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- Attendance and Absence | Albourne C of E Primary School
Information for parents/carers about attendance and absence. Attendance and Absence Information for parents. The 2024-25 academic year Whilst we understand families will be looking forward to travel and holidays abroad again, after the past couple of years' disruption, but we want to set expectations now: as a school we will NOT be authorising holidays during this academic year (2024-25). Every day in school counts and we will be monitoring attendance and lateness on a daily basis. Reporting an absence If your child is going to be absent from school, we expect you (the parent/carer) to do the following: Call the school office before 9.00am to explain absence each day your child is off school - this is for safeguarding reasons. Ensure you provide a written letter of explanation when your child returns to school, in addition to the phone calls, so we can maintain accurate records. If your child’s absence is longer than three days we would expect medical advice to be sought. If parents/carers have not contacted school, they will receive a message asking them why the child is not at school. Unexplained absences may also be followed up by a home visit or a letter. If the reason for the absence is not explained then the absence will be marked as unauthorised. When to contact us Please do contact us if you are having any difficulties or face challenges we may not be aware of, before it becomes a problem that we need to raise with you. Withdrawal from learning requests In line with the Department for Education (DfE), we will not authorise pupil absence for withdrawal from learning during term time unless there are unusual and compelling circumstances. This applies to absences of any length. The withdrawal from learning request process is as follows: All withdrawal from learning requests should be made to the Headteacher by completing a form which is available from the school office, and below. The Headteacher will speak to you (the parent/carer) regarding your request It is possible that unauthorised absence will trigger involvement from the Local Authority Attendance Team and you could be liable for a fine. The school scrutinises registers regularly to identify any patterns of absence/poor punctuality and these are discussed with the Headteacher to see there is anything the school can do to assist. In cases where attendance and punctuality do not improve, further support will be sought from the Local Authority Attendance Team. Your assistance in setting good attendance patterns early is much appreciated and it will help your child later on in their education. Local Authority information and guidance about attendance can be found on the WSCC School absences page . Medical appointments Every effort should be made to arrange medical appointments outside school hours. If it is necessary for a child to be out of school for this reason, the child should be returned to school directly after the appointment. Proof of the appointment should be shown to the school office. Parents/carers must inform the school of any planned absences in advance using the absence request form. Copies of these will be kept with the child's records. Holidays during term time Parents should be aware that taking holidays in term time are not an entitlement and are strongly discouraged by the Government, Local Authority and the school. The Headteacher can only authorise absences for exceptional circumstances - and this will be rare. Why attendance matters Attendance is important to us - and will continue to be so - not because of any targets we, or others, set for us but because when your child is not in school, they are missing their education. In addition, the children have missed so much time in school over recent years, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Attendance and punctuality are an important part of good behaviour and such an important life skill. It is an essential requirement in any job and habits formed early become embedded. Pupils who miss valuable time in classrooms fall further behind and become more disengaged from the work of the class. It is hard to regain this ground and hard to motivate pupils when attendance drops. Absence Request Form (Word doc) Downloads For all letters, information and forms for parents, please visit our Downloads page. Downloads
- New Page | AlbourneCEPrimary
Modern Languages Curriculum Overviews
- Design & Technology | AlbourneCEPrimary
Design & Technology... The Albourne Way DT Overview 2024-25 Progression of Skills Intent: At Albourne Primary School we intend to build a Design Technology curriculum which is inspiring, rigorous, and practical. We want our children to use creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. It is a subject that encourages children to ‘learn to think’ creatively to solve practical problems both as individuals and through teamwork. We intend for all children to acquire appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum. It is our aim to create strong cross curricular links with other subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Computing, and Art. We want Design and Technology to prepare our children, to give them the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences they need to be successful in later life. Implementation: Design and Technology is a crucial part of school life and learning and it is for this reason that as a school we are dedicated to the teaching and delivery of a high-quality Design and Technology curriculum. This is implemented through: A well thought out, whole school, yearly overview of the DT curriculum which allows for progression across year groups in all areas of DT (textiles, mechanisms, structures, food and electrical systems) Teachers are given ownership and flexibility to plan for Design and Technology; often teaching DT as a block of lessons to allow the time needed for the children to be able to design, make and evaluate (incorporating relevant technical knowledge). Some lessons are delivered using an existing scheme of work which teachers adapt as needed. A range of skills being taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks undertaken Pupils are introduced to specific designers, chefs, nutritionists, etc. helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and increase the cultural capital from which they can draw in the future. Units on nutrition are taught ensuring that children have a growing understanding of where food comes from, its seasonality and the need for a healthy and varied diet. We will continue to develop our links with the other schools within the Trust, sharing resources, skills and ideas. Impact: Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in Design and Technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Through carefully planned and implemented learning activities the pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. They gain a firm foundation of knowledge and skills to see them equipped to take on further learning as they move through the school and into KS3. They get to evaluate and considered improvements in their designs, linking their ideas to real life situations. The curriculum lead for DT will review planning and lessons, they will speak to the children and gather evidence of the progression through the years.
- Contact us | Albourne C of E Primary School
Our School Office staff are happy to answer your questions or take messages for other staff. Telephone: 01273 832003 Email: office@albournecep.co.uk Address: The Street, Albourne, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9DH All visitors must report to the School Office. Contact us We welcome enquiries from all parents/carers, whether your child is already at Albourne or whether you are considering applying to our school. You can contact us on the details below. Explore Contact details Our School Office staff are happy to answer your questions or take messages for other staff. Printed copies of policies/ information from this website are available for parents/carers on request and free of charge. Telephone 01273 832003 Email office@albournecep.co.uk Postal address The Street Albourne Hassocks West Sussex BN6 9DH In person All visitors must report to the School Office. If you have a question about something in class, a message can be passed onto the class teacher, or an appointment made at the end of a school day. Please note the start of the school day is a busy time for teachers whilst they welcome children into the classroom. Key members of staff Headteacher - Ms F Keeling Secretary - Mrs Rebecca Sweet Operations Manager - Mr P Wilkes SENCo - Ms Nargis Miah Governors The Chair of Governors - Janneke Blokland - can be contacted via the Clerk to Governors by email at clerk@albournecep.co.uk Hurst Education Trust Albourne Church of England Primary School is part of the Hurst Education Trust. Details of the Trust can be found at www.hurst.education and key documents, including the Trust's annual report and accounts, can be accessed at www.hurst.education/documents The Hurst Education Trust is a Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales Registered No. 13807225 The Trust's contact details are: Hurst Education Trust c/o Hurstpierpoint College College Lane Hurstpierpoint West Sussex BN6 9JS 01273 836914
- Policies | Albourne C of E Primary School
This is where parents can find and download all our school policy documents. Policies Important school documents. Below are all our school policy documents. New policies are published on our website following the agreement of school Governors, where relevant. Paper copies are available from the school office on request. GDPR From the May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaced the Data Protection Act (DPA). The School collects and uses personal information about staff, students, parents or carers and other individuals who come into contact with the School. This information is gathered in order to enable it to provide education and other associated functions. In addition, there may be a legal requirement to collect and use information to ensure that the School complies with its statutory obligations. We ensure that your personal data is processed fairly and lawfully, is accurate, is kept secure and is retained for no longer than is necessary. The schools registration number is ZB323813. This registration is renewed annually and updated as and when necessary. You can find our Privacy Notice in the list of policies below. Download policies Click to download. Accessibility Plan Acceptable use of technology policy Admissions Policy 2026/27 Admissions Policy 2025/26 Allegations of Abuse policy Anti-bullying policy Behaviour Principles HET Attendance and Punctuality policy Charging and Remissions policy Children with health needs who cannot attend school policy Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy 2025-26 Complaints Procedure (HET) Collective Worship policy Data Protection policy Dog in school policy 2025 Equal Opportunities policy Excellence in Teaching and Learning policy Freedom of Information & publication Scheme Health and Safety policy Internet Use and E-safety policy Medicines in School policy Mental Health and Wellbeing policy Positive Behaviour policy PSHE inc RSE Positive handling policy Privacy Notice Pupils Pupil Premium Strategy Report 2024-25 RE Policy Remote learning Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) policy SEND Information Report 2025-6 Suspension and Permanent Exclusion policy Supporting pupils with medical conditions policy Visitors' policy Volunteer policy Whistleblowing
- The School Day | Albourne C of E Primary
We hope that all Albourne parents and their children will feel confident about joining our friendly school. In order to help this process it is useful for parents to know our school routines and timings. The School Day A typical day at our school. We hope that all Albourne parents and their children will feel confident about joining our friendly school. In order to help this process it is useful for parents to know our school routines and timings. Below are the basic timings for a typical day at Albourne Church of England Primary School. Breakfast Club Our breakfast club is available every morning from 7.45am for pupils of all ages. Find out more on our Wrap Around Care page. Start of the school day The school gate opens each morning at 8.45am and pupils are welcomed into school between 8.45am and 8.55am. The Headteacher or another member of staff is always outside to make sure all pupils enter the school safely and to take any messages. The school office staff are also available at this time. Pupils should bring their book bags to school daily. They will be given an Albourne Reading Record book in the first few weeks of school. Pupils also need a water bottle and, when the weather is hot, a sunhat is useful. Break times Break times begin at 10.30am every day. When they first start school, pupils in Reception class play in their own outdoor area throughout the day. They join the older children for break times later in the year. Lunchtimes Lunchtimes begin at 12.00 noon for Reception class and 12.15pm for all other classes. Hot schools meals are served by our Chartwells staff in the school hall. All children in Key Stage 1 (Reception to Year 2) can have their hot school meal for free. All pupils can bring a packed lunch if they prefer. Once pupils have finished their lunch they may go outdoors to play until 1.15pm. We always have plenty of staff to ensure the pupils play safely and are supervised. Our responsible older pupils also enjoy looking after the younger children at lunchtimes and around school. We employ a Sports Leader at lunchtimes to facilitate different opportunities for pupils to play different sports. Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme We have adopted the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme to enhance pupils’ break times. Pupils can take part in active pursuits and have access to a range of traditional and modern equipment. Activities include dressing up, a mud kitchen, water play, hula-hooping, dancing, den-building, tree climbing and riding scooters. We have found this OPAL programme has a positive effect on pupils’ well-being in addition to their performance in lessons. End of the school day The s ch ool day ends at 3.25pm. The side gate is opened at 3.20pm to allow parents and carers to wait outside the classroom doors in order to meet their children. In Key Stage 1, teachers will ensure that a child's parents can be seen before the child leaves the classroom. All of our children are taught that if they can't see 'their' adult then they should go to the school office and wait safely until someone comes to collect them. Our total weekly hours are: 32.5 hours Further questions Please ask at the office if you have any concerns or would like to know more about how our school works, we are always ready to answer queries, no matter however small. If you have a question about something in class, a message can be passed onto the class teacher, or an appointment made at the end of a school day (please note the start of the school day is a busy time for teachers whilst they welcome children into the classroom). You can contact the school office at office@albournecep.co.uk Downloads For all letters, information and forms for parents, please visit our Downloads page. Downloads
- The Albourne Learners | AlbourneCEPrimary
The Albourne Learners Meet The Polisher Meet The Explorer Meet The Listener Over the rest of the year, we will be working with the children on the skills they need to be a fantastic learner. We will be launching 6 Albourne Learners, which are bespoke to our school. These characters will become key to teaching the children of Albourne to understand, describe and aspire to have the attributes that make an excellent learner. The first of these is The Explorer: Following the Albourne Way; I am an adventurer; discoverer and I am curious about the world around me. The Explorer is about preparing the children for learning by having the correct learning tools. When we spoke to the children about what they would have in a learning back pack, one of the items was a teacher, which is why Mr Hamilton is on top of the back pack!
- PSHE | Albourne C of E Primary School
Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), including Relationships and Health Education, is an important part of our whole curriculum. Through PSHE children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to manage their lives. Personal, Social and Health Education Developing knowledge, skills and understanding for life beyond school. Curriculum Overviews Parent Letter RSE 2024 Whole School Overview 2024-25 Parent Information RSE 2024-25 INTENT (Why are we teaching this?) Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is a necessary part of all pupils’ learning to help them to stay healthy, safe and prepared for life. Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) enables young people to learn about healthy relationships, their mental well-being and their understanding of their bodies. At Albourne we believe in providing a nurturing learning environment in which each child is encouraged to develop their full potential, flourish, and celebrate their achievements and successes. As a school, we believe that children are all individuals and therefore, we encourage mutual respect, responsibility, and foster self-esteem in a happy, caring, and safe environment. The teaching and learning of PSHE using the Jigsaw scheme supports and upholds this vision. Behaviour and attitude to learning are underpinned by values that are taught through PSHE lessons, making it integral to the success of the whole school. IMPLEMENTATION (How is it being taught?) At Albourne, we follow the Jigsaw scheme of work to deliver our PSHE. Jigsaw is based on mindfulness philosophy and practice and brings together, PSHE Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning. It is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time. Jigsaw holds children at its heart and aims to improve children’s capacity to learn, their resilience, emotional well-being and mental health. In line with statutory requirements, before the Changing Me jigsaw begins, parents will be given information about how children are taught about their bodies. This provides an opportunity for parents to ask questions and be reassured about how lessons are delivered in an age appropriate way. Please read the information provided below. This whole school approach provides structure and familiarity to children and supports their learning by reinforcing key themes. Below you can see an outline of the programme and how it develops through the school year: Jigsaw 3-11 offers a comprehensive Programme for Primary PSHE including statutory Relationships and Health Education, in a spiral, progressive and fully planned scheme of work, giving children relevant learning experiences to help them navigate their world and to develop positive relationships with themselves and others. Jigsaw consists of six half-term units of work (Puzzles), each containing six lessons (Pieces) covering each academic year. Term 1: Being Me in My World Term 2: Celebrating Difference (including anti-bullying) Term 3: Dreams and Goals Term 4: Healthy Me Term 5: Relationships Term 6: Changing Me (including Sex Education) Every Piece has two Learning Intentions, one specific to Relationships and Health Education (PSHE) (in purple) and the other designed to develop emotional literacy and social skills (in green). Puzzles are launched with a whole-school assembly containing an original song, with each year group studying the same unit at the same time (at their own level), building sequentially through the school year, facilitating whole-school learning themes. The various teaching and learning activities are engaging and mindful of different learning styles and the need for differentiation and the Early Years (EYFS) planning is aligned to the National Early Years Framework (England). Each lesson is built upon a Charter which underpins the behaviour and respect that is the basis for each lesson (one is provided within Jigsaw, but children and their teacher can write their own to ensure mutual respect and ownership). The lessons then split into 6 parts, all of which should be included in every session to ensure that the learning follows the optimum progression. Connect us - This is a game or activity designed to be fun and inclusive and to build and maximise social skills. ‘Connect us’ engenders positive relationships and enhances collaborative learning. It sets the atmosphere at the beginning of each Jigsaw Piece and can be used again at the end should the teacher feel the atmosphere needs to be lifted after some deep work during the lesson. Calm me - This section of the Piece helps children gain awareness of the activity in their minds, relaxing them and quietening their thoughts and emotions to a place of optimum learning capacity. This will also engender a peaceful atmosphere within the classroom. It is an invaluable life skill which also enhances reflection and spiritual development. This underpins the mindful approach advocated in Jigsaw. Open my mind - The Reticular Activating System of the brain filters the many stimuli entering the child’s mind at any given time. It is designed only to allow in that which is significant. Therefore, it is important to engage this system with the most important aspects of learning intended for each Piece (lesson). If we do this well, it will enable children to filter out activity around them not significant to this learning intention, thereby improving concentration and learning. Tell me or show me - This section of the Piece (lesson) is used to introduce new information, concepts and skills, using a range of teaching approaches and activities. Let me learn - Following Piaget’s learning model, after receiving new information/concepts, children need to manipulate, use, and play with that new information in order for it to make sense to them and for them to ‘accommodate’ it into their existing learning. Help me reflect -Throughout Jigsaw, children are encouraged to reflect on their learning experiences and their progress. By reflecting, children can process and evaluate what they have learnt, which enables them to consolidate and apply their learning. They are also asked to stop and become aware of their thoughts and feelings in any given moment in Pause Points (brief pauses within the lesson where the children can have a couple of moments to just stop and be to consider whether what they are learning may be particularly meaningful to them). Closure - Each Piece needs safe closure. This will always include the teacher praising the children for their effort, positive attitude and achievement, as well as giving one or two sentences to summarise the key learning points for the children. In addition to this, teachers have the freedom to plan with detail and attention to their individual children. Learners can be scaffolded, and any individual needs can be supported where necessary. The summative assessment process offers criteria for children either working at, beyond or towards the age-related expectations. Greater depth children can be challenged to ensure that they are being given the opportunities to enrich their learning further. The “Class Teacher” page at the start of every puzzle allows time for practitioners to consider the upcoming content. These support teachers to feel more confident in their own subject knowledge, which in turn allows them to extend the learning of the children. IMPACT (What is the effect?) “The positive results of pupils’ learning can then be seen in the standards they achieve.” Ofsted, 2019 The key elements of this for our schools are • Knowing and being able to evidence the impact of the PSHE curriculum both on learners individually and in the school as a whole. • Coherently being able to match and evidence the impact of PSHE with the intent So how can we achieve this? In order to be confident in the impact of PSHE, senior leaders and/or the PSHE leader will monitor the subject effectively using scrutiny and moderation of outcomes (see the “Teachers” tab on the Jigsaw PSHE Community Area for support and ideas with this). We take the time to carry out discussions with pupils and is the only way of knowing exactly what the children feel is the impact for them of their learning. We also take into account colleagues’ views. This can ensure that impact matches intent across the whole school community. Assessment is a major contributor in evidencing the impact and this needs to be tracked to ensure that pupils are building on their skills and knowledge over time. It can then show progression and also uniformity between parallel classes ensuring that in-school gaps or anomalies are dealt with especially issues with teacher confidence. Assessment in Jigsaw is both formative and summative. The two clear learning objectives for each lesson (piece) allow teachers to be mindful of the assessment elements within that session that can formatively help them pitch and plan subsequent lessons, and activities are included in each lesson to give the children the opportunity to self-assess using simple pictorial resources designed in a child-friendly, age appropriate manner. It also allows children of 6 and over the opportunity to identify areas for self-improvement. To support the teacher in tracking each child, there is a ‘Summative Assessment: tracking pupil progress’ sheet that can be used. This sheet has three attainment descriptors for each Puzzle. The teacher can then use a ‘best-fit’ approach to decide whether the child is working towards, working at or working beyond for that Puzzle, highlighting one green and one purple descriptor. The green descriptors will also flag up children who may need more support with emotional literacy or social skills development and they can be signposted to the setting’s pastoral support systems as appropriate. In Piece (lesson) 6 there are also exemplifications to aid teacher judgement for the working towards/ working at/working beyond attainment descriptors. As Jigsaw PSHE is a whole-school approach, rather than simply a lesson-a-week Scheme of Work for PSHE, there are numerous layers built in that engender a sense of belonging and community, and that value every individual, for example: praising one attitude or behaviour each week through the Weekly celebration, bringing the whole school together for assemblies and to sing the Jigsaw songs, and celebrating every child’s contribution to the school community through the 'end of Puzzle outcome. "As part of a whole school approach PSHE develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society." JIGSAW PROGRAMME Downloads and links Download our documents for further information about our curriculum. Jigsaw PSHE information for parents/carers Jigsaw RSE in PHSE - information for parents/carers Jigsaw LGBTQ in PHSE - information for parents/carers Jigsaw PSHE content overview (age 3-11) Calm Me Time at Home Jigsaw 00:00 / 06:09 For our PSHE policy please go to our Policies page. Policies
- Music | Albourne C of E Primary School
Our music curriculum is designed to inspire and educate pupils, whilst providing them with a creative outlet. Pupils learn to play a range of instruments and have opportunities to perform. We partner with West Sussex Music which provides small group lessons or private one-to-one lessons in a range of musical instruments. Music... The Albourne Way Inspiring and educating through music. Whole School Overview 2024-25 Music Development Plan Music… the Albourne Way. Music is an essential part of life; integral in the development of the whole person. We believe that the opportunity to engage in musical experiences is crucial for the development of the whole child. Learning music develops all aspects of a child’s learning, from the physical action of using an instrument to the mathematical skills needed to keep a pulse. Through playing, singing, creating and performing, children will develop confidence, communication, thinking and creative skills and improve their emotional well-being. In addition, as these activities utilise both sides of the brain, it will foster connections which will improve memory and coordination. The skills involved in playing and listening to music will also help learners develop the self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, creativity, and self-motivation necessary for success. Through our link with West Sussex Music, every child will have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument before leaving school, and all children in KS2 will be offered further peripatetic lessons in a variety of instruments. It is our vision that every child adopts an understanding and love of music which they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Downloads and links Download our documents for further information about our curriculum. Music overview 2024-2025 Progression of skils in Music
- Online safety | Albourne C of E Primary School
At Albourne Church of England Primary School, the children regularly use the internet as part of their learning. In school we regularly remind the children how to stay safe online through ‘e-safety’ activities. Online safety Useful information for parents. At Albourne Church of England Primary School, the children regularly use the internet as part of their learning. In school we regularly remind the children how to stay safe online through ‘e-safety’ activities. At home, children are not always supervised when they are using the internet. This can potentially allow children access to a whole world of information and online communities, some of which may be unsuitable for children to access. Whilst the internet is a wonderful place, we need to make sure that our children are safe and responsible internet users. Tips to keep your children safe online 1. Make sure your children use the internet in a shared area. Talk to your child about what they are doing online and, if possible, make sure that they access the internet in a shared area at home so that you can all share in the great sites that are available online. 2. Talk about what you are happy for your child to do on the internet, and set up ‘ground rules’ for using the internet Make sure that you talk with your child about what you do and do not want them to do on the internet, including who you are happy for them to communicate with using online chat forums etc. 3. Explore e-safety sites Below we have provided useful links to e-safety sites designed for children. They are great fun to explore - browse through these with your children. 4. Be aware that Social Networks have age limits of 13+ Sites such as Facebook, Bebo, Instagram and apps such as Snapchat have a minimum age limit of 13. This means our pupils should NOT be using them. These sites are also not moderated, and can allow your children a means of communication to people that they may not necessarily know. 5. Don’t be afraid to ask! There are always new websites, apps and social networks that the children are using. Try to establish open lines of communication, where you can talk with your child about what they are doing, so that you are aware of how and who they are communicating with. National Online Safety poster (Feb 2022). To download a PDF version, click on the button below. 'Netiquette' poster Further information Below are resources you may find useful to support you in keeping your child safe online. The Albourne Internet Use and E-safety policy can be found on our Policies page. Further resources on bullying can be found on our Wellbeing page. Parental Controls booklet Thinkuknow.co.uk Childnet.com Parentzone.org.uk Vodaphone - Digital Parenting NSPCC - Keeping children safe online Internet Matters - Parental Controls UK Safer Internet Centre BBC Webwise videos Common Sense Media.org Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Safety Center


