1. Ynysddu Primary School “ Do Your Best”

2. On behalf of the Staff and Governors, may I warmly welcome you to Ynysddu Primary School and hope that the time that you spend with us will be both happy and successful. We aim to provide a firm foundation for pupils through a broad, balanced and enjoyable education. We also aim to have happy and successful staff who enjoy the time that they spend with us. This handbook is designed to give you a flavor of our school, and it’s ethos. It is also designed to be a practical guide to our school, routines and premises. Yours sincerely D Witchell Head Teacher

3. . Ynysddu Primary School acts as a feeder school to Pontllanfraith Comprehensive. Head Teacher: Mr D Witchell Deputy Head Teacher:Ms A. Edwards Address:Ynysddu Primary School High Street Ynysddu Newport NP117JH Telephone:01495 200223 Fax:01495 200223 E-Mail:ynypa@caerphilly.gov.ukynypa@caerphilly.gov.uk Twitter @ynysdduschool Website:http://learn.Ynysddu.org.uk/ynysdduprimary Copies of the latest Estyn Inspection report, can be found at www.estyn.gov.ukwww.estyn.gov.uk

4. Tour of Premises All new staff are entitled to a tour of the premises. Please contact a member of the Senior Management Team to arrange a convenient date and time. Sickness/Absence Procedures All staff must report any sickness to the Headteacher as soon as possible. All teachers and support staff need to report their sickness by 7.45 a.m. at the latest. This allows the Headteacher to make provision for supply teachers if necessary. When you are ready to return to work please phone the school to let us know when you intend to return. This must be done by 2.00 p.m. before the date of return. This will allow the Headteacher to give supply staff notice that they are due to finish in the school. Upon return to work all staff will have a “return to work interview”. This is in accordance with the policy of Caerphilly LEA. Personal Presentation All staff are required to report to work in a clean and presentable manner. Clothing should be neat, tidy and appropriate for working with children. At Ynysddu we set high expectations for pupils’ appearance and we work hard to ensure that pupils attend school in a neat and tidy school uniform. It is expected that staff will set a good example to pupils by dressing appropriately at all times. Staff Conduct At Ynysddu we treat each other with respect at all times.. Any disagreements amongst staff need to be dealt with in a polite and respectful manner. All staff are to be treated equally and fairly, and everyone is made to feel welcome in the school. Child Protection Any concerns about children must be reported to the Headteacher who is the nominated Child Protection Officer

5. GOVERNING BODY OF YNYSDDU PRIMARY SCHOOL Chair of Governors: Reserve : Vice Chair : Head teacher : Deputy Headteacher : Teacher representative : Staff representative: Community Governor Parent representative Community Governor LA appointed Parent Representative L.A. appointed Clerk to the Governors Clerk to the governing body: Mrs K. Beecham Mr R. Wyatt Ms L. Harding Mr.D. Witchell Misss A.Edwards Mrs K. Witherall Mr C. Ward Mrs D. Watts Mrs G. Boden Mr. W. Colyer Mr S. Webb Mrs C. Haines Cllr J. Jones Mr. D, Hutchings

6. Head Teacher Mr D Witchell Deputy Head Teacher Miss A. Edwards Teachers Mrs. L.Lamberti Mrs. C.Davies Miss A. Hughes Mrs.K. Witherall Teaching assistants Mrs.L. Bennett Mrs. J. Thomas Mrs.A Hillman Mrs. A. Baker Mrs. S.Jones Ms H..Jardine Secretary Mr.C.Ward Caretaker Mr. R. Winnell Mid Day Supervisor Mrs. M. Walker Mrs. D. Williams Miss. J Williams School Nurse 01633 618008 Mrs. L. Loader Education Welfare Officer 01495 224929 Mrs. D. Bowen

7. TRAINING DAYS / INSET DAYS All staff are required to undertake 5 training days within the next school year and the school will be closed to pupils on these days.. SCHOOL TIMES Nursery: 9.00-12,00 Infants: 9.00-12.00 1.00-3.15 Juniors: 9.00-12.00 1.00-3.15 ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL MorningSchool opens at 8.50 am. Children and parents are to wait on the yard Teachers will be available for a quick chat if necessary. For lengthier discussions please make an appointment for the end of the school day. End of dayAll pupils are dismissed onto the yard. Nursery and Infant children MUST be met by an adult. Please inform the school if your normal arrangements are changed. BREAKTIMES All children are required to play outside during breaks and dinnertime. Please ensure that your child has a coat or jacket so that he/she will be comfortable whatever the weather. In addition, during sunny weather we ask that pupils bring sun hats to be worn whilst pupils are outside. TermBeginsHalf-Term Begins Half-Term EndsTerm Ends Autumn01.09.1427.10.1431.10.1419.12.14 Spring05.01.1516.02.1520.02.1527.03.15 Summer13.04.1525.05.1529.05.1520.07.15

8. ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY Parents and schools have a responsibility to ensure that all pupils are punctual and attend school. The exceptions are when children are too ill to attend, for medical appointments or for religious celebrations. Parents must inform the school of the reason for an absence. This can be by telephone message (200225) or a note when your child returns. There is an answer phone for early or late messages. For holiday taken within school sessions, the Headteacher must give permission. We recommend that holidays are not taken during term times, as they can disrupt education. Children who miss school for other reasons will be marked with an unauthorised absence and this will be marked on records and reports. Children who are more than 30 minutes late for school are also marked with an unauthorised absence. Please ring if you know that your child will be late. Persistent unauthorised absences become the responsibility of the Education Welfare Service of the LEA. If your child has sickness / diarrhoea or conjunctivitis please ensure that he/she is clear from symptoms for 48hrs before he/she returns.

9. It is the Governors’ wish that all pupils wear school uniform, and school uniform is compulsory from Reception onwards. Nursery and Rising 3 children may come in their own clothes. We would ask that children do not come to school in their best clothes. We keep our younger children busy and they play with lots of messy things. Although we do have aprons sometimes little accidents will occur and we wouldn’t want best clothes spoiled in any way. Blue Sweatshirt with logo- Available from AJM Cwmfelinfach Blue Polo Shirt with logo - Available from AJM Cwmfelinfach Grey Trousers / Skirt / Pinafore / Shorts Blue Gingham Dress – summer Blue Cardigan White socks Grey tights Flat black shoes with a secure fastening If you wish blue polo shirts and sweatshirts may be bought from any local chain store. Your child will need to be independent in dressing and undressing for using the toilet and physical education. Please check that he/she can manage the fastenings on all shoes and clothes. School is a busy, messy place and clothes can get marked with paint, glue and felt pens. Whenever possible, we buy washable resources but some marks may not wash out. We ask that all children present themselves in school in a neat and tidy manner.

10. At Ynysddu we believe that if all staff use the same approach to the routine situations faced in school, pupils will become used to what is expected of them and this will have a positive effect on discipline. At our school we use an Assertive Discipline approach. Assertive discipline works because of the effective use of positive praise. Care is taken to reward pupils who are behaving well and positive statements are used to challenge poor behaviour. By using this technique throughout the school we ensure that we foster a positive ethos within the school. To reinforce good behaviour, at Ynysddu Primary School we also teach the children manners and values, which underpin the ethos of the school. In addition we have a school mission statement and song, which promote tolerance, kindness and positive behaviour. We teach the children how to have good manners and these are displayed throughout the school. These are: Always say “please” and “thank you”. Say “Good morning” and “Good afternoon” to members of staff. (Bore da/Prynhawn da) Knock on classroom doors and say “Excuse me” Let adults go through doors and say “After you” Rules The general classroom rules are the first part of the classroom discipline plan. The rules are displayed in every classroom and they are also displayed in communal areas of the school. In addition rewards and sanctions are also displayed in the classrooms. The agreed rules, rewards and consequences need to be regularly revised with the children to ensure that all children stay familiar with discipline procedures. ‘Good to be Green’ are used in classes 3,4 and 5 to warn pupils about their behaviour. Records are kept of inappropriate behaviour. Please refer to the school Behaviour Policy for more information.

11. At Ynysddu we believe that if all staff use the same approach to the routine situations faced in school, pupils will become used to what is expected of them. This will have a positive effect on discipline. We use an Assertive Discipline approach, and believe that pupils respond best when praised. We believe that by praising pupils and classes routinely we reduce the need for raised or cross voices. At Ynysddu we do not believe that we get the best out of children by shouting at them, however we do recognise the need to use a stern voice to ensure that pupils do their best whilst they are with us. To ease discipline we have agreed a number of agreed procedures for routine events. These are: Signal for Attention All staff should use the same signal for attracting the children’s attention. These signals will be: In the Yard: Duty Teacher rings the bell and pupils will stand still. On the 2nd bell pupils will walk quietly into their appropriate lines. Indoors: Teacher will raise their hand in the air and’. Pupils will raise their hand and show they are listening by not talking and looking at the teacher. Walking around the School/Entering and exiting classrooms All pupils will walk around the school in an orderly manner. They will leave and enter classrooms in a safe and calm manner. Assembly Routines All pupils will come into assemblies silently. They will sit still without fidgeting. Pupils will not be allowed to talk to their friends throughout the assembly. Any pupils who are inclined to chat should be separated from each other during assembly time.

12. We are always striving to have a safe and healthy workplace. Supervision of Pupils Pupils must be supervised at all times. At no time should a class be left alone. All teacher preparation should be done prior to lesson time to ensure that teachers do not have to leave the classroom during lesson time. Health and Safety Officer The Headteacher is the nominated Health and Safety Officer. In her absence any incidents must be reported to the Deputy head teacher Security All outside doors must to be kept shut at all times. Doors are closed at 9.00 in the morning, and after that all parents must enter the school through the main doors of the school. Hazardous Substances No one is to use hazardous substances without permission or the proper training. Hazard Spotting Please report any potential hazards within the school site to the Headteacher or the Deputy Head teacher. Violence at Work Any violence at work must be reported to the Headteacher. This involves physical and verbal abuse. No member of staff is to meet alone with any parent who is liable to become violent or abusive. If meetings are to take place the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher will conduct the meeting. If parents are likely to become difficult the meeting MUST be held in the Library for reasons of Health and Safety. Ladder Training When using ladders care must be taken to ensure that they are used correctly. It is recommended that two members of staff work together when ascending ladders, and that one member of staff secures the bottom of the ladder. A copy of the “Safe Use of Step Ladders and Ladders”, an employers guide, is attached to this handbook. Please read it carefully. In general the following procedures should be adhered to: Always read the instructions that are on the ladder. Do not overload the ladder. Check the weight restrictions. Make sure the ladder is positioned appropriately. (See the attached guide) Make sure that the ladder is positioned firmly and securely on the floor. Only climb to a reasonable height on the ladder (See attached guide)

13. Accident Reporting Procedures Pupil minor bumps and grazes must be entered into the Minor Accident Book. These can be found by the First Aid Cabinets by the Junior toilets, and the Infant toilets. More serious pupil accidents must be reported to the Office, and details of the accident must be entered into the Accident Book file Please report all serious staff and pupil accidents to the Headteacher. Copies of Accident Reporting Forms may be found in the Office. Fire Exits The fire exits are located at the Main Entrance, in the Infant Hall and in the Nursery. These are clearly sign posted. Action To Be Taken In Event of Fire In the event of a fire the following procedure should be adhered to: If you discover a fire please use the Break Glass Fire Alarm system to trigger the fire alarm. For a fire in the Main Building Mr Ward / Mr Witchell / Miss Edwards to dial 999 All children and staff are to leave the building in a safe and orderly manner. Staff are responsible for escorting their pupils onto the yard. The main fire assembly point is at the side of the Youth Club Building. If a fire occurs in the canteen, the fire alarm must be sounded. The Canteen staff must inform the Office so that the Emergency Services can be called. Mr Ward/ Mr Witchell / Miss Edwards s to dial 999. Qualified First Aider Mrs S. Jones

14. Ynysddu Primary School High Streetr Ynysddu Newport NP11 7JHTel: 01495 200223 Fax: 01495 200223 E-Mail: ynypa@caerphilly.gov.uk