Our School Prospectus and Information for New Pupils

Welcome to our school, we look forward to working with you and your family to ensure your learning journey is a positive one.

Please read and view the information below and of course book a visit to get to know us better.

Welcome to Waunfawr Primary School

Dear Parents/Carers,

Croeso i Ysgol Gynradd Waunfawr,

Welcome to Waunfawr Primary School in the heart of Crosskeys, Wales. We are very proud of our school and its fantastic setting and look forward to your child joining our successful team. These are challenging times for parents and the community of Waunfawr. There has been great uncertainty regarding the Coronavirus pandemic and what to do for the best for our children and families. Please rest assured that our team have worked diligently to ensure that the best opportunities for in school and online learning are provided for all ages.

As I write this introduction to the prospectus, we are unsure as to what schools will look like in September. The guidance is changing regularly. However, we are experienced at running safe environments for children during the pandemic. We will make decisions on your child’s educational, social and safety needs based on the scientific evidence at hand.

At Waunfawr we value and encourage the partnership between home and school. We all share responsibility for the development of our children – especially in the early years. Waunfawr is a very caring school where staff and governors are committed to doing the very best for the pupils in our care.

We look forward to welcoming you and your child into our school family. It may look different to the school family in the past, but rest assured that the team will do all that it can to make this a smooth transition for your child while promoting a love for learning. If we can help in any way please contact us at this address waupa@caerphilly.gov.uk

Yours sincerely,

Mrs M Armishaw

Head teacher

Vision, Aims and Objectives

• We succeed in our school as happy, confident individuals.​
• We lay the foundations for our pupils to succeed as valued global citizens.​
• We challenge ourselves daily and learn from each other’s experiences on our journey towards a successful future.​
• We strive as a team to motivate our future dream makers.

Vision Statement

“Unlocking Excellence – Yn Agor Rhagoriaeth’

Our Core Values

Waunfawr Primary School is a happy, caring and inclusive school.  We are committed to developing the “whole child” and our small school ethos fosters this perfectly. We promote a ‘growth mindset’ and focus on the core values:

• Resilience
• Curiosity
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Achievement

Children’s Rights

At Waunfawr we are a ‘Rights Respecting School’. This means that we promote children’s rights outlined in the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as part of our curriculum and daily practice. This helps children to understand how important their voice is in making changes that affect their lives.  At Waunfawr we have a RRS logo, Rio the Rights Respecting Raindrop. 

Waunfawr Primary School Staff list September 2023

School Based Staff

Mrs M. Armishaw       -        Headteacher

Miss H. Evans               -        Deputy Headteacher

Ms V. Williams            -        Office Manager

Mrs J. Walkley             -        Family Engagement Officer/HLTA/TA

Miss H. Shepherd        -        Class Teacher/Acting ALNCo

Miss C. Jones               -        Class Teacher

Miss S. Vincent              -       Class Teacher

Miss E. Tomkinson       -        Class Teacher/ Wellbeing lead

Ms S. Conway              -        Class Teacher

Mrs C. Llewellyn          -        HLTA

Mrs A. Smith               -        HLTA

Mrs A. Pearson           -        Teaching Assistant

Mrs A. Trigger             -        Teaching Assistant

Mr J. Hughes               -        Caretaker

Mrs D. Rhodes            -        Lunchtime Supervisor/Breakfast Club

Mrs N. Clarke              -        Lunchtime Supervisor

Catering Staff

Mrs C Price-Jones

Waunfawr Primary School Governing Body

Chief Education Officer                              

Mrs Keri Cole                                          

Caerphilly  County Borough Council                 

Directorate of Education and Leisure                 

Ty Penallta                                                          

Tredomen                                                                      

Ystrad Mynach

Hengoed   CF82 7PG

Telephone 01443 815588                                              

Governors

Mrs Melanie James     (Chair person)

Mrs A East                     (Vice Chair)

Mrs Julie Walkley

Mrs Sarah Conway                                                  

Mrs A East

Mrs S Bowen  

Mrs E Davies

Mr J Gerry                                         

Mrs K Rutter  

Mrs A Taylor

Miss S Monkton                                             

Any correspondence for the Governing Body should be sent to the school addressed to the Chairperson.

The Aims and Objectives of our school

• To give a warm welcome where parents, staff, children and governors work in partnership to raise standards in teaching and learning.
• To encourage childhood experiences which promote happiness and wellbeing for all pupils, encourage healthy lifestyles and lay the foundations for lifelong learning.
• To plan challenging experiences for all learners encouraging them to have high aspirations for themselves and to aim for the best in everything they do.
• To foster enjoyment in learning, encouraging children to be curious, nurture their talents and creativity developing their abilities so they can experience success.
• To celebrate and embrace equality in all areas of school life, being respectful of pupils’ additional educational needs, ethnic groups, nationalities, diversity, religious bias, age and gender.
• To nurture confidence, self-esteem, creativity, imagination and questioning.
• To provide rich opportunities to use ICT in meaningful contexts to enhance teaching and learning in the pursuit of digital literacy for all.
• To develop self-discipline through positive reinforcement.
• To celebrate living in Wales and play an active role in contributing to the school community, local community and wider world showing respect and tolerance towards everyone. 

School Times/School Holidays

A member of staff will be on duty in the yard to welcome your child into school. There will be four entry points to avoid congestion and minimise contact with other parents. We are an ACTIVE travel school and ask parents, where possible, to find ways to travel without cars to school to reduce congestion and air pollution.

Caerphilly School Term Dates (Please note that INSET days will mean changes to dates below – please see the website for more information)

Autumn Term 2023

• Term starts Friday 1^st September 2023
• Half term starts Monday 30^th October 2023
• Half term ends Friday 3^rd November 2023
• Term ends Friday 22^nd December 2023

Spring Term 2024

• Term starts Monday 8^th January 2024
• Half term starts Monday 12^th February 2024
• Half term ends Friday 16^th February 2024
• Term ends Friday 22^nd March 2024

Summer Term 2024

• Term starts Monday 8^th April 2024
• Half term starts Monday 27^th May 2024
• Half term ends Friday 31^st May 2024
• Term ends Friday 19^th July 2024

Pupil Voice

Waunfawr Primary is dedicated to listening to our pupils. We know that at the heart of our new curriculum we want all pupils to be inspired by their learning and involved in making whole school decisions. Research shows participation is beneficial to individuals, schools and communities. Pupils who participate in decision-making enjoy enhanced self-esteem and motivation, gain important personal, social and organisational skills and become familiar with group and democratic processes. At a whole school level, pupils involved in decision-making leads to better relationships, more relevant and effective policies and better learning. Pupils have an important part to play in helping schools to improve every aspect of school life. Pupil groups include:

School Council; Wellbeing warriors; Eco Warriors; Digital Heroes; Criw Cymraeg; Playground Pals and Heddlu Bach.

Developing pupil voice also enables our children to become active and articulate citizens now - working alongside adults to improve their community. Importantly our children influence the learning that they will undertake as part of our thematic approach. They reflect critically on their learning through mid-project reviews and end of project evaluations.

Waunfawr’s Curriculum and the Curriculum for Wales

What do we mean by 'Curriculum' and how will it affect my child?​

Your child will spend eight years at Waunfawr Primary. The curriculum is at the heart of what they will learn. It enables us to support them to achieve our vision and the Four Purposes. Our curriculum is bespoke to our learners and their needs. It is broad and balanced and is accessible to all learners. ​

Our curriculum is designed and planned across six areas of learning and experiences:​

1.  Expressive Arts​

2.  Health & Wellbeing​

3.  Humanities​

4.  Languages, Literacy and Communication​

5.  Mathematics & Numeracy​

6.  Science & Technology ​

Our curriculum incorporates opportunities for learning and consideration of cross-cutting elements:​

•RSE – Relationships and Sexuality education​

•Careers and Work-related Experiences​

•Local, National and International contexts​

•Children’s Rights UNCRC​

•Diversity

We want to be able to give our pupils: ​

outstanding experiences and for them to realise that there are a wide range of work and recreational opportunities available to them locally and globally. We work closely with our cluster schools, college, industries and community to achieve these aims. ​

We believe in equity and aim to challenge and support all learners to achieve. Our school provides a stimulating and happy environment in which children are encouraged to become independent learners and flourish.

It is the intention that our learners will benefit from experiences at school that will support them in becoming young adults through the Four Purposes so that they are:

• ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society
• have relevant high quality digital, literacy and numeracy skills
• be increasingly bilingual with a strong grasp on other languages

Classroom organisation

The school has six classes.  Our classes are usually arranged in mixed age groups due to pupil numbers.  Staff are very experienced in teaching mixed age classes and our curriculum is organised in such a way that would avoid any topics being repeated for pupils. 

Our classes at Waunfawr change each year with mixed age classes usual across the school.  Within each class children are taught in groups, pairs, as a whole class and individually.  Each teacher employs a variety of methods. Sometimes it is “formal”, direct teaching; sometimes a more open-ended investigation could be in progress which draws on children’s first-hand experiences; the learning could be through an integrated approach or by subject teaching. Classes follow a common curriculum. Further information can be found on our website www.waunfawrprimaryschool.co.uk

Admission Arrangements

The number of children on roll at present is 182.  Admission arrangements are in accordance with Caerphilly County Borough Council policy.

Children and parents wishing to view the school prior to starting, either during or after school hours will be most welcome. Please telephone to arrange an appointment.

Parents interested in gaining a place in the school must apply on the official CCBC forms online.  There are three entry points and three separate applications – Rising 3, Nursery and Reception (pupils transferring from another school at any time must follow the same procedure). 

Transition

Our team of staff work well together to ensure a smooth transition between classes. Class teachers meet in Summer term to discuss pupils moving on to a new teacher. They share records and assessment data. Each year we hold a Moving Up day to meet the new teacher and enhanced transition for ALN pupils is co-ordinated by our ALNCo.

Much work takes place in Year 6 to develop self-confidence, self-esteem and independence, including a memorable residential trip to an Outdoor Activity Centre.

The children are invited to spend a full day in Risca or Newbridge Secondary School where they will experience taster lessons and lunch in the school canteen. A series of meetings will then take place between the staff at Secondary school, our ALNCO (Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator), the Year 6 teachers and the children, at which any relevant information is shared. Children with additional learning needs undertake additional visits to the new school to familiarise them with the environment. Our children leave us ready and prepared to embark on the next phase of their educational journey.

CCBC provides a booklet on admission arrangements in the autumn term of year 6. This provides information about the school, selection details and a form which parents need to complete.

School Lunches

A free school lunch is available for every child who stays at school during the lunch break. School lunches need to be booked at registration on the day they are needed. All children are entitled to Free School meals funded by Welsh Government. We would encourage all children to take up this offer of a healthy school lunch.Children can also bring a packed lunch to school if they would prefer.

During the midday break, the children are in the care of the Lunchtime Organisers and Teaching Assistants. They encourage the children to eat well, and maintain a friendly, relaxed but organised atmosphere. After the children have eaten, the remaining time is spent on the play yard where the children have the opportunity to play a number of organised games.

School Grants

If parents receive any of the following payments their children are entitled to receive additional grants in maintained schools in Wales:

 • Income Support

 • Income Based Jobseekers Allowance

 • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and their annual income does not exceed £16,190. (HM Revenue and Customs are responsible for assessing the level of annual income.)

 • Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.

• Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

 • Universal Credit

• Young people who receive Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.

Apply

Complete the online Free School Meal and Clothing Grant application form. Application forms are also available from the school (in term time) or from CCBC (outside of term time) by telephoning (01633) 656656.

Applications should arrive no later than the end of the summer term so that they can be processed for the start of the new school year. Applications can be made at any time during the year if there is a change in circumstances.

Healthy Packed Lunches

Your child will be encouraged to have a healthy lunch.  We promote a balanced approach to healthy eating.  A typical lunchbox may contain the main item e.g. savoury sandwich, roll, wrap, pasta then some additional items such as breadsticks, cheese biscuits, yoghurt and items of fresh fruit/vegetables e.g. apple, banana, carrot sticks, cucumber slices.  Your child may have one pudding item in their packed lunch such as a piece of fruit, cereal bar or biscuit/cake bar.  Children are encouraged to bring water to school to drink.   Fresh drinking water is available from water taps in school. Squash is discouraged sue to dental health and sugar content. Items that have a high sugar content e.g. fruit shoots, chocolate bars, sweets should not be sent into school in line with our Food and Fitness policy which follows the Appetite for Life guidelines. 

We ask that parents refrain from sending nuts in lunchboxes as we currently have pupils in school who suffer from serious nut allergies.

School Uniform

A smart standard of dress helps create a positive image and a sense of belonging in a school. It is with this in mind that we encourage children to wear our distinctive school uniform.

The school colours are red, white, grey and black, and can be bought from Darren Morgan Sports in Crosskeys or AJM embroidery in Cwmfelinfach via their high street store on online ordering system.  It is essential that ALL clothing items are labelled to allow any lost items to be returned to their owner.

General

• Red sweatshirts/cardigans
• White t-shirt
• Black / grey trousers / skirt
• (tailored shorts during summer months)
• Red checked school dress (summer months)
• Black/grey tights
• Black, grey or white socks
• Black shoes

P.E.

• Black shorts/Black Tracksuit bottoms
• White T-shirt
• Trainers

PE kit is to be brought into school and children will then need to change into their kit ready for the PE session.  They also have access to lots of outdoor activities.  It would be beneficial for them to have wet weather clothing in school.  This would comprise of wellies, waterproof trousers and waterproof jacket. 

Low-heeled sensible black shoes are essential for school.  We would ask for the wearing of trainers to be restricted to out-door games sessions.  Children in Key Stage 2 may bring trainers to school to wear at break time if they wish. 

The school has a ‘no jewellery’ policy.  Children who can tell the time may wear a watch.  Children with long hair should wear their hair tied up.  Hairstyles should be sensible so as not to cause a disruption in the classroom.  Radical hairstyles are not permitted in school.  Children should be clean and tidy with no nail polish, transfer tattoos or anything else which will detract away from learning.  Special consideration will be given to medical or religious jewellery on discussion with the Headteacher. 

Personal Property

Please help us by clearly marking each item of clothing with your child’s name. Children’s lost property is kept in the cloakroom and when unclaimed after a term will be donated to charity.

Break-Time

There is a mid-morning break of 15 minutes for all the children.  Foundation Phase children are encouraged to eat a small quarter of either fruit or vegetables. Fruit can be purchased at a cost of £1.50 per week.

Pupils in Key Stage 2 (Year 3-6) may bring fruit or vegetables from home to eat as a snack or purchase daily from our Fruit snack bar.

Safeguarding Our Children

This is a constant priority at Waunfawr Primary. Our full policy can be found on our website. All staff have been trained in safeguarding procedures. The Headteacher is responsible for safeguarding. In her absence, there is a designated safeguarding officer, Mrs Walkley.  Implementation of our child protection policy may require referral to the statutory child welfare agencies if it is felt that a child is at significant risk of harm. This is done solely in the best interests of the child. Where there is a concern we will, in general, discuss this with the family and where possible seek agreement to making the referral.

Accidents / Illness / Medication

It is essential that we have correct and up to date details of where to contact parents. If there is a change in a contact number, please let us know immediately. Should an injury appear to need

urgent medical attention your child might be taken to the casualty department at The Grange before you are able to reach school.  A member of staff would always stay with the child until you arrive.

Medication at School

Sending medication to school for teaching staff to administer is not in line with LA policy and quite a contentious issue. If your child is well enough for school but requires medication then we ask parents to arrange the taking of medicines around the school day. If this is not possible then we ask the parent to come to school to administer the dosage. It is only in exceptional circumstances where the child is receiving on-going medical treatment that the school will administer any medication and then it will be in liaison with the health authority.

Allergies

Please ensure that you have given the school information relating to any allergy for which your child may require medication.

 Accidents

A record of all accidents is made in the school ‘Accident Book’ and the cause of every accident is           always investigated. Should your child receive a bump to the head, you will be notified by telephone    and receive a ‘bump note’ in case after effects are delayed. In the event of a serious accident occurring in school, every effort will be made to contact a parent before referral to a doctor or hospital.

Attendance Policies and Procedures

As a school we work closely with families to support attendance wherever possible, we follow the local authority CALLIO system and the following outlines how we will monitor attendance and actions that may be taken should families consistently not respond to the actions put in place. 

Callio Colour Banding System 

We are constantly monitoring attendance and any time through the school year you may receive a letter making you aware of your child’s attendance and the colour banding they are currently in. This will give you the opportunity to have a discussion with the school to see how we can support you to improve your child’s attendance. Please be aware that the table below is based on a full school year so if you receive a letter earlier in the school year, your child may have a lower attendance especially if they have had an extended bout of illness. This can always be improved through the year with regular attendance. 

Reporting a pupil’s absence 

When a pupil is absent, parents are expected to contact the school on the morning of the first day of absence and then keep the school informed if this absence continues. You can report your child’s absence several ways: 

1. Reporting via the Dojo App to Mrs. Walkley or Miss Williams you will be able to provide a reason for the absence and attach any supporting documents e.g., medical appointments, etc. 

1. Call the school from 7:30am on 01495 243243 and choose the absence option to report and give the reason for the absence. 

Medical Appointments 

These should, where possible, be done outside of school hours. If this is unavoidable/not possible, we will require a copy of the appointment information sent via email or Dojo to Mrs. Walkley or Miss. Williams to enable us to authorise the absence. 

Holidays during Term Time 

By law, parents/carers do not have an automatic right to withdraw their children for a holiday during term time and are required to apply for permission from the school, in advance. The Governing Body has adopted the LA policy which recommends a 95% attendance record for the previous 12 months for any pupil permitted to be absent, to undertake a holiday during term-time. This is also in line with current Welsh Assembly Government guidelines. 

If a holiday is required, then a leave of absence form will need to be completed. These can be requested from the school office. 

Punctuality / Lateness 

Prompt punctuality is also a legal requirement and is carefully monitored by the school. The law treats persistent lateness in the same way as irregular attendance and will be recorded as unauthorised. Parents/carers could potentially be prosecuted if a problem of persistent lateness is not resolved. 

Unauthorised absences 

Pupils may receive unauthorised absences for the following reasons: 

1. Late to school i.e. arriving after the register closes. 

1. Absences where there is no explanation received / reason given is unsatisfactory/ regular pattern of absence or after a red Callio letter has been or a meeting had with the school. 

1. A holiday where the pupil’s attendance is below 95% for the previous 12 months. 

Unauthorised absences will be addressed with parents through the Family Engagement Officer, Head Teacher and the Education Welfare Officer. Please be reminded that high levels of unauthorised absence can lead to prosecution. 

Fixed Penalty Notices  

In line with CCBC Policy, pupils who are persistently absent may be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. In these cases, parents/ carers are issued with a CCBC letter indicating that during the previous 10 weeks, attendance and/or punctuality have given a cause for concern (as indicated by 10 unauthorised sessions of absence). Following this, a period of 15 working days monitoring will take place. If no improvement is seen, the pupils' names are forwarded to CCBC, and another letter will be issued stating that proceedings to issue a fixed penalty notice have started. This can lead to a graduated fine or, in the case of failure to pay, prosecution.  

Health & Safety / School Security

We have some basic rules to safeguard the children in our care both inside and outside the school building. We would appreciate your help in maintaining the following rules:

• Parking outside the school gates or within the zigzag lines is not allowed. Failure to abide by this rule does severely put children at risk.
• Parking on kerbs is illegal and the school will inform the Police of cars breaking this law.
• Driving on the pavement is also illegal, the school will inform the police of cars breaking this law.
• Parents are not permitted to drive into the school grounds.
• Parents are not permitted to enter the school rear yard when dropping off children.
• All adults should report to Reception and not enter school unless accompanied by a member of staff.
• Our school grounds are a no smoking zone.
• It is requested that dogs be kept away from the school grounds. 
• No jewellery is to be worn to school except one pair of stud earrings.
• Sensible footwear should be worn at all times.

Severe Weather

Should there be a heavy fall of snow overnight; the school website and ClassDojo will carry information about school closure. Also, please ensure that the school emergency numbers are up-dated in case of severe weather conditions when the children are in school.

Positive Behaviour at Waunfawr

We have high expectations for behaviour at all times. We adopt a positive behaviour policy. Behaviour should reflect care and thoughtfulness for others. All the adults with whom the children come into contact with at school encourage good manners and courtesy. It is expected that the children will be well behaved, polite and respectful. We encourage good behaviour by acknowledging it through a range of reward strategies. We believe that the development of a positive approach towards discipline is a partnership between home and school. The vast majority of children respond well to this dual encouragement. Should any lapses in behaviour occur these would be dealt with in an appropriate manner and all incidents are investigated thoroughly by staff.

Should a child/children be identified as having broken our school rules a referral is placed to the behaviour team who investigate the incident and based on clear policy guidelines decide on the next steps. At times a referral will be placed to our RESPECT programme where pupils participate in a restorative justice approach addressing the consequences of their behaviour. Parents are informed of all decisions and involved in ways to support the process at home.

Our School Rules

The School Council has developed three simple school rules that are used at all times:

• Ready
• Respectful
• Safe

In essence we want to develop polite, well-mannered confident pupils.  We would encourage pupils to always:

• Say please and thank you.

• Say excuse me and sorry.

• Listen and respond in conversation

• Smile and make eye contact when talking to people

• Understand and follow instructions.

• Respect family and friends.

• Respect adults equally.

• Respect your own and other people’s belongings.

• Have good table manners.

• Show concern for others, e.g. hold doors open, help anyone who is struggling.

• Introduce yourself confidently.

• Be thoughtful about your behaviour in public.

We may need to pass messages onto you regarding any issues in school or anything that your child is having difficulty with. These messages are passed onto yourselves by your child’s class teacher. If we need to discuss an issue further we may ask you into school for a quick chat. It is very important to keep positive relationships between school and home. Please make an appointment to meet your child’s teacher if you have any concerns or questions.

Complaints

Any concerns should, initially, be brought to the attention of the teacher, who will investigate the matter with other members of staff and respond to your concern promptly.  When a parent feels the concern was not responded to sufficiently they may then raise a complaint via the school’s complaint policy. Following the meeting with the staff member the concern should be raised to the Headteacher by email or telephone. ClassDojo is not appropriate for complaints and we ask that parents refrain from rash messages which cause distress to staff. This is a very important first step to ascertain the validity of the complaint. In most cases the matter can be resolved at this stage. However, if a parent is not satisfied with the result of this enquiry, then the matter should be taken up with the Chairperson of the Governing Body. If the parents still wish to pursue the matter further, the Chief Education Officer should be contacted at Ty Penalta, Caerphilly. Our complaints policy is available on the school website.

There are occasions when complainants behave in an unreasonable manner when raising and/or pursuing concerns. The consequences are that the actions of the complainants begin to impact negatively on the day-to-day running of the school and directly or indirectly the overall well-being of the children or staff in the school. In these exceptional circumstances the school may act in accordance with the vexatious complaint policy.

Relationship and Growing Up Education

Relationship and growing up education at Waunfawr follows the guidelines issued by the National Assembly for Wales and CCBC. The programme covers the physiological aspects of sexual development and should address the issues of gender in a personal, social and societal level. The school’s programme of sex education is agreed by the governing body and is available for parents to see upon request. It is linked to areas of the National Curriculum and reflects the needs of the pupils as they develop throughout school. Parents are welcome to view the policy and discuss it. Parents do not have the right to withdraw their children, should they so wish, from sex education as in previous years.

Additional Learning Needs

At times it may become apparent that some children are experiencing difficulties with their learning. The concern will first be discussed between parents and teachers. This will be brought to the attention of the Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCO), Miss Shepherd, to co-ordinate and advise on appropriate support. 

In the first instance, we will complete assessments and observations.   These will help to identify whether your child requires support and differentiation within their class setting, or whether your child has an Additional Learning Need (ALN) that requires Additional Learning Provision (ALP) ‘additional to and different from’ others. 

In school we have a number of interventions available to pupils who need support.  These are listed under our ‘Universal’ and ‘Targeted’ Provisions and our ‘Specialised’ and ‘Multi-Agency’ Support. Our interventions include programmes such as THRIVE, ELSA sessions, ‘Teaching Talking’, ‘Tackling the Tail’ and ‘Socially Speaking’, as well as Maths and Literacy Catch Up groups.   

We work with a number of agencies across all our levels of provision including speech and language therapy and occupational health. In some cases, advice is sought from the Educational Psychology Service, Behaviour Support or the Advisory Team in Caerphilly.  

No child will be seen by external agencies without the agreement of the parents. 

Welsh

Pupils at Waunfawr Primary are taught through the English language. In addition, daily sessions of Welsh are taught alongside welsh enrichment activities. Welsh is promoted throughout the day by staff and the Criw Cymraeg to reinforce taught skills. Where possible, links are made between our projects and the history and culture of Wales.

Religious Education

This is taught in accordance with the LA’s agreed syllabus. The emphasis is to develop the skills; attitudes and knowledge that will help children understand the spiritual dimensions of life and to enable them to make mature and reasoned judgements. Opportunities are taken to empathise with multi faiths through rituals and festivals across cultures whilst undertaking project work.

In addition to their class work the children attend an assembly each day. Assemblies help each child to realise that school is an extended family to which they all belong. We promote a caring environment where children are sensitive to the needs of others and the world around them. This is achieved through themes, stories, poetry songs and visitors from the community. Parents wishing to withdraw their children from these lessons and/ or assemblies should consult the Head Teacher. On Fridays we hold an achievement assembly where by we celebrate achievements both in and outside of school. 

Music

Music plays a strong and very important role in the lives of Waunfawr Primary children. Our children are inspired through workshops and are encouraged to join choirs and musical performances. In the majority of our classes pupils have the opportunity to play an instrument as part of a music project. Our children are encouraged to learn to play instruments through our partnership with Caerphilly Music Service. Where possible we loan instruments to afford our children this wonderful opportunity.

Outdoor Play/Forest Schools

We are very lucky at Waunfawr to have a wonderful park a short walk away; we have access to a forest school area, a stream, allotments and a playing field. Our philosophy for learning embraces the outdoor environment. We will be using the school grounds daily to teach the children focused tasks and for the children to be involved in many fun and exciting activities. Please take note of the weather as if it is hot the children will require a hat and sun cream if they are spending time in the school grounds. Similarly if the weather is cold, the children will still have the opportunity to use the outdoor environment so will need a coat and appropriate warm and waterproof clothing.

Your child will have the opportunity to attend ‘forest school’ lessons each week. In the Foundation Phase they will require a waterproof jacket and wellies, which will need to be kept on their peg at all times – please could these be labelled with your child’s name. Also you may wish to provide your child with waterproof trousers or an all in one suit – waterproofs can be purchased in the office. Outdoor clothing is provided for our KS2 children when they undertake ‘active’ lessons in the forest school area.

Equal Opportunities

There are a wide variety of policies in school relating to the curriculum and equal opportunities issues, such as race equality, behaviour, and child protection.  We are a fully inclusive school.   Arrangements and access for children with disabilities will be discussed with the parents and LEA, as is current practice.

Charging and Remission Policy

A donation may be requested to cover the cost of some educational visits and experiences.  If we do not have enough funds to cover the costs such visits may be cancelled.  Payment cards are available if you wish to pay your donation over a number of weeks.  Please call into the office to arrange with Ms Williams. 

Sport at Waunfawr

We are very fortunate in our provision for sport.  We aim to encourage individual skill and team participation.  Children’s achievements both inside and outside school are recognised in our Friday achievement assembly.  Our sporting links with the community include Treowen Stars Girls FC, All Stars Cricket, Waunfawr Rugby Club, Tae Kwon Do, Cluster Leagues, to name but a few.  Extra-curricular sports clubs are offered to the pupils.

Your Child’s Progress

Parents are free to make an appointment at any time during the year to discuss children’s progress. During parent consultations you will be presented with a brief report which includes any additional support your child is receiving and attendance data. There is also an opportunity to discuss each child’s written, yearly report in the summer term.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Waunfawr Primary prides itself on the high number of club activities arranged for either lunch or after school. Most are provided free of charge by the Teachers and Teaching Assistants and by some visiting organisations. We aim to ensure these are never cancelled and that cover is available where needed. Currently the range of clubs includes: Athletics, Lego Club, Wii Dance, Choir and Art.

An extra-curricular club timetable is published each term following consultation with all staff.

Home-School Agreements

When your child starts school you will be asked to sign up to the Home-School agreement, which sets out the expectations for child, parent and the school.  If you have any questions about the home/school agreements please make an appointment to discuss these with your child’s class teacher.  There will also be a contact details form and permission forms for you to sign on your child’s entry to school which will be kept with your child’s school records.  Please note that if your details or circumstances change it is essential that you let us know at the earliest opportunity. 

Home School Partnership

The school values the partnership between home and school. This partnership underpins all of the good work that we do. We have a Family Engagement Officer who co-ordinates a range of events over the year from Dad’s Fitness Camp to Parent and baby sessions.

We have adopted various strategies to support and strengthen this partnership:

a. Newsletter

A newsletter is put online and on ClassDojo in order to keep parents up to date with events, items of information, relevant dates and curriculum developments. The newsletter is also used to report on decisions made at Governors’ meetings.

 b. Twitter

At Waunfawr Primary Twitter is used as a tool to celebrate learning. It gives parents an opportunity to share in some of the magical moments that only we, at times, are privileged to witness.

 c. Website

Our website aims to provide additional information for those who wish to navigate our site. We hope that you find the website informative.

 d.  ClassDojo App

This is our preferred method of communication enabling us to strive to be a ‘paperless communication’ school. Letters, dates and alerts are sent through this free app. If you require support in downloading the app please contact the school office.

e. Family Engagement

At Waunfawr Primary we are committed to engaging families in fun and creative ways to create an interested and dynamic community spirit. The success of our children is dependent on the effective partnership developed between school and home. We will share forthcoming events via ClassDojo and texts.

 f. The Friends of Waunfawr Primary

The Friends support the school in many ways. However, their main task is to raise money for the school. They plan a varied programme of activities throughout the year and have the support of the parents and staff of the school. All committee members are elected annually.

g. Parents in School

We would like you to feel welcome in school at any time. Some parents help with small groups of children on a regular basis and our children benefit from this additional help. Please do not feel inhibited to volunteer if you have time to spare. Activities that parents support include craft, painting, junk modelling, cookery, storytelling, playing reading or number games and listening to children read. We also need help for out of school visits when they occur. It is our policy that parents undertake a DBS check before they volunteer in school.

h. Special Occasions

Parents are regularly invited into school. We share assemblies and special celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, Harvest and St David’s Day. The children also perform concerts and plays to which parents, governors and members of the local community are invited.

I hope you find this prospectus beneficial and look forward to getting to know your family in the years ahead, I’m certain they will make memories to cherish at Waunfawr Primary.