Our Prospectus Southery Academy Actual.indd 1
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Contents 4 6 9 10 12 13 14 16 18 20 24
Welcome Academy history Vision and aims Our core principles Admissions Academy day Academy lunch Teaching and learning Uniform Community More information
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Welcome We are very proud of our academy and what it has to offer the pupils who come here. Our mainly Victorian building has outstanding views of the Fens from the playground, but has been modernised and extended over the years in order to provide excellent facilities to deliver the curriculum. We actively promote the ‘three Cs’ of Care, Consideration and Courtesy and aim to create a ‘family’ atmosphere in which we learn to care for each other in a personal way that many larger educational providers cannot. The caring and happy environment enables pupils to fulfil their potential and grow in self-confidence. All pupils leave our academy well-prepared for the next stage in their educational journey. We are committed to the partnership in education between home and academy and, to this end, we hope that you find our prospectus interesting and informative. Julian Goodrum Principal
CWA Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust founded by the College of West Anglia, an established high quality provider of education with campuses in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Our family of academies helps us fulfil our desire to establish a vibrant education system that inspires young people and supports economic development of the region. As a successful education provider we believe we can contribute to all phases of education within our local community, including primary, focussing on raising standards and improving transition and progression for every child. Like all strong families, the CWA Academy Trust family of academies seeks to offer mutual support to one another, develop shared learning and understanding, collaborate to achieve better outcomes, recognise unique qualities and differences, be positive and aspirational, focus on the successes of individuals and develop a culture of healthy competition. David Pomfret Chief Executive CWA Academy Trust
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Academy history Southery Academy is the third primary education member of the CWA Academy Trust family and the sixth academy in total. We have joined both Nelson Academy and Downham Market Academy in the Downham Market cluster of academies and provide education for approximately 80 pupils aged 4 – 11 years old.
The Southery Academy logo features half a grey goose feather, a visual reference to the ‘split feather’ iconography, which is traced back to the 1963 book, “Tales of the Fens” by William Barrett. According to the tale, Fenland residents would carry a grey goose feather, and split it down the middle to show they were in need of help. During the English Civil war in 1646, King Charles I was on the run from Cromwell’s troops and was given refuge in Fordham, Norfolk. In Southery, a publican was visited and asked if he would guide the King to Huntingdon in exchange for gold; he later met with the King and to prove his trustworthiness, cut the grey goose feather in half, giving half to the King and keeping half himself. “I am a Fenlander,” he said. “Now by my honour I can do nothing but aid his Majesty; for all Fenlanders must protect one carrying this token even if it means their death.” The goose feather halves were used by the publican and King Charles I to ensure their safe arrival to Huntingdon; when they met Cromwell’s men, the Fenland tradition was more important than their duty to capture the King. Cromwell knew it was better for a Fenman to allow the King to escape, than not to help a man with a split feather in his hand; his later decision to execute King Charles I and break the Fenland tradition of showing mercy to those with a split grey goose feather caused many of his troops to leave and return to the Fens.
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Vision and aims
Our vision
We strive to create a safe, friendly environment in which everyone is valued and given the confidence to be inquisitive and love learning. We shall provide experiences which inspire pupils to thrive as part of a growing community with high aspirations and opportunities for all.
Our aims We aim to: • Create a safe, happy and caring environment • Ensure equality of opportunity • Provide a challenging, inspiring and motivating education which meets the needs of the individual child and the requirements of the National Curriculum • Value care, consideration and courtesy demonstrating a sense of responsibility, independence and self esteem • Encourage self-awareness, sensitivity towards others, self-discipline and appropriate behaviour • Develop good relationships between staff, pupils, home and the local community • Provide access to technology to develop skills for the future
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Our core principles Ethos
Everyone has the right to learn, be safe and be treated with respect
Behaviour for learning Embedding the best behaviours for learning is central to all that we do, ensuring that pupils are able to make the most of their learning opportunities.
Curriculum Pupils are engaged by a creative, relevant and meaningful curriculum which creates memorable learning experiences within a high quality learning environment.
Assessment Appropriate assessment which is accurate and ongoing leads to an understanding of the next steps for pupil’s learning. Effective feedback is fundamental to this.
Teaching Staff are deployed effectively and use good subject knowledge to plan and deliver differentiated, inclusive lessons. They provide excellent role models for our pupils. Clear objectives, success criteria and rationale are shared with our pupils.
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Admissions We follow the admissions criteria of the CWA Academy Trust. A copy of the Trust’s admissions policy can be found on our website. We are always happy to show prospective parents around the academy so that you can get a feel of what our academy is like. Please call us to book an appointment. Norfolk County Council manages all admissions on our behalf and more information can be found at norfolk.gov.uk Children coming into Reception year are admitted in September of the academy year when they have their fifth birthday (i.e. between 1st September and 31st August).
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Academy day Morning 8.50am – 12pm Afternoon 1pm – 3.15pm Pupils (apart from those coming by taxi) should not arrive before 8.40am as supervision is not provided before this time. The principal will usually be available in the playground each morning from 8.40am. Term dates can be found at southeryacademy.co.uk
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Academy lunch Academy meals are cooked on the premises and are available for all pupils. Free meals are available for all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Regardless of age, if you are in receipt of certain benefits you may be entitled to claim free meals for your children. Forms are available from the academy and any information you give will be treated as confidential. Please assist us by returning menus and sending the correct money for the whole week by Thursday, ready for the following week. Parents who wish to send a packed lunch may do so, but we ask that all bottles and containers are clearly marked. Bottles should always be of the plastic type (no glass bottles or cans please). No fizzy drinks are allowed. Packed lunches are stored on trolleys in the hall so ice packs are advised in warm weather to keep contents fresh.
Academy snacks We are proud of our Healthy Schools Award and encourage all pupils to bring healthy food into the academy. The kitchen staff sell oat biscuits, cheese on toast, fruit, fruit juice and milk during morning break. The maximum cost per item is 30p. If pupils bring their own snacks (we ask they are not sweets, chewing gum or chocolate) they should not keep them in their lunch boxes as this can cause a problem at break time.
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Teaching and learning Our curriculum
At Southery Academy our curriculum meets the requirements of the new National Curriculum. We are using the Inspire Curriculum which has been developed by Cornwall Learning. This shapes the new Statutory 2014 Primary National Framework into an integrated thematic curriculum which links to the wider world of work, life-skills and learning outside the classroom. We will adapt units to meet the needs of our pupils. Each themed unit will include some opportunities to apply maths learning. Maths teaching will continue to be based around the Abacus maths scheme which has been updated to meet the higher expectations of the new curriculum. We use Letters and Sounds to teach phonics in Early Years and Key Stage 1. We use Oxford Reading Tree as our main resource for teaching reading skills and this is supplemented through the school to ensure that pupils have reading material that is suited to their level of interest and development. The academy organises regular enhancement opportunities for the curriculum, which have in the past included book week, multicultural week, science fair and a healthy living week. Partnerships with outside groups such as the dental nurse and community police enhance the delivery of the curriculum. Educational visits are encouraged to support work in the curriculum. We aim for one visit per term for each class. This has been successful and culminates in the residential visit for Year 5 and 6 which takes place every other year. For more information about our curriculum please visit southeryacademy.co.uk
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Extracurricular activities Pupils are encouraged to take part in a broad range of extra-curricular activities. A number of clubs and activities are available at lunchtimes and/or after the academy day for pupils; football, dance, netball, backgammon, homework and art clubs are just some of the activities that have been offered in the past. A full programme of all extracurricular activities will be made known at the beginning of each term. You will be notified in advance of any changes that may occur to these activities as we are a small staff and changes to planned clubs are often necessary.
Homework We believe that work at home is an essential element in a child’s education and we will continue to seek parental support with regard to any homework set. Pupils from Reception through to Year 6 will be expected to do homework which, will vary in type and quantity depending on age and ability. Some of the types of activities pupils will be expected to complete for homework include reading, learning times tables and spellings, completing work in maths and English, project work and revising.
Special Education Needs Whilst all staff are aware of catering for each child as an individual, there are occasions when some children may need extra help and support or indeed extra opportunities if they are gifted or talented. This is organised from within and outside the academy and delivered by teachers and teaching assistants. If you have any worries or concerns about your child’s learning, speech and language, behaviour or any other aspect of their development please share these with us and we will help in every way we can. Equally, if we have any concerns about your child we will share them with you. We will record these concerns confidentially and plan actions which will help meet their needs. This is in line with our policy for Special Educational Needs which is available for any parents to view on request. Parents can also contact Norfolk Parent Partnership for advice and support through our website.
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Uniform Southery Academy has a uniform which we expect all pupils to wear. The uniform consists of: • Black trousers or skirt • White buttoned shirt • Academy tie • Academy jumper with the academy logo For Year 6, a black blazer with the academy logo is also required. Uniform can either be ordered through the academy office or direct with our suppliers, Stratfords, based in King’s Lynn. Please visit stratfords.com Pupils are provided with a book bag when they join the academy. Jeans, jewellery and make-up are not considered suitable for academy wear and long hair should be worn tied back. Stud earrings are the only types acceptable and for safety reasons these must be removed for PE and swimming activities. The Physical Education (PE) uniform consists of: • Plimsolls • Black/navy shorts • Academy polo shirt For safety reasons trainers are not allowed for indoor activities, but may be worn for outside sessions. Please provide a named bag for PE kits. PE kits should be brought in on Monday and taken home on Friday each week. Please make sure all items of clothing and shoes are named.
Jewellery We ask for your co-operation in ensuring that pupils do not wear jewellery. Pupils with pierced ears must wear studs and not hoops as they can prove dangerous during playtimes. Watches may be worn but we cannot accept any responsibility for their loss or damage. All earrings must be removed for all PE and games activities. Please note that this rule will be enforced and pupils cannot miss PE lessons because of problems with earrings.
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Community
Friends of Southery Academy (PTA) Friends of Southery Academy is a parent-teacher association (PTA) that raises money to help the academy with special projects and help to organise fun events throughout the year, adding to the memories pupils have of their time at Southery. In recent years we have organised discos, film nights, bingo afternoons and sleepovers for the pupils. We have also supported academy trips to the theatre in London and bought extra resources as requested. To find out more please visit the academy office.
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More information Absence
We work hard to keep absences to a minimum and, in partnership with our local cluster of academies, have agreed a shared policy. In line with government guidance we cannot authorise any absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances and the pupil’s attendance record is good. All absences other than for illness are regarded as being unauthorised. In the event of absence from the academy, parents must contact the academy office as soon as possible giving the reason for absence and an approximate estimation of how long the absence is likely to last. This can be done by telephone or e-mail. If we do not hear from you we will phone to check on the situation for security reasons. Awards are given to pupils who achieve 100% attendance in any term or for the whole year.
Behaviour & Discipline Our aim is to encourage self-discipline, courtesy, consideration for others and respect for the academy environment. Positive praise is essential and staff reinforce good work, good behaviour and co-operation. We have a reward system for courtesy and effort and pupils receive team points and cups for these. The reward system positively encourages self-discipline and respect for others. The full policy is available on request.
Confidentiality The academy respects everyone’s right to privacy and will always seek consent before sharing information with other agencies. However, there may be occasions when confidentiality has to be broken because someone is at risk from harm and appropriate agencies will be contacted. The academy policy is available on our website.
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Equal opportunities The governors and staff at Southery Academy are committed to providing the full range of opportunities for all pupils regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, social, cultural, sexual orientation or religious background. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum, and the right to a learning environment which dispels ignorance, prejudice and stereotyping. The entire academy community has the right to protection from insult, abuse and bullying of any kind. Discrimination on the basis of colour, culture, origin, gender, sexual orientation or ability is unacceptable. A copy of our Single Equality Scheme is available on our website.
First Aid and medical Simple first aid is applied at the academy and all staff attend emergency first aid training. If an accident occurs and your child needs the attention of a doctor or hospital we will need to contact you. It is for this reason that you must keep your contact details up-to-date and inform us of any changes. If your child has to take medicine then you must fill in a form that can be obtained from the office and medicine should be delivered to the academy office. Medicine will not be administered unless the form is filled in. We can only administer prescribed medicine.
Local governing body The purpose of the governing body is to work with the academy on planning developing policies and keeping the academy under review so that all pupils achieve their full potential. For more information about the governing body please visit southeryacademy. co.uk
Policies and procedures For more information on policies and procedures please visit our website.
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Safeguarding The care and well-being of pupils is of prime concern for all of us. As an establishment we have the duty to ensure that pupils are not exposed to avoidable risk of harm and danger. For this reason we ask that all parents report to reception before entering the academy. We also take e-safety seriously and staff are fully trained in this area. Parents who have any safeguarding concerns should report them to the head teacher. In the case of actual or suspected abuse it is the responsibility of the academy to follow procedures and guidelines laid down by the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The academy policy is available on our website.
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