LYNSTED AND NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our vision is to create a positive and nurturing learning community, allowing everyone to thrive and reach their potential.
PROSPECTUS 2024/25
Welcome
We are a small rural school, founded in 1878. We are proud to be part of Our Community Multi Academy Trust (OCMAT); a group of town and village schools that have joined together to provide the very best education for the children in our care and where we believe that education is very much a matter of the individual. This federation of schools is under the leadership and guidance of Chief Executive Officer Mr David Whitehead.
Lynsted and Norton Primary School is centred around 2 main buildings. The main school building consists of a school hall, (which is used for assemblies, drama, educational activities and sport, and as a dining hall at lunch times) three classrooms, the library and an intervention room. The School House holds the Reception and Year 1 classroom and beautiful outside area, the school offices and some central Trust offices. Next to the School House is Stepping Stones, the on-site nursery which we have strong links with. We are particularly fortunate to be situated in the middle of the countryside surrounded by green fields and orchards. Along with our field, playground and outdoor classroom area, it allows the outdoor curriculum to become increasingly central to
our learning. Our staff are passionate about the school and are continually reflecting and making improvements to make the children’s learning and curriculum better and better.
We are a busy, friendly school with lots going on. One of the benefits of being a small school is that we can get to know every child as an individual, with our nurturing and pastoral ethos at our core. We have a good adult to child ratio, meaning that children get the support they need to have the best possible chance in life. Our website gives you a taster of the school, as well as providing regularly updated information for both parents and pupils. Thank you for showing an interest in our school. We look forward to working with you.
Our School Values
When developing the school’s values, we consulted with several stakeholders to ensure that the values are meaningful and appropriate for the children of Lynsted and Norton Primary School. Our values are:
• Ambition
• Self-confidence
• Perseverance
• Independence
• Respect
• Enquiry
This is how our curriculum is delivered. Our lessons are designed and planned carefully in order that the children have opportunities to develop these values and life skills.
Our Teaching Approach
The quality of the school’s curriculum makes the biggest difference to a child’s learning. With this in mind, we have ensured that the curriculum is progressive and allows children to build on new learning, acquiring new knowledge and skills. We aim to enrich every child’s school experience by creating an environment where they are encouraged to succeed and be the best they can be.
We have created a curriculum that is broad, balanced, ambitious for all and meets our children’s needs. It is exciting, relevant and meaningful, building in our local context. Knowledge and skills are intertwined, as neither is more important than the other.
Learning is arranged into termly enquiry questions as this enables the children to make clear links between different aspects of their learning, linking to our value of enquiry. This allows children to ask questions and lead their learning as we recognise that children benefit from getting involved in their learning, developing their curiosity. The school’s values drive the curriculum and determine how it is taught. Memorable experiences built in, such as trips to Sittingbourne Museum, Oare Country Park, Deal Castle and our Year 6 residential to Windmill Hill mean that learning is brought to life for our children. Our Friends of Lynsted parent group are also active in fundraising for the benefit of the school.
Uniform
The school colours are dark green and grey. We encourage the children to take a pride in their appearance and require all children to wear school uniform, which is:
• Green fleece* – outdoor wear only
• Green sweatshirt/cardigan*
• White or green shirt/polo shirt
• Dark grey trousers/shorts/skirt/ pinafore
• Green and white summer dress
• White or grey socks
• Black school shoes- not trainers
* These items with the school logo are available from LTR Supplies in Teynham, although it is not essential that logo items are worn. These generic items can be bought from local supermarkets.
For reasons of health and hygiene it is essential that a change of clothes is available for P.E. Currently the children come to school in their PE kit on their PE days. However, Reception children should bring their kit to school and get changed in school. This develops the children’s independence.
Our school PE kit comprises the following items:
• Your child’s Team’s coloured round necked t-shirt (Blue, Green, Red or Yellow)
• Dark shorts
• Sweatshirt and jogging bottoms for winter sports
• Plimsolls or trainers
The School Day at Lynsted
Children may be dropped at school from 8.40am when the gates open; the children will go straight into class. The staff on the gate will happily pass on any messages that you might have for your child’s class teacher.
The gate shuts at 8.50am. Registers are open from 8.50 – 9am. Children arriving after 9am must sign in at the school office with their parent/carer, and will be registered as late until 9.20am. Arrivals after 9.20am will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. If possible please ring ahead if you know you are going to be late.
Morning break is from 10.30-10.45am
• Lunch break is from 12 noon to 1pm
• Afternoon registration is at 1pm
• School finishes at 3.10pm for Reception class and 3.15pm for all other children.
Please come onto the playground when the gates open at 3.10pm and wait in your child’s class area.
We have a breakfast club from 7.50am for parents wishing to use this facility.
Lunchtimes
Lunchtimes are taken together. All of the children eat together in the hall, with several staff on duty to ensure good manners and good eating habits. A weekly Top Table certificate is given out per class to children who demonstrate good manners; these children are invited to eat their lunch with the headteacher. The children have lunch from 12-12.30 and then go outside from 12.30-1 either on the playground or field depending on the weather.
Nutritious and healthy school lunches are provided by Nourish Catering. Children in Reception, year 1 and 2 receive Universal Free School meals. Children in Key Stage 2 (Years 3 – 6) have to pay for their meals via Arbor, unless they receive Pupil Premium. All families can apply for Pupil Premium regardless of the year they are in, which enables the school to get funding for each child registered. Please see the office if you would like more information about this.
Behaviour, attendance and nurture
At Lynsted and Norton Primary School, we work hard on ensuring that good learning follows from the good behaviour of our children. Through the child, parents and carers, and school working together, we have a positive and calm learning environment for all our children to learn. We follow the Good to be Green behaviour system, where positive choices are praised. Children are all in a Team – Dover, Hever, Rochester or Walmer and earn individual team points. Class bonuses are given out when adults see children going ‘above and beyond’. We celebrate kindness weekly by voting for children to be awarded the kindness cup, along with the Tree of Values when we notice children displaying the school’s values. This
Assemblies
culminates in end of year Values Awards which are given to individual children who have consistently demonstrated the school’s values over the year.
We are here as much for the families as we are for the children. Part of our Family Liaison Officer’s role is to provide support for families experiencing challenges, no matter how big or small. Linked to this, regular and punctual attendance at school is key to both academic and social development. We aim that your child settles well, is happy at school and is able to take advantage of all the Lynsted and Norton Primary School has to offer. Please work with us to ensure that your child has the best attendance possible.
Monday – Star of the Week Assembly – One child per class is chosen who has shone in their learning and impressed the adults in school. The child is invited with their adults to a special assembly with the whole school, sharing a drink and biscuit and with Family Liaison Officer afterwards
Tuesday – Church led assembly Wednesday – Circle times in classes
Thursday – Singing and values assembly
Friday – Achievements and celebrations. Have you created a model at home that you are proud of? Have you taken part in a sporting activity outside of school? Share your achievements in this assembly with the whole school
Communication with Home
The triangle of effective communication between school, parent and child is so important in a child’s education. We send out weekly Sway newsletters to parents with school news, and hold termly Express events where parents are invited to come in and share their child’s learning from the term. We hold 3 parent/teacher meetings a year which are an opportunity for parents to meet with their child’s teacher, discuss progress and next steps. However we are always available to talk to, as is our experienced SENCO. We use Tapestry Online Learning Journey with our youngest children, enabling parents to see what your child has been doing during the day and you can reflect
Admissions Process
• Legally a child reaches compulsory school age in the term following their fifth birthday.
• More information is available at: www.kent.gov.uk/ola or kent.gov.uk/ primaryadmissions
• Details of how to apply for a place are also available from the school office.
• Deadlines for applying for the following September open between November and January, with allocations of places being made and shared with parents in April.
• For further information about Admissions including in the event of over-subscription, please see our Admissions Policy on our website
• At Lynsted and Norton School we want the admission of all children to be as smooth and happy as possible. We enjoy strong links with Stepping Stones pre-school and liaise closely with all our local nurseries and pre-schools.
• The daily timetable is a mixture of activities designed to develop skills and encourage social interaction.
upon achievements with your child. You can add comments so that we as a staff find out about which activities your child really enjoys and about the learning they do at home.
All messages from the school about events, plus weekly newsletters (which are sent every Friday), are sent to parents via the Arbor App and via email. We just need your email address when your child starts school and this will be set up for you. We value feedback and listen to everyone’s views through parent/pupil surveys, pupil conferencing, school council or simply on the gate in the morning.
The classroom is organised for the children in such a way as to develop independence and the learning environment is both in and outside the classroom.
• We arrange several ‘Induction’ sessions during the Summer Term, where the children and parents of the September intake are invited to join us and learn about the Foundation Stage. During these sessions the teacher will explain about learning through play, the Early Learning Goals and working towards the readiness for Year 1. Parents are provided with a ‘Starting School’ booklet that introduces the school and gives them the information they need prior to their child starting school.
• In September all Reception class children attend school mornings only for the first two weeks and parents are offered a home visit in the afternoons. These are usually half an hour in duration and allow parents and teacher to talk about the children. During the second week children stay for lunch and then children will stay all day from the beginning of the third week.
