Burdett-Coutts and Townshend Foundation
Church of England VA Primary School
School Prospectus 2013 - 2014
Rochester Street
Westminster
London SW1P 2QQ
Tel: 020 7828 6790
Fax: 020 7828 3791
Email: office@burdettcoutts.co.uk
Website: www.burdettcoutts.co.uk
From the Headteacher
Welcome to Burdett-Coutts & Townshend Foundation school.
This is a school with committed staff and vibrant children. We believe our school has much to offer all children, so that they
can achieve their potential. The children in our school are happy and enthusiastic, while maintaining a calm and focussed
approach to their work. During the school year we regularly come together as a school community to celebrate the successes
and talents of our children.
We have a strong emphasis on working together, so that children become aware of the wider world through their friends in
school. We are a Church of England school that values the support and resources of the local church. It is our fundamental
view that all are welcome here as we are a community school with a Church of England ethos. All our children, of any faith
or of none, visit the church regularly and we use the church for a variety of functions where we can fit in the entire school,
staff and families together.
The school had a very successful Ofsted inspection in December 2009 where we were graded as ‘good’ overall with seven
areas highlighted as ‘outstanding’. In January 2010 the school had its statutory inspection as a Church of England School and
we were graded ‘outstanding’ overall.
Partnership with parents is essential. If we work together, supporting one another, we find that the children are more secure
in all they do, and achieve higher standards in all aspects of their school life. Communication is essential in all we do, which
is why the school also publishes a school newsletter, ‘School News’ every fortnight. These can also be found on our school
website.
In the last few years we have been developing a more creative curriculum as well as significantly developing our after school
and lunchtime activities. We have around 40 volunteers assisting us with clubs and reading support for children.
We have also worked hard to: ensure funding for building projects over the past seven years which has seen an internal
increase of the site with, two new classrooms, a Learning Zone, an ICT suite, a Music Room, refurbished toilets, a new state
of the art kitchen, playground developments and the refurbished Nursery building. In April 2012 the school completed the
redevelopment of the two Reception classrooms which has been funded by our trustees and the government.
Finally, our testimony is our children. Do come in and visit, talk to staff, children or myself, so that you get a real ‘feel’ for
what we stand for. I am always more than happy to talk with parents about their concerns and aspirations, or just to be able
to chat about ‘what we do’. I look forward to working alongside you in the year ahead.
Rosetta Dyer Headteacher
Staffing and Governance
The Leadership Team Mrs Rosetta Dyer
Deputy Headteacher: vacant
Assistant Headteacher (Inclusion): Mrs Ella Camplin
Assistant Headteacher (Curriculum): Miss Gemma Turton
Assistant Headteacher (Assessment): Mr Patrick Murphy
There are approximately 20 teachers on staff and 25 support staff.
The Governing Body
Chair of Governors: Miss Rebecca Smith (2010-present)
Vice Chair of Governors: Vacant
The Governing Body is made up of people who are elected or appointed to represent parents,
the church, the local authority and the staff. They are the employers of the staff and are
responsible for the school. They meet regularly and help support, challenge and encourage
the Senior Leadership Team and staff.
Trustees
The school also has a board of trustees, chaired by Mrs Fiona Burdett-Coutts, which looks after
the endowment left by Angela Burdett-Coutts, and gives grants to the school periodically.
Our School Statement
Burdett-Coutts & Townshend Foundation is a
Church of England Voluntary Aided school that
serves a diverse and fascinating central London
community. Our pupils (360+, 2-form entry) come
from a variety of social, ethnic and economic
backgrounds. Many are local, and the school has a
tradition that many parents also attended the school.
There are a significant number of Army families.
The school has a strong Christian foundation and
close links with St. Stephen’s church, which adjoins
the school, and where school services in the Christian
tradition take place. We are pleased that families
from a wide variety of faith traditions (and none)
choose to send their children to Burdett-Coutts, and
that staff members with varying religious affiliations
want to work here. We would expect all staff to
make a positive contribution to the development of
the ethos, and that teaching staff should take part in
school worship and the teaching of Religious
Education.
Our aim is that children should receive a broad and
balanced education that includes a strong focus on
achievement. We regard our Christian tradition as a
powerful resource for supporting and challenging all
members of the school community in fulfilling our
educational and personal potential.
Rebecca Smith Chair of Governors
Working Together in Faith, Hope and Love.
Aims of the School
Achievement, progress and developing the children’s
potential is crucial in all we do as we work together in
faith, hope and love. We aim to:
• ensure that each child has equality of opportunity to
develop his or her potential
• inspire and motivate the children with a love of learning
• develop the highest possible standard in teaching and
learning
• teach children Christianity and promote understanding
and sensitivity towards those whose who belong to a
different religion or culture
• develop a partnership within the school of children,
parents, support staff, teachers and governors, and
beyond the school with the church and wider community
• be an inclusive school catering for the needs of those in
our community
• develop creativity across the curriculum.
What else do we offer our children?
We are fortunate to have many volunteers working in our school on a regular basis. These
include parents and other relatives, people from local businesses and from various
government departments. We also work with a range of organisations who run creative
projects for our children in the arts.
On Wednesdays we have volunteers from John
Lewis Partnerships who run Gardening, Reading
and Craft Clubs.
Volunteers from local
businesses run Maths
Games and listen to
readers
Football Club run
by boys from
Westminster
School
ICT club is run at lunchtimes by Mr
Carden & Westminster School
Retired
volunteers
provide one
to one tuition
for some of
our students
Our children
work with a huge
range of talented
professionals
including the BBC
singers.
Our two
School
Choirs
perform at
many events
and venues
Children participate in stunning
Christmas and End of Year
Productions
Our students
attend Children of
Courage and the
Children’s Society
Christingle
Services in
Westminster
Abbey
Most years our
Year 6 children
take part in a short
residential trip
We raise
money for
charities by
having ‘own
clothes’ days
and holding
enterprise
events.
We have an
elected pupil
school council
Our Year 6 students visit the Chelsea
Football Club, Westminster Archive and
Chelsea Pensioners Project
Children
take part in
Drumming
Workshops
We end each year with our
annual Founder's Day
Service (Speech Day)
School trips to galleries,
museums and events
Children take part in
Black History Month
and Refugee Week
Children access
an extensive
music
curriculum
including
opportunities to
learn a string or
brass instrument
Burdett Coutts is a ‘Healthy School’
We are proud that we are a healthy school who promote a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.
We do this through projects such as ‘Bike It’ cycle training, Let’s Get Cooking and ‘Walk to
School Wednesdays’. We are a SEAL school and have an Anti Bullying Week and a
Friendship Squad.
Breakfast Club/After School and Holiday Care
Club/Play Centre
A successful and popular After School Club was established in 1994 and now provides pupils
with the opportunity for extended learning, fun and companionship after the school day and
during the holidays. Ms Caroline Hall and Mr Steve Brickell, both of whom have long
association with the school, run the Club, which is an independently run organisation, and is
inspected by Ofsted in its own right. They also now run a breakfast club from 8am each
morning. For more information please phone the school. Only children who attend our school
are eligible to attend this facility. In 2008 the school was awarded ‘extended school’ status. The
Trustees of our school support the work of the After School Club.
Our School Rules
• Listen and talk to
others with respect.
• Walk calmly and
silently around our
school.
• Keep your hands
and feet to yourself.
An Historic School
Originally there were three schools: a boys school, a girls
school and an infant school, which was called Townshend
Foundation. The main school was built in 1849. The school’s
founder was Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts. The school
was dedicated to her late father, Sir Francis Burdett. The
school celebrated its 163rd Anniversary in 2012.
The Baroness left a large endowment to the school, which is
overseen by a board of trustees that meet three times a year.
Money accrued through this endowment is then spent on the
school as the trustees see fit.
There is a certain amount of memorabilia around the school
including two stunning portraits hung in the first floor hall.
Much of the school’s historical documentation is now stored
in the Westminster Archive Centre and is available on
request.
The school pays tribute to its benefactors each year through
dedicated lessons, collective worship and during Founders’
Day which is held in July each year.
Please see the school website for more detailed information
about the history of this historic school.
Admissions Criteria
Admissions Criteria
Places are offered in the following order of priority (in all categories where over subscription occurs, distance from
the school is the deciding factor ~ see Note 1)
1.
Children who are ‘looked after’ by a local authority (as defined by Section 22 of the Children Act 1989
(1a+b).
2.
Children whose brother or sister is currently at the school and will still be a pupil when the applicant joins
(see Note 2).
3.
50% of the remaining places are Foundation Places, available in the first instance to children whose
families worship regularly at St Stephen’s with St John, Westminster. Thereafter, Foundation Places are
available to children whose families worship regularly at other churches (see Note 3).
50% of remaining places are Open Places available on the basis of proximity of the child’s home to the school.
Any unsuccessful applications for Foundation Places will be automatically included among applications for Open
Places. Any unfilled Foundation Places will be added to the Open Places available.
The Governors reserve the right to give priority to children with documented social or medical reasons for whom
this is the most suitable school: they must have references from a suitable professional (eg doctor, social worker).
Note 1: Proximity to the school is measured from the child’s normal residential address, measured by the shortest
walking distance on the road network to the school’s main entrance, which is supported by data supplied
by the City of Westminster.
Note 2: The priority for siblings only applies where other siblings are normally resident at the same address, and
includes step-brothers and step-sisters.
Note 3: ‘Regular worship’ is understood to mean at least twice a month for two years or more. A clergy reference
will be required (see attached sheet). ‘Other churches’ need to be affiliated to ‘Churches Together in
Britain and Ireland’ or to the Evangelical Alliance.
Many children from various inner and outer London Boroughs attend our school.
Application forms are available from Westminster City Hall, the school office, or on the school website.
Children with Special Needs (SEN) ~ Inclusion
Definitions
The 2001 Amended Special Educational Needs and Disability
Act states:
Children have special educational needs if they have a learning
difficulty, which calls for special educational provision to be
made for them.
Children have a learning difficulty if they:
a) Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the
majority of children of the same age; or
b) Have a disability, which prevents or hinders them from
making use of educational facilities of a kind generally
provided for children of the same age in schools within
the area of the LA; or
c) Are under compulsory school age and fall within the
definition at a) or b) above or would do so if special
educational provision was not made for them.
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty
solely because the language of their home is different than
the language in which they are taught.
Objectives of the SEN Policy are to:
•
Encourage and foster the involvement of parents at all stages of provision for pupils with special
educational needs, recognising that parents hold key information and have a critical role to play in their
childrens’ education.
•
Identify and assess the needs of children with SEN at the earliest opportunity.
•
Ensure that children with SEN make progress and experience success across the curriculum by
differentiating their work using varied teaching methods and providing additional support as appropriate
to their needs.
•
Monitor and review childrens’ progress through accurate assessment and record keeping.
•
Take into account the views of the child and make clear to him/her the objectives of their IEP (Individual
Education Plan) at all stages of the procedure.
•
Make all staff aware of their responsibilities in supporting children with SEN who are in their care and to
provide them with clear and manageable procedures for doing so.
•
Work closely with all outside agencies which are involved in supporting the child.
•
Have a designated member of staff who is Special Educational Needs Coordinator and similarly a
Governor with a particular responsibility for SEN provision within the school.
•
To provide appropriate In Service Training to support the staff in meeting the needs of children with SEN.
The Special Educational Needs leader is Mrs Ella Camplin (Assistant Headteacher)
Children with Disabilities
Disability Action Plan
Under the national disability agenda schools are required to give
due consideration to those with disabilities and make reasonable
adjustments.
A disabled person is someone who has a physical or mental
disability which has an effect on his or her ability to carry out
normal day-to-day activities. The effect must be:
• Substantial
• Long term
• Adverse.
Summary of Aims
• To increase the extent to which disabled pupils can participate
in the school curriculum.
• To improve the physical environment of the school for the
purpose of increasing the extent to which disabled pupils are
able to take advantage of the education and associated services
provided by the school.
• To improve the delivery to disabled pupils of information
which is already provided in writing to pupils who are not
disabled.
Attendance
We are aiming for 97% attendance or above.
Home/School Liaison
The school has a Learning Mentor/Home
School Liaison Worker. One of the primary
roles is to track, monitor and support
attendance and punctuality of our children.
We believe that for children to attain high
standards in all areas of school life they must
be in school regularly and be on time.
National Curriculum Results
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
For our current results please see the sheet attached at the end of this
prospectus.
School Uniform
Our School Uniform
In 2012 a review of the school
uniform policy was undertaken by the
Governing Body’s Pupils, Parents and
Community Committee. The review
involved input from families. The
school aims to ensure we use a variety
of cost effective providers.
The Governing Body has agreed
the following:
School Uniform is compulsory for
children from Reception Class to Year
6. Children in the Nursery may wear
the uniform if they so wish.
The uniform list is attached to the back of the prospectus.
Useful Websites
The School Website:
www.burdettcoutts.co.uk
Uniforms:
www.yourschooluniform.com
Ofsted:
www.ofsted.gov.uk
History of the School
http://webfronter.com/westminster/BC/
Our Church – St Stephen with St John
www.sswsj.org