A Useful Guide to the School
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for the PDF version of our prospectus
Headteacher: Louise Austin.
Chair of Governors: Mr T Marshall
Welcome.
I am delighted to welcome you to Dorchester Primary School.
Our motto is ‘Achieving Excellence Together in a Caring Community’
Dorchester Primary is all about happy, hard working children having fun trying to reach their own personal best achievements in all areas of the school life.
At Dorchester we offer high quality teaching and guaranteed progress in a stimulating, caring community.
Our children strive for excellence in everything they do.
We pride ourselves on being a friendly open school where all children try to do their best from the minute they enter school at three to when they leave for High School at 11.
We have high expectations for all pupils. We welcome diversity and shared experiences, interests and strengths.
We have fourteen classes plus the nursery. Each class is a vibrant exciting, learning centre where the children are challenged in a supportive, caring environment.
We are proud of our school and the children’s academic and personal achievements.
This prospectus will give an insight into the school but it is limited so do come and meet us.
Your child could join this happy hard working community and share in our enthusiasm and commitment to learning.
I look forward to meeting you.
Louise Austin
Dorchester Primary School is a co-educational school within the London Borough of Sutton, catering for children between the ages of three and eleven.
Mission Statement
Our Motto is:
‘ Achieving Excellence Together in a Caring Community’
Our Vision is:
- High quality teaching
- Guaranteed progress for each child
- Relevant training for all
- Stimulating, caring environment
- Good communication
- Strong partnership
- Continuous improvement
- Having fun and feeling good
The governors and staff at Dorchester Primary School are fully committed to providing a friendly secure environment where children are encouraged to develop their potential. We strive for each child to learn academic and social skills to help them become happy, independent and motivated people.
We believe that education is a partnership between the child, the parent and school. Together with parents we have developed a home school agreement, which describes this partnership as a set of high expectations, which helps to promote the life of the school and offer mutual support.
Together we aim to:
Strive for high standards of education
Give all children access to the full range of education regardless of race, ability, gender or religious beliefs
Create, develop and maintain a partnership between staff, parents and the community to enable the children to play a positive role in society
Encourage each child to discover how they learn best
Provide a caring and supportive environment in which all children can reach their full potential, enjoy success and, in doing so, form a positive self-image.
Children start in the Nursery class in the academic year when they will be three years old.
Admission to the Reception Class is in September of each year. Children have to be four years old by 31st August to be considered for entry to the Reception Class.
We hold meetings for prospective parents. You will automatically be invited to these meetings if you have sent us an application form.
The Local Education Authority are the admission authority and all applications forms and administration is handled by their admissions department. Admission forms are available from the school office.
Dorchester is a two-form entry school and our aim is to keep all classes to 30 or less and to have separate classes for each year group. All the classes are mixed ability and children are set differentiated work to meet their individual needs. Children might be set on the basis of ability for certain subjects. This is reviewed annually.
The teacher has the main responsibility for each class but is supported by the senior leadership team and support staff. During the school day there may be occasions when a child works with another specialist teacher for example for Music, P.E. or for a Modern Foreign Language. We believe that this flexibility maximises the expertise of our staff and provides the most effective curriculum for the child.
Nursery
8.30 to 11.30 OR 8.30 to 3.30
All children in the Nursery attend either the morning or the afternoon session.
Key Stage 1:
Morning session 8.55 am until 12.00 pm
Afternoon Session 1.15 pm until 3.05 pm
Key Stage 2:
Morning session 8.55 am until 12.15 pm
Afternoon session 1.05 pm until 3.15 pm
Staff are unable to accept responsibility for children in school or in the school grounds before 8.45 am or after 3.25 pm unless they are attending out-of-hours activities or special arrangements have been made. Children under seven must be brought to school and collected at the end of the day by a responsible adult. Once the entrance gate is opened the children can go directly to their classrooms.
We are fortunate to have recruited a range of teaching and support staff. They deliver a high quality education for each child. We have support assistants in all classes.
Our governors are representatives of the parents, school staff and the local community. They meet at least once each term and more frequently in smaller subcommittees. They have responsibility for overseeing the organisation, curriculum and budget of the school. The day-to-day running of the school is entrusted to the Headteacher and staff.
We have an active parents’ and friends’ association, to which all parents have automatic membership. The Friends of Dorchester School (FODS) organises social and fundraising events and holds regular meetings to plan forthcoming events and discuss current issues.
Children can choose to have a cooked meal or bring in a packed lunch. School meals offer good value for money and provide a healthy, balanced diet. There is always a choice of menu, including salads and a vegetarian dish, and special diets can be catered for if we are given adequate notice.
Packed lunches should also be nutritionally well balanced. They should not include sweets, fizzy drinks or drinks in glass containers.
Whichever choice of meal your child makes, we ask that he or she sticks to that choice for at least half a term, since we have to notify our caterers of the number of meals required daily in advance of each half of the term.
School meals must be paid for in advance, weekly (on a Monday), half-termly or termly. The current price is to be found in the loose-leaf section at the back of this prospectus. If you think your child may be entitled to free school meals, please fill in an application form available from the school office.
The best way to help and support your child at school is to give them your time and encouragement. Your time and interest in what your child does at school is very important and shows your child that you care about their learning. Sharing a book together is a good way of encouraging your child to read. Learning songs and rhymes off by heart will help to develop your child’s memory. Children enjoy playing games and this helps them to learn how to count, how to share and also how to cope with winning and losing.
Home Learning is given on a regular basis and we strongly recommend you encourage your child to complete it, as home learning extends and consolidates the work we do in school. We find most children love doing their homework and benefit from it.
We hold regular home/school consultations where you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with his or her class teacher and inspect their work. During the autumn term you will be asked to visit your child’s class teacher to discuss their progress and agree targets for the year. These targets are reviewed in the spring term. At the end of each summer term you will receive a fuller report summarising your child’s achievements during the year.
Each child is given a Home School Book, which details homework that has been set and can be used to communicate with the school.
We produce a regular newsletter to keep you up-to-date with school news and developments and a parents’ notice board provides a further source of information.
We are always pleased to see parents about anything concerning their children at any mutually convenient time. If it is a lengthy or private matter, it is advisable to make an appointment through the school office.
The best way to get to know the school is through spending time with us. We welcome offers of regular help in the classroom or with extra-curricular activities. However all parent helpers must be policed checked before helping in classes.
Children normally transfer to secondary school at the end of Year 6 when they are 11.
We recommend parents make more than one choice as there is no guarantee of admission to your first choice school. Admission criteria do vary, but Special Educational needs, siblings, proximity to the school and selection tests tend to be the most significant factors in the allocation of places. A meeting is held at school to explain the secondary school transfer process.
You may appeal against any decision to refuse your child admission to a secondary school.
Information about secondary schools is provided in the summer and autumn term. Parents are invited to discuss their choice of schools with the Headteacher.
Our emphasis is on rewarding positive behaviour, but we also have a system of informing parents if their child’s behaviour is unacceptable.
We encourage self-discipline and self-reliance. We like to think of Dorchester as an environment where children can display individuality and initiative, but we have a clear set of school rules to support and guide children with their behaviour. Children are expected to be polite, courteous and considerate towards others.
An important part of our partnership with parents is the sharing of responsibility for children’s behaviour and we will contact parents whenever we require their support in this area.
We expect all children at all times to follow the Golden Rules:
- Do be gentle
- Do listen
- Do be honest
- Do be kind and helpfu
- Do work hard
- Do look after property
You must ensure that your child arrives at school at the correct time. Children who are persistently late or who have poor attendance slip behind with their work and this can then create other problems.
If your child is absent from school for any reason it is essential that you provide us with an adequate explanation by phone, followed by a written note. Otherwise the absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’. We are required to publish details of unauthorised absences and this reflects on the school.
Absences for reasons other than illness are not normally permitted except in very special circumstances, which must be authorised by the Head teacher. It is school policy not to authorise any holidays and parents will be liable for a penalty notice of £50 per child served by Sutton Council.
As parents, carers, teachers, support staff or governors, we have an important role in ensuring the well-being of every child in our care.
We have a school nurse and doctor who visit regularly and monitor your child’s health. We ask parents to attend medical examinations of their child.
The best place for a sick child is at home in bed. Children who have had an accident or are taken ill at school are seen by one of the members of staff who are qualified first-aiders. If it is thought that a child needs further medical help or is unfit to be in school, parents are notified immediately. Medicines must not be brought into school and we do not usually administer them in school, except in certain specific circumstances.
It is vital that parents fill in and return to us the ‘contact’ form, which provides us with an up-to-date home address and telephone number and also details of where they can be contacted when at work. You should also nominate someone else as a contact if there are times when you are unavailable.
At Dorchester we expect all children to wear uniform. We believe this shared identity helps children to work together for a common goal. It also avoids early morning rows over what to wear!
The school colours are grey, purple and white and most of the garments can be purchased from outside the school at specified times. They are always available at welcome meetings for new parents.
Jewellery, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets, should not be worn to school. If your child has pierced ears, please use small, smooth studs or small sleeper type earrings. We request this in the interest of your child’s safety. During P.E., earrings will be taped over. Children should not wear nail varnish, make up or any elaborate hair accessories.
We have a duty to ensure our children are not at risk from any abuse. 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 the social services. Your child’s safety and well-being are our first concern.
Safety in and out of school
Our school is situated on a busy, congested road, so it is essential that children learn from an early age to observe the correct safety rules when they are coming to and from school.
- always use the pedestrian gate
- never walk through the two gates for vehicular access only
- never walk across the car park
- always cross the road at the school crossing patrol
Field trips and visits to places of educational interest, such as museums, galleries, religious buildings, theatres, and concert halls, are an integral part of our curriculum. We welcome the involvement of parents in helping to supervise these outings.
Children have the opportunity to spend a week on a residential school journey at least once during their time at Dorchester. They will take part in a variety of challenging, educational and enjoyable activities.
At Dorchester we teach a curriculum that is exciting, fun and imaginative. Walk into any of our classrooms and you can expect to find children engaged in thinking, questioning and learning.
Our aim is always to help each child perform to his or her full potential. Teachers take care to prepare work suitable for children of differing ability and attainment in their classes. We also give special help to certain children by teaching them in smaller groups or providing them with one-to-one tuition for one or two sessions a week.
We want your child’s first experience of school to be a happy one and we rely a great deal on your help in settling your child at Dorchester. Before a child starts the school there are opportunities for you to visit the school with your child to meet and talk with both children and teachers.
We promote personal and social development, encouraging children to cooperate, know their own self worth and show consideration and understanding towards others. Through active learning children are encouraged to develop the skills they need to move forward confidently to the next stage of their learning.
Please note that transfer from our Nursery Class to the Reception Class is not automatic. Parents will need to re-apply.
Foundation Stage Nursery and Reception
Key Stage I Years 1 & 2 (Infants 5 to 7)
Key Stage II Years 3,4,5 & 6 (Juniors 8 to 11)
Core subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Information Communication Technology
Foundation subjects: Design and Technology, History, Geography, Art, Music, Physical Education
Religious Education and Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) also form part of the curriculum.
Our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, which contains all the elements of the National Curriculum
For each subject, Programmes of Study provide information on what should be taught. Some of the subjects are incorporated into class topics while others are taught as separate subjects. Your child will spend most of his/her time on English, Mathematics and Science, as these are the three core subjects of the National Curriculum.
At the end of Key Stage 2 all children undergo National Curriculum tests, known as SATs (Standardised Assessment Tasks). These will show where your child is doing well and where he or she may need extra help. The results of these assessments are always available to parents.
At Dorchester we believe Literacy is a key life skill; without basic literacy skills our children will be disadvantaged. We recognise that language is the basis of all learning in the Primary Curriculum and accesses a vast world of interest and information; opening doors to other curriculum areas.
English teaching is divided into three main areas in the National Curriculum: Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. Pupils are entitled to equal access to all three areas while recognising they are closely inter-related and rarely occur in isolation.
The pupils are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills through a variety of activities including drama and discussion across the curriculum. They are taught to demonstrate their understanding and thinking through clear and confident speech and to a variety of audiences.
The pupils’ reading and comprehension skills are developed using a variety of methods, including work recognition and phonics strategies. We use published schemes, set texts and school library books. We aim to foster a love of reading for pleasure and teach them the skills necessary to obtain information from books and computers.
The pupils are taught to write effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences. They are taught how to structure and organise their writing and to use punctuation accurately. Their handwriting is practised in order to develop a fluent and joined script and spelling is developed through investigating word patterns and families.
The mathematics curriculum is delivered through a daily maths lesson, which closely follows the framework of the National Numeracy Strategy. Lessons involve a variety of teaching strategies including whole class teaching, group activities and individual work. The teacher often uses ICT, in particular the Smartboard to make the mathematical learning more interactive. The children are organised so they can study at their own level but are challenged and stimulated to achieve.
We encourage the children to be confident in mathematics by teaching them a range of computational skills and an ability to solve problems in a variety of settings. There is an emphasis on oral and mental calculations as these are key steps in developing understanding in mathematics.
Regular assessments during each term ensure that future learning can be tailored to individual, group and class needs and end of year assessments can be used to track the children as they move through the school.
The subject of Science is all about the investigation of how things work in the world around us. Pupils are taught the key skills of investigation to stimulate their curiosity. They learn how to observe closely, to raise questions, to plan and carry out fair tests, to predict results and hypothesize about the results. Science teaches the children to accept evidence and have respect for the environment.
The children are given the opportunities to develop basic science concepts and apply scientific ideas to real life problems. Throughout, pupils are encouraged to use appropriate scientific vocabulary to clarify their ideas.
Science topics and skills integrate with other areas of the curriculum, such as Numeracy, Literacy, ICT, History, Geography and Design Technology.
Information Communication Technology
At Dorchester every effort is made to help each child to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to adult life in a fast changing technological world. Every child in every classroom has ready access to computers and a wide range of software programmes, which can be valuable aids to other subjects. The ICT skills we teach children include word processing, data handling, information retrieval, spreadsheets and games to reinforce concepts from other curriculum areas.
In Design Technology pupils are encouraged to work with a variety of tools and materials such as paper, wood, fabric, food and clay. They are taught to design and make constructions through practical and joining skills. Children are encouraged to find out how things work and then to apply their skills and knowledge gained to test their own plans and constructions. Modifying and evaluating their own work also forms a large part of Design Technology. All safety aspects of Design Technology are also covered in the curriculum.
At Dorchester Primary School, we are aware of the invaluable contribution geography makes to a pupil’s understanding of the world. Throughout the school, pupils are developing a range of skills necessary to carry out geographical enquiry and to interpret geographical information. Geography is taught through an investigative approach using key questions. Pupils study the earth and its people and the relationships between them. This means it is concerned with the study of places and the processes, both human and physical, that shape them and the people that may live in them. Pupils therefore become not only informed but caring members of society and protectors of our world.
We are very aware at Dorchester the importance of history in the National Curriculum; History is the study of the past – Learning about the past helps us to make sense of the world in which we live in and is the main way that our heritage is passed on to each generation. The pupils take an investigative approach to this subject, answering key enquiry questions and formulating hypotheses based upon their ideas and interests within a topic. Pupils work in groups, individually or as a whole class to creatively explore a range of topics from the Ancient Greeks to the life of John Lennon. They are taught how to research and how to make use of evidence and understand its significance as well as its limitations. Pupils’ historical knowledge is further enhanced by school visits in each year group. The study of history also contribute to pupils’ knowledge, understanding and respect for other countries and cultures.
Art and Design is a very diverse subject. It includes both two and three-dimensional work and an appreciation of the work of both artists and craftspeople. The key aim at Dorchester Primary School is to enable children to gain the opportunity of expressing an imaginative perspective and gaining skills to assist in a creative curriculum. Art and Design fosters learning through 'doing' and it provides an excellent basis for enhancing and consolidating work in other areas. Children are encouraged to develop their understanding of colour, tone, form, texture, line, pattern and their ability to use materials and processes to communicate ideas, feelings and meanings. Children are given the opportunity to work with a number of different mediums including a variety of paper, card, paint, clay and glue. The children are also engaged in planning, designing and evaluating their own work to further develop their individual skills within the curriculum.
At Dorchester Primary School, we believe that Music allows children to express themselves through sound and develops co-ordination as well as promoting good social skills as they work collaboratively on some projects. Children have the opportunity to perform in large and small groups, and even duets and solos if they so wish, promoting self-confidence and self-esteem.
Music forms an integral part of the school day, as children learn to sing, perform, compose and listen critically to music; sing in Assembly; make Music in classrooms as part of links with other subjects; have opportunities to learn instruments and participate in the school Choir and "Dorchester Orchestra". The Choir performs annually in the Sutton Schools’ Music Festival at Fairfield Hall in Croydon as well as performing around the locality at Christmas in particular.
We have the luxury of a specialist Music Room with a wide range of percussion instruments, including many from other countries and also electronic keyboards with recording facilities. We also have software for composing on the interactive whiteboards.
Together with music, drama plays an important part in school and helps children collaborate and co-operate with each other. It also contributes to your child’s personal growth and self-confidence through the expression of his or her emotions and through imaginative role play. The latter can be a valuable means of bringing to life other parts of the curriculum. The children perform plays at Christmas and in the summer.
Religious Education is a study of major world religions in the context of total inclusion of all religions represented in our school. The main focus is to develop knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith and a respect and understanding of other faiths represented in Great Britain.
Dorchester Primary School follows an adapted version of the Agreed syllabus from Sutton SACRE integrating QCA where applicable. Each year group studies Christianity and at least one other world religion. The religions covered are Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. Children visit different places of worship associated to the religions studied in their relevant year group.
Pupils are trained in a wide variety of body awareness and movement skills through individual and group activities.
Dancing, music and movement and the use of apparatus play an important part in the variety of activities offered.
Pupils develop their throwing, catching and striking skills and participate in team games where team spirit and sportsmanship are essential elements. There is an annual sports day incorporating fun and competition for all pupils. Select pupils enter District Sports. Football, netball, hockey, tag rugby, cricket, rounders and other team games are taught and played during or after school and as club activities. Football, netball, cycling and judo coaching are also offered by some teaching staff and outside agencies.
Facilities at the local pool are used for pupils as part of The National Curriculum requirement.
A note is required if a child is not participating, as a verbal message could be unreliable or misunderstood.
Earrings and watches must be removed before any physical activity; this is for the safety of every pupil. This is school policy and must be adhered to.
Parents are advised to see that their child’s earrings are removed on P.E./Swimming/Games days or that their child can remove their earrings themselves for the lesson.
Plasters are not allowed to cover earrings.
Teachers are not responsible for the removal or care of jewellery.
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)
This aspect of their education aims to give children the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives and to become informed, active, responsible citizens. Through PSHCE we teach children interpersonal skills, how to stay safe and healthy, the importance of diet and exercise and the risks involved in the use of harmful substances.
Sex education is also part of the PSHCE curriculum and takes the form of a programme with a moral framework related to the age and maturity of the children being taught.
Our policy on sex education follows the recommendations of Sutton Local Education Authority and includes the right of parents to request the withdrawal of their children from specific lessons.
All children are special, but sometimes difficulties may prevent a child gaining the full advantage from the educational opportunities offered within their class.
At Dorchester we have screening procedures for identifying and assessing children’s special educational needs. Often these learning difficulties are relatively minor and can be overcome with extra help from the class teacher. Sometimes additional support is provided or arranged by our Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and, where necessary, specialist outside experts, such as educational psychologists and learning support teachers, are called in.
If we find that we are still not adequately meeting a child’s needs, we will ask for a full assessment under Section 76 of the 1981 Education Act. The parents’ permission will be sought at every stage of this process. We will always try hard to attract whatever additional resources are recommended to enable a child with special educational needs to stay at Dorchester School.
We are equally alert to the identification of children who are exceptionally able and aim to meet their needs in a challenging and stimulating way. Teachers differentiate work to extend the able child’s learning.
Children with English as an Additional Language
Our school is a multicultural organisation where every child is valued as an individual. We welcome the diversity of other languages, cultures and religions. We have structures in place to support children’s language acquisition and help equip them with the skills for life in our modern society. We promote positive communication with all parents and are sensitive to the needs of those for whom English is an additional language.
At Dorchester we regard reading as being of paramount importance, not only do we believe that it is vital for children to read widely but also that they should enjoy it! Subsequently we recognize the need for a suitable environment that provides numerous genres of books enabling children to make their own choices and become independent readers.
We have recently introduced into our school lending library, a state of the art issuing system that enables children to borrow and return books without the hassle of carrying a library card; instead there is the opportunity for the children to use their thumbprint or their own personalized bar code!
We have also implemented a system whereby we can monitor the children’s reading habits; this will help us to decipher which texts and authors are the most popular and therefore order books according to this information, catering for pupils’ wants and needs!
Designated library slots are given to classes, where they have the opportunity to learn and use discrete library skills, such as using the dewy system, locating specific genres of books and retrieving information, which are obviously useful too in later life.
In addition to the timetabled curriculum at Dorchester, we offer a variety of extra-curricular activities, most of which take the form of after-school clubs. The range varies, according to supply and demand, but currently includes choir, orchestra, recorders, art, football, cricket, netball, judo and Eco club. We rely on the availability, interests and goodwill of staff, parents and governors to run the clubs and we are always open to further suggestions and offers of help. For some clubs a small financial contribution is requested.
The Education Reform Act (1988) states that:
a) there is no legal obligation for parents to contribute to activities that take place during school hours.
b) parents can be asked to make voluntary contributions to these activities.
c) pupils will be treated similarly, whether or not their parents have made a contribution.
The school believes strongly in the value of educational trips during school time but does not have sufficient funds to subsidise every outing. Therefore we have to seek voluntary contributions. There may have to be cancellations if sufficient funds are not raised.
If your child deliberately breaks or damages school property we would ask you for the cost of replacing or repairing the item.
We aim to deal with all concerns and complaints quickly and in a straightforward manner. If you have a concern about anything at school, please discuss it first with your class teacher and then, if there is still a problem, you can make an appointment to see the Headteacher.
Under Section 23 of the Education Reform Act 1988 you can make a formal complaint to the Chair of Governors or to the Local Education Authority about the curriculum or any related matter.
You are legally entitled to access to the following documents held in school:
Curriculum policies and Schemes of Work
All Department for Education and Skills information relating to the curriculum
Sutton’s Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education
Any published Ofsted/HMI reports on the school and the school’s response (Action Plan)
The School Improvement Plan
We hope you have found this prospectus helpful please do contact the school for further information and come and visit us. See our contacts page for full details
