Academy Primary School Prospectus
Foreword
Vision Statement / General Information
Inspection Week Beginning 31 March 2003
Values
Board of Governors
Staff and Organisation
Curriculum
Religious Education
Community & Cross Community Links
Library
Foreword
Dear Parent,Thank you for considering Academy Primary School as a suitable school for your child.
This prospectus is intended to help you know more about the life and work of Academy Primary School. It may also be used as a school guide for parents of pupils already enrolled in the school.
Learning begins in the home and throughout a child's schooling the environment of the home continues to influence his/her educational development profoundly. In school we are dedicated to encouraging your child's learning by offering a stimulating and varied curriculum, a secure environment where he/she will be encouraged to fulfil his/her academic potential, respect other children, co-operate with other boys and girls and communicate openly with his/her peers and the teacher. Our goal is also to promote enjoyment in education.
We believe that parents should feel welcome in this school and take a positive interest in their child's education. Teachers are linked to parents by the children for whom they are responsible. Let us therefore work as a team to make your child's school days as pleasant and enriching as possible. Your child's teacher, the Vice Principal or I will be only too pleased to discuss any matter pertaining to your child's well being at the school and look forward to your fullest support.
However, no prospectus can convey the real atmosphere of the school, so we would like to invite you to pay us a visit and see for yourself. We hope that your son or daughter will have a happy and successful school life at Academy Primary School.
Yours sincerely
S. H. Moore, Principal
D. Donnan, Chairman of Board of Governors Back to top
Vision Statement / General Information
Our VisionAcademy Primary School will provide a safe and happy environment in which all children will be valued as individuals, where their academic, emotional, physical and spiritual needs are met, where their full potential is realised whilst nurturing tolerance, respect for others and a readiness to support and care for each other within the community and the world at large.
This school will maintain these traditional values whilst embracing innovations in learning and teaching, which will keep practice at the forefront of primary education.
Academy seeks to develop its status as a flagship of excellence in education whilst being a place and time in their life journey that pupils recall with affection and pride.
Our Mission Statement:
ACHIEVE - Acceptance, Challenge, Happiness, Improvement, Encouragement, Values & Endeavour
Area Board
The school is under the control of the South Eastern Education and Library Board, Grahamsbridge Road, Dundonald, Belfast, BT16 2HS. The Area Board publishes details about education in its area and a copy of this information can be obtained from the above address.
Arrangements for Parents to Visit the School
Interested parents are welcome to visit the school and can make arrangements by contacting the school secretary, Tel. 028 9751 0407.
General
Academy Primary School is situated on Listooder Road on a pleasant site. It was opened in 1976 to replace the old Saintfield Academy and four rural schools in a reorganisation programme of primary education in the area. The school serves the town of Saintfield and the surrounding country area, the children from outlying districts being transported to school by school bus.
The present enrolment of compulsory school age children continues to grow and currently stands at 372 (at 1.9.2005) with a principal, fourteen class teachers and a learning support team, comprising of two members of staff. The nursery opened in September 2002 and from September 2003 the nursery has had a double intake allowing up to 52 children to attend.
The school has recently benefited from a range of capital investments. These include a new £300000 extension which was completed in August 2000 and a Learning Support Room completed in October 2000. New office facilities were completed in March 2002 and a new Nursery in July 2002. A new PE store has just recently been completed and a complete refurbishment of all windows took place in April 2004.
A mobile classroom was installed over the summer of 2004 allowing a new ICT suite was opened in September 2004. Back to top
Inspection Week Beginning 31 March 2003
In a recent inspection the focus was on mathematics, ICT, structured play, pastoral care and the nursery.The inspection team under Mr Walker Ewart highlighted the following:
The strengths of the school include:
· The happy and caring ethos of the staff
· The excellent relationships at all levels
· The well-mannered and welcoming children
· The hard working teaching and ancillary staff
· The good range of extra-curricular activities
· The quality of teaching which ranges from good to excellent
· The good planning in mathematics and ICT
· The excellent leadership of the Principal
· The good support given by the Vice-principal and senior management team.
· The effective integration of ICT into many areas of the curriculum.
· The good progress which has been made in a short time within the nursery unit.
Areas for improvement include:
There are no areas for improvement. The quality of education provide in this school is very good. The needs of the children are being well met.
A full copy of the report is available on request. Back to top
Values
Our Values"The school recognises the value of each child as an individual, and the importance of nurturing every aspect of his/her personality - intellectual, creative, emotional, physical and spiritual. All individuals are of equal worth; therefore tolerance, respect for others and a readiness to support and care for each other within the community and the world at large are essential.
The school's vision and its values are necessarily closely inter-linked, and we need to ensure that pupils are provided with the opportunity to develop a reasoned set of attitudes, beliefs and values. Whilst recognising that certain moral issues are personal and family based, moral and social issues do present themselves for discussion within the curriculum. Information is given so that pupils can make considered decisions, when ready to do so, from a base of sound understanding.
Tolerance of others' values is extremely important, but there may be occasions when pupils need to be shown, through discussion and by example, what is and is not acceptable both in and outside school. Although some issues will be viewed differently by individuals, others must generate universal agreement; amongst these, bullying, lying, stealing, religious and racial intolerance cannot be condoned. Equally, the beliefs, ideas, property and rights of others should be respected..
Basic standards of good behaviour require that all should be considerate, polite, respectful and helpful towards each other, and that they should recognise the need to be responsible and reliable and to keep to promises made." Back to top
Board of Governors
The Board of Governors has nine members. Membership is representative of a number of interests. Historically, the Churches are represented by four Transferor representatives. The S.E.E.L.B.has two representatives, there are two parent representatives and one teacher representative. The Principal acts as secretary to the Board of Governors and the Vice Principal acts as minute secretary. Those appointed as Governors hold office for a four year term.The Governors are responsible for the financial administration and management of the school as well as the delivery of the N.I. Curriculum.
The Principal exercises delegated executive responsibilities for the daily management of all school activities. The Principal in turn delegates appropriate responsibilities to the Senior Management Team , subject co-ordinators and staff.
An annual report to the parents is held in November. Copies are made available to parents.
Membership
Mr D. Donnan ( Chairman )Transferor Representative 1st Saintfield Pres.
Mrs J. Ritchie (Vice Chairman ) Transferor Representative Saintfield Parish
Miss L. Bell Minutes secretary
Mrs P. Woods Teacher Representative
Mr N. Graham
Mrs T. Kerley
Mr E. Sims
Mr T. Scott
Mr R. Edwards
Mr G. Perrin
Mr S. H. Moore Back to top
Staff and Organisation
The Teaching StaffThe current teaching staff represents a wide range of experience and expertise which is put to effective use in a programme of pastoral care and a system of subject co-ordinators. Regular meetings of the staff, of the co-ordinators and of the senior management team contribute to the smooth running of the school.
Senior Management Team
The Principal (Mr Moore), Vice Principal (Miss Bell) and Head of Foundation Stage (Mrs Johnston) Key Stage 1 (Miss Clarke) and 2 (Mrs Woods) form the Senior Management Team which is responsible for the curriculum policy and general administration of the school.
Pastoral Care
Mrs Woods is the designated teacher for any matters relating to pastoral care or child protection. Miss Clarke and Mrs Johnston are the deputy designated teachers and both the Vice Principal and Principal make up the five member pastoral care team. Mrs Ritchie is the designated governor.
The Curriculum Co-ordinators
The Curriculum Co-ordinators ( Mrs Johnston, Miss Clarke and Mrs Woods) have oversight of Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 programmes of study and are accountable to the Vice Principal who oversees whole school development. The Curriculum Co-ordinators meet with the subject co-ordinators to ensure that the content in the various subject areas is in keeping with the Northern Ireland Curriculum and School Curriculum Policy.
Subject Co-ordinators
The Subject Co-ordinators are responsible for the development and organisation of the teaching programme in each subject area. In developing each subject programme, there is discussion with the class teachers. Back to top
Curriculum
Our aim is to offer children a broadly based curriculum which develops the whole child. This will be achieved by ensuring that your child studies the five compulsory areas of study ( Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Environment and Society and Creative and Expressive Studies ) four educational themes ( Information Technology, Cultural Heritage, Health Education and Education for Mutual Understanding ) as set down in the Education Reform Order. The educational themes are taught as an integral part of the five compulsory areas of study.Educational visits to places such as The Folk and Transport Museum, Carrickfergus Castle, Belfast Zoo, and residential visits to Ardnabannon Outdoor Education Centre, York or London and the Share Centre help to enrich the curriculum. Guest speakers come to school to address various classes on aspects of the curriculum e.g., a talk given by a grandparent on Life in Saintfield 50 years ago.
The infant children learn through structured play. Play is the way a child discovers new things about the world, develops new skills and builds up relationships with new friends. Your child is learning at the same time.
As the child proceeds throughFoundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, qualities of confidence, self-esteem and consideration for others will be developed alongside increasing competence in the basic skills. A variety of teaching and learning styles will be experienced within each class. As children learn at different rates, our teaching methods will carefully match the content of lessons to the needs of each individual. The curriculum will be relevant to your child and this should result in sound learning. We will give children stimulating and challenging work in order to stretch them. Each teacher will provide a full programme of work for all children in their class, whatever their ability. We will ensure that your child takes the full range of subjects that will provide him with worthwhile experiences across all the areas of study.
By holding meetings with their colleagues teachers gain knowledge of what is happening at other stages in the school and ensure that there is progression and continuity in what is being taught and learned.
Continuous monitoring of pupil progress takes place throughout the year. In the autumn term parents are invited to a curriculum overview talk by the class teacher. This gives you the opportunity to hear what is being taught in the classroom.
Teacher / parent consultations occur twice yearly in October and March when the child's progress is reviewed.
A detailed written report is issued in June. Other parental consultations are welcomed during the year as required.
Assessment results at the end of both Key Stages ( P4 and P7 ) and Transfer Results are included in this prospectus. Back to top
Religious Education
Our staff are aware of the spiritual needs of the children and we try to ensure that the various needs and those of their parents are catered for.The school assembly consists of a collective act of worship, a Scripture reading, and a talk by the Principal. a visiting clergyman or a member of staff on events described in the Bible, making them applicable to modern living. Regular visits to the school are made by local clergymen.
Religious Education is a compulsory subject on the curriculum. We teach an agreed syllabus which is Christian and non-denominational.
If parents do not wish to have their child take part in the collective act of worship or be taught the Religious Education curriculum, they must speak to Mrs Logan or the Principal concerning the matter. Parents have the right to exclude their children from the Religious Education classes.
Should you wish to withdraw your child from either of these activities on a regular basis the school should be informed in writing. Such children will be placed temporarily with another class. Back to top
Community & Cross Community Links
The school enjoys the benefit of receiving a range of people from the local and wider community and from their practical and financial support. In return the school makes a positive contribution to community life through its participation in events held within the town.The school has established close and meaningful links with St. Mary's Primary, Saintfield and Holy Family Primary, Teconnaught. The staff meet to arrange an enjoyable and meaningful programme of activities, educational visits and residential trips. Parental involvement is encouraged. The school received a National Award with Holy Family for its work in this area. Back to top
