Sparsholt Primary School Prospectus
If you prefer, you can order a hard copy of the Prospectus from the school office. Email us: adminoffice@sparsholt.hants.sch.uk with your address. Alternatively telephone us on 01962 776264. Let us know if you would like a larger font or a coloured paper copy.
- Headteacher's Overview
- Message from the Chair of Governors
- Accessibility at the school
- Vision Statements
- Governors
- The Christian Character of the School
- Admissions
- Starting School
- Home School Agreement
- Behaviour, Homework, Uniform
- SATS Results
Welcome to Sparsholt C of E Primary School were we continually strive for High Achievement for Everyone within a Caring Christian School. The opening paragraph of our most recent Ofsted report stated that
“this is a good school with a number of outstanding aspects. At Sparsholt every child realy does matter and at the heart of its work are the excellent care and support of every individual. This is widely recognised by parents, who hold the school in high regard. One, representing the views of many, commented ' the school has a wonderful atmosphere where pupils are constantly encouraged to look after and value each other.' Consequently, pupils personal development is outstanding. They feel extremely safe and secure, behave well and are very proud of their school. They enjoy everything that it has to offer, become enthusiastic learners and achieve well.”
We were very pleased with their judgements and the description above is gratifying and a true reflection of our wonderful school. However we are notcomplacent and continually to be the best village school in Hampshire.
We have experienced hardworking staff, who are caring, enthusiastic and determined to help all children achieve their best. Our setting policy allows us to have small classes – one teacher and assistant to no more than 25 children during literacy and maths time. This maximises teacher and individual contact time and allows us to maximise our computer suite to support word processing and data handling.
We pride ourselves on out ability to know our pupils individually. We can help our individuals who have special needs or those who have special talents and we endevour t extend their skills and opportunities through the widest possible curriculum.
The staff are very experienced. All teachers were graded good or outstanding in the recent OFSTED. It is our aim to be very good and to do that we are committed to training, in house monitoring and shared develpopment with other schools. The high expectation of the staff, their enthusiasm and care for the children make our School an effective place to learn. It is our aim to impart a love of learning in all our pupils.
Curriculum Opportunities
Our School seeks to develop the talents in our children beyond national expectations through an integrated curriculum. At school we offer additional clubs for German, recorder, dance, football, netball, running and craft. There is individual instrument tuition and all the children can learn French. We enthusiastically take part in National writing and art competitions.
We take full part in the pyramid of schools extra curriculum activities that include sport, the arts and celebration. We believe passionately that planned visits and invited guests can enrich the curriculum and have inspirational effects upon our learners. We are keen to harness the talents of our parents and local volunteers and we value their help in promoting the very best educational attainment and opportunities for our pupils.
The School Day
Our school day begins at 8:30am ( aschool bus provides transport from Crawley and Littleton) and finishes at 3:30pm, although optional clubs run until 4:15pm on most afternoons.
School Ethos
Our Vision Descriptor:
“High Achievement for Everyone in a Caring Christian School ” encapsulates the ethos of the School".
The School Code
We have a Sparsholt Code that is embedded in our behaviour policy and daily practice.
“At Sparsholt School we show care, kindness, respect for others and pride in our work. We let the teachings of Jesus guide us in all that we do”.
The code is learnt by all the children and referred to in all situations. The older children through our assembly groups and designated roles are actively encouraged to take on personal responsibility and to show that responsibility in their care for the younger ones.
We are very pro-active in ensuring the highest standards of behaviour.
We have a school uniform policy – all items, a sweatshirt, cardigan, school polo shirt, and P.E. T shirt can be purchased through the school office.
Facilities
We may be a small school of approximately 120 on role, aged 4-11 and organised in 5 classes, but we have facilities that are the envy of larger local schools. Large bright classrooms, additional computer suite, internet linked, and separate rooms for cooking, music tuition and special needs, make our school a highly effective place in which to learn.
On the sporting and recreational fronts we have virtually uninterrupted use of the village hall attached to our site, which is a superb space in which to do P.E., singing, dancing and worship. The school field is particularly dry and is available to us for sports, especially football, rounders and athletics, all year round. We believe in competitive sports and play matches with other schools in football, cricket, netball and cross-country.
Our playground facilities are also good including a soft area, climbing apparatus, playhouses and extensive seating. In 2009 the Friends of Sparsholt School (FoSS) have actively fund-raised to provide a covered area. We have extensive grounds and a school pond to further bring to life the conservation of our wonderful rural environment.
Community
At Sparsholt we recognise that we are an essential part of the three village communities. We are keen to raise the profile of the school in the area and in the media. We offer an excellent education and need to celebrate that fact and let others out of catchment know about it. We are keen to celebrate our achievements and regularly feature in the local press.
A key player in the community is the Church. We have said earlier that we wish to deepen the Christian ethos of the School. Part of this design is to worship in the Church at least once each half term and to invite The Rev. Juliet Montague into school regularly to lead assemblies. A deeper Christian ethos that believes that the teachings of Jesus are a guide to living happy and fulfilled lives is an aid to maintaining and raising standards. We deeply respect and celebrate the major faiths of our world and their tenets feature in RE lessons.
Parents and Governors
It is our aim for the School to be open and accessible to yourselves. Firstly, we operate a “today or next day” policy where, if you want to speak to myself or my teachers, we will endeavour to see you at the earliest convenient time but no later than the next day.
Our reporting systems will tell you what we are going to teach each half term so that you can become fully involved in the learning of your children. We will share with you the current levels of ability of your child and the expected targets to be achieved twice per year. A school report will be written in mid-year with a final meeting to review the progress achieved in July.
By informing you of the teaching objectives, the detailed targets for your child and reporting progress, we hope you will build up a clear position of your child's performance. We value your role in the partnership and together we will help your child fulfil their true potential.
Through high expectations, through being sensitive to the needs of individuals, by offering a first rate curriculum and by reporting progress openly, we aim to make Sparsholt C of E Primary School the best village school in Hampshire.
If you would like to visit our school and see us in action, or require further information, please contact me on 01962-776264.
Yours Sincerely
Stephen Young -
HEAD TEACHER
Message from the Chair of Governors
At Sparsholt school we consider each child in the widest sense and our aim is to provide for the needs of your child as an individual. We believe that we offer a caring and safe environment for children to grow in maturity, to learn how to behave and interact with others, and to learn how to learn, as well as to enjoy learning. Every child matters to us and our recent Ofsted inspection supports that opinion.
As a Church of England School we promote Christian values, in that we teach about consideration of others, and about respect and responsibility. We are careful not to be evangelistic, however, and our religious education teaching includes aspects of a range of major world religions.
As governors, we aim to support and challenge the work of the school. The head teacher, staff and governors have a highly productive relationship in our school, and as a team we do not rest on our laurels, but are always seeking ways to improve or develop.
There is a lot of information in this handbook which we hope you will find useful. We warmly invite you to visit and see the school in action. As a prospective parent myself not so very long ago, I found that the caring atmosphere in school can be sensed from a walk around within school hours. Further questions can be answered via the Head teacher, but it is possible to arrange for you to speak to a governor if you wish.
Lucy White
Chair of governors
Sparsholt C of E Primary School is committed to the inclusion of pupils and their parents who may have physical impairment. Visitors need to be aware that the School's car park and entrance way are sloping and therefore we recommend telephone contact with the School so that we can arrange disabled parking and assist with access to the School.
- The sloping nature of the School's site means that access through and around the School involves flights of steps and therefore assisted movement, which we are happy to provide, is essential.
- We can, through prior management, meet visitors in the adjacent village hall which has level access and disabled facilities.
The staff of the School will do all they can to meet the needs of their visitors and will always endeavour to meet individual requests. All school communications are available to be emailed should you require communication in a different format. Please contact the School with your request.
High Achievement- There will be high expectations, the highest quality teaching and a secure, stimulating environment
- We will create an achievement culture for all, giving all our children every chance of achieving economic well being in the future
Quality Of Teaching and Learning
- We will support a policy of continuous professional improvement and offer excellence in our subject teaching
- We will equip our children to be creative, resourceful, independent learners and thinkers
- We will develop enjoyment of learning
Sparsholt's Christian Character
- We will encourage an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith
- We will promote the Christian values through the experiences we offer all pupils
Ethos and Environment
- Every child matters to us, and our pupils' personal and academic development will be nurtured hand in hand
- We will offer an enriched, varied and safe learning environment
- We will develop the emotional well-being and the health of all our pupils so that they can make healthy choices in adult life
A School for the 21st Century
- We will prepare the children to meet the challenge of a changing world and to make a positive contribution to global, national and local society
- We will value children, irrespective of race, creed, gender or ability
- Our home school partnership will be strong and we will place Sparsholt School at the heart of the local community.
An up-to-date list of school governors can be found on the Governors page of this website
The Christian Character of the School
"This year we have affirmed our status as a Church of England school by adopting a school code which reads as follows:
“At Sparsholt School we show care, kindness, respect for others and pride in our work. We let the teaching of Jesus guide us in all that we do.”
I have been delighted to see this code being lived out in the kindness shown by children to one another, particularly when one has a need or is in distress. By making a strong Christian statement we are not being sectarian in a negative way, but enabling ourselves to reach out as Christians to those of other faiths, enjoy them and learn from them.
The link between the school and St. Stephen's Church continues to be strong, with Steve Davies and myself sharing the leading of assembly on Tuesdays, and with the school coming to St. Stephen's to celebrate Christingle, Easter, and Harvest. Steve Davies and I continue to help with RE whenever we are invited to do so, especially when the church and Christian symbolism are being studied.
The governors were pleased to enlist support for the school in its inaugural pilgrimage, utilising their diocesan connections. The pilgrimage began with a blessing in St. Stephen's , and we were pleased that the Reverend Paul Baird from Compton All Saints was able to bless our pilgrimage at our lunchtime stop. After a brief stop for ‘dole' at St. Cross, we were delighted that Bishop Michael made time to meet us at the Cathedral and lead us in prayer at the Shrine of St. Swithun, where the children were able to light candles.
The Church Club run every Tuesday until 4.30pm."
Rev Juliet Montague
The guiding principles of the school admission policy are:
- First, to enable as many children as possible to attend their parents' preferred school;
- Second, to enable each school to serve its local community;
- Third, to assist parents in planning their children's education;
- Fourth, to ensure that all children are allocated a school place.
Therefore, the aims of the admission criteria are
- to be easy for parents and schools to understand and operate;
- to enable siblings, as far as possible, to attend the same school;
- to enable children, as far as possible, to attend their local school and thereby minimise long or difficult journeys to school;
- to promote high educational standards through curricular and pastoral continuity between schools serving the same catchment areas;
- to promote school involvement with the local community.
Hampshire County Council is the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools and must be contacted in the first instance. Visit their admissions page. The admission arrangements are determined by the County Council, after statutory consultations. Governing bodies are responsible for implementing the admission arrangements on behalf of the County Council. The published admission number (PAN) for Sparsholt C of E Primary for 2009-2010 is 17.
We do ensure that the way into school is made as easy and worry-free as possible for the children and, indeed, for the parents, and make a variety of arrangements to help families. Many children may already be attending a local pre-school group and have visited our school with family or friends. We welcome children accompanying parents when visiting school, while you are in the process of making the decision of “which school” for your child. There are opportunities for an individual meeting with parents and with the whole of the forthcoming reception group of parents.
The current programme of pre-school provision prior to starting school takes place during the spring term, when the younger children join us in school for a series of sessions. They take part in a range of activities, so getting to know more about being at school, and learning to recognise and respect the needs of others whilst they develop skills in preparation for full-time school. Although by law children should attend school at the beginning of term following their fifth birthday, in Hampshire, they may start in September of the school year in which they become 5, if parents wish it and if their child is ready!
The current pattern of admission is:
- September to December birthdays are full time from September.
- Spring and summer birthdays stay all day on Tuesday and Thursday, and mornings only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Spring born children (1 January – 31 March) are, in general, offered full time education after half term.
- Summer born children are in general offered full time education for the following term, in accordance with HCC recommendations.
The length of part time attendance will vary according to your child's age and individual needs, taking into account pre-school education experience and readiness to take a full part in school life, and is subject to the headteacher's professional judgement, following discussion with parents and staff involved.
During the first half term in school, in line with County policy, staff will be making an assessment of what your child is able to do and identifying any areas where additional help may be needed. This “snapshot” of your child on starting school will be made with your help and full involvement. Above all, please remember that not only in the first weeks, but throughout your child's time at our school you are always able to talk with staff about any concerns you may have. When parents and staff are working together, this establishes a firm base for future schooling.
School will:
- Foster a love of learning
- Create a culture of high achievement for all
- Help children to appreciate others and take care of their surroundings
- Encourage children to grow within the guidelines of a secure Christian framework
- Share with parents information about your child's progress at least termly
- Provide termly information about the curriculum planned for your child
- Be accessible to parents
Family will:
- See that their child attends school regularly and on time
- Support the school's policies and guidelines for behaviour, homework and uniform.
- Inform the school of any concerns or problems that might affect their children's work, behaviour or attendance
- Attend parent's evenings and discussions about their child's progress
- Promote their child's awareness of the school's sense of community, values and identity.
Behaviour
The school code encompasses the expected values and behaviour that are acceptable in school. We will not tolerate impolite, aggressive or disruptive behaviour in school. At the first hint of bullying please contact the Headteacher. Sanctions include admonishment, headteacher and classteacher detentions, lunchtime disbarment.
Homework
Children are set a combination of literacy, maths and research.
- 1 homework per week for Year R/1
- 2 homeworks per week for Year 2
- 3 homeworks per week for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Uniform
At Sparsholt we have a uniform policy and children are expected to wear the following:
- White or light blue shirts with black, navy blue or charcoal grey tailored shorts, trousers or skirts.
- Blue and white dresses are acceptable for girls in summer.
- A Sparsholt School sweatshirt displaying the school's emblem.
- Sensible blue or black leather shoes - trainers are not part of the school uniform.
- During P.E. or games a Sparsholt T-shirt and blue or black shorts should be worn with plimsolls.
- Some items of uniform can be purchased through the school. Please contact the Admin Office in the first instance.
Download the uniform order form, complete with price list and sizes
SATS Results - Key Stage 2 (Test results 2009)
% at each level (Cohort of 23 pupils)
|
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
Level 5 |
Level 4+ |
English |
4 |
39 |
55 |
94 |
Maths |
4 |
31 |
65 |
96 |
Science |
0 |
26 |
74 |
100 |
Key Stage 1 Teacher Assessment Results 2009
% at each level ( Cohort of 20 pupils)
|
Level 1 |
Level 2c |
Level 2b |
Level 2a |
Level 3 |
Level 2b+ |
Speaking & Listening |
0 |
13 |
7 |
33 |
47 |
87 |
Reading |
7 |
7 |
7 |
33 |
47 |
87 |
Writing |
7 |
26 |
20 |
26 |
20 |
66 |
Maths |
0 |
20 |
13 |
26 |
40 |
80 |
Science |
0 |
26 |
7 |
26 |
40 |
74 |
* Rounded figures may not add to 100%