Nursery Nurse          Mrs S Potts

Teaching Assistants:

Miss M Northen, Mrs D Plows,  Mrs L Murphy,  Mrs D Gosling, Mrs H Lay, Mrs J West, Mrs J Farrelly,  Mrs C Aspill, Mrs J Wade, Mrs J Shuttleworth and Mrs S Purcell.

Office Staff

Clerical Assistant     Mrs S Croft

Receptionist             Mrs S McNulty

Site Manager             Mr C Smith

The Curriculum

Each area of the curriculum is managed by a member of the teaching staff. The National Curriculum subjects are: English (including Literacy), Mathematics (Numeracy), Science, ICT, History, Geography, Music, Art and Design, PE and D&T (Design and Technology). We have adopted our own RE (Religious Education) curriculum and have also introduced Modern Foreign Language (French) from years 2 to 5.

 We place a strong emphasis on the personal, social and health education of our pupils (PSHE). As a school, we are committed to involving our pupils fully in all aspects of school life, to reward and celebrate excellence and effort and to recognise achievement. We have a School Council and Eco Committee, made up of elected pupil representatives, who meet regularly to discuss issues affecting pupils.

 'The school's curriculum is good overall.....' Good teaching was characterised by well-planned and organised learning, which was effectively matched to pupils' needs. Teachers ensured a brisk pace with clear learning objectives so that pupils knew what they were to learn.'

Ofsted

The Curriculum is thoroughly planned to meet the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, and all teachers follow these plans when teaching their class.

 'All teaching seen was satisfactory or better and much was at least good.'

                                                                                                            Ofsted

English

Every class has a daily Literacy lesson lasting approximately an hour. In these lessons aspects of speaking, listening, reading, writing, spelling and handwriting are covered in increasing depth, from Reception through to Year 6.

'In English, standards are good, with pupils achieving well by Year 6. Pupils make good use of what they have learned in English lessons to improve the quality of their writing across the curriculum.'

Ofsted

Mathematics

Every class has a daily Numeracy lesson of between 45 minutes and 1 hour (depending on the age of the children). These lessons cover all aspects of Mathematics, namely number, algebra, space, shape, measure and handling data, as well as using and applying Maths (problem solving).

 'In Mathematics pupils make significant progress.'     

Ofsted

Science

Every year group follows a structured programme in science, covering scientific enquiry, life processes and living things, materials and their properties and physical processes. Children follow an investigative approach to science as far as possible, being encouraged to develop enquiring minds and a methodical approach. Improving the quality of Science is one of our main whole school priorities.

ICT

We have a purpose-built ICT suite, with 27 computers fully networked and linked to the Internet, as well as an interactive whiteboard and projector. Each class is timetabled to use the suite, to enable the children to develop their ICT skills and to take full advantage of the latest technology. In addition every classroom is fitted with an interactive whiteboard linked to the main server and the Internet, which teachers use as a valuable teaching and learning resource.

RE

We have adopted the new RE syllabus produced by the Diocese of Rochester for Bromley Schools. It is largely Christian in content and emphasis, although the children are also provided with the opportunity to learn about the other major world religions, namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism. Parents may withdraw their children from RE lessons and assemblies on religious grounds.

 'The teaching and learning seen was consistently good, with stimulating activities that maintained the pupils' interest' Teachers link pupils work to their daily lives, using imaginative ideas to challenge them. Year 6 pupils produced some outstanding work.' 

SIAS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools) Report

December 2005

Collective Worship

Aspects of RE are also covered in the daily act of Collective Worship, which is Christian in character and led by a member of the teaching staff or the local Vicar. Children take part in prayers throughout the day (eg. saying 'Grace' before lunch and a prayer to reflect upon the events of the day before they go home). The Vicar of Bishop Ridley Church, the Reverend Renee Durndell, visits the school regularly to lead assemblies and classes visit the Church regularly for Harvest, Christmas and Easter and as part of the curriculum. We also invite other individuals and groups to lead worship at various times.

 'Pupils enjoy their worship and talk enthusiastically about it' The acts of worship seen' were of a high quality' The Christmas presentation by the Infants was outstanding.'

SIAS Report

History

In the infant classes history is taught in topics such as Toys and Games and Famous People'. In the junior years there are separate topics for each year group: Invaders and Settlers in year 3, Ancient Greece and The Second World War in year 4, Ancient Egypt and Tudor Times in year 5, and the Victorians and Local History in year 6. We hold a history Week every year in the summer term, when the children dress up in the costumes of the period they have been studying and take part in activities and events connected with each period (eg. Year 4 stage their own Olympic Games and Year 5 have a Tudor banquet).

Ancient Greek Day

Geography

Our pupils follow a planned curriculum covering geographical enquiry, learning about places and understanding environmental changes and sustainable development. We hold a European Day in the summer term, when the infants look at various aspects of life and culture in Italy and the junior classes study other European countries and their geography and culture.

Art and Design

We place a great emphasis on fostering creativity through Art. Children look at the work of established artists and develop their own artistic skills. Visits to galleries and exhibitions are planned to enrich the curriculum. We have recently established close links with the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Every summer term we have an Arts Festival, when all aspects of the Arts are celebrated, the children taking part in a variety of events, workshops and visits.

Music

From the earliest years our children are taught to listen to and respond to a variety of musical forms, to enjoy and create sounds using instruments and their voices. We have a highly successful school choir, handbell group and brass band, as well as offering lessons in strings, woodwind and brass. Our music groups have played at Bluewater at Christmas, at civic ceremonies in Bexley, at church services and have also toured other schools in the borough, giving concerts and recitals.

PE

All our children follow a programme of physical activity, incorporating dance, games, gymnastics, athletics and outdoor and adventure activities. We have very close links with Charlton FC, who run coaching sessions during and after school for our junior children. Our pupils have successfully represented Charlton FC in competitions against other teams. We also regularly have Kent Cricket Club run cricket coaching for our older pupils and close links with Bexley Grammar School provide opportunities for our pupils to benefit from their facilities and expertise. Pupils in the junior classes have swimming lessons at the local baths.

 'Pupils can choose from a wide range of sporting activities. These contribute to children’s appreciation of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.'

Ofsted

Design and Technology

Our pupils are taught to develop, plan and communicate their ideas; to work with tools, equipment, materials and components to make quality products; and to evaluate what they have designed and made.

French
In partnership with Bexley Grammar School, which has specialist status for modern foreign languages, we have introduced the teaching of French. It is planned that all pupils will be learning a foreign language by 2009.

PSHE and Citizenship

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) plays a very important part in the education of our pupils. It begins as soon as the children start school, and includes aspects such as learning to live together, the importance of rules, staying safe and healthy, being responsible members of the community (Citizenship), developing good relationships, respecting differences and a basic sex education programme (in years 5 and 6). In 2005 we successfully gained the Healthy Schools Award.

 'Pupils have good opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. The school council helps pupils develop important skills for living in a democratic society. The Eco Committee has been responsible for making many improvements.'

Ofsted

Extra-curricular activities

We aim to provide our pupils with a range of out-of-school activities to enrich their education and broaden their interests. These include clubs for football, rugby, cricket, brass band, music, dance, art, guitars, choir, handbell ringing, gardening and drama.

 'Pupils say this is a busy school, there are many out-of-lessons clubs and activities.'

Ofsted

Educational Visits

We try to arrange visits during the school year to support work in various subject areas. Venues include the Dulwich Picture Gallery, the National Gallery, the British Museum, Greenwich, London Zoo, the Imperial War Museum, Broadstairs and the local Environmental Centre at Avery Hill. Parents receive a letter informing them of the trip and requesting a contribution towards the cost. We also usually organise a week-long residential trip to the Isle of Wight for our Year 6 pupils in the summer term.

Year 6 Visit to Rochester

Homework

From the very start we encourage parents to become involved in their children's learning. We have a home-school reading scheme which operates throughout the school. During the course of year 1 pupils start to bring home spellings and number bonds to learn. The amount of homework gradually increases as children move up the school. By the time they are in the juniors children will be bringing home English and Maths homework (on alternate weeks, usually), number bonds and times tables, spellings, reading and research connected with their topic work.

At the start of each term we send out detailed 'topic letters', which outline what is being taught that term and give suggestions as to how parents can support this at home, through suggested activities, visits, websites and so on.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

There will always be a proportion of pupils who experience some difficulty with aspects of their learning. These pupils are often identified as having Special Educational Needs and as such are entered on our SEN register. They have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) drawn up by their class teacher and the SENCo (Special Needs Co-ordinator), designed to address these needs within the classroom.

Where the problems are more acute, a child may receive extra help from our Special Needs Co-ordinator. Parents are kept informed of these arrangements, receiving copies of the IEPs and being able to come into school to discuss their childs progress. It may become necessary to involve external agencies (eg. Assessment Teachers, the Speech and Language Therapist, English Language Support teachers) and, in a few cases, for the pupil to receive a 'Statement' of their educational needs, when the Local Authority will become involved and funding for additional support may be provided.

 'Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress. These pupils know how to improve their work and receive good support from teaching assistants. The school tracks their progress very well.'

Ofsted 

 Where pupils' understanding of English is weak, additional support is sometimes provided by theLEA. The child will follow an IEP to help them to grasp the basics of the English language as quickly as possible and to support them with their class work. 

 'Pupils speaking a first language other than English make good progress because care is taken to ensure work is well matched to what they need to learn.'

Ofsted

Equal Opportunities

Bishop Ridley operates an Equal Opportunities policy in accordance with Local Authority guidelines, which aim to give all children equal access to learning and equality of opportunity and treatment in all areas of school life.

 The Courtyard

The Organisation of the School

Bishop Ridley CE Primary School is officially a two-form entry primary school, with an intake of pupils in September and another in January. Ideally, classes are made up of children in the same age group and all classes are of mixed ability. However, low pupil numbers in recent years have meant that we have had to reorganise the children into mixed age classes. Where this happens, we have arranged it so that there are parallel classes whose teachers plan together to ensure that the needs of all the pupils across the age and ability range are met. It also enables subject specialist teaching to take place.

 The curriculum is thoroughly planned and teachers use a variety of methods to teach it. The methods used (such as whole class or group teaching) depend very much on the lesson content and on the needs of that particular group of children. Children with special needs usually have work  differentiated for them (mostly in Literacy and Numeracy) and the more able pupils are given extension activities or set more challenging tasks wherever appropriate. Teachers are supported by a team of Teaching Assistants, who work with small groups and individuals within the class.

 'The school is a happy place and pupils say they enjoy coming to school very much. In all lessons pupils had positive attitudes to their work and behaviour was at least good and sometimes outstanding.'

Ofsted

Bishop Ridley CE Primary School has a Code of Conduct, which has been drawn up by staff and children. There are eight clear and all-embracing rules, which we expect all children to know and follow:

 We respect our school and everyone and everything in it

We walk around the school quietly and sensibly

We listen when someone is speaking to us

We always do our best at things we have been asked to do

We consider the safety of ourselves and of others

We try to include others in what we do

We tell the truth

We follow our Code of Conduct.

 We also have agreed procedures for dealing with cases of bullying and other serious misdemeanours.

The school promotes its Christian distinctiveness well and creates a good ethos. Moral development is also good, and pupils are very well behaved in worship, lessons and about the school.                                                           

                                                                                                                              SIAS Report

Rewards

Children are rewarded with stickers in the infants and stamps in the juniors. These are awarded for good behaviour, positive attitudes, effort, good work, helpfulness, politeness and so on. When thirty stickers or forty stamps have been acquired then each child receives a certificate in our Achievements Assembly' (held every Friday) to which parents are invited. Good work is also shown at this assembly, and other successes and achievements are celebrated.

Each teacher also chooses one particular child every term who has excelled in some way to receive a special termly award.

We encourage the children to take responsibility for their own actions and to treat everyone and everything with respect. We celebrate achievement and success, but also encourage effort and children to do their best. We stress the positive aspects of behaviour and make clear the unacceptability of anti-social behaviour.

Sanctions

Where a child breaks a school rule they will either get a 'sad face' (in the infants) or 'lose a life' (in the juniors). Where this happens three times in any one day then that child will automatically lose their next playtime. For serious misdemeanours they will lose three lives in one go and automatically lose their playtime. Where this persists, parents will be notified and called into school to discuss their child's misbehaviour. A home-school contact book may be set up, providing daily communication between the class teacher and parents. If there is no improvement then external agencies may be called in and, as a last resort, the child may be excluded from school.

 'All pupils make good progress in their social development... Behaviour throughout the school is good, and reflects the high priority the school places on this.'

Ofsted

Vikings behaving badly!

School teams and events

When they join the school all children are put into one of four teams or houses: Red (Romans), Blue (Normans), Yellow (Saxons) and Green (Vikings). These are led by house captains, who are chosen by our Year 6 pupils. The teams are used on sports days and other special occasions when the children are able to represent their team.

The Arts Festival

Every summer term we hold an ‘Arts Festival’. A wide variety of activities to celebrate the Arts are arranged in which all the children participate. Events have included visiting theatre groups, the Junior Summer Concert, music workshops, an artist-in-residence, History Week, European Day, Art Day, visits to galleries and a tour of local schools by the School Band and Handbell Team.

School Uniform

All children are expected to look smart at all times and to wear our school uniform:

Burgundy sweatshirt

Grey trousers/skirt

White polo shirt

White or dark socks/tights

Black shoes (no high heels, boots or trainers)

In the summer girls may wear white and pink check dresses and white sandals (not open-toed). Girls are also allowed to wear school regulation trousers.

For PE and games children wear:

White t-shirt

Burgundy (or another plain colour) shorts

Black elasticated plimsolls

(trainers may be worn only for outdoor PE)

The PE kit should be kept in a different bag from the one in which books are carried. Plastic carrier bags are not allowed. Children also need an art apron, which should be kept in school at all times. The school uniform is available from Matthews School Shop, 33 Upper Wickham Lane, Welling

Jewellery

No jewellery should be worn. If a child wears earrings then they must be studs. The child must be able to take these out for PE, games and swimming lessons. Staff are not allowed to remove or cover studs with plasters. Similarly, the wearing of long beads and braids in the hair is not permitted during PE lessons. This follows the Borough’s Health and Safety Guidelines.

Personal Belongings

We provide all the necessary stationery equipment such as pencils, pens and rulers. Older children often bring their own writing implements in a pencil case. No other personal belongings (eg. toys) should be brought to school unless specifically requested by the teacher.

The School Day

Nursery

The morning session starts at 9am and finishes at 11.30am. When the doors open parents bring their children into the nursery, where they are met by their teachers. The children are collected from the same place. No child is allowed to go with an unrecognised adult.

Infants

School starts at 8.50am. Children wait with their parents in the front waiting area until the doors are opened at 8.45am, when they go straight to their classrooms. All children must be in class by 8.50am. School finishes at 3.15pm, when the children leave by the doors at the front of the building. They will only be allowed to go with an authorised adult.

Juniors

School starts at 8.50am. Children wait in the junior playground until the doors open at 8.45am, when they go to their classrooms. All children should be in class by 8.50am. School finishes at 3.20pm, when the children walk round to the front waiting area to be collected or to go home by themselves.

Children arriving after 8.50am should report to the office where they will be signed in. Parents collecting children are asked to wait in the front waiting area. For safety reasons dogs, cars, bicycles and scooters are not allowed on the school site.

Mid-morning break

Children are able to have milk at this time. It must be ordered termly and parents are sent forms at the end of the preceding term. Infant children are able to bring in a drink of their own if they do not take milk. This should be in a carton, plastic bottle or flask, not in a glass bottle. Water is available from the drinking fountains around the school. Infant children are provided with a piece of fruit at mid-morning break (as part of a Government-funded scheme). Junior children are also encouraged to bring in fruit to eat at morning break time.

Water bottles

All children are allowed to bring in a water bottle (the sports type, which will not spill) which they keep in their classroom and which are refilled when necessary. They have access to these during class time, to prevent dehydration and to aid concentration (in theory!).

Lunchtimes

Children can either have a school lunch or bring a packed lunch. A drink of water is offered to all children, although junior children may bring in their own drink in a suitable container. The midday supervisors encourage the children to eat their lunch; if there is a problem with your child not eating properly then we will inform you.

School meals must be paid for every Monday morning. Please send in the correct amount in a clearly labelled envelope (cheques made payable to ‘Bexley London Borough’). Children may only change from packed lunch to school meals at the half term or end of term break. If your child is late and requires a school meal then the office must be informed by 10am, when the meals have to be ordered.

Pupil Health and Welfare

 'Pupils are supervised well throughout the school day and say they feel safe and secure. They like their teachers and get on very well with each other... [The school's] level of care is a major strength.'

Ofsted

Medicines

The school cannot administer antibiotics or any other medicines. If your child needs these then you or a named representative must come into school and administer the medication yourself. We will supervise the use of asthma inhalers or any other medication which a child may need for a diagnosed permanent medical condition. In this case a medical plan will be drawn up with the School Nurse.

Such medication (including inhalers and epipens) must be clearly labelled with the child’s name and accompanied by a letter explaining their use and dosage. Parents are responsible for checking to see if the medication needs replacing. Inhalers for infant children are kept in the office; those of junior children are kept in their classroom. All other medication is kept in the school office. Staff receive regular training by the School Nurse on the administering of such medication.

First Aid

We have staff qualified to administer First Aid. All accidents are recorded. If your child bumps their head then parents are informed at the end of the school day. If a child is injured or unwell they normally stay at the first aid station or are sent to the school office. If we think they are unfit for school then we will contact you or a named representative and ask you to come and collect them as soon as possible. Where a child has been physically sick, please keep them off school for at least 24 hours to ensure a full recovery.

Emergency Contact with Parents

The school office keeps a record of home telephone numbers and other emergency contact numbers in case we need to get in touch with parents urgently. Please make sure you keep us informed of any changes.

The School Nurse and EWO

We have a visiting School Nurse who is always willing to help and advise on any problems you may have regarding your child’s health and development. She organises medical examinations and draws up medical plans for individual children. Dental inspections and hearing tests also take place occasionally. The Education Welfare Officer (EWO) also visits the school regularly to check on attendance.

School Security

All external doors are locked during the day. Visitors and parents should report to the school office to sign in if visiting during the school day. Latecomers should also report to the office to be signed in and not try to get in by one of the other doors. Staff are instructed to approach and challenge any unauthorised person on site. For security reasons all visitors to the school must sign in and out and wear an identity badge. The whole school is protected by CCTV, with video cameras in operation 24 hours a day.

Smoking

All visitors are requested not to smoke on the school site as we operate a strict no-smoking policy.

Road Safety

We have occasional visits by members of the Road Safety team, who talk to the children about all aspects of road safety. We hope that parents will encourage their children to walk to and from school in safety, using the designated footpaths and crossing points. Please do not park on the zigzag lines outside the school or across residents’ driveways. Also, please do not drive onto the school site.

Absences

If your child is absent from school please notify the school by ’phone or in person on the first day of absence. The absence should be confirmed by letter when your child returns to school, detailing the exact nature of the illness. This will be recorded as an ‘authorised absence’. A record of all unauthorised absences is kept and included in the end of year report, as well as being published in the Governors’ Annual Report to Parents and in the school prospectus. The EWO visits the school regularly to monitor attendance and to follow up any persistent or regular absences.

Family Holidays

You need permission from the Head Teacher to take your child out of school during term time. Please ask for a holiday form from the office at least two weeks prior to the holiday. We are only able to authorise a maximum of 10 school days’ leave in any one academic year. Holiday requests must be supported by a letter explaing the reasons leave. Please avoid taking holidays in May, as this is the time when the children in years 2 to 6 take their SATs and other internal tests. For Year 6 pupils also avoid October/November, when they take the Secondary Selection tests. We do not provide pupils with homework for holidays taken in term time; instead they are encouraged to read and to keep a journal whilst away..

Registration

All children should be in school by 8.50am, with the exception of the nursery, which starts at 9am. Children arriving after this time should report to the office, where they will be marked in as late. We encourage the children to be on time for school as the first part of the morning is an extremely important part of the day, getting the children settled and introducing work.

 

Parents and the School

'Parents are asked for their views about the school and the great majority fully support all that it does.'

Ofsted

Parent helpers

Many parents come into school regularly to help with activities such as reading, cooking, art and craft, sewing and swimming. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are able to offer your time or talents on a regular basis. Such help is always greatly appreciated by both staff and children. All adult helpers are police checked; forms are available from the school office.

Open Evenings and Reports

You are invited to meet your child’s class teacher in the first half of the Autumn term. A longer session (10 minutes) is offered in the Spring term, when you will be able to see your child’s work and discuss their progress with the teacher. End of year reports are issued in July and parents are able to come in informally to discuss any issues raised by them. If you have any concerns or queries in the meantime, please make an appointment to see your child’s teacher in the first instance. Appointments with the Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher may be made via the school office.

The Friends of Bishop Ridley School Association

All parents become members of the Friends of Bishop Ridley Association when their child joins the school. Many fund-raising events are organised throughout the year by the Committee of Friends, who are always looking for new members. Events include children’s discos, boot sales, the Summer and Christmas Fairs and quiz nights. Money raised goes towards buying items and equipment which benefit all the children. Recent purchases have included a contribution of over £3000 towards the interactive whiteboards, subsidising school trips, playground games and markings, picnic benches, books for the library and a new sound system for the hall.

Charging and Remission Policy

Where an activity takes place during school time and costs money, parents are invited to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost. We may have to cancel the activity if not enough is contributed. We also ask parents for a nominal payment of £5 to cover the cost of lost or damaged books.

Adverse Weather Conditions & Emergency School Procedures

In the event of adverse weather conditions preventing the school from opening, a notice giving information will be displayed at the school gate in Northumberland Avenue and in the front playground. Bulletins will also be issued regularly by Time FM Radio on 106.8FM.

Complaints Procedure

Complaints under Section 23 of the Education Reform Act of 1988 relating to the Curriculum and Religious Worship should be made initially to the Head Teacher in writing.