St Michael's V.A. Junior School

St Michael’s V.A. Junior School

“ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.”

COLOSSIANS 3:23

Headteacher’s Welcome

Calm and Purposeful

St Michael’s is a dynamic, yet calm and purposeful school where children and their families are at the heart of all we do. We are an integral part of our vibrant, diverse community and support all our pupils to achieve their potential. We can only do this when our children are happy, secure and supported in every aspect of school life. For this reason, our most important aim is to be an inclusive school which celebrates our children’s backgrounds, uniqueness and what makes them special.

On behalf of the children, staff, parents and governors, I would like to welcome you to St Michael’s V.A. Junior School and All Angels’ Primary Federation which serve a wide area of Norwich.

We are very proud of our school, its reputation in the area and the high standards we maintain.

Your Child’s Educational Pathway

St. Michael’s admits children from aged 7 into year 3. Although the St Michael’s site caters for children from year 3 to year 6, we pride ourselves that our Primary Federation enables children to start with us at Clover Hill V.A. Infant and Nursery site from the age of 3 and leave us after the end of year 6 at St Michael’s. We welcome children into year 3 from many different schools and work closely with other schools in Norwich.

A Christian Ethos for a Modern World

As a Church of England school, we keep faith at the centre of our school. We encourage all children to learn about values, religion and beliefs. We teach children how to put these into practice in a modern world, to be inclusive, recognise and celebrate the cultural diversity within our school. Christian faith is not compulsory, and we welcome families from all religious or non-religious backgrounds.

Choosing the right school for your child is such an important decision so visit our website for further information or call for a personalised visit of the school.

MRS. H. MCCARNEY EXECUTIVE HEADTEACHER

The School Day

School Hours

• 8.30am: The school gates open and children can have a free bagel, toast or cereal

• 8.45am: School starts

• 12.25: Lunchtime

• 3.25pm: The school day ends

• 4.25pm: Extra-curricular activities finish

“Pupils feel very happy and cared for at St Michael’s. They are kept safe by staff and a dedicated pastoral team who know individual pupils well.”

OFSTED

Settling In

All Angels’ Breakfast Club

The All Angels’ Breakfast Club is a safe, secure and relaxed environment based at St Michael’s Junior School which is open from 7.45am for all children across the Federation. Children can enjoy a healthy breakfast and take part in a range of activities before the start of the school day.

All Angels’ After School Club

Children can enjoy after school activities, play and sport as well as having a light tea and drinks. The provision is open until 6.00pm.

Uniform

A school uniform gives children a sense of being ready to learn, belonging and of taking pride in their appearance. Our uniform consists of a school jumper and school t-shirt with our logo, black or grey trousers or skirts and black footwear. We also have a PE kit with our school logo. Items which have our logo can be purchased from our supplier, Screens.

School Meals and Snacks

We run our school kitchens and prepare and cook all our delicious food on site. Our catering team can cater for allergies and specific diets. Our menus are changed regularly with children having an input into the food choices. Children can bring a healthy, wrapper free snack to school for breaktime if they wish.

Our Vision

At St Michael’s, we believe that developing an outward facing, aspirational culture encourages children to aim higher and challenge themselves to be the best they can be.

We encourage children to demonstrate how they can use their personal gifts to contribute to our community, be enterprising, develop positive relationships, support others, challenge injustice and achieve a sense of self-worth and identity.

We believe that it is through hard work and determination that success is achieved, through seizing opportunities that come your way and by developing a sense of resilience, that children can truly start to achieve their potential and create choices in their lives.

St Michael’s grows resilient young people who can confidently and positively take their place in the world, using their individual talents and strengths to make a difference to their own and other people’s lives.

“Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive and this contributes to a warm school culture.”

OFSTED

Getting Involved

PTA

We have a very active PTA and we enjoy putting on events and activities so that the whole community can come together. This also raises funds for the school which directly supports trips, visits and additional resources for the children. If you would like to be involved in any way, let the school know.

Governorship

The governing body at All Angels’ is made up of staff, parents, members of the Church community and local people who want to make a positive contribution to the lives of our children. If a vacancy becomes available for a parent governor, we will notify you and let you know how to apply.

Curriculum

We are very proud of the high standards our children achieve over the time they are at the school.

We ensure that they develop confidence and competence in all curriculum areas, but especially in reading, writing and maths. We work hard to include many enjoyable learning experiences and memorable activities, like trips, visits and visitors into school which help to secure learning and build up understanding.

The school teaches the curriculum through subjects and has developed detailed schemes of work for each subject. Teachers across the school work together so that all children progress well through the curriculum and achieve their potential. To support learning, the school makes good use of fabulous spaces like an IT Suite, large playground and field, amphitheatre, Forest Schools area and wildlife pond and a well-stocked library.

A well-rounded education

Alongside the academic subjects, we have also developed a wellplanned wider curriculum offer. This ensures that children have access to a wide range of additional experiences, extra-curricular activities and learning that complements the National Curriculum. Children’s personal development is particularly important to us.

Inclusion

We recognise that some children will experience difficulties with their school work and carefully observe, assess and plan for each child’s needs. Children with identified learning difficulties are given additional support so that they can fully access our curriculum and achieve well from their starting points. Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator can be contacted through the school office and will be happy to discuss any concerns.

Well-being and Pastoral Support

We know how important it is that children are in the right frame of mind to get the most out of their time in school and their learning. Our families value the professional support of our highly trained Well-being and Pastoral Team who can work with children and parents on a wide range of matters.

“Throughout the school, pupils behave well. They are respectful and polite to each other and to adults.”

OFSTED

Admission Arrangements

Entry into Year 3

Choosing the right school for your child is vital. We are happy to show prospective parents around the school and encourage them to spend time with their children in our school before making this important decision. Parents will need to apply online with the Local Authority and will be notified whether they have been successfully allocated St Michael’s in the April before starting junior school.

In-Year Admissions

Sometimes children need to join St Michael’s at times other than in year 3. This process is also done through the Local Authority, but parents are still welcome to visit the school and look round. Please contact the school office.