St. Theresa’s school is situated in Blacon and is part of St. Theresa’s Parish in the Diocese of Shrewsbury.

St. Theresa’s Infant School and Mount Carmel Junior School were amalgamated in September 1991. On December 3^rd 1993 the Infants and Nursery moved from Blacon Point Road to Kipling Road. In October 1999 the library was extended to cater for the new ICT suite installed in November 2004. A new extension was built in 2005 comprising of a new staffroom, quiet room, disabled toilet, teachers resource room and photocopier room.

As a Catholic School we provide spiritual and moral support and guidance according to the teaching of the Catholic Church. We are concerned with developing the whole child, to enable him/her to reach his/her potential, by providing many varied experiences. We want our children to develop fully and be able to make a positive contribution to society with the understanding, knowledge and skills relevant to adult life and employment.  We encourage a sense of community and nurture the individuals developing self-esteem and self-confidence. We value each child and the gifts that each brings to our school.

This prospectus has been designed to provide you with practical information about our school and what we strive to achieve. Our education is based on the teaching of Christ, which stresses the qualities of faith, love, understanding and self-discipline. We foster in the children a sense of respect for themselves and for others. Together we can enable your child to reach their full potential in a safe, caring and stimulating environment.

Good work and good behaviour are emphasised. We have a policy of Positive Discipline aimed at encouraging, recognising and rewarding good behaviour, whilst providing alternatives and consequences for inappropriate behaviour. Rewards and consequences are agreed. These are different in the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 departments. 

There is a code of conduct, the basis of which the children have devised. This is central to the ethos of the school and forms part of the Behaviour Policy. The children are given many opportunities to accept responsibility and contribute to the life and work of the school.

Good work and good behaviour are emphasised. Parents are informed if a child’s behaviour causes concern. The positive side of discipline is stressed in an atmosphere of co-operation between children, teachers and parents. When children have behaved inappropriately or not completed homework they are given a detention.

Our Behaviour and Discipline Policy aims to help the children to become responsible for their own behaviour and to improve it.  Good links between home and school are essential for the development and welfare of each child. In a Primary School the first responsibility for pastoral care is with the class teacher, because s/he knows the pupils well. If a child is having personal difficulties the teacher will try to help the child to find a solution. More serious problems may involve the guidance of the Deputy Headteacher or Headteacher. We will always share matters of concern with you in line with current guidelines. 

St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School

Admissions

St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School is a Catholic Primary School under the trusteeship of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. It is maintained by Cheshire Children’s Services. As a Voluntary Aided School, the Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions. The co-ordination of admissions arrangements is undertaken by the Education Authority. For the school's year commencing September 2009, the Governing Body has set its admissions number at 30.

ADMISSIONS TO THE SCHOOL will be made by the Governing Body in accordance with the stated parental preference subject to the following set of ADMISSIONS CRITERIA forming a priority order where there are more applications for admission than the school has places available.

1.  Looked after children – a ‘looked after child’ is a child who is in the care of the local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority (as defined in section 22 of the Children Act 1989)

2.   Baptised Catholic children from the parish(es) of Blacon and Saughall.

3.  Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission and expected to continue the following year.

4.   Baptised Catholic children from other parishes.

5.   Non Catholic children whose parents wish them to have a Catholic education.    These places will be allocated according to pupils living nearest to the school (Distance) measured using an Ordnance Survey address-point system which measures straight line distances in miles from the address point of the school to the address point of the place of residence.

NOTES

a)    All applicants will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions which is in line with County Guidelines.

b)    All Catholic applicants will be required to produce baptismal certificates.

c)    It is the duty of governors to comply with class size limits at Key Stage One.

d)    Sibling refers to pupils with brothers or sisters, step-brothers or step-sisters, half-brothers and half-sisters, adopted brothers or sisters living together as part of one household, already attending the preferred school and expected to continue at the school in the following year.

e)    In relation to children of multiple births, exceptionally it may be necessary to offer places over the published admission number.  This is to ensure that, as far as possible, siblings (i.e. twins, triplets or children from other multiple births) can attend the same school.  This exception will only apply if the admission is compatible with the duty to comply with infant class size legislation.  Where necessary, random allocation will be undertaken to determine the place or places offered.  The random lottery will be carried out in a public place and supervised by someone independent of the school.  All the names will be entered into a hat and the required number of names will be drawn out.  Parents will be notified of their legal right of appeal in respect of the unsuccessful application/s for the other child/children.

f)     If category (2) is oversubscribed, children who satisfy (2) and (3) will have priority over children who satisfy only (2).  Subsequently if in this or any other category there are more applications than places available, priority will be given on the basis of distance from home to school, those living nearer to the school having priority, i.e. pupils living nearest to the school measured using an Ordnance Survey address-point system which measures straight line distance in miles from the Ordnance Survey address point of the school to the Ordnance Survey address point of the place of residence.

g)    The Governing Body reserve the right to admit children with proven and exceptional medical and social needs where admission to the school might best help satisfy those exceptional needs, providing that such application is submitted with appropriate evidence or reports from a doctor or social worker. 

h)    For occasional applications received outside the normal admissions round and if places are available then children qualifying under the published criteria will be admitted.  If there are places available but more applicants than places then the published oversubscription criteria will be applied. Occasional and late applications will be treated as per the admissions arrangements published by the Local Education Authority.

i)      If an application for admission has been turned down by the Governing Body, parents can appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel.  This appeal must be sent in writing to the Clerk to the Governors at the school within 14 days (10 working days) of refusal. Parents must give reasons for appealing in writing and the decision of the Appeals Panel is binding on the Governors.

Children with Statements

            Section 324 of the Education Act 1996 requires the governing bodies of all maintained schools to admit a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs that names their school.

School Day

Key Stage 2 –

8.50am - School Opens

8.50am – 12.30pm - Morning Session

1.15pm – 3.20pm – Afternoon Session

Morning Break – 10.30am – 10.45am

Lunchtime Break – 12.30 – 1.15pm

Afternoon Break – 2.10pm – 2.25pm

Key Stage 1

8.50am – School Opens

8.50am – 12.15pm – Morning Session

1.15pm – 3.20pm – Afternoon Session

Morning Break – 10.30am – 10.45am

Lunchtime Break – 12.15pm – 1.15pm

Afternoon Break – 2.20pm – 2.35pm

Nursery

8.45am – 11.45pm – Morning Session

12.30pm – 3.30pm – Afternoon Session

Lunchtime

Children may have a school meal prepared by our kitchen staff or bring a packed lunch. School meals are provided by Cheshire Catering Service and costs £2.10 per day. If you are paying by cheque, please make it payable to “Cheshire West and Chester Council”. Forms for free school meals can be obtained from the school office or by phoning the Free School Meals Team on 01625 374 777.

Snacks

Children may bring a healthy snack such as an apple, banana or breadsticks for their morning break. Sweets, packets of crisps and glass bottles are not encouraged. Mrs Piercy our school cook sells healthy snacks at break time from the school kitchen.

Foundation Stage children have snack together and parents are asked for a voluntary contribution of £1.25 per week to cover this.

Children have access to fresh, chilled, filtered water and can purchase a water bottle from the school office for £1.65. These should be taken home and washed at the end of each day. 

Our school uniform can be purchased from the School and Leisure shop in Charles Street, Hoole.

Please ensure that all school uniform and PE kit is clearly labelled with your child’s name.

The Governors have approved the following school uniform:

Boys                                 Girls

Navy sweatshirt                             Navy sweatshirt or cardigan

White polo shirt                             White polo shirt

Grey trousers                                 Navy skirt or grey trousers

Black shoes                                     Black shoes

Navy and white checked dresses may be worn during the Summer Term.

Indoors

All children should have a pair of indoor shoes e.g. pumps to change in to for their own comfort and the cleanliness of the school.

PE

Every child must have a red t-shirt and navy shorts.

Junior children may need something warmer for outdoor games, e.g. a tracksuit. 

All children should leave their PE kit in school. Their kit will be sent home when the classteacher thinks it needs washing.

Children are taught as a whole class, in groups and individually, according to the needs of the child and the curriculum area being taught.

The main aim of the curriculum at St. Theresa’s is t provide a range of broad, balanced and relevant educational activities and activities that meet the individual needs of all our pupils. The curriculum is developed and differentiated by the teaching staff to suit the age, aptitude and ability of each child, using topics and subject based learning.

Religious Education

Religious Education is central to the life of the school. We follow the National Programme “The Way, The Truth and The Life” which covers nine topics each year. The programme is used from Nursery to Y6. We commit 10% of our teaching time to RE.

Each day collective worship takes place in class with prayers and time for reflection. Children are invited through the Parish to receive the Sacraments of Forgiveness and Holy Communion in Year 3. The children are supported in school through ongoing work in the RE programme.

The whole school community meets for assembly on Monday and Friday. All classes take turns in leading an assembly which is linked to the Here I Am programme. Juniors have class Masses to which parents and parishioners are invited. We attend Mass regularly at St. Theresa’s Parish Church both on Sundays and on special school days throughout the year.

Fr Jim Kenny our Parish Priest comes to school regularly to talk to the children and share in our assemblies. He provides the children with opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Forgiveness during Lent and Advent and at other times during the year on request.

All classrooms have computers, interactive whiteboards, access to laptops and access to the internet. We have a large computer suite, which enables all pupils to extend and enrich their IT skills. Information and Communication Technology is used in conjunction with subjects across the curriculum to enhance the children’s learning.

Sex education is art of our Personal, Social and Health Education Programme, which is based on the Health for Life programme. Our teachers give positive, factual information to the children, taking in to consideration their age and maturity and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

At the end of Y5 and again during Y6, the children are shown the video “All about Me”. Parents are given the opportunity to see this beforehand and may also ask for their child to be withdrawn from the lessons.

Nurse Liz Evans supports staff in the delivery of these sessions, working with classes and holding class talks and discussions.

Drugs Education

This is part of our PSHE programme. We have a detailed policy and plan to ensure children are aware of drugs which may help people and those which may damage health.

Sport

During school sessions children are taught a variety of skills and team games including netball, cricket, short tennis and rounders. Various aspects of PE (games, dance, and gymnastics) are taught for at least two hours per week.

Swimming is taught to Y4, Y5 and Y6 for approximately 10 lessons each at a cost of approximately £1.50 per session. We hold a swimming gala once a year.

All children participate in sports days in the summer term.

The school has been accredited with the Active Mark which recognises that children receive the appropriate amount quality teaching in PE.

Each child’s progress and needs are carefully monitored. Children with special educational needs are fully supported not only by the class teacher but also through intervention programmes and the support they receive from the teaching assistants within school and other outside agencies such as Speech Therapists and Educational Psychologists. Parents are consulted at all times before children are referred to these.

Any child deemed to have difficulties with aspects of learning passes through a staged process of assessment, during which time teachers draw up an Individual Education Plan (I.E.P) that will focus on a particular problem and provide work and support with parents to try to solve it.

Class teachers discuss the child’s needs with parents and the school’s SENCO who is, Mrs O’Hare.

We offer a range of extra curricular activities for all children in Years 1 to 6 which include over a year opportunities such as gymnastics, dance, netball, football, computer club, Chess, Science, gardening, self-defence, French etc.

To support and enrich the curriculum teachers may take their children for educational visits, e.g. to museums, outdoor education centres, art galleries etc. We may also have visitors to school who can provide special expertise. Some of the cost of these visits is paid for from School Fund or from the school budget from the local education authority.

Parents are no longer obliged to pay for these visits or for materials used by the children. However, if an activity cannot be funded without your voluntary contributions, then this will be made clear at the outset.

Staff take the Y2 children for an overnight stay to the outdoor education centre at Burwardsley and Y4 enjoy an overnight stay at Beeston.  Y6 go for 3 days to an outdoor activity centre called the Kingswood Centre in Denbigh, North Wales.   

Homework

Homework is considered to be a natural extension of the curriculum and is set to extend and complement the work done in school.

All children take home reading books regularly. It is important to hear your child read. School reading books can be supplemented by visits to the library, books as presents and newspapers for the older children. This will help to foster within our children a love of books from an early age. We rely on parents for the prompt return and care of reading books. Lost or damaged books must be paid for. Our School Library is a good opportunity for children to experience borrowing and looking after books. It is open on a regular basis and all children have school library tickets.

Work sent home for children usually consists of reading, spelling, maths and tasks associated with current class work. It may involve some research for a topic of study in school.  Homework folders can be purchased from the office for £3.00.