Windlesham Village Infant School Futures are created where learning begins
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Welcome Deciding on the infant school that your child attends is one of the most important decisions you will make as you’ll be helping to lay the foundations for a lifetime of learning. You’ll want to ensure that the school you decide upon is a caring and happy environment, that your child will be recognised as the individual that he or she is and that the teaching staff are engaged and motivated to support your child. At Windlesham Village Infant School we believe in setting the highest possible standards in everything that we do. We plan and tailor learning for each child, giving them access to a broad range of experiences to ensure that each and every child reaches their full potential. We strive to develop respect amongst our children: respecting difference, respecting others and respecting themselves. We aim to make the school day exciting and energising and yet set clear boundaries within which the children can explore and develop vital social skills.
These are important values to hold but our overriding aims are simple: we want each child to develop both a love for learning and the confidence to shape their lives as they wish. We are proud that our school is seen by the children as a fun place to be and where their opinions and ideas are valued: this is echoed in the happy faces you’ll see around the school, the comments from children and the feedback we get from parents. Windlesham Village Infant School is an outstanding school and I’d welcome the opportunity to show you around our school to see for yourself.
Miss Bethan Williams Headteacher
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“Teaching is outstanding because teachers make rigorous use of the school’s excellent tracking system to spot and remedy any falling off from those expectations.” Ofsted
Our aims and our vision At Windlesham Village Infant School we aim to achieve excellence by creating an enjoyable, secure learning environment. We set high standards – for ourselves and the children – and plan, monitor and adapt our teaching and learning to achieve them. Our aims go beyond academic achievement: we have a strong set of core values running throughout our curriculum activities. We’re ambitious for our children to discover, explore and question their world, to learn essential life skills and to develop a love for learning. We foster a sense of belonging within the school and across the wider community. We look to support children as they grow in confidence and self-esteem by creating an accepting and supportive environment. Respect for others is key and children are encouraged to co-operate in a courteous, sensitive manner fostering a caring attitude toward their peers and adults. Tolerance, consideration and thought are key attributes we develop.
We recognise that each child is different and each child is encouraged to achieve his or her maximum potential. When children leave Windlesham Village Infant School, we want them to have an appetite for learning, a range of skills on which to build and the confidence to be who they truly are. We understand the importance of our role in creating the citizens of the future. We have a vision for our school which: • Fosters academic and personal development in a caring and challenging environment • Enables children to grow in confidence in the ever changing world of technology • Provides a well-trained, rewarded, resourced and engaged staff.
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“We both feel privileged that our son has had such a fantastic start to his education” Parent
About our school For nearly 200 years and across Organisation seven generations, the school in There are four class groups at Windlesham has encouraged learning Windlesham School, each with and education. The school has a maximum of 30 children. occupied the current site since 1825 We choose to mix the traditional when it was gifted by Cooper’s Charity. ‘year’ group ages in some classes Comprising then of just the one room as we have found that children’s to educate 140 children, the teachers learning is enhanced through this could not have envisaged how the wider interaction. This means that school buildings could extend and we have two classes with both Year develop into the site we see today. 1 and Year 2 children as well as a We’re proud to offer our children combined Year 1 and Reception class. a well-stocked library, specialised We also have a Reception only class. ‘wet-areas’ and interactive white This may not be what you are used boards and computers in each of to – but we have shown time and the four classrooms. Outside we are time again that this enables us to fortunate to have a classroom for offer a more personalised learning our Reception children, a stage area, route for children, ensuring a balance pirate ship, all weather turf and picnic of gender, age and ability within the area and a play frame. It means that group. The teachers in each class we have resources to really bring the are responsible for their own class curriculum to life. groups, but plan the children’s work We also make use of our copse as a team, sharing special expertise. opposite the school and our school field for PE lessons as well as social events.
The school day 8.30am to 8.40am School doors are open for children and welcomed by their class teacher 8.40am to 10.30am Morning session 10.30am to 10.45am Break time including snack time 10.45am to 12.00 noon Morning session continues 12.00noon to 1.10pm Lunch time 1.10pm to 2.55pm Afternoon session
Lunch is served at 12.00 and those choosing to have a cooked school lunch sit at tables of mixed ages and classes to enhance social skills. The meals offer good value for money, a balanced diet and are prepared in our own kitchens. For those choosing to bring in a packed lunch from home, we encourage healthy eating by asking for certain foods not to be included in the lunch box. We are proud to have been awarded Healthy School status and as such we encourage the children to understand about healthy eating whether at home or at school. We hold a daily assembly, taking a different format and theme each day. Every Friday we celebrate and recognise individual achievement and learning with a Celebration Assembly.
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“Pupils achieve highly because the school has very high expectations of what each pupil can achieve.” Ofsted
School Council To encourage an understanding of the creation of rules and democracy, and to make a positive contribution to the school, we have a school council. All pupils in Years 1 and 2 are able to become Councillors and election is via canvassing the teaching and other staff. Meetings are held regularly to hear pupils’ ideas and concerns and they too are asked to comment on our suggestions and feed into the plans for the school that impact the children. It is an empowering role to hold.
Supplementing learning with after school activities and links with the community Learning extends beyond the formal school hours and we’re delighted to offer a wide range of after school activities including Club Energy, recorder lessons, golf and French. To support teaching themes we welcome external speakers and groups and, in the past, we have held theatre, dance and circus skills sessions. Children in the Reception class visit the local veterinary and dentistry practices and receive visits from the emergency services. Our Year 2 children end their schooling with us with a Leavers trip.
To support this we operate the Surrey county guidelines which request voluntary contributions for some extra curricular activities whilst ensuring that no child is excluded because of an inability to pay.
Our achievements We are proud of our achievements and awards and we see this as an important part of our school’s development. It means that we maintain standards and adopt best practice and can also reassure parents of our commitment to making our school the best place a child can be. Windlesham Village Infant School has received the following awards: • Activemark winner 2008 • Arts Council Arts Mark • Charter Mark awarded for Excellence • Healthy School Award • Investors in People • Ofsted Outstanding Award 2006/07 • School Achievement Award • The Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark 1 • Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark 2 • Golden Boot
Governing body, teaching staff and support team The Governing Body aims to promote high standards of educational achievement within the school. It supports the strategy and planning process of the school and helps to ensure that the actions taken, deliver the plan. It acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the wider staff team celebrating success and encouraging improvement. We pride ourselves on the commitment of our governing body which brings together a range of skills from different backgrounds. For details of the current governing body, please contact the School Office or visit our website. We are delighted that our teaching staff are recognised by Ofsted, parents, children and governors for their commitment to high quality learning and making this fun for the children.
We are also fortunate to have a dedicated Teaching Assistant team who work closely alongside the class teachers, enabling them to plan activities for small groups of children and to tailor activities to match children’s specific needs. Our school support team is strong: everyone is committed to ensuring the children have the most effective learning environment possible and feel safe and supported.
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In partnership with parents Home School agreement A successful school requires a positive partnership between the school, the parents and the children and clarity helps set expectations. We welcome the introduction of the Home School agreement. In this, we explain the aims and the values of the school and set out the responsibilities of the parents as well as what the school expects of the child. Parents are invited to sign this agreement after the child is admitted into the school.
Home learning and helping your child at home Starting school raises many questions by parents about how best to support their child. We find that those children who are quite independent with regard to dressing, undressing and using the toilet, have an easier transition into school life. Once part of school, we ask that parents spend time with their child each day to support the learning that has happened and to encourage the transfer of this between school and home. This not only consolidates the learning but requires the child to apply and adapt their knowledge to different environments. We encourage parents to spend quality time sharing a book with their child and listening to them read on a daily basis. As a school, we are committed to ‘home learning’ and all children are given a home learning book in which they are asked to record their activities and, as importantly, their thoughts and feelings about this.
Parental involvement at school Children thrive on the interest that parents show in their learning and school and we see evidence of this daily. We value the help and support we get from parent helpers in the classroom, as this can bring in a new set of skills and experiences and enables the teacher to plan for smaller work groups. If helping in the classroom is not an option, parents can get involved by becoming a Parent Governor or through the Friends of Windlesham Village Infant School.
Friends of Windlesham Village Infant School We are extremely fortunate to have a strong, dedicated and fun-oriented ‘Friends’ group to plan and organise our fundraising activities. All parents are ‘Friends’ and are welcome at all meetings. Our calendar of activities varies from year to year, but the popular events always feature: the Summer Party, the Bonfire and Fireworks celebrations, the Christmas Fair. In the past we have also raised money through quiz nights, BBQs, producing a school calendar and photography sessions. But it’s not just about fundraising as the Friends also organise events for the children, simply for fun: the Easter Egg Hunt, the Christmas Party, the school discos, the overnight camping in the school field. The money we have raised recently has provided a wooden pirate ship for the playground, additional learning resources for the Reception class, PE equipment, Science resource kits and our website.
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“Windlesham is an excellent school with hard working, dedicated staff.” Parent
“The excellent partnerships with other institutions contribute to pupils’ progress, from the links with feeder nurseries to the work with a secondary specialist sports college.” Ofsted
In partnership with the wider community Locally Our relationships with other schools – pre-school and junior – are strong. Many of the children entering our Reception class attend a local pre-school and we work with their teams to ensure a smooth transition into our school. At the age of seven, the majority of our children move on to either Connaught Junior School, Bagshot or Hammond Junior School, Lightwater. The others choose to move to other local schools or opt for the private sector. We make sure that we prepare the children gradually for this change: typically the children will visit the Junior school and the staff responsible for the children in the Junior school will visit us at Windlesham.
We play an active role in Surrey’s Confederation of Schools Partnership where Headteachers and teaching staff meet to share best practice and work together on initiatives. We see the school as a strong part of the local village community and actively support our inclusion in this. Our children understand the geography and history of the area and we spend time with local businesses and people to help foster a sense of belonging. We aim to bring young and old, school and community closer together to encourage a feeling of local harmony. We have good links with the local Church and regularly welcome the Rector and other ministers into our school. Church Principals also participate in our assemblies and our Harvest, Easter and Christmas festivities.
Globally We look beyond our country when developing relationships as we want our children to understand the wider world and its people. In the past we have invited visitors from other countries to talk and share with us their experiences and how they live their lives and one of our leadership team has taken part in an International Learning Project, visiting South Africa. This provides good professional development for the teacher but also a great opportunity for our children to learn about the education and well being of children in another country. Across the curriculum we build in a recognition and respect of difference.
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“I try to get Mum to buy sprouts, but she doesn’t.” Child
“Teaching and learning are outstanding. Pupils learn so well because teachers expect high standards and accept nothing less.” Ofsted
The Curriculum Excellence and enjoyment is the policy of the governing body at Windlesham Village Infant School across a balanced and broadly-based creative curriculum. We believe that children learn best when they are engaged with and enjoy the activities and we look to develop cross curricular themes to bring learning to life. During the academic year, we schedule weeks of focused learning for Art, Mathematics, MADD (Music, Art, Dance and Drama), Design and Technology and ICT to enrich the curriculum. We believe that planning is the bedrock of high quality teaching and this helps to maximize learning at every opportunity. Couple this planning with the ongoing, informal – and formal - assessment by teaching staff as well as the child evaluating their own work and we’re able to tailor the learning journey for each child.
The Early Years Foundation Stage When children first start at school, they follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum. It comprises of six areas of learning covering physical, intellectual, emotional and social development and builds on that which has taken place at pre-school.
The children learn through a combination of carefully planned individual and group activities, teacher instruction as well as child initiated activities. From Year 1, children begin to follow the National Curriculum and enter Key Stage 1.
English We aim for all children to fully develop their ability and confidence to speak, listen, read and write across a range of contexts. Our Literacy sessions aim to continually improve standards: Writer’s Workshops encourage independent, creative and recall writing; phonic sessions are held daily to support reading and writing progression and children learn to use spoken and written English for different audiences. Children are encouraged to express their feelings, ideas and opinions and to deepen their understanding of language through discussion.
We look to create a long-lasting love of reading, and have a well-stocked library to support the children in their choosing of books when reading simply for pleasure and every child takes a book home each evening to share with parents and carers. We follow a reading scheme which is used to assess and monitor progress. All children are encouraged to produce attractive quality written work, to write grammatically correct sentences and to develop strategies to help them spell and structure their work correctly.
Mathematics We strive for all our children to become confident and effective in their mathematical skills. We understand that the learning of mathematical concepts must have meaning and purpose for children and so all our mathematical activities have strong practical foundations where the children use their investigative skills with suitable equipment and materials. Children are encouraged to develop mental agility, understand shape, space and measurement and recognise pattern and predict the outcome in similar situations.
Science Science at Windlesham Village Infant School means exploring, discovering and investigating the world around us. We offer a broad range of experiences to help the children learn to observe, compare, classify and predict. The skills of estimation, measurement, creating and testing hypotheses as well as the interpretation and communication of information are developed. The children are encouraged to question and develop attitudes of perseverance, cooperation and open-mindedness. We are fortunate to have an environmental area and a pond as well as a copse and large field and make use of these extensively throughout the year to explore different themes.
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Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Children at our school have access to computers from their first days at school and use them confidently as word processors, data storage and design tools. All classrooms have interactive whiteboards and computers so that ICT is embedded in everyday learning and embraces other technologies such as audio recording devices and cameras. Whilst children are taught how to access the Internet to research topics, we encourage them to select and evaluate the most appropriate resources when working on a task to ensure a balance between ICT and other learning tools.
Design and Technology Design and Technology focuses on producing things that work and work well. Activities enable children to tackle practical tasks and draw on their learning from across the curriculum. Children are encouraged to find solutions to problems and improve existing designs by investigating them and developing, drawing and modeling their ideas.
The Arts
History
Physical Education
We are an Arts Mark Award School enabling the children to access Art and Design, Dance, Music and Drama across the curriculum.
We learn about history by developing a sense of continuity and we begin this by distinguishing between past and present. Children use the history around them both within the school and their immediate family to understand the passing of time, how the past can impact the future and the chronology of events. They make use of a wide variety of resources and evidence to support their learning.
We see PE as an important part of the curriculum, developing a child’s physical skill and confidence. Children are given opportunities to succeed as well as to develop co-ordination and understanding of their bodies’ capabilities. They take part in three aspects of physical education: games, gymnastic activities and dance. Ball skills are developed to assist in introducing team games to enable children to later access traditional team sports.
We find that music plays an important part in our school day. Children are encouraged to create their own compositions using rhythm, atmosphere, pitch and notation. A wide range of percussion instruments complement music lessons in curriculum time. The children hear recorded music regularly and are encouraged to enjoy all aspects of music and dance. Our Year 2 children take part in the Camberley Schools Music Festival each year and perform both a Christmas Celebration and a Summer musical play. Children are given opportunities to experience different approaches to Art and throughout their work are taught about visual and tactile elements. An appreciation of the work of artists is introduced through a variety of styles. Arts weeks are held to allow time for quality input and experiences.
Geography At Windlesham Village Infant School we strive to stimulate the children’s interest in their environment and help them develop an informed concern about the world around them. We choose to study the local area and the places that the children know well. We then contrast this by comparing this to other countries.
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“Our school is a place where children and staff enjoy learning together. Windlesham is a happy and exciting place to be.” Teacher
Religious Education Religious Education at Windlesham Village Infant School takes a Christian approach, though non-doctrinal. Children will be introduced to aspects of other religions and religious ideas are introduced through everyday experiences. Our daily assembly provides an opportunity for reflection and we use this time to explore sound moral values and an appreciation of the world and of others. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from religious education and specific acts of worship and you should discuss this with the Headteacher.
Personal, Social and Health Education Within our school, we are committed to helping our children to become well-rounded individuals, who are thoughtful, sensitive and critical thinkers with transferable skills. We create opportunities for children to reflect on their experiences and understand how they are developing personally and socially, tackling many of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up.
“The school is filled with many examples of pupils’ high-quality artwork and this makes an important contribution to the excellent learning environment.” Ofsted
Learning respect is a key element to life at Windlesham Village Infant School: respecting ourselves, others and differences. Our school has achieved the Healthy Schools Award and as such aims to increase self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills.
Special needs Our school Accessibility Plan and Special Needs Policy are reviewed regularly to cater for access of those children with disabilities and to prevent them from being treated less favourably than other pupils. Those children with Special Educational Needs are given individually tailored support programmes within the classroom. We’re supported by external professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, and those from the Language and Literacy Support Service and the Behaviour Management Support Service.
The needs of all children vary widely and this is often in different areas of learning. At Windlesham Village Infant School, we aim to provide a personalised curriculum that meets those needs. Our monitoring and tracking of individual achievement enables us to quickly see where children are falling short of their potential. For further information, please read our Special Needs Policy available from the School Office.
The able / gifted child For those children who display talents beyond the expected age range are extended in their learning within the classroom situation by planned extension activities. We believe that all children should have the opportunity to develop at their own pace, to be challenged and to develop in those areas that they find naturally more or less difficult.
Assessment We are proud of our excellent ongoing assessment record and the way in which we use this to inform the planning of individualised learning activities for each child and strategically for the whole school. Records of Achievement provide a full picture of a child’s development within the National Curriculum and individual targets are shared with the children. Half-termly assessments enable the teachers to establish intervention groups of children to monitor progress against the targets. At school entry in the Reception Year, the teacher completes an on entry baseline assessment (Performance Indicators in Primary Schools - PIPS) which is then re-administered at the end of the Reception Year and at the end of Year 1 to monitor progress. All schools must follow the SelfEvaluation Framework (SEF) set by government which helps schools evaluate their performance and set actions for improvement.
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“The school is vibrant, the children and the staff look happy and there’s a great balance of learning and fun. Of course, the curriculum outlines what each the child should be learning but it’s the execution of it at Windlesham that makes it interesting.” Parent
Code of conduct Punctuality and attendance We believe that children get the most out of school – and the opportunities it offers – through consistent, regular attendance and being on time each morning. For this reason, we celebrate and reward those children who have been in school each and every day of term, receiving a certificate in the Celebration Assembly at the end of term. There is also a special award given in the final term to those children who attend an entire academic year with no absences. Parents are asked to notify us on the first morning of absence the reason for this and to then follow this up with a written note of explanation when the child returns. Permission from the Headteacher must be sought for all other absence. We expect holidays to be taken during the school breaks so that the child’s planned learning is not disrupted.
We believe that prompt arrival at school is a positive life skill to acquire and encourage parents to ensure that their children arrive at school ready to begin the day’s learning with time to settle.
Behaviour Good behaviour and pleasant manners are sought after and rewarded at our school within the classroom, during lunch and in the playground. The emphasis is on mutual trust and respect for others as well as learning the more academic aspects of the curriculum. Bullying is not tolerated and children are encouraged to bring to our attention any incident that is seen as being emotionally or physically threatening. There are ‘Playground Pals’ – a rotating role held by children – who encourage friendship and inclusion and showcase positive behaviour.
Discipline We find that, for the most part children live up to the high standard of behaviour that we expect of them. However, when the need for punishment does arrive, it is appropriate to involve the child. We always involve parents at an early stage if we have concerns and would hope to receive support. (Guidelines for this are highlighted in our school’s behaviour policy).
School Uniform We expect all of our children to wear our school uniform: we believe that this not only fosters a sense of belonging and unity but also helps children to take pride in both their school and their appearance. In addition, by wearing a uniform, the children are able to concentrate on their learning rather than fashion. The school colours are blue and grey. Uniform can be bought online from a local Windlesham company and the Friends of Windlesham Village Infant School regularly run second-hand uniform sales.
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“The commitment of all staff at the school (from the Head through to Teaching Assistant) to each and every child’s development is outstanding. There are no weak links”. Governor
Our commitment to children and parents At Windlesham Village Infant School, we know that our parents need to be comfortable with, and confident in, our approach and our policies. We review these annually with our governing body.
Health and welfare The welfare of the children is paramount. Health and Safety inspections and fire drills are carried out regularly and the children learn about safe environments throughout the curriculum. There are a number of trained first-aiders on staff who offer initial treatment to those who have an accident or are taken ill at school. We have a school nurse who visits regularly and monitors each child’s health, recommending referral when necessary. Regular life-saving medicine (e.g. EpiPens and inhalers) can be administered during the course of the day by staff. Any arrangements should be made with the Headteacher.
Data protection
Safeguarding children
Schools, Local Authorities and the Department for Children, Schools and Families all hold information about our children in order to inform and monitor the education we are providing. In doing so, we follow the Data Protection Act 1998. This means that the data we hold can only be used for specific purposes and we need to tell you about these.
We have a duty to ensure our children are safeguarded from the risk of abuse and as such we will investigate any physical injury until we are satisfied that the cause was accidental. If we suspect any form of abuse we shall report our concern to social services. Your child’s safety and well-being are our first concern.
Within the school, we use the information to support teaching and learning and to monitor and report on progress and to assess how the school is progressing as a whole. Occasionally we are required to submit these to the Local Authority, to another school to which the child is transferring or to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Equal opportunities All children have the right to equal opportunities in all aspects of school life, irrespective of culture, gender, ethnicity or religion or physical, emotional, intellectual or behavioural difficulties. We actively support this, and positively develop respect for others.
Communication Parents are our partners in the education of the children and we strive to ensure that they are informed of school events and any changes to the school’s day-to-day running. Such communication is typically via the child’s ‘book bag’. A newsletter is distributed termly and our School Profile is published annually and is available online. Our school website is managed and kept up-to-date by us. All parents receive a written annual report on their child and there are a further two parent evening opportunities to receive a verbal report. Teachers are always available for more informal discussion although we do encourage parents to make an appointment to allow a more focused and private conversation.
In-service education training (INSET) Change is a constant and professional development fosters engagement and enthusiasm. We are committed to offering our team at least the statutory five days per year of INSET days. We aim to give parents as much notice as possible of these dates as we know that they require organisation.
Issues and complaints We find that most concerns and difficulties can be resolved through informal discussion with the class teacher. However, if this isn’t the case, the issue should be referred to the Deputy Headteacher or Headteacher and governors. If the matter is still unresolved, further procedures are defined by the Local Education Authority.
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“The dedication of the teachers is great: they try and make going to school and learning really fun for the children – and they are always up for a bit of dressing up!” Parent
Admissions and next steps Starting school
Admissions
All children start school at the beginning of the academic year of their fifth birthday, some part-time initially and some full-time. Children enter school on a staggered basis during the first week of the Autumn term to allow time in smaller groups, helping the children to adjust and settle more quickly.
As Windlesham Village Infant School is a Local Education Authority (LEA) school, our admissions criteria are those of Surrey County Council. This means that the criteria are: 1. Looked after children 2. Exceptional arrangements: occasionally priority is given to: those with children with medical conditions, and other sensitive, individual and compelling family circumstances 3. Children who have a brother or sister who already attend the school 4. Geographical location.
Children whose birthdays are between September and December will start full-time, those who become five during the Spring and Summer term will be part-time in the Autumn term and full-time in the Spring term. For children and parents joining the school in September, we arrange a number of activities in the previous Summer term. We hold an Induction Evening for parents and a morning school visit for the children. Our Reception class teachers will also visit the child in his/her home and we have good links with local pre-schools and nurseries. We understand that starting school can be daunting – for both parent and child – and we work to create as smooth a transition as possible.
Next steps We’d welcome the opportunity to show you around the school and our children take real pride in explaining their learning to visitors. Appointments can be made via the School Office.
Windlesham Village Infant School School Road Windlesham Surrey GU20 6PD
T: +44 (0) 1276 472212 F: +44 (0) 1276 451411 E: info@windlesham.surrey.sch.uk W: www.windlesham.surrey.sch.uk
Photography by Carey Sheffield Photography Brochure designed by: Net Efekt www.efekt.net