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School Philosophy It is the policy of the school that all adults and children should feel and show respect for the feelings, beliefs, opinions and actions of the members of the school and wider community, and sustain a sense of their individual worth. Aims of the School The aim of the school is to achieve the best possible educational, moral, social, physical and aesthetic development of each individual child by providing a caring, happy, safe and disciplined environment. We expect our pupils to work hard, to enjoy school life and to keep the school rules and code of conduct.
Core values Our Core Values are: - Mutual respect , Trust , High achievement for all , Fairness and Honesty . Important Information The headteacher's and secretary's office are now situated at the Grafton Road entrance in the new block. All enquiries not only for the head and teaching staff, but also for the caretaker, kitchen, governing body etc. have to be dealt with at the secretary's office initially. Here the office staff deal with the demanding secretarial duties of the school, answering the never-ending stream of queries from pupils, teachers and parents whilst endeavoring to remain cheerful, patient and tolerant. The corridor hatch is for internal enquiries etc. from pupils. Enquiries from adults and visitors should be made through the large hatch in the reception area. The medical room is situated at the end of the library. Entrance to the School Before school, children must enter from the Stanhope Road gates, which lead directly into the playground, or from Becontree Avenue via the Infant school playground and the inter-communicating gates. After school, children must exit through the same two sets of gates. Please note that the Stanhope Road and the interconnecting gate between the Infant and Junior school playgrounds are locked at 9.10 am and do not re-open until 2.55 pm each day. Children going home for lunch may enter and exit through the Stanhope Road gates which will be opened and closed, and supervised by a midday supervisory assistant. Children who arrive after 9.10 am must enter through the Grafton Road entrance, staying on the path, and reporting to the school office, where their names will be entered into the late register. Their name will then be entered onto the class register when it is returned to the office by the class teacher. If you need to collect your child during the day for any reason, you must enter through the Grafton Road gate and report to Mrs. Sell or Miss. Gore at the school office. Parents who wish to speak to the office staff must wait in the Reception Area and not at the children's hatch at the office. During the school day, parents will not be allowed to walk through the inside of the school from the infant to junior or junior to infant schools for security reasons. The entrance to Grafton Infant School is in Becontree Avenue .
What a child should do if they become unwell in school. Any children who become unwell or hurt themselves during the day must go to the medical room and see Mrs Lansdown, the Welfare Assistant, who will deal with them. If she is not there, there will be a note on her door saying where she is. If she is not available the note will say ‘Go to the Office or to wherever Mrs Lansdown is'. If a child is unwell or injured during lunch time, they must report initially to a dinner lady (usually Mrs. Armbruster) by the sink in the year 6 corridor. The midday supervisory assistant on duty will attend to minor injuries, and if necessary, the child will be referred to Mrs. Lansdown. Mrs. Sell, Mrs. Lansdown and Mrs. Gamage all hold current First Aid Certificates, as do some of our midday supervisory assistant's, special support assistants and teachers. Medicines in School Our policy regarding medicines in school is as follows:- If a child has to take medicine of any description or have any cream or ointment applied during school time, they must be handed in to Mrs. Lansdown each morning with a covering letter signed by the parent or guardian. Please note that under no circumstances are children allowed to keep any form of tablets or medicines (except asthma pumps) in their bags, on their person or in their desks while in school. Mars Lansdown, Mrs. Sell, Mrs. Gamage or Mrs. Armbruster will not administer medicines to any child whose parent/guardian has not sent in a letter. Asthma Pumps If your child has an asthma pump, he or she may keep it on their person or in their school bag so it is ready for use when required. Please ensure your child's name is on it and that he/she does not leave it in school overnight or in his/her desk at any time. Other Medical Matters The school nurse visits the school periodically from her base at Five Elms Clinic. The school doctor, also based at Five Elms Clinic, visits the school periodically to carry out medical inspections on children. You will always be informed of these and may attend if you wish. The school dentist visits annually to check the children's' teeth and you will be advised if treatment is necessary. Head lice The school is bound by the Borough policy on this. If a child has head lice, it is the responsibility of the parent to treat the child and the whole family. If you inform us that your child has head lice, it will be treated in the strictest confidence. It is now usual for the school to send out letters to all parents of children in the class where the child has head lice but no names are revealed. If anyone finds any item of clothing or lost property they must take it to Mrs. Lansdown in the medical room. Toilets The toilets for all children in the pre-extension (old block) classrooms are at the opposite end of the school from most of the classrooms. The toilets for Year 6 children in the new block are situated in the new block corridor. Children must use their allocated toilets at all times. Children are encouraged to use the toilets during morning break and lunch time. A bell is rung at 12.50 pm for years 3, 4 and 5 and at 1.20 pm for year 6 each day to remind children that they have ten minutes left in which to go to the toilet before the afternoon session begins. It is school policy to discourage children from going to the toilet during lesson time as this can be very disruptive to their classes and can cause disruption when they are wandering round the school, especially when there are several children wandering about at the same time. If there is a medical reason why your child needs to go to the toilet during lesson time, will you please put it in writing to the class teacher. Emergency Telephone Numbers From time to time it may become necessary to contact a parent or guardian during the course of a day. It could be because of illness or an accident, or even a desire on the part of a pupil to take part in some activity, or the pupil has a problem that he/she needs to speak to parents about urgently. Whatever the reason, it is always most important for us to have an emergency telephone number which is up to date, so if you change your place of work or home address, please let us know. When your child is ill and unable to attend school, we must receive from you a short note or phone call explaining the absence, otherwise the absence will be marked as ‘unauthorized' in the class register. The child's explanation cannot be accepted. When children need to phone home because they have left something at home or forgotten to let their parents know that they'll be late home we make a charge of 10p for the phone call. |
If parents would make sure all items of clothing and properly are named , it would not be difficult giving lost property back to the rightful owner. If your child has lost anything, any enquiries about this should be made to Mrs. Lansdown in the medical room initially. However, each child is responsible for their own possessions, so that at all times valuable items such as money should be carried by the pupils. Neither the Governing Body nor the local Educational Authority can accept liability for clothes, or other items, which are lost or damaged in school. | SCHOOL HOURS | ||
| Years 3, 4 & 5 | Year 6 | |
| Morning session: | 8.55 am - 12.00 noon | 8.55 am - 12.30 pm |
| Afternoon session: | 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm | 1.30 pm to 3.00 pm |
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Parents bringing children to school are asked not to stand in amongst where the children line up, but to stand at the yellow bars at the entrance until the whistle blows and watch their child go into school. Frequent lateness or absence interferes with a child's education; they can never regain the time they have lost. The Headteacher will initially contact parents whose children fall into this category, and if the problem persists, the Access and Attendance Officer will investigate. Dinner tickets will be on sale from the two hatches in the Medical Room office from 8.30 am . Please make sure your child arrives in plenty of time to buy a ticket and has the correct money, unless they have free school dinners. Morning break is from 10.40 am until 10.55 am . Children are given the opportunity to buy tuck at this time from the tuck stall in the refectory. This is the only time that children are allowed to eat tuck in the playground. If a child is given a playtime detention by a member of staff, he/she is not allowed to have tuck. We encourage children to be aware of environmental issues and in particular the appearance of their school, we would all like a litter-free environment, and we therefore encourage children to be thoughtful and to use the litter bins provided. Our lunch break is from 12 noon until 1.00 pm for children in years 3, 4 & 5 and 12.30 until 1.30 pm for year 6. Children may have a school dinner, cooked on site in the school kitchen, and eat it in the dining hall - drinking water is provided. School dinners are generally healthier than previously. The school also encourages parents to give children healthier food in their packed lunches, which they may bring in and will eat in the refectory with drinking water provided. Packed lunches should be brought in a small, well labelled and easily stored lunch box and not in a large hold-all type bag which presents a tremendous storage problem within the classroom and dining hall. No glass bottles or aluminum cans should be sent in. Parents will appreciate that on the grounds of safety this restriction is necessary. Lunch times If you wish your child to stay for school lunch or packed lunch, we expect them to obey the following rules: - 1. They show good manners and respect to midday supervisory assistant and all staff responsible for them at lunchtime, including those who serve food. 2. They must be able to line up quietly and sensibly when told to do so. 3. They must sit in the place allocated to them for the duration of their meal and mustn't keep moving about. 4. They must not throw food under any circumstances. 5. They must not fight, or make it unpleasant for anyone else in the playground. 6. When wet, they must sit in their classrooms and do a quiet activity at a desk and not run around the classroom or go into any other classroom. They must respect any older children put in their classroom to help them. 7. They must not abuse the toilets by throwing water or paper around, and must not linger there. • They must show courtesy and respect to other children. If children disobey these rules, you will be asked to take them home between 12 noon and 1.00 pm for years 3, 4 & 5 and 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm for year 6. We have raised our academic standards at Grafton, and intend to raise standards in all aspects of school life. We need your full co-operation to achieve this. No responsibility can be taken for any lunch box, which is damaged or lost. All lunch boxes should be labelled. Children staying for lunch or bringing packed lunch must not leave the premises at lunchtime. Midday Assistants supervise the children during the lunch hour. Children in years 3, 4 & 5 who leave the premises at the beginning of lunch time should not return before 12.55 pm , and in year 6 should not return until 1.25 pm as the Midday Assistants are only employed to supervise children who eat their lunch on the school premises. All children are expected to call dinner ladies and other adults by their title and surname and not by their Christian name, even if they know them outside of school. School finishes at 3.00.p.m. ( 12.30 pm on the last day of each term) and we would request that parents stand well clear of the doors and do not impede the children as they exit. Children who usually go home with parents and find them not there to meet them are told to come back in to school and report to the staff there.
The wearing of jewellery is a potential health hazard and we do not allow jewellery to be worn in school at all. An earring caught in another child's clothing, or on a piece of apparatus can cause severe damage to the ear. If a child arrives wearing any form of jewellery, even stud earrings, they will be asked to remove it and hand it in to the Head Teacher, who will lock it away until a parent/guardian comes to collect and sign for it. It will not be handed back to the child. This is now the same practice at Grafton Infant School and Robert Clack Comprehensive School . If your child has his/her ear pierced, this is best done at the beginning of the Summer holidays, as they will still not be allowed to wear any studs in school after piercing. The wearing of false nails is not permitted and if you child arrives wearing them, you will be contacted and asked to take your child home and remove them. Nail varnish, hair glitter, make up of any kind are not permitted. If your child arrives in school with any of these they will be asked to remove it with help from the welfare assistant. Whilst the children are inside the school building we do prefer them to walk on the left hand side wherever they may be going. Running in the corridors inevitably leads to accidents. We would also appreciate your co-operation in not blocking exits/entrances or corridors when children are entering or leaving the school building. Parents are also requested not to line up with their children while the children are buying their dinner tickets as this causes an unnecessary obstruction in the corridor. Before each holiday the head teacher issues the following warning to all children. • Do not go with strangers. • Do not eat or drink anything unless you know what it is and who has given it to you. • Be careful in the streets. • Consider others at all times. • Your parents must know where you are at all times. • As we finish early on the last day if the person you are expecting to meet you is not there, do not go with anyone else even if you know them. Go to the office so arrangements can be made. Please note that no dogs should be brought into the school playground, whether they are on a lead or not. From 1 st July 2007 the new smoking/non smoking laws came into place. The new legislation ensures that workers and members of the public are protected from the risks to health from tobacco smoke and are guaranteed their right to a smoke free environment. The legislation covers all schools and the following applies: - • indoor smoking rooms are no longer allowed. • ‘No Smoking' signs should be displayed at all public entrances of the school and in school vehicles. It requires head teachers and school governors to: - • ensure that premises are smoke free. • Display required signs. • Take reasonable steps to ensure that staff, students, visitors and members of the public are aware that the premises are legally required to be smoke free and that everyone complies with the law. • Parents are requested to refrain from smoking in the playground as the staff do not want to have the embarrassing task of asking them to stop smoking.
We feel it is important that children develop the notion of self-discipline and become responsible Discipline is the responsibility of all members of the school community. There is a code of conduct and behavior on which we all agree and is achieved in the first instance through self-discipline. Inevitably there will be times when reminders need to be given, sometimes a raised eyebrow or quiet word is enough. Our basic philosophy on behavior is: Everybody is expected to behave in a responsible manner, showing courtesy, respect and consideration towards other people at all times. We expect high standards of effort, work and behavior and outstanding achievement can be recognised in many different ways. A certificate of merit, team points, pupil of the week all reflect improvements in class work, behavior, sporting and musical achievements, helpfulness and general attitude. Despite all our best efforts, there will be times when some children will need a punishment rather than reward. We endeavour to deal with all cases of physical violence of any kind that we know about and in severe cases an exclusion may be necessary. It is difficult to deal with problems brought to our attention by hearsay evidence. In the case of frequent incidents involving the same pupil the headteacher will contact parents to discuss ways of improving the situation. Parents will also be contacted for a single incident if the headteacher regards it as serious. A record of letters to parents of serious incidents is kept by the Headteacher. There is a range of sanctions which reflect the nature or the persistence of the offence: Supervised break time detention with lines or other work. Lunch time detention with lines or other work. Daily reporting to senior member of staff. Discussion with parents or letter to parent which may warn of an exclusion if there is a recurrence of the behaviour. Exclusions:- These are used as a last resort and parents will always be notified by letter. They include: - Lunch time exclusion (letter to parents only) Fixed term exclusion: official letter to parents, Governors and Local Education Authority. Permanent exclusion: official letter to parents, Governors and Local Education Authority. THE CURRICULUM The junior stage (key stage 2 ) of education seeks to build upon the experiences and skills learnt in years one and two of the Infant school key stage 1. As children progress through the junior stage they will develop and extend the skills of reading, language and numeracy already begun in their infants' school. They will encounter new areas of learning and will explore other areas in more depth. The subjects in the National Curriculum for primary children are:- CORE Mathematics SUBJECTS English Science I.C.T OTHER Religious Education Music SUBJECTS History Art Geography P.E. (including swimming and games) Every child will learn all subjects and will be encouraged during their four years at Grafton Junior School to take an increasing responsibility for themselves and their own learning. The National Curriculum provides targets for pupils in each subject which set out what the pupil should know, understand and be able to do. These are called attainment targets. Children will get the opportunity to have their own individual discussion with their class teacher for review and target setting, once a year. In class, the teacher will do continuous evaluation in the summer term. You will be told each year how your child is progressing in an annual report, and in regular meetings with staff and the headteacher, who will make time available throughout the year. Any parent may view any National Curriculum documents by appointment through the headteacher What you can do to help your children at school? Talk with them about what they're doing at school. Encourage them to find out things. Read books with them and sign the home reading sheet daily. Make sure they do their spelling homework four times a week. Introduce them to the local library and help them choose books. Encourage and help them to learn their tables. Play number games with them where they have to work out answers quickly in their head. Let them help you in the kitchen weighing out food or working out shopping lists, etc. Encourage them to draw or paint and talk with them about their pictures. As a parent, the biggest help you can give to your child is to show that you are interested and see the value of what he or she is doing at school. Such support can have a real effect on your child's performance - and on his or her future. Finally, schools cannot work in isolation, teachers need your support and understanding in their efforts to help your child do the best he or she can. HOMEWORK If children work their hardest during the school day, they should not need to spend hours on homework. We expect and encourage children to do their very best during the school working day. However in all year groups, the learning of tables and spelling, regular home reading and any other task are expected. A teacher may ask a child to take unfinished work home to complete and we would hope for parental support. The government's guideline is that in the lower school (years 3 and 4) children should spend twenty minutes and in the upper school (years 5 and 6) children should spend thirty minutes each night on homework tasks. On occasions, if a parent requests extra homework, a teacher may recommend a book or books or suggest things to read or write. In this case, the homework would be under the control of and set by the parent. No teacher can be expected to mark work set by a parent. |
The length of the school sessions have been agreed by the Governing Body and approved by the Education Committee. Members of staff are on duty from 8.45am until 12.00 noon and from 1 pm. until 3.15 pm. for years 3, 4 and 5. For year 6, teachers are on duty from 8.45 am . until 12. 30 pm. and from 1. 30 pm. until 3.15 pm. Children are expected to be punctual at all times, but should not arrive at school before 8.30am . Children are not allowed to play football or other ball games in the playground before and after school.
The health, safety and welfare of all the children who attend our school is of great importance. For our part we endeavor at all times to maintain high standards of care within the classroom, the playground and wherever the children may be. Of course, accidents do happen occasionally, which may be out of our control. However, you as parents also have an important role to play in the health and safety of your children while they attend school.
members of the school. When children come into the school at the age of seven we have to build on self-discipline they have already acquired, and, through a system of praise and reward, encourage the children to become responsible and well-behaved members of the school.
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The governing body has agreed that sex education should be part of the overall school curriculum and carried out in Year 6 in the summer term as part of a personal and social education programme. The teaching of sex education is not planned in isolation but rather is regarded as an integrated part of the curriculum. All material used is reviewed regularly and is available to both governors and parents. Parents of year 6 children are invited in to school each year to view the sex education videos prior to the children watching them. The idea of this is to enable parents to discuss the issues raised more easily with their child.
The wearing of a school uniform gives an immediate sense of belonging to a school community and the wearing of school uniform is compulsory at all times except for occasional non-uniform days for which parents are notified in advance. Our uniform is neat, simple, easy and cheap to purchase. We keep a large stock of ties which can be bought from the school secretary at the school office. There are two types of tie available, the traditional tie up and the more recent elasticated tie, both can be bought for £2.50 each. We normally have a supply of second hand uniform which can be purchased from the welfare assistant at 50p per item. (shirts, skirts, trousers, cardigans, jumpers). When your child leaves the school, or grows out of any items of uniform that are still in good condition, we would always be happy for you to donate them to the school to replenish our stock of second hand uniform. School uniform is welcomed by parents who are relieved of the stress of their child's uncertainty about what to wear for school. The high standard we set in appearance is a signal to the community outside the school of our expectations in effort, work and behaviour. A school uniform also contributes to the pupils' sense of belonging and helps them take a pride in their school. If a child fails to wear school uniform, their parents will be contacted immediately and asked to take the child home and put them in regulation school uniform. The local education authority will support us over this. We request that parents put their child's name on each item of clothing. Painting Shirt - Parents are requested to supply their child with an old shirt to cover their school uniform when doing any clay work or art work etc. |
| School Uniform | |
| Girls | Boys |
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Grey skirt Red cardigan White blouse Pinafore skirt Dress (red and white check) Short sleeved blouse School tie |
Grey trousers (long) Grey trousers (short) White shirt Red jumper Short sleeved white shirt School tie
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Footwear - black shoes or trainers. No platform shoes or bulky trainers Please note that both girls and boys are expected to wear school ties. These can be purchased from Mrs. Sell at the school office at £2.50 each. We would prefer girls not to wear trousers, but if they need to during cold weather, they should be plain black or grey, not leggings or track suit bottoms. School P.E. Kit T Shirts - White, no words or pictures on. Shorts - Red, blue, navy, or white with no words or pictures on them Not cycling, Bermuda or beach shorts. Footwear - Black or white plimsolls. Trainers may be worn for outside work only. Girls may wear red leotards (if your child already has a leotard in a different colour, this will do). Children may wear track suits or jogging bottoms for games outside when it's cold, but must wear regulation P.E. kit underneath. Please mark all school uniform and P.E. kit clearly with your child's name. Children undress for P.E. and swimming and if clothing is not named, garments can be easily mislaid and lost. Each child should have a pair of plimsolls and a P.E. kit clearly marked, kept in a bag in the classroom. This should be taken home periodically and at the end of each term to be washed. Trainers are not suitable for gym or apparatus work, but may be worn for P.E in the playground. If your child arrives in school without he correct uniform, you will be contacted and asked to provide the correct uniform. The following visit us regularly.
The local clergy (weekly assemblies) The local police The school nurse Town Hall staff School governors Education social workers Teachers/Headteachers from other schools. Inspection Advisory teachers/Support Services Students
Childrens' discos Carol Service at St. Mary's Church District Sports Book fair Christmas pantomime Sponsored events Harvest Festival – gifts are distributed to nominated elderly people in the area. Swimming Gala Football 6-a-side Boys and Girls Rugby Tournaments Cricket Football fixtures Athletics Netball fixtures Rounders tournament
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES (Swimming for Year 4) (Intensive swimming in Year 3) as part of curriculum The school offers the following extras to the curriculum. Details of Line dancing in year 4 these are sent to parents nearer the time. Sports teams in football, netball, cricket, rugby and hockey Swimming, athletics and chess Visits from theatre groups Maths & Science contests Class educational visits) Choir Lunch time/after school clubs 17. Knitting, Music, Chess and Sports training (as and when necessary)
AFTER SCHOOL CLUB We have no details of one at the present time
As part of their education, children are taken on educational visits. These are well planned and fit in with some aspect of the curriculum. For short local visits, e.g. to Valence House, which will take part solely within the school day, you will have already signed an agreement form. For trips further afield, you will receive advanced notification and be asked for a voluntary contribution towards the total cost. If the costs of any trip cannot be met, the school have the right to cancel the trip. Children who have caused discipline problems in school will only be allowed to go on a trip if supervised at all times by one of their parents or a responsible adult. This does not necessarily mean an older brother or sister. The escort must be 18 or over. We always hold a ‘Meet The Teacher' evening in October for mutual exchange of information between teacher and parent when a child has moved into a new class. We also hold an open evening during the Spring Term for parents to see children's work and talk to the teachers of their maths groups and class teachers for English. There will be no open evening in the Summer Term, but parents may make appointments to see teachers at mutually convenient times during that term. In the summer term after reports go out if possible, there will be an open evening for years 3, 4 and 5. There will be no year 6 open evening but parents may make appointments to see year 6 teachers if they wish. We welcome letters and feedback about children's time at Grafton Junior School from parents when children have left at the end of year 6. CHILDREN'S SCHOOL REPORTS During July each year, parents will receive a report on their child's progress. This also includes information on a child's authorised and unauthorised absences during the year. On the report the word ‘session' refers to a morning or an afternoon, not a whole day. We send reports home with children if parents agree to it, otherwise they can be collected from the school office. Year 6 SATS results are sent out with reports and children in all year groups bring home a set of targets for themselves.
In order for the school to run smoothly, we request that parents do not take teachers' time in the playground (apart from short messages) in the morning or while a teacher is teaching. The school can only function smoothly by sticking to a set routine. When you do have a problem, we will expect you to talk to us about it without any disruption to the children's education and the normal running of the school. If your problem concerns anything to do with your child's class, please make an appointment to see the class teacher or in some cases the year group leader. If it concerns wider school matters, including lunch time, please make an appointment to see the head teacher. Please note that we are unable to solve problems that happen outside of school. If, after speaking to the class teacher or year group leader, you need to have a further discussion, please make an appointment to see the head teacher. This can be done by telephoning the school secretary. You do not need to say what it is about. If you still need further discussion after seeing the class teacher and/or head teacher, please contact the chairman of the school governors. Some parents ring up the education office regarding problems. Please note that any problems brought to the attention of the education office are always referred back to the school and if anyone does ring the education office, please ask for the name of the person to whom you speak, otherwise your complaint cannot always be traced. Regrettably, parents who ring the education office for an opinion often speak to a very junior clerk and his/her opinion may not be official Borough policy. |
IThe headteacher welcomes constructive criticism. 