Woodlands Primary Starting School Booklet

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Contents

Page Page
4 Mercia Learning Trust 20 Pathway 1
6 Keeping Children Safe 22 Pathway 2
7 Safeguarding Team 24 Wrap around care
8 Take a look around 25 School meals
10 Woodlands Family Values 26 Uniform
12 The School Day 28 Sports & Games
13 NHS advice for illness 30 School Trips
14 Our Classes 32 School Council
16 Curriculum - The Four I’s 34 Communication &
18 Forest School & Outdoor
learning Class Dojo

Welcome

Welcome to Woodlands Primary School. I'm Lauren Johnstone, the
very proud headteacher of this fantastic school.

We are a 2-11 school with approximately 450 pupils, serving a
fantastic community in the south of Sheffield.

At Woodlands Primary School, each classroom is led by caring,
passionate and talented professionals who care deeply about the
wellbeing and growth of every child in their care. We celebrate the
uniqueness of our children and support them to thrive in confidence
and flourish in individuality. We are extremely proud of our knowledge
rich curriculum which has been created by the talented staff team to
suit the needs of our Woodlands Primary School community. It allows

children to become intelligent talkers, insatiable readers and
impeccably behaved inclusive citizens.

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Each school in our multi-academy trust has a unique identity, is
configured to meet the needs of its community, led by a
Headteacher and a Local Governing Body.

Nevertheless, we expect each school to share our vision and values,
and ensure every child receives an exceptional education. As such
we insist each has:

• An explicit ethos and culture of high expectations and inclusion
• Behaviour of the highest standard
• A meticulously planned curriculum, which is delivered

consistently well by teachers every lesson, every day to every
child
• A robust culture of safeguarding
• A thorough and inclusive personal development strategy
• Leadership at every level who are focused and driven by the
right priorities
• Rigorous internal and external quality assurance
• A culture of continuous improvement

We expect them to relentlessly focus on the components of highly
effective schools, to develop and share best practice, to follow
agreed Trust quality frameworks (i.e. curriculum, SEN &
safeguarding); and engage in partnership and Trust-led
improvement strategies. To move towards alignment if this
improves quality and effectiveness.

4

5

Take a look around...

6

I loved it as Valley Park,
but this is a lot better. I
cannot believe how much
it has changed. When I
walked in I thought it was

a whole new school.

Year 4 pupil

7

SafeKeeping Children 93% of families
said their

children feel safe
at our school.

Keeping children safe is the most important thing we do. We want all children in our school to feel happy, safe and be
confident in themselves. Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do and this is because we truly and fundamentally care
about every single person in our school.

In order to support this, we have many dedicated staff who can help you, should you need it. In school, we have a dedicated
learning mentor team, with specialists working within safeguarding, families and attendance. Alongside this, we provide
specialist intervention groups to those children who need additional support; in our Nurture and Knowledge for Life provisions.

We work closely with Sheffield Safeguarding Hub and Children's Social Care who give us specialist advice on ensuring the
safety and welfare of all children in school.

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Safeguarding Team

Mrs Lauren Johnstone Mrs Wendy Scott Mrs Hannah Bellamy
Headteacher Safeguarding Lead Deputy Safeguarding Lead

and Family Mentor

Mrs Abby-Jo Stacey Mrs Sam Herring Mrs Lisa Lock
Deputy Safeguarding Lead Senior Learning Mentor E-Safety Co-ordinator
Deputy Safeguarding Lead

If you have concerns about a child you can call Sheffield Safeguarding Hub directly on
01142734855. Lines are open 8.45am - 5.15pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.45am - 4.45pm
Fridays. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, you must call 999 and inform the police.

9

R E S P E C TWOODLANDS FAMILY VALUES

Resili Enthus Self-re
ence ality
iasm thy k spect

Punctu Empa Curio

sity

Tal

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Our Values

We are passionate about helping our children to become
confident, resourceful, resilient, tolerant and well-educated
members of our society. We promote high expectations - of staff
and pupils. We are committed to recruiting, developing and
retaining impressive staff, and helping them secure a healthy
work-life balance.

We want every child to attend school regularly in order to benefit
from the excellent learning environment and passionate teachers
so that individual needs are met.

We recognise that some of our children need extra support to
achieve their potential, and we are committed to making sure that
is in place.

We want parents and carers to support us in our mission to build a
love of reading, an understanding of the world we live in and
respect for others in school and in the wider community so that
our pupils can lead a successful and fulfilled future.

What do we want for Woodlands
Primary School children?

We want all children, no matter who they are, to achieve well. To
ensure they do this, we use the 4 I’s to drive our thinking
throughout our whole curriculum, and maintain focus on what we
believe is so important for our children

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DAYEVERY
COUNTS!
The School
Day

8.00am Breakfast Club/Bar opens
8.30am Breakfast Bar last orders
8.40am Classrooms open (morning activities in class)
8.55am School doors close and registration begins
8.55am You are LATE after this time!
Lunch 45 minutes. Different times for each year group
Breaks KS1 - 2 x 15 minutes, KS2 - 1 x 15 minutes
3.15pm School ends for the day

0114 2396464 If your child can't attend school...

12 Please contact the school (before 9am where possible) if your child
is unable to attend school for any reason. Continue to keep school
informed if your child is going to be off for more than one day.

When should my child return to school?

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don’t need crusted & healed onset of rash onset of
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commencing an bio cs Slapped Cheek
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Scarlet Fever

A er first 24 hours a er Children 48 hours a er
treatment commencing don’t need commencing
to be off at all
Flu an bio cs an bio cs
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Un l Children Children Children 13
recovered don’t need don’t need don’t need
to be off at all to be off at all to be off at all

Curriculum

Our curriculum has been written around
(what we have called) our ‘Four I’s’.

This means everything we do is to help
our children become:

• Insatiable Readers
• Intelligent Talkers
• Inclusive Citizens
• who are Impeccably Behaved

This is delivered through overarching
themes throughout the whole school,
focusing a real emphasis on what is
important to our children. These are as
follows:

"Power and People of the World”

"What a Wonderful World”

"The World has Changed”

14 "Creating a Better World”

Phonics starts as soon as pupils start school. All Learning is well-matched to need so all pupils, from
pupils read, or listen to others reading aloud, for at
least 2 hours every day; all starting points, can be successful. Woodlands

Primary School family values are used and focus

on RESPECT from and to all of our community.

Opportunities to strengthen fluency are built into Religion, ethics and philosophy are taught to ensure

reading sessions. Pupils enjoy stories or non-fiction pupils are tolerant and respectful due to their

and teachers read to them every day in ‘Time to knowledge of others beliefs and opinions.

read’. Reading anthology Insatiable Impeccably Pupils are taught resilience
texts are carefully selected Readers Behaved and confidence through
to enhance pupils’ Creative Arts: in art, music
understanding of the and drama and perform and

knowledge they are present them to others.

learning.

The Four I’s

Debate and discussion are Equalities are explicitly

built into the curriculum taught, enabling pupils to

explicitly and each cycle has Intelligent Inclusive have an empathy and
an Oracy endpoint. Pupils are Talkers Citizens understanding of barriers to
taught the knowledge they participation and how to

need through reading and overcome them.

through direct knowledge-led Pupil Citizenship is specifically taught through the

teaching. Language is deliberately modelled and ‘Wellbeing Curriculum’ and pupils are provided

tier 2 and 3 vocabulary is taught and assessed with practical training in areas like road safety and

regularly so that it is retained in long term memory. first aid.

All learning is sequenced to build knowledge around The ‘four pillars of Personal Development’ provides

a schema so that their composite knowledge is opportunities for pupils to develop their character

learned, recalled and retained. outside of academic learning.

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As well as a carefully sequenced FSocrheosotl
curriculum in Sports, we also offer
children at Woodlands Primary School
experience through our 'Outdoor Learning'
scheme. Through this scheme, teachers
build on skills taught, with a focus on
building self-esteem and self-confidence.
The Woodlands Primary School Oracy
scheme is also implemented through
Outdoor Learning, focusing on the
description of tasks, social skills such as
turn taking, and working collaboratively.

Within the outdoor learning session itself,
children learn a range of skills, dependent
on their age and stage, and within the
point of confidence of the curriculum, such
as den building, knots, using tools,
cooking and fire and fire safety.
Additional to this, there is a focus on the
local area, and how to look after this.

Ms Charles is our qualified Forest School
teacher and Outdoor Learning Leader,
who leads the most fantastic outdoor
learning sessions in our well-equipped
Forest School outdoor classroom.

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“The best
classroom and the
richest cupboard
are roofed only by

the sky”

Margaret McMillan

17

Whole The Wellbeing Curriculum
School
Offer A bespoke, well-sequenced curriculum with the chosen ‘powerful knowledge’
needed to ensure Woodlands children can become WELL INFORMED to make
SENSIBLE CHOICES and become INCLUSIVE CITIZENS.
This is split into the four themes of: Woodlands Citizens, Physically Healthy,
Mentally Healthy and Relationships.

The core requirements of the SRE curriculum is delivered here, as well as
Health Education. However, further bespoke areas are also covered
such as tolerance, peer on peer abuse, British Values, gang
culture and cognitive science. We also hold Personal
Development weeks, such as “Our School” week and “Proud to
be British” week.

PATHWAY 1

Enrichment Forest Schools

We offer all pupils a broad offer of enrichment throughout school, All children in school participate in Forest
from trips and visits to after school clubs, opportunities for debate Schools with a trained forest schools
and exposure to new opportunities through our ‘Mighty Seeds’ instructor, explicitly teaching the schools
passport. Children can also extend their own offer should they values of Resilience, Empathy, Self-Respect,
wish through the Children’s University. Punctuality, Enthusiasm, Curiosity and Talk.
Children are exposed to a range of problem
18 solving opportunities, and learn new skills such
as fire fighting, tying knots, and about the
ancient woodlands surrounding our school.

Developing Character Assemblies

At Woodlands, we explicityly teach and learn about Aristotle, A weekly personal development
who created the idea of ‘character’ development. We know assembly strengthens the teaching of
that to ‘flourish’ as an adult we learn virtues and use these character, but also provides support to
as an adult. In school, we chose to use the values of recall previous learning from the
RESPECT to do this, and we reference these in our teaching, Wellbeing curriculum.
assemblies and in our daily life. We build in time through
the curriculum to learn about these and practice them, but
also make explicit links to great people and aspire to
become them.

WELLBEING

Whole School Nurture Transition

In school, we use the Nurture principles to drive Transition is important at every stage of a child’s journey,
everything we do for the children. We recognise that which is why we have a highly trained ‘transition mentor’
behaviour is communication, and that the classroom is a to support children through such journeys.
safe base for all children. All children in school have a
Boxall profile completed each year, for us to address 19
gaps in their social and emotional learning needs. This is
complemented by the Wellbeing curriculum, where we
teach the children the Zones of Regulation, big feelings
and small feelings, as well as other skills such as ‘holding
attention’. This is led by 3 Nurture trained practitioners.

Specialist The Wellbeing Curriculum

Character Development Curriculum Interventions

Offer Alongside the whole school Wellbeing Curriculum, we
PATHWAY 2 also deliver specific interventions, particularly for
children with SEMH needs. Currently we are running the
following interventions:
• Zones of Regulation
• Homunculi
• Resilience (REST) Scale

All of these help children with different areas of character
development and prepare them for life in modern Britain.

CITIZENS OF THE

Further Yoga and Meditation
Enrichment
Some children, identified via regulation assessments, are also
Forest Schools offered yoga and meditation classes to teach them breathing
exercises and show them what happens to our bodies when we
We also provide small group forest have big feelings and small feelings.
school groups for those who need
time outdoors, in smaller settings,
developing those vital skills to
develop their character.

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Art and Play Therapy

We know that at times, people can find life tough and
trauma may impact on the development they are making
towards becoming inclusive citizens. In school, we have
both play and art therapists to help children through
these times, and support them in different ways.

We know that at times it is hard to be resilient,
empathetic or respectful towards yourself, and so
we offer 1:1 and small group therapy when
children need it.

WORLD

Targeted Nurture Groups

For those who need it, we have a full time Nurture provision, led by two highly qualified
members of staff. Children may visit the Nurture group for a minimum of 2 terms,
developing skills in line with their Boxall assessment. A range of activities support the
children through this personalised offer, including snack times, theraplay activities and
structured tasks where appropriate. Children are transitioned into and out of Nurture
carefully, so that they can use their new learning back in the classroom.

The Nurture team are also supported by a BAPT registered Play Therapist, as we
believe that we all learn and improve every single day.

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Wrap We offer a breakfast club and after an
Around after school club which children from
Reception to Year Six are welcome to
Care
attend.

Breakfast club runs from 8:00 to 9:00 and is run
by Marie Smith, Louise Leitch and Janet Dawson.
Children are provided with a healthy breakfast of cereal
and toast with milk or juice to drink. There are also games
and activities to keep everyone happy and busy until school

starts.

After school club runs from the end of school until 5:30 and is run by Gill Socket
and Beverly Graham. When weather permits, this is held outdoors as much as possible
to give the children plenty of time for fresh air and exercise after a busy day at school. There

are lots of games and activities on offer as well as a light teatime snack.

If you would like to sign up to either of these sessions or would like information about prices, please contact the school office

on 0114 2396464.

Magic Breakfast Classroom Breakfast/Bagels

A breakfast childcare club providing a healthy and fun start Classroom Breakfast/Bagels
to the school day. This includes bagels, toast, cereal, milk Every morning children are welcomed into the classroom
and fruit juice along with craft activities and fun and with warm bagels and cereals. They also take part in a
games. range of fun activities. These include everything from
Venue: Dining Room Lego to art work and yoga.
Time: 8.00-8.40 Venue: Classroom
Cost: £1.50 per child and 75p for each additional sibling. Time: 8.40-9.00

For more information on the Magic Breakfast provision places or to order a home box

please contact the school office. www.magicbreakfast.com

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ParentPay 23

All monies paid into school must be
made through Parent Pay. If you need
support with logging in, please contact
the school office on 0114 2396464.

Lunchtimes

We want children to come together at
lunchtimes, just as we would at home
as a family. This allows children to
develop a variety of skills, whilst
ensuring nutritional and balanced
meals each day. We want children to
be a part of the process of preparing
lunches, as well as helping each other
to clean lunch away.

We also encourage children to try new
foods, including unfamiliar foods.

We expect all children to eat a healthy
meal, including fruits, vegetables and
salad. We also expect that lunchtimes
are a safe, courteous part of school to
grow and develop pupil understanding
of:

Play – using equipment, working well
with others, turn taking.
Eating – using cutlery, healthy meals,
sharing.

pindersschoolwear.com In order to help children concentrate on their learning and to support good
learning behaviours, we expect all children to wear full school uniform.

Uniform Orders can be placed for school uniform in the following ways:
• By completing an order form at the school office (with free delivery to

school)
• In store at the Pinders shop at Crystal Peaks shopping centre
• Online at [email protected] (£4.95 charge)
• By telephone to Pinders (£4.95 charge) 0114 2513275
• Trousers, skirts, dresses and polo shirts can be purchased from other

stores and supermarkets.

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White or bottle-green Bottle-green school jumper, Black or grey
polo shirt fleece or cardigan (with a logo) trousers

Black or grey Grey or black pinafore or bottle-green Plain black shoes or
skirt summer gingham dress plain black trainers

Plain black shoes or Black or grey Hijab No jewellery
plain black trainers for those children who wear one

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TIN Y SEEDS NURSERY

Nursery Classes

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Reception RECEPTION RECEPTION
- Year 6 YEAR 2 YEAR 2

YEAR 1 YEAR 1

YEAR 3 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 4

YEAR 5 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 6

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In PE children will become well rounded Sports
athletes in the four corners of sport, Gaamndes
technical, tactical, physical and
psychological.
Sport and exercise participation has many
benefits and is positively correlated to an
increased physical and mental
wellbeing in young children (Active Lives
Children and Young People Survey, 2018).
One of the challenges is how we can
make the most of the benefits children
attain from sport through a balance of
interventions and quality PE lessons.
PE is key to developing skills and attributes
that are valuable across the curriculum,
resilience, active problem solving and
confidence to name a few. It is the role of
the PE curriculum to create the
environment for these lifelong skills to
prosper as
well as maintaining the thirst to overcome
challenges which maximises potential.
This curriculum aims to make each lesson
engaging, practical, fun to retain
information, not only learning new skills but
also
setting solid foundations for secondary
school and extracurricular activities (sport
and exercise clubs). The curriculum must
also provide pathways for each child to
achieve their personal best at whatever
stage of development that may be.

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Activities
on offer

• Invasion Games • Hockey
• Fencing • Rugby
• Dance • Basketball
• Athletics • Cricket
• Gymnastics • Football
• Benchball • Rounders
• Striking & Fielding • Mini Tramps
• Water Polo • Mini Tennis
• Crossfit • Futsal

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Children at Woodlands Primary School are The Head Boy and Head Girl process happens in the Summer term
encouraged to develop the necessary skills to each year. Pupils complete an application form, and then we hold an
enable them to take responsibility for their school election process, in the form of a speech and promotional material.
and contribute positively to the wider community. Children need to present in a clear and coherent way and celebrate
who they are!
This includes:
Head Boy and Head Girls are an integral part of school life, and are
• The Woodlands Primary School Council the ‘public face’ of the school, representing school at public events.
• The Junior Leadership Team This could include: Welcoming visitors to school; Attending public
• Head Boy and Head Girl functions with school staff; Making presentations for assemblies and
• Sports Captains and ‘professional’ teams presenting these; Supporting the planning of whole school events.

Head Boy

HeaadndGirl

Team

30

ScThhe oWooodllanCdsoPruimnarcy il The Junior
Leadership Team
The School Council team process happens each Autumn
term, with the support of the Head Boy and Head Girl The Junior Leadership team process happens in the
team. The purpose of the School Council is to develop the Summer term each year, through the process of
personal development priorities across school, in application forms and an interview with the Headteacher
particular the development of lunchtimes. Lunchtimes and Deputy Headteacher. Through this, they should show
and play are a huge part of a child’s school day, and so how they show all seven of the school’s family values.
we believe that it is important to ensure pupil voice is Duties include: Collecting information from other children
present with any decision we take. about whole school priorities; Attending Senior
Leadership Team and governor meetings; Contributing to
The School Council is voted through class elections, and the school development plan and school improvement;
children should be able to stand up and speak to the rest Sharing whole school priorities with the School Council.
of the class about why they think they are a good
candidate.

Duties include: Auditing lunchtimes and speaking with
children; Ensuring materials are played with
appropriately, and training is given where needed;
Speaking with adults to order more materials where
needed; Developing lunchtime strategy, including family
dining and outdoor activities.

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Woodlands pupils will enjoy lots of trips TSrcihpoosl
during their time at school. These include
trips linked to our curriculum topics, such
as Cresswell crags, where students study
the Stone Age, and The Magna Centre,
where we look at volcanoes and
earthquakes. There will also be a geography
fieldwork trip each year to places like
Matlock to study mountains, and Rollestone
Woods to learn about mapping.

These trips are all fully funded by the
school for all pupils.

Pupils will also have the opportuniy to go on
a residential trip in Years 5 and 6, to
Thornbridge and Eyam. These trips are
50% funded by school using Pupil
Premium Funding.

The Magna Centre Western Park Museum
Brigantium Roman Fort
Kelham Island Museum

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Thornbridge Outdoors Heights of Abraham 33

Information and updates are posted COM MUNICATION &
regularly on ClassDojo, an online
platform for parents. If you are a parent,
and you do not yet have access to the
ClassDojo website, please contact the
school office for an activation code.

If your child is going to be absent from
school and you have been unable to get
through to the school office to inform us,
you can send a message to the
'Attendance' Dojo account.

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WOODLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Norton Avenue, Sheffield S14 1SL / 0114 239 6464 / [email protected]field.sch.uk