Prospectus 2015 - Samuel Pepys School

Building a better future with specialist provision for
special students
Welcome to our school
Building a better future with specialist
provision for special students
School Information Booklet
Samuel Pepys School
Cromwell Road
St Neots
Cambridgeshire
PE19 2EZ
01480 375012
01480 375014
Email: [email protected]
Or visit our website at
www.samuelpepysschool.co.uk
Contents
Welcome to Samuel Pepys
Our Vision
Admissions
Our Students
Our Curriculum
Class Organisation
3
4
5
6
7
10
Extra Curricular Opportunities
Communication and Support
Other Areas
Our Staff
Official Holiday Dates
13
15
17
23
24
Our School Day
School starts at 8.50am, and ends at 3.15pm. Lunchtime for Primary is 12.101.10 and for Seniors is 12.15 to 1.15 with separate sittings for each department.
Transport for many of our students is provided by the Local Authority in
consultation with the school office. If you have any queries, contact the
school.
Contacting the School
If there is ever anything you feel concerned about please don’t hesitate to
contact us. We have an answerphone if no one is available. There will be an
opportunity to discuss your child’s progress each term. One of these meetings
will be the annual review of your child’s statement. We also use home/school
books to aid regular communication.
2
Welcome to Samuel Pepys
A letter from our Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,
I am very proud to be telling you about our school. Samuel Pepys School is an Area
Special School and a Specialist School for Cognition and Learning. As such, we offer
a full range of opportunities for children and students with special needs aged from 2
– 19 years. Our school offers a wide range of excellent facilities including a
hydrotherapy pool, soft play room, sensory integration room, fitness suite and a soon
to be remodelled sensory room.
We are a school committed to life long learning and we believe that education for
our students includes not only the subjects of the national curriculum but most
importantly communication and life skills. We aim therefore, to teach the students
the skills necessary for self-care and living that others may take for granted. We want
our students to become successful members of the wider community. We actively
promote inclusive educational opportunities for students from our school and
mainstream schools to share, ensuring that there is a close partnership between
ourselves and the wider educational community.
We are a very happy school where children enjoy their learning experiences. We
concentrate on providing for individual needs so that all students can be
encouraged to reach their full potential. For some this may mean using a switch
independently to indicate a need and for others it may be gaining an accredited
qualification in an area of skill. All achievements are celebrated with equal pleasure.
Whatever their special educational needs, I can assure you that your child will be
well looked after by our dedicated, committed and very skilful staff. We take a pride
in our relationships with parents, the mutual respect our children and young people
show each other and the care that we offer.
Prospective parents and students are welcome to visit the school at any time. Please
phone the school office to make an appointment. I shall be delighted to show you
round our school and discuss with you the particular needs of your child.
Yours sincerely
Joanne Hardwick
Headteacher
3
Our vision
Samuel Pepys
Building a better future with
specialist provision for special
students.
Our Aims are to:




Promote personal, social and independence skills at all levels
Develop communication skills
Ensure all students realise their academic potential
Prepare students for a life after school in which they can participate fully
with a strong sense of personal identity.
Our Vision
At Samuel Pepys the student is central to a learning environment where everyone is a
learner. Staff at Samuel Pepys use their expertise, skills and knowledge to provide the
opportunities and learning environment that ensures every student maximises their
learning and social potential. There is a shared understanding of the importance of
establishing learning objectives, monitoring progress and celebrating the successes
of everyone.
The importance of reaching out into the world and sharing expertise and experience
across all phases of education is at the heart of our philosophy. Communication skills
and the benefits of technology are embraced to enhance the life chances of all
students and improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Samuel Pepys School welcomes parents, acknowledges their expertise and seeks to
build trust. Samuel Pepys is a school where laughter and joy are an essential part of
the learning experience and where the benefits a
work/home balance will bring to all parties are
actively acknowledged.
A Values-Led School
Parents, staff and students helped us to identify
the 10 values that underpin all we do
4
Admissions
Admissions to Samuel Pepys can take place at any time during the course of
the year but these are dealt with by the Local Education Authority:
START
SCO2209
Scott House
5 George Street
HUNTINGDON
PE29 3AD
Phone: 01480 372600
Email:[email protected]
Prospective parents are very welcome to visit the school
at any time during the course of the year. You may wish
to come with your child or alternatively you may wish to
make the first visit on your own and then return with your
child for a second visit.
For some parents the decision to consider the possibility of
specialist provision is a difficult one. We realise how
important it is for you to feel comfortable about the
programme and provision for your child. You will also
need to be confident that your child will have a peer
group. In short you need to be totally confident that your
child will be happy at our school because happy
contented children learn and develop more successfully.
If you decide to visit with your child then time in class can
be arranged so that your child can meet the group s/he
will join.
The Headteacher will be pleased to discuss with you the
individual needs of your child and any concerns that you
may have. She will show you around the school so that
you can see our children at work and at play. Please
phone the office to make an appointment.
5
Our Students
We have places for 100 students on our roll.
All students have an individual statement of
special educational needs.
What are their needs?
The majority of our students have severe learning difficulties. This means that
we help them to achieve progress along the ‘P’ Scales towards Level 1 of the
National Curriculum. Improving communication and social skills is a priority
and our students have regular access to a range of professionals to meet a
variety of needs.
Many of our children and young people have complex or profound and
multiple learning difficulties. Often these students are largely dependent on
adults for communication, self-care and mobility. Some may have a range of
learning difficulties including the need to use augmentative and alternative
communication systems.
Where do they come from?
Students come to us from a wide geographical area and most are
transported to and from school by taxis or mini-buses. The Local Education
Authority (see p.5) will advise you about whether you live within our
catchment area.
Some children join us at the start of their educational careers and some
transfer from mainstream schools at a variety of ages.
6
Our curriculum
We aim to provide a broad, balanced and
relevant curriculum with a strong emphasis on the
development of communication skills, personal
and social development and independence. We
want all students to enjoy a wide variety of
educational, social and cultural experiences. This
means that we try to ensure that each student is
taught a wide range of subjects and has many
varied experiences as part of their education at Samuel Pepys School. We
have lead teachers for each area of the curriculum, which is regularly
monitored.
All students attending the school already have a statement of special
educational need. From their annual review of the statement we set targets in
the cross-curricular areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development (PD,
formally Personal, Social and Health Education (P.S.H.E.) and Study Skills. These
targets then form the basis of the students IEP (individual education plan) that
is worked on across the curriculum.
The curriculum is characterised by
 Programmes designed to meet students' individual needs
 A theme for each Key Stage with a Core Skills focus (including problem
solving, study skills, improving own learning in addition to
communication, numeracy and ICT).
 Breadth that goes beyond the National Curriculum to include
experiential and therapeutic curricular opportunities
 An expectation that students may need additional or specialist
resources and/ or communication systems to enable them to access
fully a broad and relevant curriculum
 Support from other disciplines (speech therapy, physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, sensory integration and music therapy)
Students are given access to the National Curriculum programmes of study at
a level reflecting their current level of achievement and through experiences
related to the appropriate Key Stage. Planning is differentiated to meet the
variety of needs within a class and based on both the QCA schemes of work
and the Cambridgeshire LEA model schemes.
The long-term curriculum maps lay out how the curriculum is to be covered
across each Key Stage. As well as developing skills within each distinct
subject, the variety of lessons provides students with a context in which to
develop their study skills and individual priorities.
7
PD
Personal Development is taught throughout the school. Within PD, Body Parts
and Relationships are discussed at Primary level. Sex and Relationships
Education (SRE) is available to Seniors, which is delivered with support from
the School Nursing Service. If you wish to discuss your child’s participation in
these lessons, please contact the school.
RE
Religious Education is taught across the school. Parents are entitled to
withdraw their children following discussion with the Headteacher.
Our Priorities
We recognise that some key areas of development are essential:
 Communication
 Literacy
 Personal Development (PD)
 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
 Numeracy
 Physical Education (PE)
National Curriculum
All students between the ages of 5 and 16
are taught the National Curriculum: English,
Maths, Discovery (Science, ICT) PE,
Technology, Our World (History, Geography,
RE and Modern Foreign Language),
Creativity (Music, Art, Drama) PD as well as
Careers and Citizenship for students in Key
Stage 3.
Students have individual
programmes to ensure the subjects are
taught in a meaningful manner.
Assessment, Recording and Reporting
All students are assessed in line with National Curriculum attainment targets.
Progress is reported to parents each term at parents evenings and at the
annual review meeting. Parents, however, are welcome to discuss progress
at any time. Many of our students are working below level 1 of the National
Curriculum and for these students we use a range of indicators called ‘P
Scales’. These are much smaller steps of progress and are more appropriate
for our students. The ‘P Scales’ link directly to the National Curriculum levels
found in mainstream schools. For some students the ‘P Scales’ are broken
down further into very small steps but again these still link directly to the
National Curriculum. Progress is monitored using “B Squared”, a system which
allows us to record each small step of progress.
8
PE/Swimming
All students have PE lessons each week.
Again, your child’s class teacher will let you
know when these will be. Please send in
black shorts and a white t-shirt for PE, which
can either be sent in each PE day or kept in
school
All students have access to swimming with
allocations
dependent
upon
pool
availability. Your child’s class teacher will let
you know when your child will be swimming.
We run the ASA swimming awards in the school – please let us know if your
child has any of these awards already.
Speech and Language Therapy
All students who require speech and language therapy are seen regularly in
school time. As communication skills are fundamental to all our students we
have a close partnership with our speech and language therapists.
Sensory Circuits
This exciting initiative requires students to take
part in a programme of specifically designed
physical activities that help him/her to
concentrate more easily during the day and
enhance learning. These activities are known
collectively as a sensory circuit and encourage
the development of a child’s sensory integration.
Sensory Integration is the ability to take in, sort
out, process and make use of information in the
world around us. In order for the higher levels of the brain (cerebral cortex) to
work effectively, the lower levels (brain stem) must sort out the information
accurately from the seven senses (touch, movement, body position, sight,
sound, smell and taste). The carefully planned activities we will be doing with
the students are designed to encourage this type of development.
The sessions will take place daily and will be led by Teaching Assistants who
have been trained by Jane Horwood, a leading expert in this field. In order to
capture the work the students are doing and allow us to assess progress over
time, we will use video footage but this will not be viewed outside the school.
If you would like further details, please contact the school.
9
How our classes are organised
Primary
There are 4 primary classes including students
from the age of 3 to 11. Children are in mixed
ability classes in line with their chronological age.
They are mainly taught by their class teacher for
all subjects.
We use a wide variety of teaching approaches
as appropriate to meet the individual needs of
the children. At all stages we aim for children to
generalise their skills and use them in practical situations.
At Key Stage 1 there is a 2-year rolling programme of topics which links strands
of the curriculum together as well as providing
distinct units.
At Key Stage 2 there is a four-year cycle. In the
final half term for students in year 6 there is a
transition programme with students spending
time in the senior department ready for their
move into the secondary department the
following term.
End of Key Stage curriculum assessments in Year 2 and Year 6 will always
involve Teacher Assessment but, where prior agreement has been reached
with parents, will not usually involve the use of Standard Assessment Tasks
(SATs).
10
Secondary
The senior department provides for students up
to the age of 16. At Key Stage 3 the National
Curriculum
programmes
of
study
are
differentiated and modified to meet the needs
of the students. Students are based in ability
groups for core subjects and also have some
classes with subject specialists along a
secondary type model.
End of Key Stage curriculum assessments in Year 9 will always involve Teacher
Assessment.
At Key Stage 4 students work on a variety of accredited courses. They include
ASDAN Transition Challenge and Entry Level
examinations at level 1, 2 and 3 in Maths,
English,
Science,
ICT,
Technology
and
Landbased Studies through the link course run at
Shuttleworth College. Whilst at Shuttleworth, the
students work on horticultural projects and have
designed and built a garden. They alternate
between this and Animal Husbandry and work
with small animals and farm animals. Transition
Challenge provides a framework of activities for developing and accrediting
independent living and personal skills through areas of the National
Curriculum. These courses are complemented by activities contributing to the
development of life skills needed in adult living. Students also work on their
National Record of Achievement.
Post 16
The Post 16 programme is provided in our Post
16b building and also in association with Ernulf.
Some students may spend all or part of their
school day based at the school with work
planned and taught by Samuel Pepys staff in
our classroom there. Links are made with Ernulf
Sixth Form.
Students follow a course that
continues the achievement of accreditation
within the ASDAN programme.
Other
accredited courses suited to the individual needs and abilities of the students
are offered, for example Functional Skills in Numeracy, Literacy and ICT.
Students based full-time at Ernulf enjoy the same facilities as the rest of the 6th
Form and are have opportunities to integrate. This link allows our students to
continue to have their individual needs met but also to enjoy the company
and example of a much larger peer group in an atmosphere more suited to
their age.
11
Students based in Samuel Pepys Post 16 Centre enjoy all the facilities of the
main school yet enjoy the opportunity to have “moved on” from 5-16 school.
In July 2015, 7 students left Samuel Pepys at the end of the Post 16 course. 5
students moved onto Huntingdon Regional College, 1 to New College
Stamford and 1 to the SENSE provision at Knapwell. All our leavers have
gained some sort of accreditation for the work that they have done.
Careers
We work with the Additional Needs Advisers (formerly Connexions) to ensure
that students and parents have access to the information and advice they
need to make decisions about the future. The LDD advisor attends transition
interviews (from year 9) and organises interviews with students and parents
from year 10.
Our students normally stay on at school after year 11, joining the sixth form
who are based at Ernulf and taught by Samuel Pepys staff. Our students who
have SLD or PMLD are entitled to stay at school until they are 19; most take up
this option. After school their options may include:
Employment:
Some students are able to gain employment either
directly through training schemes like NACRO which
are based in Huntingdon.
Further Education:
Most join courses at Huntingdon Regional College or
Cambridge Regional College which may be
vocationally based (leading to employment) or
continue the education for independent living they
receive in the sixth form.
Out of County places:
A few of our students move to residential colleges if
their educational needs cannot be met in the local
colleges. These placements are limited and
application has to be made some years in advance.
Social Services/
Charitable Trust
Placements:
Some students leave home to live in supported
homes run by social services or charities.
In school, students learn about the world of work through: the link course at
Shuttleworth College, careers lessons, careers advisor visits, industry visits, work
experience and enterprise activities.
12
Extra Curricular Opportunities
in School
At Samuel Pepys we believe that valuable learning experiences also take
place outside normal classroom activities:
Lunchtime Clubs
Seniors are offered a variety of lunch time activities including football, outdoor
games, dance, craft, ICT, beauty club, indoor games. After school clubs are
also available at times throughout the year.
Sport and Leisure
To promote independence, Senior students have the opportunity to take part
in a range of activities such as independent travel, Duke of Edinburgh Award,
Arts and Crafts and Sports. These activities encourage students to make
choices and learn new skills.
School Trips
In order to promote independence all senior students are offered the
opportunity to join a residential activity each
year. Costs for this vary and parents are asked
to make a voluntary contribution to cover costs
in line with the county policy.
Primary students are taken out in the community
on a variety of visits from going on a train
journey to shopping expeditions or perhaps
visiting somewhere like Hinchingbrooke
Country Park.
Please note all our mini bus drivers are
trained to a nationally accepted standard.
13
Hydro Therapy
We are very pleased that we have our own
hydrotherapy pool. Suitable students are now
able to attend hydro throughout the week with
programmes developed by specialist staff,
delivered by teachers or teaching assistants from
class.
Riding
Students in Primary and some of our younger seniors are offered the
opportunity to attend RDA at the Northbrook Equestrian Centre in Offord
D’arcy. Parents will be informed when their child’s class is riding.
Music Therapy
Music therapy is provided for 2 days per week for both individuals and small
groups of children. Referrals are made by the class teacher.
Play Therapy
We are fortunate to have a Play Therapist offering
sessions in school. Play Therapy uses a variety of
play and creative art methods to address chronic,
mild and moderate psychological and emotional
conditions in children who have emotional/
behavioural problems. Referrals are made by
class teachers and a home visit is organised to
explain to parents what the therapy will entail for
their child.
Independent Travel
We are keen to give our students life skills by
learning independent travel skills at an
appropriate level. The course is carefully
structured and allows students to progress as
far as they are able.
14
Communication and Support
Parental Involvement
Parents are encouraged to work in partnership with school on all aspects of
their child’s education. We hold formal parents evenings twice a year, and in
the third term all parents are invited to attend the annual review of the
individual statement of special educational needs.
At various times of the year there are a number of special activities to which
parents are invited.
Home-school diaries are used for all students. These are an invaluable way of
keeping parents informed about what their child has been doing at school.
Similarly, the books can be used by parents to keep staff up to date about
circumstances at home.
Parents are welcome to ring the school at any time to make an appointment
to see staff in order to perhaps share concerns or to discuss any other aspects
of their child’s education. Parents are also welcome to ring the Headteacher
to talk over issues or to make an appointment.
School Nurse
The school has access to the school nursing service. If you have any concerns
which you wish to raise with the nurse, please phone the school in the first
instance.
Friends of Samuel Pepys
This is a group of staff and parents who meet to support the school. When
fundraising events are held all money raised goes directly to benefit the
children. The events have been varied; the Friends have held Fun Days, Bingo
Evenings and a Christmas raffle. If you would like to get more information,
please contact one of our parent members, Mrs Karen John on 01480 832346.
15
Governing Body
Governors serve a four year term of office. Our Governors take a very active
role in the management and life of the school. Members of our Governing
Body for this academic year are:
Shirley Cripps
)
LA Governors
Lynne Jackson
Adrian Dodman
Tamsin Olney
Teresa Ansell
Richard Glass
)
)
)
)
)
Parent Governors
Greg Wright (VCH)
Jenny Knight (CH)
Chris Baker
Caroline Entwistle
)
)
)
)
Co-opted Governors
Christine Giles
)
Staff Governor
Joanne Hardwick
)
Headteacher
Any correspondence for the Governing Body should be sent to
Jane Buckham, Clerk to the Governors, c/o Samuel Pepys School.
16
Other Areas
Attendance
The number of students on the school roll at the end of the 2013/14 school year was
85.
By law we are required to publish information about school attendance and
absences rates during 2013/14
The total number of students of compulsory school age on the school roll for at least
one session was 67
The percentage of half-day sessions missed through authorised absence was 7.4%
The percentage of half-day sessions missed through unauthorised absence was 2.3%.
Parents are reminded that they must always inform school by telephone on
the first day of their child is absence, followed up by a letter on the first day
back at school.
Home/School Agreement
This sets out our 10 School Values and the related aims that school, parents and
students have agreed upon.
Policies
Special Needs Policy:
All students at Samuel Pepys School have Special Educational Needs. A
review of each student’s needs is held each year. This is called the Annual
Review and these meetings take place in the Spring and Summer terms.
Parents, carers and all interested professionals are invited. Parents and
students have the opportunity at the Annual Review meeting to make their
observations and wishes for the future known. At this meeting the objectives
for each child, as detailed in the Statement of Special Needs, are discussed
and updated, where applicable. In line with statutory guidelines, over the
next three years all students are being transferred to an Education Health
Care Plan which will replace their Statement. Information will be sent out to
parents as their child becomes due for transfer.
During Year 9 when students are 14 years old, a Transition Review is held
where representatives from Youth Support Service, Social Services and the
Local Education Authority also attend. At this Transition Review we start to
consider possible options for the next few years so that we can plan
effectively for when students reach school leaving age. Parents have a right
to be actively involved in their child’s education and are encouraged to
share their knowledge, views and experience with the school not only at the
Annual Review but at any other time. We welcome the support and
involvement of parents.
In addition, all students have an Individual Education Plan that sets out,
amongst other things, the targets towards the Objectives in Part 3 of each
child’s Statement and the termly progress noted.
17
Behaviour
We aim to provide a happy, stable, well organised environment where all
students are encouraged to behave in a sensible and acceptable manner.
We are proud of the way many of our students will actively seek to look after
others and the general standards of behaviour throughout our school.
We have an active behaviour management policy that is co-ordinated
throughout the school and parents are welcome to have a copy.
Positive Handling/Physical Intervention
Samuel Pepys School is committed to ensuring that all staff and adults with
responsibility for children’s safety and welfare will deal with all incidents
involving aggressive behaviour, and only use physical intervention as a last
resort in line with DfES and LEA advice. If used at all it will be in the context of
a respectful, supportive relationship with the student. We will aim to ensure
minimal risk of injury to students and staff.
Assemblies
Assemblies are held twice a week for all students.
One assembly is a celebration of success where
students are awarded certificates and praise.
The other assembly is themed and reflects a
moral, social or cultural aspect of development.
Students take an active part in the assemblies
and emphasis is given to ensuring they are a
multi-sensory experience that includes all students.
The students celebrate religious festivals such as Christmas with services at the
local church. Festivals from other religions and cultures also form part of the
assembly programme.
*Please note that parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious
Education or Collective Worship, or both. Please contact the Headteacher to
discuss the provision of alternative arrangements.
Transport to and from School
The beginning and end of the day are important to us. We make great effort
to ensure that the transport arrangements operate smoothly by close liaison
with the Transport department of the Local Education Authority. Most of our
students travel to and from school on special buses or taxis. In the mornings
students disembark at 8.50 a.m. and are met by staff who supervise and
accompany them to the classrooms. However, where appropriate, students
are supported to travel independently
In the evenings, students meet together in transport groups at 3.15 p.m. and
are then supervised by staff to the waiting buses and taxis.
Please note that it is the Local Education Authority that has responsibility for
the actual travel arrangements between home and school.
18
Uniform
We have our own school dress code, which has been agreed with parents.
We recognise that it is not always easy for parents to provide their child with a
special school uniform so we have endeavoured to keep costs down and
give a degree of choice.
For students of all age:
Appropriate skirts or trousers in grey or black.
(Shorts for Lower School only, if preferred.)
Appropriate shirts, blouses or polo tops in white.
For students on entry and until the age of 14 (end
of Key Stage 3)
Sweat Shirts in Royal Blue or Burgundy Red.
For students in Key Stage 4 at Samuel Pepys, sweatshirts in Black may be worn
Post 16 students at Ernulf are expected to follow the dress code for the 6th
Form. This states: ‘We expect you to wear clothing appropriate to an office
environment. Jeans and T-shirts are not allowed.’
All students are encouraged to wear either the school sweatshirt, cardigan or
zipped fleece. Sweatshirts can be bought from school at the following cost:
Sweat shirt £8.95 - £11.50 depending on size
Prices for the fleece and cardigan are available on request. Order forms may
be obtained from the school office.
P.E. Please ensure your child has a pair of black or blue shorts and a white Tshirt. They will also require a pair of trainers or plimsolls for indoor use only.
Please note that all items of clothing should be clearly marked with your
child’s name.
School Bags
We communicate on a daily basis with parents through the Home/School
book – please make sure if your child is in primary that they have a school
bag for their book and letters home etc. Book bags are available in blue or
burgundy from the school office at a cost of £3.10
School Lunches
Our school lunches are cooked on site. All payments should be made via
Parent Pay. Lunches cost £ 2.15 per day for Primary at £2.25 for Seniors.
Younger students sit with staff who supervise children eating, assisting where
appropriate. Older students use the cafeteria style more independently but
there is still a high level of supervision. If you think your child is eligible for free
school meals and you wish to find out further information you need to contact
the Education Welfare Benefits Service office by phoning 01223 703200. All
students in Years R-2 are entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals, but we
would encourage you to still apply to the Education Welfare Benefits Service
19
office if you feel your child would be eligible, in order to access Pupil
Premium.
We have additional staff who work during lunchtimes. We place great
importance on teaching correct table manners and co-operation at lunch
times. Children are encouraged to develop healthy eating habits.
Students are welcome to bring their own sandwiches. Some students may
require special diets and we will do our best to help.
Snack Money
We ask that you send in £5 in cash every half term for your child to join in with
snack time in class. This helps pay for drinks and biscuits in class time, and also
for a drink in a café if the students go out for visits into the local community.
The Press
Our school and students often appear in the local press and we ask for
permission from parents for photographs of their children to be taken for use in
articles that promote the life of the school. If you do not wish your child’s
photograph to appear in the newspaper please ensure that this is indicated
on the school registration form. We also produce DVD’s of school events.
Again, if you do not wish your child to appear, please let us know.
Child Protection
Under the Education Act 2002 (section 175/157), schools must “make
arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children”. We will
endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are
respected and valued. The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and
neglect and will follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB)
procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support
and protection.
Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on
information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk
from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. The school should make
parents/carers aware that records of welfare concerns may be kept about
their child. They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to
discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies. However,
in situations where the child is suspected to be at risk of harm, the law says that
schools may take advice from other agencies without informing parents/carers.
In accordance with local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that
information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared
with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure
that children and young people are safe and receive the right service.
Schools will seek advice from Social Care when they have reasonable cause to
suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded.
Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with
responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Person for Child
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Protection) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law
and acting in the best interests of all children.
Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, schools or any person who has
care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the
case for the purpose of safeguarding or promoting the child’s welfare”. This
means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school
whilst Social Care and the police investigate any concerns further.
Adult Protection
“No Secrets” 2000 requires all responsible agencies, including schools, to work
together to ensure policy and procedures are in place for safeguarding of
vulnerable adults. Schools’ primary aim will be to prevent abuse where
possible and take action in accordance with policy and procedures where
adult safeguarding concerns and/or allegations are raised about a student.
School Website
The school’s website can be visited at www.samuelpepysschool.co.uk Please
advise us if you do not wish your child’s picture to appear on the website. No
names will be given.
The school office will communicate preferably by email, with newsletters and
other information sent to the school from interesting parties. Please ensure
that the school has an up-to-date email address for you.
Personal Possessions
We prefer that students do not bring expensive personal items into school. If,
on occasions, this is essential, then they should be handed to a member of
staff for safekeeping. No responsibility can be taken by the school for
personal possessions that have not been handed to staff. Please note that
mobile phones are not allowed in school.
Our School Buildings and Grounds
We are very lucky to have nice buildings and
extensive outdoor play facilities, including our
Hydrotherapy pool.
We have had our
outdoor mural repainted, based on the
concepts of Every Child Matters, and
including work from every student in the
school.
A new sensory garden was
completed in 2013. Our Post 16 centre
enhances further our curriculum facilities
available to these older students.
Charging Policy
It is sometimes necessary to ask parents/carers for a voluntary contribution
towards the cost of a particular trip out of school or a visit. This can help to
pay for fuel for the school minibus or perhaps help towards the cost of
admission.
Please note, however, that if activities take place during the
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normal school day, then no students will be excluded from taking part if
parents are unable to pay.
We do expect parents to meet the full cost of:
 Activities outside of school hours that are not part of the National
Curriculum.
 Ingredients/materials for practical subjects where the item is kept by the
student e.g. food technology (cooking ingredients)
 Costs incurred as a result of deliberate damage to the school buildings,
property or furniture.
Please note that we do place significant importance on extra curricular
opportunities. We aim to provide the opportunity for all students in the senior
school to attend a residential trip during the course of the year. We firmly
believe that this is an excellent experience that teaches the students high
levels of life skills. Continuing this level of commitment is not possible without
parents making a voluntary contribution to meet the cost of the trip, however
our remissions policy enables parents in receipt of relevant benefits to pay a
reduced amount. Details are provided with any residential visit booking
information.
As part of their normal curriculum our students do go out from school and we
would ask all parents to give permission for short trips to local amenities during
the school day.
ParentPay
The school uses ParentPay to pay for dinners, after school club and all school
trips. Parents are issued with a unique login which enables them to access the
site and pay using debit/credit cards. Please speak to the school office for
more information. Uniform is currently still paid for by cash/cheque.
Complaints
It is nearly always possible for queries and problems regarding all aspects of
school life to be dealt with effectively by good home/school communication.
Often, complaints can be resolved by an informal discussion with teaching
staff, or if preferred, with the Headteacher. We shall always aim to get back
to you the same day, to tell you how we intend to respond to your complaint.
More formal complaints should be set down in writing and addressed to the
Headteacher or the Chair of Governors which ever is the most appropriate.
Should it prove impossible to resolve the issue, the Local Government
Ombudsman (LGO) should be contacted at www.lgo.org.uk/schools/ or by
calling their advice team on 0300 061 0614 or 0845 602 1983 (8.30-5pm,
Monday to Friday).
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Our Staff
Teachers:
Chris Baker – Deputy Head
Liz Craigen– Assistant Head
Mark Case – Head of P16
Rachel Cahill – Class 1
Kim Ulmer – Senior 1 and Head of Literacy
Heather Schofield – Class 2
Emma Corteil– Senior 4
Stephanie Henderson – Class 4
Amy Pockett – Class 3
Tracey Collingwood – Senior 3
Jerry Hartley – Post 16
Timea Safrany – Senior 2
Amy Crane – Senior 5
Sue Brown – Post 16
Claire Martin/Claire Hawking- Class 5
Teaching Assistants:
Helen Abeyasekera
Sarah Adams
Angie Anness
Sasha Aprigliano
Diane Arnold
Ellen Barratt
Sharon Bartram
Clare Dale
Paula Davies
Sarah Dubery
Julie Dwyer
Maria Edgerton
Karen Elias
Janet Fisher
June Geoghegan
Christine Giles
Melody Gill
Jane Gill
Amanda Grimley
Jess Henderson
Hayley Housden
Samantha Howse
Claire Huckle
Lynne Hurden
Tracy Hurley
Mandy Jeffery
Suzie Knight
Ruth Laverty
Cathy Ledsham
Clare Middleton
Doreen Moser
Julie Murfin
Shermaine Neal
Gail Paget
Sam Paget
Amanda Rook
Sarah Smith
Theresa Spooner
Amelia Taverna
Nicola Tsierkezou
Asst Head of Primary/SENCO
Speech and Language Therapy:
Music Therapists:
Play Therapist:
Physiotherapist:
Occupational Therapist:
Visual Impairment Service:
ICT Support:
In our office
Site Officer:
Penny Kirkpatrick
Alison Hanson, Angela Huxtable, Liz Waring
Elinor Everitt
Helen Thompson
Amy Stubbings/Amanda Maylor
Clare Ginty/Nusrat Hussan/Ansu Pienaar
Tabitha Stevens
Russell Smith
Jane Buckham, Caroline Entwistle,
Sally Hewitt & Sarah Payne
Graham Ward assisted by Diane Sales
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Official Holiday Dates
2015
Staff Training Day
Spring Term opens
Half Term
Spring Term closes
Monday 5th January
Tuesday 6th January
16-20 February
Friday 27th March
Staff Training Day
Summer term opens
Half term
Bank Holiday
Staff Training Day
Summer Term closes
Monday 13th April
Tuesday 14th April
25-29 May
Monday 4th May
Monday 1st June
Wednesday 22nd July
Staff Training Day
Staff Training Day
Autumn Term opens
Half Term
Autumn Term closes
Weds 2nd September
Thurs 3rd September
Fri 4th September
26-30 October
Friday 18th December
2016
Staff Training Day
Spring term opens
Half term
Spring Term closes
Monday 4th January
Tuesday 5th January
15-19 February
24th March
Staff Training Day
Summer term opens
Bank Holiday
Half term
Staff Training Day
Summer Term closes
Monday 11th April
Tuesday 12th April
Monday 2nd May
30 May – 3 June
Monday 6th June
Thursday 21st July
To be confirmed
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