ABOUT US
MISSION STATEMENT
VISION
ATTENDANCE
HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME
CHARGING POLICY
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
DISCIPLINE
ASSESSMENT
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
SCHOOL MEALS
WESTOVER GREEN LEARNING CHARTER
LETTINGS POLICY
PRE-SCHOOL PROVISION
MEDICAL ISSUES
SCHOOL COUNCIL
SCHOOL TEAMS
SCHOOL UNIFORM
SITE SECURITY
STARTING SCHOOL AT WESTOVER GREEN
THE SCHOOL DAY

ABOUT US
Westover Green is a large, busy primary school in Bridgwater. We are proud to say that we are the nearest school to the town centre, being situated within sight of our cinema, parish church and beside the Bridgwater and Taunton canal. In addition to this, each September the school is right in the heart of the famous Bridgwater Fair. Every year we welcome 30 Fair children to our school who are absorbed into our happy community. An example of their work is located in our entrance area.

As well as having Extended Schools Status (including breakfast and after-school clubs) we have Healthy School Status and the Investors in People Award. The school was last inspected in the Summer of 2004 and had a positive report. We are a part of the Bridgwater Excellence Cluster and work collaboratively with many other schools.

The school has always considered the importance of the development of the whole child and with that in mind the range of extended curriculum is impressive, including two residential trips, visits by theatre groups, visits to the theatre, local music and arts festivals and a wide range of sports activities.

The Governors have committed in the school budget to have a high staffing level to support different styles of learning.

The environment around the school includes a huge field, copse and wildlife pond so that Westover children have the advantage of the outdoor environment although located in the heart of the town.

Attendance is tracked and monitored very carefully and where possible the SENCO meets fortnightly with the school's Educational Social Worker to review attendance percentages. Where lateness of arrival at school is an issue, letters of encouragement are sent to parents/carers; if poor attendance is the result of an on-going medical matter, a letter to gain consent to approach the GP for confirmation will be issued. In extreme cases of continued non-attendance a Penalty Notice will be issued.

To recognise and celebrate those pupils who have excellent attendance at school, certificates and prizes are awarded each term. There is also a "Class of the Week" certificate awarded in both key stages, to the class who has the highest weekly attendance. These incentives can also be earned by pupils showing great improvement in their attendance percentage.

Our attendance for the academic year 2008/2009 was:

Authorised absence 6.3%
Unauthorised absence 1.3%"

HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME
We recognise that there can be seemingly good reasons to take a holiday during term-time. However, it is important that parents/carers carefully consider the implications of taking their child out of school during term time. Research suggests that children who are taken out of school may never catch up on work they have missed. This can affect test and examination results and your child's future career prospects.

Pupils who have difficulty with school work find it harder to cope when they return to school. Some pupils may find it difficult to renew friendships.

The law does not say that pupils have an automatic right to take an authorised level of absence from school for holidays during term time. However parents can ask a school to authorise absence for this purpose.

In "special circumstances" schools may authorise, in advance, such requests for leave totalling up to ten school days in a school year. Any requests for leave should come from a parent/carer with whom the child normally resides, and must demonstrate "special circumstances".

CHARGING POLICY
The school will charge in the following circumstances allowed by the Education Reform Act 1988:

(a) The provision of music tuition given to pupils as individuals or in groups of up to four
(b) Ingredients and materials for cooking and CDT (Craft, Design and Technology):
(c) Activities which take place wholly or mainly outside school hours and which are not a statutory part of the National Curriculum
(d) Activities which involve pupils in nights away from home
(e) No charges will be made for examination fees

• Voluntary contributions will be sought from parents for activities which supplement the normal school curriculum
• The Governors have agreed a charge to be levied for private photocopying and telephone calls.
• Some goods may be purchased through the school for the convenience of parents, pupils or teachers.
• Some goods will be sold through the school with the intention of making a profit and thus raising money for the school, PTA or other charity.
• From time to time the school will seek voluntary donations for specific purposes.
• The Finance Committee annually review and set charges made for use of school premises.
• The Finance Committee will endeavour to avoid charging the PTA for its activities in the school.
• Authority for day-to-day management of the policy is delegated to the Headteacher.
• The level of charges is a matter for the Governing Body.
• The charging policy is reviewed annually by the Governing Body.
  

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Somerset has a clearly defined procedure to follow if parents wish to make a complaint. All complaints initially should be made to the teacher concerned. If the complaint is not resolved at this level then parents should complain to the Headteacher. Subsequent levels of complaint are detailed in the County Procedure. Copies of the County document are available from the school office. The Headteacher and his colleagues will use their best endeavours to ensure complaints are dealt with swiftly and satisfactorily.

Copies of:

LEA Curriculum Statement
Statutory Instruments
HMI published reports
Our schemes of work and curriculum foreplanning
Complaints procedure
County Syllabus for RE

are all obtainable upon request from the school office and classteacher.

Parents should note that it may be necessary to photocopy master documents meaning that there is a slight delay and that the above information may not be available on immediate demand.

DISCIPLINE
At Westover Green we aim to 'Open the Gates to Learning' and to ensure this staff and pupils work together to make the school calm and well ordered. We believe that every child has a right to a safe, secure and happy environment and we aim to build on the discipline and good manners which have been taught at home. High expectations of behaviour are reinforced throughout the school by our Golden Rules

Always think about others
Speak politely and truthfully
Be kind and gentle
Go carefully and thoughtfully

We feel these rules allow pupils to develop an awareness of their rights and the rights of others and it is in this spirit in which the school's 'Behaviour and Discipline Policy' is designed.

ASSESSMENT
From the time your child enters Westover Green they will be involved in a continual cycle of assessment and monitoring to help them progress. Initial discussions with parents/carers and pre-school settings ensures we have knowledge of each individual before they join us.

In their teaching our teachers use a continuous cycle of planning, assessing and reviewing to make work delivered enjoyable, relevant, challenging and achievable. Pupils also play a large part in self assessing their learning and thinking about how they can also help themselves progress.

Throughout the child's primary education in Westover Green in accordance with the school's 'Assessment Policy' various methods are used by teachers to judge and record pupils ongoing progress and set appropriate targets.

Additionally, The National Curriculum sets attainment targets which provide standards against which a child's progress will be assessed. The results of these are available publicly at the end of the pupil's Y2 and Y6.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Westover Green Community School has reached "Extended School Status" well in advance of many other schools and this is due to the high importance we place on Extra Curricular Activities.

As well as Breakfast Club and After School Club - known as "Maple Club", the following events and activities are on offer:

Football
Gymnastics
Table Tennis
Netball
Rounders
Singing Group (KS1)
Choir (KS2)
Occarina
Recorders
Dance and Drama Club - producing a major musical each year

In addition the school takes part annually in the Highbridge and Weston Junior Arts Festivals, and runs a five-day residential field trip for Year 6. Year 3 and 4 children have the opportunity for a 2-night residential. We believe in interacting with the community and day trips and visits are arranged throughout the year

SCHOOL MEALS
School meals are provided by Millennium Catering. The meals are cooked at Haygrove School and brought into school and served in the Exmoor Hall.

Free school meals
Children are entitled to free school meals if their families are in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance. Application forms for free school meals are available from the School Office.

Packed lunches
Dining accommodation is provided for children who wish to bring and eat their own packed lunch in school. Children may bring drinks, but fizzy drinks are not permitted. Please ensure your child's lunchbox is clearly named.

Break-time snacks
Our school has Healthy School Status and children are encouraged to bring fruit or vegetable snacks to eat at morning break. Crisps, biscuits and sweets are not permitted.

WESTOVER GREEN LEARNING CHARTER
Westover Green believes in "opening the gates to learning".

• We, at Westover Green, are committed to providing a secure and safe environment in which our children can learn.
• We are committed to providing a balanced curriculum where we can develop and extend their learning.
• We believe in the importance of providing a range of experiences, inside and outside school.
• We are fully committed to a holistic approach, recognising the need for a child to be emotionally literate before they can engage their learning potential.
• We believe in the importance of citizenship. We want our children to be active, positive members of the community of Bridgwater and citizens of the United Kingdom, Europe and the world.
• We are committed to teaching our children about our culture as well as global cultures to engender a right and proper respectful attitude to all who inhabit our world.
• We are committed to building self-esteem and self worth through mutual respect and understanding.
• We believe a school is part of a greater community and it is our aim to include all in our community, especially our parents.
• We believe children should grow in confidence and self-assurance and we aim to engender a positive approach in our teaching to encourage these values.

LETTINGS POLICY
This sets out the arrangements for the use of the school premises by groups, individuals or organisations. It should be read in conjunction with the LEA's advice and guidance on Lettings and Lettings Insurance.

All hirers of the school premises will be made aware of the hire costs, terms and conditions, including insurance requirements, before the hire and the agreement signed.

Hire charges will be reviewed annually by the Headteacher and Governors. The charges will cover any costs incurred, i.e. heat and lighting, caretaker and insurance.

Charges to children and youth groups may be subsidised if funds are available for this purpose. This is to be agreed on individual circumstances by the Headteacher and Governors.

There is currently no charge for the use of the premises by the PTA.

MEDICAL ISSUES

What do I do if my child is ill
It is very helpful for us if you can let us know by telephone if your child is unable to come to school. If this is not possible then please send a letter with them when they return to explain why they were absent.

Please remember that we are only allowed to give prescribed medication at school after consultation with the Headteacher.

What happens if my child is ill or has an accident at school
It is vitally important that we have your home telephone number, if you have one, plus an emergency number. This may be a grandparent, friend or neighbour or your, or your partner's work number. If this changes for any reason please let us know immediately so we can change our records. We have trained First Aiders on site and in the event of accident or illness they decide whether it is serious enough to contact you and ask you to collect your child. In the occasional case they may decide that the child needs hospital treatment urgently, we would arrange to meet you there. If your child suffers a bump to the head we will give you a note explaining how this may affect them and advice on what to do. At all times your child's comfort and safety is our main concern.

What about my child who uses an inhaler
Inhalers are kept in the classrooms so that the children have access to them at all times.

PRE-SCHOOL PROVISION
There is a Pre-School for 2 - 4 year olds on the Westover Green School site, run by a private provider, which links with the Foundation year class groups and incorporate the ethos of the school, to ensure a smooth transition for young children from the home and pre-school environment into full time education.

The strategy of incorporating pre-school provision on site is to enhance the social skills of children entering the school at Foundation Stage and access specialist provision in the early years to provide an essential grounding for the delivery of formal education. This will lead to higher attainment in future year groups.

Alongside the pre-school area there is a Community room for use by partners of the school, pre-school and local community, parents and families to access professional help, advice, education and information.

SCHOOL COUNCIL
This was founded three years ago and consists of 2 representatives from every class in the school from Year 1 upwards, as well as a teacher co-ordinator and the Headteacher.

They meet regularly to discuss in-house issues.

The School Council has been responsible for a variety of initiatives and its members provide a welcome face for those on interviews at the school, and has set up "The Rainbow of Friendship" with Stogursey Primary school as well as working in partnership with Homes in Sedgemoor.

Opportunities for a forum with Ian Liddell-Grainger, the Member of Parliament for Bridgwater have been provided on several occasions. They also represent the school at "Sedgemoor Chatterbox", a forum for School Council representatives in the area which is held termly.


SCHOOL TEAMS
Every child belongs to one of our four School Teams -

Axe	Yellow
Brue	Blue
Parrett	Green
Tone	Red

Children are allocated to a team when they start school, siblings are put into the same team.

Team points are given by the staff for good work, helpfulness, kindness, effort and for a whole variety of worthwhile reasons, not necessarily associated with ability.

Children work towards a whole team score, and at the end of the term there is an award for the team with the highest score. A Team Cup is always on display with ribbons in the winning team's colour.

SCHOOL UNIFORM
We expect children to wear our simple but smart uniform:

Green sweatshirts, jumpers or cardigans
Black or grey trousers or skirts
White or green polo shirts.
Dark shoes - NOT trainers
(trainers can be brought into school to be changed into at playtimes to avoid damage to their school shoes).

Sweatshirts, Cardigans, Polo Shirts and Fleece Jackets are available by order from the school.

Parents are reminded of the importance of labelling children's clothing, particularly PE kit. This is essential equipment which every child needs. School policy is that children change for PE. PE kit should be brought to school in a named bag. It should be kept in school and returned home for washing at weekends/holidays.

SITE SECURITY
Our school is a secure and safe site with gates that are locked during the school day. Access is only given to authorised school visitors during the day.

All visitors must sign in and out and if you need to collect your child from school for any reason, please come into Reception where someone will get your child for you while you sign them out.

Parents are not permitted to drive onto the school site unless they have prior agreement with the Headteacher.

STARTING SCHOOL AT WESTOVER GREEN
Children are admitted to school in the academic year in which they are five.

Prospective parents are always warmly welcome should they wish to visit the school, in order to assess the opportunities provided for their children, and to meet the staff.

In May, parents of reception children are invited to an afternoon meeting so that they can be introduced to the school and meet the reception staff.

Children are invited to come to school on Thursday afternoons during the last half-term of the year to exchange library books and become more familiar with the teachers.

The children start school on a part-time basis in small groups according to their date of birth and in line with County policy. Their time at school is gradually increased to a full working day.

Introducing children to school in this way enables us to spend much more time with individuals and establish good relationships. Full-time schooling is much too demanding and tiring for four year olds, part-time to begin with, is the best way to start.

Joining Westover Green after the age of four

We strongly recommend that parents of children transferring from another school make at least one visit before their children begin school at Westover Green.

THE SCHOOL DAY
Foundation/Key stage One Key Stage Two
Breakfast Club 8:00 8:00
School Opens 8:50 8:50
Teaching Begins 9:00 9:00
Morning Break 11:15-11:30 11:15-11:30
Lunch Break 12:30-1:30 12:30-1:30
Afternoon Break 2:45-3:00 -
School Finishes 3:15 3:15
After School Club 3:15-5:30 3:15-5:30

Parents are responsible for the safety of their children on the journey to and from school. In the early years children must be collected from school by their parents or person nominated by their parents. We expect children to arrive at school on time and be collected on time. Classes open their doors at 8:50 unless your child is attending our Breakfast Club. School expects children to be in class by 8:50 when the registers are taken and formally closed.

The Headteacher will not accept responsibility for the care and safety of children on site before 8:45am unless children are attending Breakfast Club.