School, childcare and nursery finder

Print / download version (PDF file, 67 KB) (opens in new window) Help with PDF files

The information provided was correct at the time of publishing. Please be aware that details may have changed.

What have been our successes this year?

The successful re-accreditation of our Investors in People award started the year well. We also achieved a Healthy Schools award and had a successful ‘Healthy Schools Week’ that the children enjoyed immensely.

There have been exciting developments towards our work on Emotional Literacy. Our old computer suite has been transformed into a ‘WAVE room’. Staff worked hard over the Summer holidays to decorate the room and create a calm, tranquil environment for the children.The room is to be used for circle time, PSHE work and for social and emotional support work. Two of our T.A’s started training to become ‘ELSA’s (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants). They are planning to run group support sessions starting in Sept 07.

Our work on the curriculum continued this year with the introduction of ‘Magical Starters’ at the start of each topic. Activities have included a visit from Florence Nightingale and a real life Battle of Bosworth!

A Breakfast Club was set up this year to support our working families. The children can enjoy a range of healthy breakfast food as well as activities.

We ended the year with a birthday BBQ as the school celebrated its 10^th birthday. It was a fantastic evening!

Back to top

What are we trying to improve?

Our School Improvement Plan is written in the Autumn Term each year and all school self evaluation activities feed into it. We have analysed data from end of year assessments carefully and identified school/key stage/year group priorities from it. Phase Action plans will be written based on this and staff will be working towards these action plans over the year. Links will also be made with the new Performance Management Arrangements that need to be implemented next year.

Next year, we will be working towards becoming a ‘dyslexia friendly school’ by looking at the good practice that takes place already and how we can further support children with specific learning difficulties.

We will continue to work on the development of the use of data, tracking pupil progress and targeting groups of children effectively. This is having a positive impact on standards in both key stages. We will also be improving our ‘Assessment for Learning’ practice by further developing the use of curricular targets and success criteria across the school.

Next year, the focus of our Learning Network is changing and will be supporting our development of the curriculum as we enter into the next stage of our 3 year curriculum plan.

Back to top

How much progress do pupils make between age 7 and 11?

Our school

Confidence interval

Back to top

How well do pupils achieve at age 11?

Back to top

How have our results changed over time?

All KS1 SATS results from 2003-2006  were  above or in line with National Average and this year all threshold attainment was above national attainment except in L2 Reading and Writing. From 2003-2006 there was an upward trend in overall Average Point Score (APS) and it dipped slightly in 2007. However, Reading, Writing and Mathematics APS were all higher than National.

We have had a Year 6 for four years now and for the first two years Y6 had only one class. This year was the second year that Year 6 consisted of 2 classes. Therefore it is difficult to establish a pattern in results. The first two years results were slightly lower than national average. However, in 2006, results were significantly higher and all threshold attainment was above national average attainment. Again in 2007, all outcomes at L4 and L5 were higher than National results. The 2007 APS for English, Mathematics, Science and Overall were all higher than National. This is an identical pattern to 2006 Average Point Scores.

We are pleased with our results this year and have been able to identify areas for development in order to continue to ensure that the children are reaching their full potential.

Back to top

How are we making sure that every child gets teaching to meet their individual needs?

Through careful planning which incorporates a variety of learning styles, teachers ensure the needs of all children are met. Clear objectives that are shared and understood by children, enhances the children’s understanding of what they are trying to achieve in a lesson and enables them to assess their own progress. The children are encouraged to be self-evaluative in their learning and we work hard to create a culture where mistakes can be used in a positive way, to move learning forward.

Children with Special Educational Needs are well supported through the use of IEP’s which are reviewed four times a year and given additional support where appropriate. Children with physical needs are well cared for through extra T.A support and Care Plans as appropriate.

More able learners have been identified and teachers use this information to provide appropriate activities. Children with Social and Emotional needs are supported through the PSHE curriculum (including SEAL) and will be further supported by group or individual work with ELSA’s in the WAVE room from September 07.

Back to top

How are we working with parents and the community?

We firmly believe that parents are the first and foremost educators of children and we work hard at our excellent relationships with them. We are able to maintain good lines of communication with parents in a variety of ways: the use of home school books and the availability of teachers at the end of the day ensures contact on a daily basis. This is enhanced through newsletters, a website, written reports and parent consultations. Performances, carol concerts and Sports Days enable parents to celebrate school life with their child.

At the end of the year we held a ‘Thank You’ coffee morning to all parents and family members who had come in to support the children in their learning at school. 

Parent Questionnaires will be sent out next year which will give parents and carers a further opportunity to communicate how best we can support them.

Links with the community were judged very good by Ofsted in March 2004 and we continue to look to develop these. This year we developed links with Gary Bruce, owner of ‘Bruce Homes’ who has become a school Governor, and has supported the school in a range of ways. Next year we are looking to develop further links with other local businesses.

Back to top

What have pupils told us about the school, and what have we done as a result?

All classes hold circle time sessions where the children are able to discuss and put forward their views on a wide range of subjects. The children in each class have appointed a school councillor who puts forward their views to the school council on a regular basis. This year the school council alongside their peers chose a charity (Oxfam) and school councillors organised a stall to raise money for the charity at one of our school car boot sales. The school council were also involved in the development of our ‘Travel Plan’ and investigated the use of the car park as part of their work. They decided on a logo for the travel plan with their classes.

The children were able to put their views forward this year on the change of lunchtime arrangements (resulting in staggering lunchtimes for KS1 and 2) which was implemented successfully to allow children to have a better quality lunchtime experience. Next year we will give the children pupil questionnaires to give them a further opportunity to tell us how we can make school an even better experience for them.

Back to top

How do we make sure our pupils are healthy, safe and well-supported?

Mutual respect and trust are key to the ethos of the school and this is very evident in the relationship between adults and pupils. Our behaviour policy focuses on positive behaviour management and children taking responsibility for their own actions. This is further enhanced through class circle times, assemblies, the implementation of SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) and through the proposed work on Emotional Literacy (starting Sept 07)

Children are given advice on what to do if they feel at risk through the P.S.H.E curriculum and circle times. There are sound arrangements for Child Protection and the Head Teacher ensures that all staff are aware of the relevant procedures.

We actively encourage the children to think about healthy eating. Children in KS1 continue to receive a piece of fruit or vegetable every day as part of the free fruit for schools scheme. All children may bring in a piece of fruit or vegetable as a playtime snack.

Our P.E co-ordinator is training to be a Primary Link Teacher in P.E which involves managing the development and delivery of an inclusive P.E and out of hours sports programme, sharing good practice with other schools and increasing sporting links with other schools.

Back to top

How do our absence rates compare with other schools?

Back to top

What activities and options are available to pupils?

In addition to a broad and balanced curriculum, we have a strong emphasis on sports and the arts. Children are offered a wide range of clubs; some take place after school and some on a Thursday afternoon. We have a boys and a girls football team, both of which take part in inter-school matches. This year we also offered athletics, gym, art, drama, cooking, puppet making and gardening.

Through tutors we offer instrument lessons in flute, clarinet, guitar, violin, double bass and drumming. In September 07 there will be an opportunity for the children to join the school choir. We plan to join with other schools to sing as well as to sing to members of the community at Christmas.

All children have the opportunity to take part in school educational visits and the Year 6 children go to Skern Lodge in Devon for a week of exciting (and exhausting!) activities.

Back to top

What do our pupils do after leaving this school?

As the school has grown we have worked hard to develop good links with local senior schools. An effective induction programme is in place and our pupils move to a variety of schools: Bishop of Winchester, Porchester, Glenmoor, Avonbourne, Winton, Bournemouth School for Girls and Boys, Twynham, Ferndown Middle and Kings High. In order to prepare our children for life at senior schools, use is made of the transition material, which introduces children to the work they will cover in Year 7 and is designed to be shared with other children on entry into senior school.

Back to top

What have we done in response to Ofsted?

We had a very positive Ofsted Inspection in March 2004 and there were no issues identified. However, we feel that now we have become a large school it is vital to continuously work to keep the individual (child, member of staff, parent and governor) at the heart of all we do. Therefore, we have continued to build on the solid foundations that were laid in setting up the school and use our self evaluation procedures and school development plan to enable every child to reach their full potential, sometimes asking them to stand on tip toe to do so.

Back to top

More Information

If you would like more information about school policies, including our policies on special educational needs and disability, admissions, finance, school food and our complaints procedure, please contact us:

By telephone: 01202 549654

Our website: http://www.muscliff.ik.org

Back to top