way in which we teach calculation across the school can be found on
the website.
In the Early Years children will spend much of their time initiating their own
learning, whilst staff monitor their achievements and plan for further
challenges. As children progress throughout Reception staff provide more
structured activities for individuals and groups.
Attitudes to learning are key to success: in order to foster a growth mind set
children receive praise for effort and attitude, rather than for the end
product. To support their understanding of this, Philosophy for Children (P4C)
is an important part of our curriculum. It also teaches children how to disagree
with one another in a respectful and positive way. We believe that P4C helps
develops powers of reasoning and higher order thinking. We believe our pupils
work exceptionally well as a team and have very good skills of independence for
their age.
French has been integral to our Key Stage One curriculum since 2009. The aim
is for children to hear another tongue and develop an interest in languages from
an early age. The vast majority of French is taught through speaking, games and
songs. It is taught in themed topics, by a native French speaker, and termly
plans are shared with parents so families know what is being covered in school.
The school was first awarded a Green Flag in March 2012 and this was renewed in
2014. This is the highest accolade for an eco-school and recognises all the tasks
the children undertake in order to be sustainable. Part of the curriculum involves
active outdoor learning, planting a range of vegetables, tending them and
harvesting them, to use as part of our cookery programme.
Whilst levels have been removed, assessment is vital as it informs the teacher
where to take the learning next. All our staff track children’s progress through a
number of means including observations, photographs, pupil discussions,
independent work, formal assessment tasks, self-assessment and end of year
summative assessment. From September 2015 a formal baseline is undertaken for
all Reception pupils, with results being sent to the government as part of a pilot
study. Pupils at the end of Key Stage One continue to have a national assessment:
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
as our current Year Two pupils are the first set of pupils to have been taught the
New Curriculum they will be assessed in July 2016.
Parents are offered termly consultation evenings in the Autumn Term and Spring
term where parents are invited to school to view their child’s work and then
discuss their child’s overall development and progress with the class teacher. In
the Summer Term a detailed annual written report is given to parents, with an
opportunity to discuss any concerns or raise any questions at a follow up meeting.
Parents are, however, welcome to meet with staff on a much less formal basis by
requesting to see the class teacher at the end of the school day. We also hold
monthly ‘drop in ‘sessions at the end of school to allow children the opportunity to
show families their work in books and on the wall, and particularly to show them
achievements of which they are proud.
Attainment:
As a staff and governing body we are strongly committed to excellence: this
involves developing in pupils a desire to give of their best in a wide range of
subjects. We believe children need to enjoy learning, so we try to alter our topics
within the curriculum on a regular basis to ensure that they are relevant and
meaningful for our pupils. Where possible pupils have the opportunity to choose
some topics they would like to study as research shows that pupils are more
motivated if they have ownership of some of their learning. When we last had our
Ofsted visit in 2011 inspectors commented on the very high emphasis on
providing equality of opportunity and personalised learning as well as noting that
the school provided ‘an outstanding quality of education for its pupils.’ Our data
suggests that a significant number of pupils make above expected progress
against their own baseline whilst at Great Kimble School.
Copies of all policies can either be requested from the school office, but many
are on our website: www.greatkimble.bucks.sch.uk
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Information about Admissions
The catchment area of the school is Kimblewick, Marsh, North Lee, Butlers
Cross, Ellesborough, Great and Little Kimble. However, many of our pupils come
from out of catchment neighbouring villages such as Bledlow or Terrick, and
others travel from Bishopstone, Princes Risborough, Stoke Mandeville and
Aylesbury.
Children from any other local area are extremely welcome, and parents may make
an appointment to come and visit the school at any time during the school year.
All admissions are now administered by Buckinghamshire County Council. This
includes in-year admissions. Parents apply online at www.buckscc.gov.uk – this is
the Local Authorities preferred method of application. However, paper copies are
available from Buckinghamshire County Council on 0845 3708090.
If your child was born between 01/09/2011 and 31/08/2012 you need to apply
for a school place for September 2016.
Parents can apply online between 4 November 2015 and 15 January 2016.
Further information will be available in the ‘Starting School and Moving up to
Junior School’ guide and the ‘Primary School Directory’. These will be on the
County Council website at the end of October 2015.
All children, who are aged 4 years and above on September 1st of their admission
year, have the right to attend school full time from their first day. However,
should you feel that your child is not ready for full time education, please speak
with either Mrs Harrington or Mrs Unsworth.
We adhere to the County Admissions Policy at all times.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Religious Education and Acts of Worship
Great Kimble is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled School and enjoys
strong links with the local church. Our teaching is in accordance with the Bucks
Agreed Syllabus (2011-2016) and also the Oxford Diocesan Trust.
Our principal aims are:
 To foster a spiritual awareness and reflective approach to life in the
context of understanding the experience, beliefs and religious
practices of mankind.
 To ensure the children have a knowledge and understanding of
Christianity.
 To promote tolerance and sensitivity towards those with religious
beliefs different from one’s own, and with no religious beliefs.
 To encourage values by which children can learn and help them make
moral choices.
We believe that RE is important as it develops in pupils a sense of community and
belonging. It helps the children to grow, share, understand and respectfully
challenge, and be challenged by, people of different lifestyles, beliefs and
practices.
The school receives an Inspection every 5 years: this is known as Statutory
Inspection of Anglican Schools. Our next inspection will take place in 2016. In
preparation for this it became apparent that all our stakeholders had different
definitions of spirituality. Therefore, from September 2015 the school definition
of spirituality is:
‘everyone’s natural connection with the wonder and energy of life...and the
instinct to explore that experience and its meaning.’
Recently the DfE has reinforced the need to ‘create and enforce a clear and
rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of
democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of
those with different faiths and beliefs.’ We actively promote diversity through
our celebrations of different faiths and cultures. Religious education lessons and
PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) lessons reinforce messages of
respect and tolerance for others. Members of different faiths and religions are
encouraged to share their knowledge to enhance learning within school. Diversity
is one of our curriculum drivers. Additionally we promote fundamental British
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Values through:
 Democracy: we listen to pupil and parent voice. Our school values make it
clear that children are expected to take into account the views of others.
We have a school council: each child on the school council is voted in by
their class.
 The Rule of Law: children are taught the difference between right and
wrong, and taught the reasons behind our expectations and rules. They are
taught to make the correct choice.
 Individual Liberty: children are actively encouraged to make choices
knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we
educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make informed choices.
Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and
personal freedoms and advised how to exercise these safely for example
through our e safety and PSHE lessons.
 Mutual Respect: Respect is one of our 4 school values: children are taught
that their behaviour has an impact on others, and that we should treat
everyone as we would like to be treated ourselves.
 Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs: our programme of
collective worship includes Bible readings, prayers and songs. Additionally
our collective worship celebrates the major festivals of other religions:
pupils of other faiths are encouraged to talk within our worship about their
own experiences. Our programme is designed to help pupils become aware of
the multicultural world in which they live.
Monday
2.55pm
Led by Mrs Roberts
Tuesday
11.45am
Class Assembly
Wednesday 1.55pm
Led by Mrs Unsworth
Thursday
2.55pm
Led by Mrs Harrington or Mrs Holman
Friday
2.50pm
Led by Mrs Harrington
Achievers & Birthday Assembly
Our children also participate in and contribute to Wednesday Worship every
month at St Nicholas’ Church. This occurs at 8.55am and lasts approximately 25
minutes. All parents and their families are invited to attend, and coffee is
provided after for any families wishing to stay and socialise.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
We are also fortunate in having regular visits from Val Pyper, Minister of the
Free Church, as well as visits from Jan Henderson, the Rector of St Nicholas.
Both these visitors join us for Religious Education lessons as well as sharing or
leading our assemblies.
Respect is given to the individual faith of the child and their parent(s) or
carer(s). Children of other faiths are welcome and withdrawal from R.E. and/or
Acts of Worship is the right of the parent(s) or carer(s).
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Charging and Remissions Policy
During the school year the school aims to provide a variety of activities and
events for the children in order to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.
This includes such things as puppet shows, visitors such as small farm,
storytellers, poets, drum workshops, live theatre to school, hatching of eggs
into chicks, artists in residence.
The school asks for payment for those items for which it can legally charge,
and will request voluntary contributions for other purposes. Where activities
take place in school time, no pupil will be barred from taking part in that
activity because his or her parent/s cannot, or will not, contribute. The school
receives a Pupil Premium for those families who are eligible for Free School
Meals. Some of this premium can be used to subsidise these enrichment
activities. However, an activity can be cancelled at the discretion of the
Governors if there are insufficient contributions to support it. Any application
for full or partial remission of charges will be considered by the Headteacher.
Please do not be embarrassed to come forward.
Where activities take place outside school time small donations will be
requested to support materials and visiting personnel if appropriate. During
the past twelve months charges have been made for after school Sporting
Activities, Art & Craft club and Sewing Club. However a range of after school
clubs is offered without charge, such as Maths, Science, Nature club.
During the last couple of years the children have enjoyed visits to:
Oxford Bus Museum
Shortenills Environmental Centre
Chiltern Open Air Museum
The Oxford Synagogue
Halton House and Waddesdon Manor
Woodrow High House
The Cotswold Wildlife Park
Hazard Alley
Tring Zoological Museum
Bucks County Museum
Roald Dahl Storytelling
Field Farm
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Special Needs Policy
The current definition of SEN used in the Children and Families Act 2014, from
which the Code of Practice derives its legal status is as follows:
 A child or young person has special educational needs if he or she has a
learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision
to be made for him or her.
 A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty
or disability if he or she:
 Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of
children of the same age
 OR: has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making
use of facilities of a kind generally provided for the others of the
same age in mainstream schools.
Staff and Governors of Great Kimble School are committed to the principles of
inclusion. We aim to build on the things individuals can do rather than focus on
what they cannot. We believe that diversity brings strength to all communities
and that collaboration is an important part of school life. We are strongly
committed to the principle that a person’s worth is independent of their abilities
or achievements.
The Equality Act 2010 brought together more than one hundred separate pieces
of anti-discrimination legislation, including those covering disability, gender, race
and age equality. The Children and Families Act 2014 aims to reduce disadvantage
among children and to support families. The Code of Practice (Part 3 of the
Children and Families Act 2014) came into effect in September 2014.
The School closely follows the principles of the Code of Practice:
 Parents and children’s views and feelings are taken into account
 Parents and children are involved in decision making
 The school works collaboratively with other services, including health and
social care, to provide support for pupils
 We aim to support the child in ways that will allow them to achieve the best
possible education and other outcomes.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
The school receives support from the Educational Psychology service on an annual
basis. The Pupil Referral Unit also supports the school where applicable. The
school is also committed to offering Rainbow Road (an occupational therapy
programme) to those pupils who would benefit from extra work on developing
their gross and fine motor skills. The school also has an Occupational Therapist
who comes into school on a termly basis to run an OT clinic. Here advice is given
for any pupil having difficulty with gross motor skills or fine motor skills; where
appropriate exercises are given to home and school to help the pupil develop
these skills. The school also has termly meetings with the link Speech and
Language therapist: ideas are shared to support individuals who need help in this
area.
All pupils have their learning tailored to their individual needs. However, if a child
appears to be making less than expected progress in a certain area the school has
a graduated response to support children. This consists of Assess, Plan, Do,
Review. If it becomes clear that interventions are not meeting a child’s needs
then parents would be invited to a meeting to discuss next steps. If you believe
that your child has a specific learning difficulty, please do speak with a member
of the teaching staff.
Pupil Protection
At this school, the health, safety and well-being of every child are our
paramount concern. We listen to our pupils and take seriously what they tell us.
Our aim is for children to enjoy their time as pupils in this school. We want to
work in partnership with you to help your child achieve their full potential and
make a positive contribution.
To promote a safe environment for pupils, our selection and recruitment policy
includes all checks on staff and regular volunteers’ suitability, including Criminal
Records Bureau checks, as recommended by Buckinghamshire County Council in
accordance with current legislation.
In accordance with our responsibilities under section 175/157 of the Education
Act 2002 and “Keeping Children Safe in Education “ 2014, we have a Designated
Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection (Gillian Harrington) who is a member of
the senior management team, and has received appropriate training for this
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
role. It is their responsibility to ensure that all staff in contact with children
receive child protection awareness training on a regular basis.
There are occasions that our concern about a child may mean that we have to
consult other agencies. Whilst we would always aim to work in partnership with
parents there may be exceptions to this when concerns are raised for the
protection of a child.
On very rare occasions Social Care, whilst undertaking an investigation under
s47 of the Children Act 1989, may want to speak to a child without parents’
knowledge.
This would be a decision made in collaboration with partner
agencies and would only be done in situations where a child might be at
immediate risk. To gain consent at this point may increase the level of risk to
the child or cause evidence of a crime to be lost.
The procedures, which we follow, have been laid down by the Local
Safeguarding Children’s Board, and the school has adopted a Child Protection
Policy in line with this for the safety of all. If you want to know more about our
procedures, please speak to the Headteacher, Gillian Harrington or your child’s
class teacher: the Policy can be found on the website or a paper copy can be
requested from Mrs Jeffs in the school office.
Welfare of Pupils and Staff
There are occasions when it is entirely appropriate and proper for staff to
have physical contact with pupils, but it is crucial that they only do so in ways
appropriate to their professional role. It is not possible to be specific about
the appropriateness of each physical contact, since an action that is
appropriate with one child in once set of circumstances may be inappropriate in
another, or with a different child. Staff should, therefore, use their
professional judgement at all times.
If you would like to discuss this issue further please see the Headteacher.
Looked after Children:
Children become “Looked After” either if they have been taken into care by the
Local Authority, or have been accommodated by the Local Authority (a
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
voluntary care arrangement). Most “Looked after” children live with foster
parents, but some may live in children’s residential units, live with a relative or
be placed at home with their birth parents. Great Kimble School is committed
to ensuring that all “Looked after” children are fully included in all school
activities, and that carers and social workers are kept fully informed of their
child’s progress and attainment.
Equal opportunities:
As a Church of England School, we foster Christian values which promote
diversity and challenge discrimination at all levels. The values we subscribe to
are lived out through our work in the school and community. Great Kimble strive
to ensure that disabled individuals have the same opportunities and challenges
as their able bodied associates and to eliminate any kind of discrimination,
prejudice or harassment. We refuse to tolerate those who indulge in such
practices, whether verbal, physical or institutional. Our aim is to build selfesteem and confidence in our pupils and staff regardless of disability, so that
they can then use these qualities to influence their own relationships with
others. We are committed to ensuring equal treatment of all our employees,
pupils and any others involved in the school community, regardless of gender or
race.
Data Protection
From time to time the school’s achievements and activities may be highlighted
in the local press. As a parent or carer you have the right to withdraw your
child from the article or photograph that may be written or taken for
publication. A form regarding the above is given to every parent/carer when
their child commences at this school.
Sex Education
Sex and relationships education in our Infant school is learning about the
emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, and relationships. Children
are naturally curious about growing up, how their bodies work and how humans
reproduce. We aim to answer their questions in an honest way but which is
appropriate to their age. For further information please see our SRE policy.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
School Council
The British value of democracy is upheld by the workings of our school council. Two
children from each year group represent their class : the aim of the council is to
give the children a voice, and ensure that their thoughts and suggestions are
incorporated into school life, wherever possible or practical. During the past few
years the School Council has been responsible for the following:
 Further development of the growing beds, including the range of plants and
vegetables, and a Gardening Club
 The replacement of the outside playhouse (kindly purchased by Friends of
Kimble)
 Interviewing new members of staff through representing the school on own
panel, devising set of questions, greeting candidates and carrying out
interviews
 Introduction of Cloakroom and Toilet monitors to help the youngest children
and check that they are secure
 Introduction of ‘Litter monitors’ to ensure our school site is always clean and
tidy
 Selecting a charity to support and organising a fund-raising activity in which
the whole school participates
 Feeding back on after school clubs and suggesting those they would like to
have
 Feeding back on their educational experiences and how they can be improved
 Feeding back on visits and visitors, and suggesting areas of further interest
 Choosing the film for Film Club
 Choosing rewards for filling Beads in the Jar
Links with the community
Our pupils learn about the community in Great Kimble, the local wider
community and also the world community through informal and formal links.
Our walking crocodile on Wednesday and Friday afternoons feeds into our
Bronze Travel Plan, Eco Schools, as well as the children contributing to reducing
emissions through reducing use of cars, etc where possible. It also ensures
that we are a visible presence in our community. All those living in our
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
community are invited to a number of school functions, including May Pole
Dancing, our Christmas productions at St Nicholas’ church and our Carol
concert. The school also belongs to FOSS, a federation of 44 Small Schools in
Buckinghamshire. Our pupils are part of the Haddenham Area group of schools
for sports; we also moderate work with these schools and from September
2015 our subject leaders are working together to share good practice. The
school is also part of the Risborough Liaison group of schools and participate in
competitions such as Tennis, Cross country, Uni-hoc and Golden Welly. The
school participates in the annual Gym and Dance Display at Princes Risborough
Upper School, the Dance Festival at Haddenham and the Roald Dahl parade in
Aylesbury.
Our pupils care for the wider community in a number of ways. The school has
raised money for Red Nose Day, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cancer Research,
Water-Aid and Mencap. In 2014-15 our pupils chose to wear wigs for Wig
Wednesday in support of children with Leukaemia, as well as organising a tea
for parents to further raise funds. Each year our school council decide which
fund-raising initiatives they want to run, and then organise these events. In
addition our pupils participate in The Samaritan’s purse initiative, filling shoe
boxes for children in need in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Additionally the school has a battery recycling bank, plastic recycling bank,
paper recycling bank and participates in Bag2School. The school also hosts a bin
for CHAT, a local charity supporting families within the Aylesbury community.
Within our local community the children participate in the Sunday Harvest
Assembly at St Nicholas’ church. For the last three years pupils have
contributed fresh produce they have grown on their allotments, as well as
tinned and packaged food. This has been donated to those in need in our local
community. One selected family from the school also lays a wreath at the War
Memorial as part of the Remembrance Sunday service and parade.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Sport
Great Kimble School is committed to ensuring that all children in Key Stage One
receive at least two hours of quality sport each week. We recognise the need to
make children aware of the importance of regular physical activity. Apart from
enjoying the outside play area, our sporting activities include:
 A range of physical activities such as gymnastics, dance, cross country, golf,
tennis, football, cricket and basket ball skills.
 Clubs such as skipping club, multi-skills club, football club, athletics,
basketball, Zumbatronics, Cheerleading
Every term our children are involved in intra-school competitions, where they
show case their skills through a variety of games including throwing, dribbling,
balancing, jumping, running, aiming at a target etc. One of our key beliefs here at
Great Kimble is that ALL our pupils need the opportunity to represent their
school, and experience what it is like to be part of a school team. Whilst this
approach may mean that we do not win as many medals as other schools, it allows
all our children to participate in competitive sport. It also teaches children that
whilst they may be the front-runner in our small school, there may be others who
are faster, stronger, or more physically capable than them in a different school.
Each summer a "School Sports Day" is held, usually at Kimble Cricket Ground but
when weather is exceptional in the field at the back of school. The children
compete in mixed age/ability teams working co-operatively to amass points, and
showing their aptitude at a variety of key skills.
The School is involved in liaison group activities, which enables groups of children
to represent our School, as mentioned above. With the new sports funding J&C
Academy lead Key Stage One sports on a Tuesday afternoon, providing specialist
coaching in a range of skills including football, hockey, tennis, cricket and
basketball. The school also purchases extra sporting tuition from Princes
Risborough Secondary school, upskilling our own staff in areas such as Gymnastics
and Basketball.
Karate was introduced into the curriculum in September 2010 to help children
learn concentration skills and self control. Those pupils in Year R and Year One
receive karate tuition as part of the school day for the Autumn and Spring Term;
Year 2 pupils and any others who desire have the opportunity to extend their
knowledge of karate through an after school club that currently runs on
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
Wednesdays.
The school currently receives a Sports Premium from the Government. Please
view the information regarding how this is used on the appropriate web page of
our website.
The School Day
8.50 – 12.00
Morning Session
10.30 - 10.45
Playtime - the children are encouraged to bring a
piece of fruit to eat at this time. Children who have
milk drink it at this playtime.
12.00 - 1.00
Lunchtime - the children eat their packed lunch in
two classrooms, supervised by midday meals
supervisors and also Mrs Harrington. Children are
given a numbered table so they know where to sit,
and also so they learn to mix with pupils across the
school. It is hoped that the majority of pupils are
ready for playtime at 12.30; although all can
continue to eat until 12.45pm.
1.00 – 3.10
Afternoon Session: during this time pupils will
receive a 10 minute break for fruit, drink and going
to the toilet.
3.15 – 4.15
Many days of the week have after-school clubs that
operate during this time.
The school operates a drop-off zone from 8.20am – 8.45am. The school is open
from 8.30am. Children enter the classroom and engage in a range of activities
such as exercises to extend their fine motor skills, construction, computer work,
handwriting practice, spelling practice, reading, etc. All children MUST be in
school and ready for register by 08.50am. This is essential for Key Stage One
pupils as guided reading starts promptly at 08.50am: your child will disrupt the
learning of others if they enter class after this time.
Should your child be unwell please ring the school to let us know that they will not
be attending that day. An answer phone is available for messages, and we would
request that you ring before 8.30am.
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School Uniform
The children do wear a uniform.
The colours are grey and green:
 Grey skirts/pinafores/trousers
 Green sweatshirts/cardigans
 Green Fleeces (which are worn instead of coats)
 During the summer girls wear green/white checked or striped
dresses
 Shoes should be a sensible style with low heels
 No jewellery and it is advisable to tie-back long hair. This is
particularly effective in preventing the spread of head lice!
Polo shirts, sweatshirts, cardigans, fleeces and caps with the school logo may be
purchased from the school. Second hand school uniform is also available from the
school – Friends of Kimble have an overview of what is available at all times.
For P.E. the children will require:
Black Shorts, Yellow T-shirt, Black Plimsolls, Green Jogging bottoms & Top. If
possible trainers are a welcome addition, particularly when we are outside.
During the autumn months and early spring, we will continue to go outside for P.E.
and cross country when practicable. The school P.E kit is available from the
office.
Girls who wear tights may like to have a pair of socks in their P.E. bag.
It is ESSENTIAL that ALL items of clothing are clearly marked.
One of our parents currently places all orders for uniform; in addition Mrs Jeffs
keeps a stock of second hand uniform. There is a link on our website to a uniform
order form for new stock: please see Mrs Jeffs should you require second hand.
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015
The Friends of Kimble School
The Friends of Kimble School is a very active group of parents who work
extremely hard to raise funds for the school whilst providing social events for
the children and adults in the community.
Such events include:
Family Quiz Evening
Friendship party
Christmas Fair
Sponsored Country Walk
Easter Fayre
Tennis competition
Great Kimble School Fete
Family Disco
The Friends meet on a monthly basis and ALL parents are welcome. During the
past few years the Friends have contributed significant sums of money towards
the outdoor playhouse, reading scheme books, reference books for the library,
seating areas for the playground, puzzles and small world play for Reception
pupils, a visualiser, a new interactive smartboard, new rugs for the children to sit
on and £5,000 towards IT. They have also provided a shed for Smokey Row, as
well as secateurs, garden shears and other tools.
Parents (all who are CRB checked) also support in the classroom. They are
invaluable in offering support through helping children develop their reading
skills, taking cookery, supporting early writing, leading children to investigate
science through practical activities and gardening. Parents also support our
weekly walking crocodile through the village.
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Security
A number of strategies have been put in place to encourage security in School.
The entrance area ensures safe entry and exit from the school premises.
Members of staff accompany pupils to the front area at the end of the school
day: it is helpful if parents do not wait outside by the road but come into the
school compound. All parents and visitors to the school are requested to close
the outer gate at all times.
Visitors are asked to report to the Reception area where they will be asked to
sign the visitors’ book and be issued with a badge.
Complaints
It is hoped that any concerns can be addressed through good communication
before a more formal stage is implemented.
Any matters of concern should be brought immediately to the attention of the
class teacher, or Headteacher. If parents prefer they may contact the Chair of
School Governors.
Bucks County Council has a formal complaints procedure. A leaflet explaining it,
entitled "Formal Complaints Procedure - A Guide for Parents" is available from
the Area Education Office.
Authorised and Annual Attendance
Average Annual Attendance
Year
Year
Year
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
96.7%
95.9%
95.5%
All holidays taken in school time are unauthorised absences. The governing body
and teaching staff strongly urge families NOT to remove pupils from school
during the term time.
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School Term and Holiday Dates 2015-16
Term
Open on morning of
Autumn Thurs 3rd Sept 2015
Close at end of
afternoon of
Friday 23rd Oct 2015
-
Mon 3rd Nov 2015
Fri 18th Dec 2015
Spring
Tues 5th Jan 2016
Fri 10th Feb 2016
-
Mon 20th Feb 2016
Fri 31st Mar 2016
Summer Tues 18th April 2016
-
Mon 5th June 2016
Fri 26th May 2016
Wed 21st July 2016
In-service (INSET) training days for teachers:
Wednesday 2nd September 2015, Monday 2nd November 2015, Monday 4th
January 2016, Monday 11th April 2016 (Plus one day TBA)
Please avoid taking your child on holiday during term time. Missing the first few
days of a new school year can be particularly unsettling for a child, as the
routines, class rules, expectations and responsibilities are all shared at this time.
Whilst parents may think that removing children at the end of term is more
acceptable, we usually hold special assemblies or performances. Children work
hard in school to learn songs, actions or gestures, words for their speaking parts,
and are then very disappointed when they are removed from school before they
can showcase their talent.
.
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Useful References
Great Kimble Church of England School
Address:
Church Lane
Great Kimble
Bucks. HP17 9TH
Phone/Fax No.
Email:
Website:
Headteacher:
Chairman of Governors:
Office Administrator:
01844 346189
office@greatkimble.bucks.sch.uk
www.greatkimble.bucks.sch.uk
Mrs. G. Harrington
Mrs. S. Walsh
Mrs. N. Jeffs
Area Education Manager:
Address:
Wycombe Area Office
3rd Floor,
County Hall,
Walton Street,
Aylesbury,
Bucks.
HP20 1UZ
Great Kimble Prospectus September 2015