Thank you for your recent enquiry and for considering
our infant school for your child. Our Prospectus
will provide you with information you need when
making what is one of the most important decisions
in your child's life: the best place for infant
education.
I hope that you will find it informative and
that it answers all of your questions. However,
please do not hesitate to contact me if you would
like more details or to arrange an informal discussion
about the suitability of Nether Green Infant School
for you and your family.
I am extremely proud of our school and together
we all share responsibility for the children's
development and happiness. The staff and governors
are committed to providing the very best educational
experiences, to encourage our children to become
enthusiastic learners, to develop a sense of self
worth and to foster respect for everyone within
and around our community.
I look forward to welcoming you to Nether Green
Infant School.
I am very pleased to be asked to contribute to
the prospectus of Nether Green Infant School.
Every child deserves and needs a high quality,
broad based education in order to succeed in life.
To this end, the Education service will work with
all schools in the city to ensure that your child
has the best possible resources, provided by well-trained
and motivated staff in sound buildings.
The Education service strives constantly to develop
its relationship with schools, in order to improve
standards and provide the range of educational
opportunities necessary to equip our children
with the skills needed by employers.
There are still schools in the city, which require
more capital investment, despite the fact that
huge sums of money have been spent in recent years
on rebuilding and refurbishing a number of schools.
The new administration has made the case to central
government for further funds, and indeed has secured
significant extra resources for the coming period.
Still more are needed, however, and we will not
cease in our efforts to maximize investment in
our school buildings.
We are committed to listening to parents' views
on the schools their children attend and I hope
that schools will continue to develop close relationships
with the communities they serve.
I am sure that all the members of Sheffield City
Council join me in wishing you and your child
well. You have my assurance that we will work
as hard as possible to offer your child the best
from your Education service.
Councillor Angela Smith
Cabinet Member for Education and Training
To provide a stimulating,
exciting environment to develop a natural curiosity
for learning
To help all children progress
academically, physically, emotionally, aesthetically
and socially, developing their own particular
strengths
To provide a challenging,
broad and balanced curriculum through careful
planned and assessed work, including the requirements
of the National Curriculum and Foundation Stage
To develop each child's
tolerance and respect of others by fostering
a co-operative and caring attitude
To give equal opportunities
to all children regardless of sex, race, culture,
ability or disability
We believe that these aims can best be achieved
by partnership involving children, parents, staff,
governors and the local community.
This prospectus has two sections, one containing
general information about school and the other
detailed curriculum information.
Mrs Helen Ault
Mrs Tracy Bagshaw
Miss Bridget Ball (Headteacher)
Mrs Sarah Farrell
Mrs Helen Keeling
Mrs Suzanne Lipscomb
Miss Kay Stockdale
Miss Joy Tattersfield (Deputy Headteacher)
Mrs Jane Wigley
Mrs Rachel Wyatt
Teaching Assistants
Mrs Jenny Clark
Mrs Brenda Godbehere
Mrs Patricia Humphrey
Whole School Assistant
Helen Morris
Office Staff
Mrs Pam Crowson
Mrs Val Higgins
Caretaker
Mr Les Cambell
Midday Supervisors
Mrs Denise Abdulla
Mrs Christine Bellamy
Mrs Judy Blanks
Mrs Claire Brown
Mrs Fiona Lockwood
Mrs Helen Morris
Mrs Jo Mitchell
Mrs Maria Rose
The school was built in 1974. It is an attractive
modern building situated in a very pleasant residential
area in Sheffield.
There are 4 large, light semi open-plan teaching
bases designed for two classes to use. They are
set around a large hall used for P.E., assemblies,
music, dance, drama, school productions and the
children eat their dinner in the hall at the lunchtime.
All bases are well resourced with reading and
library books, mathematics equipment, play and
technology equipment, computers and art area.
They have their own cloakrooms, toilets and safety
locking external doors.
There is also a separate mobile classroom, which
is fully equipped. Our ICT room contains 15 networked
computers for whole class use. There are 3 other
smaller rooms, which are used for baking, special
needs work, art activities and play.
The reception area houses an extensive reference
library, school clerk's office, headteacher's
room, staff room and medical room.
Outside there is a large play area featuring
a play trail and two play houses. A large school
garden is used for science activities.
The school has an admission number of 75 children
per year group. Parents who are considering applying
to the school for a place for their child are
welcome to make an appointment to talk to the
headteacher and look around the school.
In Sheffield 'Rising Five' children are admitted
at two points during the academic year:
Date of birth - September to
February start in September Date of birth - March
to August start in January
The Governors of Nether Green Infant School have
adopted Sheffield City Council Admissions Policy
and Procedures. These can be found in the booklet,
'A Guide for Parents' available form the Sheffield
Education Department.
Preliminary Visits
Prior to starting school full time children are
invited to visit the school and meet their new
teacher. On these days your child can become familiar
with the layout of the classroom, work and play
areas, the cloakroom and toilets. In addition,
we will organise an evening parents' meeting so
that you have the opportunity to meet the staff
and ask any questions you may have.
Getting Ready
for School
We try to make your child's first days at school
happy and enjoyable. Parents taking advantage
of the pre-school visits may help this.
It is of tremendous help, if before starting
school, children are able to do a few simple things
for themselves. Can you please encourage them
to:
Use the toilet unaided,
including washing and drying hands
Recognise their name when
it is written
Change shoes and plimsolls
Be able to change for P.E.
- dress and undress
Hang up their coat and
P.E. bag
Be able to use a knife,
fork and spoon
Apply sunscreen if required
If you would like to help your child with learning
skills the reception teacher will be happy to
advise you.
The start of the
day
Children may arrive in school from 8.30 a.m. They
should not be left unaccompanied on school premises
until 8.40 a.m. Parents are welcome to stay with
their child/children until the bell is rung at
8.50 a.m.
Break times
There are two breaks - mid-morning and mid-afternoon
- 15 minutes each. Healthy snacks are permitted
at school for morning break time. Please keep
portions small and easy for children to eat.
Lunch time
Lunchtime is 12.00 noon to 1.20 p.m.
Afternoon
The afternoon session is 1.20 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Home Time
At 3.30 p.m. please wait on the pavement in front
of school, not in the narrow pathways leading
to the bases as this causes congestion. At the
end of the school day, a member of staff is on
duty outside the school. Children are taught to
wait with that staff member until they see the
adult who is meeting them from school. Any child
not met will be brought inside to wait in the
entrance area with the member of staff on duty.
Many parents bring and collect children by car.
For the safety of the children please observe
the following common sense suggestions:
Park on the school side
of the road only
Do not park or stop on
or between the yellow zig-zag lines
Operate a voluntary one-way
system, approaching from Fulwood Road by the
top entrance of Stumperlowe Park Road opposite
Belsize Road.
It is very important that we have current
home telephone numbers, mobile 'phone numbers
and up-to-date telephone numbers of a relative
or friend who we can contact in case of an emergency.
Please notify us immediately of any changes
to this information.
At Nether Green Infant School, we recognise that
it is vital to build a strong partnership between
all staff and parents because we know this is
important in ensuring that our children receive
the best education possible.
We try to keep parents well informed and fully
involved by:
Sending home regular newsletters
to tell you about special events, outings and
school activities as well as giving information
on day-to-day school life.
Inviting you to come into
the classroom every morning with your child
Inviting you to assemblies
Organising concerts and
celebrations
Holding open evenings
to give parents time to see and discuss their
child's or children's work with the class teacher
Initiating curriculum
evenings on specific subjects. These evenings
give parents and staff time to share ideas and
information on important education issues.
Providing a parents' notice
board - located in the entrance area
Maintaining a governor's
notice board in the foyer
Issuing an invitation for
you to come and help out in any way you can
in school, perhaps helping children with art
and craft activities, a gardening project, baking,
sewing, language and mathematical games etc.
We also appreciate the
help parents can give by accompanying children
on educational visits
If you would like to help in school in any way,
please volunteer. Talk to the class teacher about
suitable times and the kinds of activities in
which you would like to be involved. Or look out
for notices in your child's base asking for specific
help during the year.
The staff work as a caring and professional team,
sensitive to the emotional and social needs of
the children in their charge. The class teacher
is able to establish a special rapport with the
children in his/her class and takes an interest
in the 'whole child'.
It is essential that you inform us of anything
that may affect your child's education and we
assure you that personal information will be kept
confidential. Similarly we will keep you well
informed about any concerns we may have about
your child so that we can work together to help
your child.
We have high expectations of good behaviour.
Children are encouraged to have self-discipline.
Staff praise acceptable behaviour whenever possible
and we all try to treat each other with care and
respect.
Children are encouraged to see that the rules
are there for their own safety and well-being.
Parents are kept well informed and involved so
that parents and school can work together to help
the individual child.
Parents and children are introduced to the school
Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policies at the time
of admission, which explains our joint approach
to behaviour.
Under Section 36 of the Education Act 1944, parents
of children of compulsory school age are required
to ensure that they receive full-time education.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that children
regularly attend school. It is the responsibility
of the school to support attendance and to take
seriously problems, which may lead to non-attendance.
At Nether Green Infant School, we consider that
regular attendance is of prime importance. Absence
is sometimes unavoidable but irregular attendance
undermines the educational process.
Holidays Taken
in Term Time
Sheffield LEA prefers that holidays should not
be taken during school time. Parents need to complete
a request form to inform school of forthcoming
holiday absences.
Absences During
the School Day
If your child has to be absent from school due
to an appointment, e.g. dentist or doctor, the
parent or carer needs to collect an 'absence pass'
from the school office.
In the interest of the children the school will
not authorise absence during the period of
Government Tests (SATs). The dates of these tests
will be clearly displayed in advance on the Parents'
Notice Board (usually the first half of the term).
Please ensure that your child is equipped with
clothing and footware appropiate for the season
and prevailing weather, including a hat and sun
cream in the summer. Children should not wear
jewellery in school.
Although there is currently no compulsory school
uniform, the Governors regularly review all aspects
of the dress code policy. A survey of parents
opinions on school uniform is an integral part
of the review.
Children do P.E. and movement work in the hall
in bare feet. but will need plimsols for outside
activities. Children also need a leotard or a
pair ofshorts plus t-shirt and a draw string bag
to which to keep them in.
The PTA sells t-shirts, sweat shirts and polo
shirts with the school name and logo, which are
popular.
Please name all articles so that mislaid ones
can be easily identified. A school lost property
box is kept in the foyer.
The Parent Teacher Association, to which all
NGIS parents automatically belong, organises educational
meetings, social gatherings and fund raising events,
which are well supported. The money raised contributes
towards the School Fund income.
The school uses this money to:
Provide equipment which
cannot be taken from the school allocation money
from the LEA
Pay for a children's party
at Christmas time
Defray the costs of educational
visits where voluntary contributions do not
match the real cost
We appreciate all the hard work parents put in
for the school. To find out how to be involved
in the P.T.A., please contact the school office,
put a note in the P.T.A. box in the entrance or
look out for the P.T.A. newsletter and notices.
At Nether Green Infant School we recognise the
need to prepare our children for the transfer
to a junior school. Our aim is to ensure that
the children are prepared and make this step happily
and with confidence. Nether Green Infant School
and Broomhill Infant School both have link status
with Nether Green Junior School. Where there are
more applications than there are places available,
the LEA applies the over-subscription criteria
as described in the booklet 'A Guide for Parents'.
There are several occasions when children and
parents have the opportunity to visit Nether Green
Junior School whilst the children are in Year
2.
Medical Room
There is a medical room in the school to which
children are taken if they are ill or if they
have had an accident. Parents are issued with
a form if a child has had a head injury. Ill or
hurt children are usually cared for by a Teachers
assistant until they have recovered or until parents
are sent for and arrive to collect their child.
Medicine
The school cannot be responsible for the administration
of medicine unless the illness is life-threatening
and has been agreed under an individual Health
Care Plan. If a child needs to take medication
such as antibiotics but is well enough to come
to school, please request a dosage which can be
taken outside school hours or come to school to
administer a dose at the appropriate time.
Asthma
Children with asthma may be required to keep an
inhaler with his or name on at school and can
ask to use it whenever they need it. Parents of
asthmatic children are asked to complete a school
asthma card. Please inform us if your child becomes
asthmatic at any time during their school life.
Medicals
There is a programme of medicals, dental checks,
vision and hearing tests. Parents are notified
of these by forms and by letter and are invited
to attend.
Illness
If your child is ill, please keep him/her at home
and notify the school either by telephone or in
writing. It is important that we know why a child
is not at school. If your child is sick or becomes
ill at school we will contact you by telephone.
It is important that we can always contact you
in case of illness or an accident.
Infectious Diseases
In order to prevent the spread of disease, we
recommend that parents should keep children at
home if they are suffering from any of the following:
Chicken
Pox/Shingles
6 days minimum from appearance
of rash
Measles
7 days minimum from appearance
of rash
Mumps
7 days minimum, until last
of swelling subsides
Throat
Infections
Until child is properly
fit
Whooping
Cough
21 days
German
Measles
5 days from the appearance
of rash. Please notify the school so that
pregnant women can be informed.
Worms
(or other parasites)
Treatment must be sought
from the doctor as these common nuisances
are passed on from person to person
Impetigo
and Scabies
Exclude until treated
Sickness
and Diarrhoea
48 hours free from symptoms
Conjunctivitis
Exclude until cleared
Verrucae
and Athletes Foot
School checks have been
discontinued; children are not excluded from
P.E. but must cover foot with a plimsoll.
Head
Lice
Head infestations are quite
common among young children and can cause
a great deal of discomfort and embarrassment.
School checks have been discontinued. Parents
are responsible for carrying out regular checks.
Please inform school of any occurrences.
Sheffield School
Nursing Service
Every child deserves to be as fit and healthy
as possible, to gain the maximum benefit from
their education. The school nursing team regularly
visits all schools. The team comprises of a qualified
nurse who is available to help with any health
concerns about your child and has dose links with
community paediatricians, GPs, health visitors
and other professionals who care for children.
The team also includes health care assistants
who carry out routine screening of children at
school entry.
With parental agreement the School Nurse can
provide a link between home and school and act
on the child's behalf. The nurse will also provide
information, advice and support on health issues
to teachers, children and parents. This can be
offered individually or in groups as part of health
promotion programmes.
Routine screening of your child's height, weight,
vision and hearing is offered to all children
within the first year of school. Where any problems
are identified appropriate follow-up and referral
can be made. These tests can be carried out on
request at any age if concerns are highlighted.
Your school nurse is responsible for arranging
routine vaccinations in the secondary school.
These are the BCG (Tuberculosis) vaccination and
School Leavers Booster (Tetanus, Diphtheria &
Polio) which are carried out in Year 8 and Year
9. No vaccinations are routinely carried out in
primary schools. If you have any questions regarding
vaccinations that you feel your child may be due,
please contact your school nurse or your GP surgery.
You can contact the School Nurse at any time
during your child's school life. Contact details
are available either through the school office
or contact the central school nurse office tel:
226 2010.
Dinners are cooked at Nether Green Junior School
and are brought in containers to this school.
The children are encouraged to eat well. Please
inform us in writing of any allergies that your
child has.
Dinner Money
Cash or cheque can be used to pay for dinners
either weekly or half-termly. Cheques should be
made payable to Sheffield City Council. Refunds
owing to absence are carried over. Information
on free meal entitlement can be obtained on request
from the school office or at the Education Office,
Derwent House, 150 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1.
Packed Lunches
Packed lunches may be brought in a lunch box with
the name of the child on it. Children may bring
non-fizzy drinks, which must be in a non-breakable
container. Water is available in the dining room.
We ask that you do not send in sweets, an equivalent
to chocolate pudding/biscuit is accesptable. We
have children in school with allergies to peanuts,
nuts and conkers (inc. peanut butter). Please
do not send your child with these items.
Cooks require 2 weeks notice in writing from
children wishing to change from dinners to packed
lunch or visa versa. If a child forgets a packed
lunch, a school meal will be provided.
Milk
At present milk is free for Under 5s, but once
he or she is 5, parents are required to pay. The
charge is an average one and is a no credit/debit
basis i.e. no refund or carrying forward of money.
The school is notified of the exact amount by
the Education Officer, and will pass on the information
to parents. If you wish your child to have milk,
it must be paid for termly in advance. A letter
is sent to remind parents of this. Water is available
to those who do not want milk. There is a choice
between pasteurised milk or dental milk (with
added fluoride).
Water
Children may bring water in a non-breakable container.
This container needs to be named and may be brought
to school everyday and kept in the child's classroom.
Children are asked to take the container home
to refill for the next day. Water fountains are
located at various points around the school.
The school has opted into the School Fruit and
Vegitable Scheme, a national government programme
entitling all children at the school a free piece
of fruit or vegitable each day. As this will be
the only snack the children will have during school
hours, parents are advised that they need not
send a snack to school.
When you send money in to school, whether it
is for dinners, educational visits, milk money
or for any other purpose, it should be in a sealed
envelope with your child's name, class, amount
and reason for payment written on the front of
the envelope. The children should hand the envelope
to their class teacher. Monday is the preferred
day to receive money at school.
The Governors support the headteacher's policy
of ensuring that no child misses a school activity
because his or her parents are in financial difficulties.
However the school cannot cover the cost so some
activities and parents are usually asked for contributions.
Should a large number of parents decline to contribute
it is unlikely that such activities can take place.
In cases of financial difficulty parents can discuss
the situation confidentially with the headteacher
and every effort will be made to find a solution.
Such activities include educational trips, visitors
to school (authors, theatre groups, musicians,
science presentations etc.) and home economic
ingredients.
Although the City Council's insurance covers
damage or injury arising from Council negligence,
the Council does not have personal accident insurance
to cover pupils. Some parents take out accident
insurance for their children. Such policies are
available from main insurance companies. The National
Confederation of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTA)
has arranged a specific policy for this purpose.
Further details are available on their website
http://www.cpta.org.uk
or by calling 01732 748850.
Complaints can best be resolved in discussion
with the class teacher, headteacher or other staff
and those with complaints will normally be advised
to seek to resolve them through informal discussion
before embarking on a formal stage. If informal
discussions fail to resolve the issue the parent
can make a formal complaint to the governing body
of the school and to the LEA. Copies of the documents
outlining the procedures to be followed are available
in school.
The governing body at Nether Green Infant School
is comprised of a combination of appointed, elected
and co-opted governors. It is responsible along
with the head teacher for the general running
of the school.
The role of the governors
is to:
Decide (with the headteacher
and the LEA if appropriate) the aims and policies
of the school, and how the standards of education
can be improved.
Decide the conduct of the
school - that is, how in general terms it should
be run
Help to draw up (with
the headteacher and staff) the school development
plan
Decide, with due consultation,
how to spend and monitor the school's budget
Ensure that the National
Curriculum, Foundation Stage and Religious Education
are taught, and to report National Curriculum
assessment results
Select teaching staff
for the school, and deal with other staffing
matters in consultation with the headteacher
Monitor the state of the
school premises and equipment
Act as a link between
the local community, the school and the City
Council
The full governing body meets formally at least
once a term with additional meetings of subcommittees
when necessary. Once a year a report is written
to parents and an open meeting is held.
Further information on governance matters may
be found on the Governor's notice board, located
in the school foyer.
Parent Governors
If you are a parent or guardian of a child at
Nether Green Infant School you can stand for election
as a parent governor. There are four parent governors
who represent the parents of the school. Please
contact one of the governors if you require further
information.
Photographs of the school governors are on display
on the Governor's notice board.
Governors of Nether
Green Infant School
(as at December 2003)
Name
Status
Committee
Membership
Bridget
Ball
Headteacher
Curriculum
Finance
Parents and Community
Personnel
Premises and Safety
Les
Cambell
Non-teaching
Staff
Premises
and Safety
Sarah
Collins
Parent
Personnel
Lesley
Farris
L.E.A.
Financel
Premises and Safety
Peter
Hodgson
Community
Premises
and Safety
Parents & Community
Steven
Holmes
Parent
Premises
and Safety
Fiona
Lockwood
Parent
Curriculum
Parents and Community
Joy
Tattersfield
Teacher
Finance
Curriculum
Andy
Toward
Parent
Personnel
Elspeth
Whitby
Parent
TBD
Gareth
Wroe (Chair)
L.E.A.
Personnel
Parents and Community
VACANCY
VACANCY
VACANCY
All governors can be contacted via the school
office.
The children in the three year groups (Reception,
Year 1 and Year 2) are organised in classes where
we aim to keep numbers below 30 pupils. This means
a mixed age class of the oldest Year 1 and the
youngest year 2 children. Thoroughness of whole
school and year group planning by teams of staff
ensure children receive an appropriate differentiated
curriculum for all abilities. Teacher assistants
work with groups of children alongside the teacher
as appropriate.
Children are taught for 21 hours during a normal
school week (excluding breaktimes, lunch times
and assemblies).
Assessment is at the heart of teaching. One
of the most important forms of assessment is that
which occurs on a daily basis between the teacher
and pupil. Work is matched to the all round ability
of each individual child and the class teacher
continually monitors each child's progress and
assesses and records development.
The National Literacy Strategy provides
the framework for teaching English.
English is implicit throughout the
curriculum. Literacy skills are taught
specifically through the daily literacy
lesson and during individual reading,
spelling tasks and handwriting.
The Daily Literacy Lesson
The lesson has four parts:
1 > Word level activities
These encourage children to identify
sounds in spoken and written words,
blend sounds for reading and segment
words for spelling. Activities may
include sound and rhyming games, flashcards,
chanting raps and clapping syllables.
2 > Shared reading and writing
In shared reading pupils study the
same text focusing on particular skills.
Emphasis is placed on comprehension
and developing the pupils' ability
to predict events in stories, read
with expression and recognise punctuation.
We are very well-resourced with a
variety of fiction and non-fiction
texts suitable for these activities.
In shared writing children work together
to create and edit a range of writing
forms modelled by the teacher. These
include writing lists or captions,
changing the ending of a story or
adding description.
3 > Focused tasks
Children work individually, in pairs
or small groups. They complete activities,
which are planned to develop specific
skills identified by the National
Literacy Strategy and differentiated
to suit the needs of the pupils. Activities
may include ordering the events of
a story, learning to use a dictionary,
using capital letters and full stops
or making books.
4 > Plenary
This is the conclusion of the lesson
when the children come together to
review their learning. The teacher
uses this time to reinforce concepts
and objectives. The daily literacy
lesson also provides opportunities
to develop speaking and listening
skills. Our aim is to teach our pupils
to become confident speakers and sensitive
listeners. Children are encouraged
to take an active part in discussions
and have the confidence to express
their own feelings and ideas. We also
use news time, role-play, circle,
assemblies and concerts to develop
speaking and listening.
Individual reading
The enjoyment of reading and the ability
to find and communicate information
are not only cornerstones of a good
education but will enable our children
to enrich their lives and maximise
their potential. Nether Green Infant
School is extremely well stocked with
books and reading has a high profile
within the school. There are fiction
and non-fiction books in each base
and classroom, which children are
encouraged to borrow from regularly
and a main non-fiction library which
is used to support all areas of the
curriculum.
Every year the school
is involved in a wide variety of activities
to enhance language development. These
may include authors, storytellers
or theatre groups visiting the school.
Once a year the children
and parents have the opportunity to
buy books from a book fair, profits
from which enhance the school book
collection.
We teach reading first
through published reading schemes
and then through fiction and non-fiction
texts which are graded into broad
bands. We encourage parents to be
involved in their child's reading.
We like parents to listen to their
child read at home and discuss the
book. This is used to praise the child's
reading successes and maintain a two-way
communication on reading progress.
Spelling Tasks
We have a consistent approach to spelling,
which is taught in a fairly formal,
structured way, beginning with initial
sounds. Children in Year 1 and 2 take
home spellings to learn each week
using the look-cover-write-check method.
They are formally tested the following
week.
Handwriting
Children are taught cursive writing
style which progresses through the
school and is continued at Nether
Green Junior School. Parents are supplied
with copies of the school handwriting
style at the appropriate time.