The Duston School Primary Prospectus “The Duston School provides an outstanding education for all its students.” (Ofsted November 2013)

Berrywood Road, Duston, Northampton, NN5 6XA, Tel: 01604 598968 , Email: [email protected], Website: www.thedustonschool.org

Welcome Excellent teaching gives children the life chance they deserve. Enjoyment is the birthright of every child. But the most powerful mix is the one that brings the two together.

Mrs Dawn Robinson – Vice Principal (Primary) Your child is an individual –– they deserve a unique, personalised education. At The Duston School we hope to inspire children to strive for excellence for themselves, their friends, family and community, to know that they are valued,, respected and can make a real difference. I have been a Headteacher in Northamptonshire for the past fourteen years. My previous school achieved its first outstanding OFSTED rating in 2004 and we retained this outstanding rating through two more OFSTED inspections in 2007 and 2010, consistently achieving end of key stages results that placed us within the top 5% of schools in the country. As a school, we firmly believe that we do not achieve these results by applying a one size fits all approach to the children in our care. If you choose to send your child to The Duston School, you will be sending your child to a school where we will strive to find their best way to learn, we will enhance their gifts and talents, and ensure they are confident well rounded individuals who have a high level of respect for their family, friends and environment. Your child will be safe, well cared for, be treated with respect and you will be able to become a true partner in their education. Our organisational model means we can provide a dynamic all-through education from the age of four to nineteen, ensuring that there is clear continuity through all stages of learning. We have an outstanding secondary provision married with a primary pedagogy which has been recognised as outstanding in 3 previous Ofsted inspections; ensuring tailored bespoke learning programmes can be implemented meeting the needs of all learners. Quality resources such as art studios, Creative Technology workshops, science laboratories, food technology rooms and superb sports facilities (including a swimming pool) will enhance your child’s education. We look forward to working with you and your child. Dawn Robinson.

Vision Helping Stars to Shine Brighter Learning at The Duston School Primary will be dynamic and different We will encourage our pupils to be: Diverse thinkers and communicators Self-directed learners Dynamic team players Proud of themselves and their school community Pupils will understand that they need to be and feel ‘SMART’ Successful Motivated Attentive Responsible Truthful Truthful

Admissions The Duston School is a 4-18 co-educational, all-through Academies Enterprise Trust Academy, with designated Specialist College status in Business & Enterprise, and Science. The main principle of admission to The Duston School is to maintain the character of the school as an all-through school, providing for the needs of the young persons within 4-18 age range, who live in Duston and the surrounding areas defined below. We have a separate admission policy for Secondary and Post 16 students. Admission to our school is not dependant on any “voluntary‟ contribution. Students will be admitted at the age of 4+ without reference to ability or aptitude using the criteria below. The admission number (PAN) for September 2015 will be 60 in the Primary School and 240 in the Secondary School. We are responsible for our own Admissions. The school participates in the Local Authority coordinated scheme and all deadlines within that should be adhered to by applicants. As required by the regulations of 2005, within the oversubscription criteria, the school will give top priority to applications on behalf of children in public care (Children in Care). Oversubscription Criteria (Primary Phase) Places will be allocated to pupils who have a statement of SEN that names the school as appropriate provision. When there are more applications for places than there are places available, priority will be given in the following order: 1. Children in public care or previously in public care but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order. (See definition in the local authority booklet) 2. Children of a member of staff. 3. Pupils with an older brother or sister continuing at the school at the time of admission of the younger child. (See definition in the local authority booklet) 4. Pupils who live closer to the preferred school than any other school. 5. Other pupils. If the admission number is exceeded within criterion (4) priority will be given to those who live furthest from the nearest alternative school. If the admission number is exceeded within any other criterion, priority will be given to those who live closest to the school.

Information Required Before your child starts school we will need the following information from you: We need to see and take copies of original documents a) and b) below. a) Your child’s original birth certificate. b) A utility bill showing your name and the address your application stated is your child’s home address.

The following forms are contained within your ‘Welcome to The Duston School’ pack. These should be completed and returned to school before your child starts school.  An Emergency contact form.  A ‘Medical, Trips and Visits’ form.  A signed ‘Home School Agreement’.  A menu selection form.  A ‘Cool Milk’ form.

To support the transition of your child into Year R, please complete our ‘My child is starting The Duston School’ booklet and return to school as soon as possible. This will help us get to know your child before they start school with us. We will endeavour to visit as many children as possible in their nursery settings before their September start. Your child will be invited into school to meet their teacher and see their classroom towards the end of the summer term before they start school. A parents’ meeting will also be held where you will be able to ask any questions you may have about school. Our uniform supplier will attend this meeting so that you can see the sizes of different items of uniform required in our uniform policy. If you feel your child has an individual need, it is very important that you discuss this confidentially with the Primary Principal. To ensure a smooth start to school for your child, if their needs have been fully discussed, we may be able to be put in place extra support, and your child will be able to have extra transition visits. Each term you will be invited to a ‘Stay and Play’ session with your child. During a stay and play morning, you will be able to spend time with your child in their classroom. They will be able to show you everything they do at school, helping you to gain a greater understanding of their learning environment. A member of the Senior Leadership Team will greet parents and children every day as you enter school. If you have any concerns at all, or would like to tell us anything your child may wish to share in school, please feel free to speak to a Senior Leader. Please remember –we would always rather deal with concerns whilst they are small, rather than when they have grown and are upsetting your child.

The School

Ground Floor

First Floor

Primary Entrance

Curriculum Our aim is to be recognised nationally as a lead school in primary curriculum design. We are currently working with nationally recognised curriculum specialists to write an inspirational, skills based, quality curriculum. Our curriculum will provide experience-based educational opportunities for children of all backgrounds, that allows each child to develop individually to their full potential. Through the delivery of exciting, motivating and relevant topics, your child will be taught how to: Question and challenge Make connections and see relationships Envisage what might be Explore ideas, keeping options open Reflect critically on ideas, actions and outcomes Young children are naturally good thinkers and our foundation stage curriculum will enhance this way of learning. We will encourage the children to bring everything they know to their learning, everything will be linked and everything will be relevant. If they are learning about gardens, then they read and write garden stories, sort and draw plants, count seeds, weigh soil, study and taste food that grows in a garden, sing about gardens, print gardens, draw gardens, paint gardens, dig gardens and plant gardens. In many schools, as children progress, the curriculum can become fractured and compartmentalized. At The Duston School our fully integrated curriculum will offer rich and exciting programmes of learning that give cohesion, meaning and motivation, developing the creativity, curiosity and energy of young people. The units of work will pull learning into a single field of study and a therefore understandable unity. This means that classroom environments are focused centres of learning, and with such a shared focus between year groups and key stages, ensures the whole school becomes a high quality learning zone for all children and staff.

By linking subjects, timetabling the required curriculum to be covered is simple. There is more time for children to gain hands on experiences, have more problem solving/research tasks and therefore learn in greater depth. Facts learnt are anchored to meaning and have definite relationships with each other. There is ‘learner centred learning’. Pupils work in teams, exploring and helping one another while the teacher sets directions, offers opportunities and acts as a guide and resource. The children ask better questions, seek their own answers and gain deeper insights than they had before. In addition to the traditional ‘3 R's,’ this type of curriculum therefore also offers an additional ‘3 R's’: Research (searching out information), Reasoning (processing information)and Recording (creating a way to save and/or share information). In today's world, the body of knowledge is so large and the pace of acquisition so rapid that we must constantly change our teaching methods to prepare pupils for their life as adults. We must emphasize the higher levels of critical thinking; Analysis: The ability to break down material into its component parts so its structure can be understood, Synthesis: The ability to put parts together to form a new whole, Evaluation: The ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose. Integrating these ‘thinking skills’ into our curriculum units enables children to take charge of their own learningsomething they are naturally driven to do. Our curriculum- whilst meeting the requirements of the national curriculum- will advance your child’s skills much further. Your child will speak to you enthusiastically about sparkling starts and fabulous finishers. They will be excited about their learning. More in-depth curriculum information will be provided within our Curriculum Guides. Early Years and National Curriculum overviews can be found at the following links: http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2014/05/2014_EYFS_handbook.pdf http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINALPRINT-AMENDED.pdf https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil e/335133/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_220714.pdf

How can I help my child? You can help your child enormously through normal daily activities. 

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Hold conversations with them about their daily tasks. Ask them why they have chosen to play with a particular toy, explain to them why they cannot behave in a particular way, retell a book you have read together. Let your child help plan their daily schedule, ensuring they understand that a day is broken down into various tasks and time slots. Count the stairs each time you walk up them, and then try counting backwards as you walk back down. (Counting up to 20 would be fantastic!) As your child advances ask them ‘what is one more than 2? Is 5 bigger than 1? Show me 5 fingers, now add on 3 more’.

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Talk to your child about different places around the world and family members that may live in different countries.

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Sing a variety of songs.

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Help them to recognise their name in written form.

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Find a place for your child to paint, mixing colours and using a variety of brushes and tools to create marks.

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Take your child to the local park and help them to learn how to manoeuvre around the equipment there.

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Ensure your child can organise their play independently for short periods.

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Let your child play with sand and water asking them to pour ‘half ‘ of the water away, or ask them to fill the bucket ‘half’ full with sand.

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Give your child instructions to follow, firstly giving them one instruction, then two instructions.

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Show them a pattern of objects or colours and see if they can continue the pattern. Red, blue, red, blue, ?, ? .

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Talk about what happened yesterday/last year (the past), what happened today (present) and what are we doing tomorrow (future).

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Read to them every day and talk about what has been read.

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Ensure your child is able to explain their feelings to you.

Ensure your child knows how to be healthy by being active and eating healthy food.

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Ensure your child knows that reading and writing are important. Say to them as you are driving, ‘I know I am going the correct way because I am reading the road signs and they are telling me where to go’. ‘I am writing your birthday invitations so that your friends know you are having a party. These words say where the party is and what time it starts and finishes’.

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Ensure your child develops the correct pencil grip when colouring, in preparation for writing.

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Support your child in dressing and undressing so that they can do this independently when entering school. Only purchase uniform you know your child can manage to put on independently.

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Complete jigsaw puzzles together.

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Plant seeds and watch them grow, asking ‘why are the seeds growing?’

If you wish to teach your child sounds, please teach them pure sounds. Information can be found using the following link:

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Ensure your child knows how to eat independently.

http://www.ruthmiskintraining.com/teacher-support/85/index.html

The School Day Timings – Primary Phase Day. 8:45 – 8:55

Arrive and enter the school building.

8:55

Registration.

9:00 – 10:30

Session 1 (including assembly).

10:30 – 10:45

Break.

10:45 – 12:00

Session 2.

12:00 – 12:45

Lunch.

12:45 – 2:00

Session 3.

2:00 – 2:15

Break.

2:15 – 3:00

Session 4.

Children may be collected at 3pm. 3:00 – 4:00

After School Activities.

During both break times children will be provided with a piece of fruit as a healthy snack. All children will have access to water at all times. Children will all be given a named Duston School water bottle which will be regularly washed and refilled. Cool Milk Scheme – Milk will be provided free of charge to all children under the age of five. All parents may order milk for their child. Leaflets are available in the primary school office.

Lunch Your child will be entitled to a universal free school meal provided by the government for all Key Stage One children. All food is freshly prepared and cooked in our school kitchen. You may send your child to school with a packed lunch if you prefer. Packed lunches should be sent to school in a clearly named regular shaped lunch box. Packed lunches should not contain fizzy drinks, sweets or glass bottles. Children may go home for lunch, but our preference is that your child remains in school for the whole day.

Holiday Absence During Term Time Government legislation that came into effect on 1st September 2013 now means that parents are no longer entitled to take their child on holiday during term time. Parents can be fined by the local authority for taking their child on holiday during term time. The initial Fixed Penalty Notice of £60 is issued to each parent for each child (two parents, two children = £240)

Punctuality and Attendance Please make every effort to ensure your child arrives at school on time. Any child arriving late into school disturbs their own learning and the learning of others. If your child is going to be absent from school for any reason, you must call the school office by 9:30am. All unexplained absences will be followed up by the Attendance Team. If your child has a medical appointment during the school day, please make sure you inform the primary school office by showing your child’s medical appointment card.

Term Dates

Teacher Training Days

Bank Holidays

School Holidays

Uniform Smart pupils are smart learners. Nothing about a child’s uniform should distract from their learning. Therefore the only jewellery that should be worn is a watch. No earrings please. Children should only have their ears pierced during the summer holidays as missing P.E. lessons because of pierced ears is not acceptable. Any hair longer than shoulder length (boys and girls) must be tied back. All hair accessories should be unobtrusive and blue, and children’s hairstyles should be appropriate for school with no un-natural colours or shaved designs. Please name every item of your child’s uniform.

Autumn/Winter Uniform

Summer Uniform 

Girls should wear pale blue checked summer dresses with white ankle socks. Ankle socks may be trimmed with blue.

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Boys may continue to wear long black trousers or may like to wear grey just above the knee shorts with their pale blue polo shirts and black or grey ankle socks.

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No open toe shoes of any kind should be worn during the summer term.

P.E. Kit All P.E. kit should be brought to school in our Duston School P.E. bag. Children should not bring rucksacks or other bulky bags to school.

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All children should wear The Duston School (primary) navy jumper with a pale blue polo shirt.

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Girls should wear a navy pinafore dress or skirt or black trousers with navy tights or under the knee socks.

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Boys should wear black trousers with black or grey ankle socks.

For indoor P.E. all children should wear navy shorts, a plain pale blue round necked t-shirt and black plimsolls. For outdoor P.E. all children should also have a pair of navy jogging bottoms and a pair of trainers. Your child’s school jacket will be worn for extra warmth when needed.

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Shoes should be plain black and a low supportive style.

Lost Uniform

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Trainers should not be worn for any reason.

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All children should wear The Duston School (primary) shower proof jacket. This jacket has a reflective band making your child easily seen in dull light, and helps to keep them safe by making them easily recognisable when we take them out of the school building for outdoor education work.

All named uniform will be returned immediately to your child’s classroom once found. All unnamed uniform will be held in the school office until the end of the half term and then given to a charity collection.

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All children should bring a Duston School book bag to school. We will use this bag to ensure you receive any school communication and bumped head letters etc.

Uniform Suppliers The Schoolwear Shop Ltd, 40-42 Abington Square, Northampton NN1 4AA No mobile phones or other electronic devices should be brought into the primary phase.

Pupil Welfare Child Protection Our first priority is your child’s welfare. The law requires schools to report any obvious or suspected cases of child abuse. We will do this in every case.

Administering Medicines. Only medicines prescribed by a doctor can be administered in school. If your child requires prescribed medication during the day, it should be handed into the primary office at the start of the day. A Duston School medicine consent from must be completed and signed stating the precise dose and time for the medicine to be given.

Bumped Heads If your child bumps their head during the course of the school day, they will bring home a bumped head letter. Please ensure you check your child’s book bag daily for these letters.

Behaviour The highest possible standards of behaviour are expected at all times at The Duston School. We use a restorative approach to create a harmonious learning environment where pupils are able to self-regulate their own behaviour and learning. Schools that use a restorative approach to behaviour management have found that they need to exclude less and that incidents of poor behaviour decreased.

Restorative approaches are based on four key features: 

RESPECT – for everyone by listening to others’ opinions and learning to value them

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RESPONSIBILTY - taking responsibility for our own actions

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REPAIR – developing the skills within our school community so that its individual members have the necessary skills to identify solutions that repair harm and ensure behaviours are not repeated

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RE-INTEGRATION - working through a structured, supportive process that aims to solve the problem and allowing young people to remain in mainstream education.

On the rare occasion where a child is unable to manage their behaviour through the restorative approach, the class teacher will contact a parent or carer to plan a way forward. Aggressive and/or abusive behaviour from children, parent or visitors will not be tolerated. We have a zero tolerance policy towards bullying. Where an incident of bullying is reported, parents of both the victim and the perpetrator will be made aware of the incident and actions will be put in place to ensure the incident does not occur again. We prepare children for growing up in a society of diverse cultures and faiths. All incidents of severe intolerance, (whether they be based on race, religion or sexual orientation ) will be reported to the appropriate authority.

Communication As parents we will keep you updated through a variety of methods. As well weekly diary overview that will be emailed to you, a wealth of information is available on The Duston School website. Information available:  Admissions.  Aims and Ethos.  Achievements.  Admissions.  Adverse Weather Conditions.  Curriculum Guides.  DfE School Comparisons.  Frequently Asked Questions.  Gifted and Talented.  Governance.  Home School Policy.  Learning Platform  OFSTED Reports.  Policies.  Pupil Premium.  Term Dates.  School Calendar.  SEND.  Uniform Policy.

School Address: The Duston School Berrywood Road Duston Northampton NN5 6XA. Tel: 01604 460004 Email: [email protected], Website: www.thedustonschool.org

Executive Principal: Mrs Jane Herriman. Primary Principal: Mrs Dawn Robinson. Secondary Principal: Mrs Gill Salver. Chair of the Governing Body: Mr J McCann/Mrs R Clayton (Joint Chairs) Primary School Office Contact: Mrs A Swan Primary Admissions Contact: Mrs C Spencer

Complaints If you have any concerns or a complaint regarding the provision the school makes for your child’s education, please discuss this in the first instant with your child’s class teacher. If you still feel dissatisfied and feel that your complaint remains unresolved, please make an appointment with the Primary Principal. If you are still dissatisfied, you will be advised to put your complaint in writing to the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs C Beck.