Saint Lawrence Church of England Primary School

Governors Report

"We are extremely proud of our school here in Skellingthorpe, and our successes, each as a direct result of the enthusiasm and energy of our children, the dedication of our staff and the support from both parents and friends."

Playtime at Saint Lawrence School

Welcome to Skellingthorpe Saint Lawrence Church of England Primary School. This is a medium sized school serving the village of Skellingthorpe and the surrounding area. There are seven classes in total. There are some teachers who also take on a 'floating' role between classes. Most classes have some Teaching Assistant time. Our Christian distinctiveness as a church school is fundamental to the work of the whole school community. Relationships between school and families are characterised by Christian care and concern for others.

Our school is also a member of the Lincoln Learning Network (a Networked Learning Community) which means that we are able to work very closely with other local schools, completing training together as well as opportunities for the children to join together for sporting, arts and other learning activities. The Lead Learner is a co-leader of this Network.

The school's responsibility for your child's safety and welfare is limited to the school day. We would ask parents to ensure that children are not at school before 8.40am, or after 3.30pm unless permission has been given from school. This may happen if requests have been made, the child has been asked to perform specific tasks or is taking part in an after-school activity. The Village Kids Club meets at the school. Please ask for details of this service.

Lunchtime Provision and Mid-morning Break

Hot meals are available at very reasonable costs and can be ordered on a week by week basis. Each child is given a menu for the following week, giving the range of choices for each day. The menu sheets are returned to school on the Friday of each week, along with payment, so that food can be ordered for the following week.

Alternatively, the children bring their own packed lunches in plastic containers. Drinks may be brought in plastic flasks or containers, but not in glass bottles please. Children may also go home for lunch. Please indicate to the class teacher in writing that this is to be the case and when there is to be any amendment to the arrangement.

It is important that children have enough to drink during the day. Each child has access to fresh drinking water at any part of the day. Water bottles with a sports top and replacement tops are available to purchase from the office.

Children may bring some fruit to eat at break time and this should be packed separately from anything that has been brought for lunch. Children at Foundation Stage and Key Stage One are provided with fruit as part of the National Fruit in School scheme. Children should not bring sweets to school.

A Daily Collective Act of Worship

Our daily act of collective worship is a very special time in school each day. This is the opportunity for us to come together as a school family, to share, celebrate and worship God. Worship is broadly Christian based and consistent with the faith and practice of the Church of England. Over a series of several weeks, a value or special theme is used for the focus. Visitors sometimes come into school to take part in these acts of worship. Once each week worship takes place in Saint Lawrence Church.

Parents are invited to join us for worship at several points during the year. This may be in the Church, at Easter and Christmas for example, or in school when the children from a class take turns to lead worship.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from acts of collective worship, but a request should be made in writing to the Lead Learner. However, in choosing a Church School, we hope that parents are thereby committing themselves to their child's full participation in the Christian life of the school, including Religious Education and Worship.

Parents wishing to enrol their children for an admission to Saint Lawrence complete a Common Application Form and return it to the School Admissions Team at the Local Authority (LA). These forms are available from Saint Lawrence in the September before your child would start in Reception Class. Applications must be sent to the LA by early December of that same year. The School Admission Team then co-ordinates all admissions for schools in Lincolnshire. In January, the LA sends the applications to schools so that places can be allocated. Places at Saint Lawrence are allocated based on the criteria that follow later in this section of the brochure. By the end of February, the ranked order is returned to the LA. An offer of a place will then be formally made, by the LA at the end of March.

The Admissions Policy is reviewed annually and is the responsibility of the school's Governing Body. It is the policy of the school to admit children annually in September of the academic year in which they are 5 years of age.

A meeting will subsequently be held for the parents of children starting school the following September where there will be the opportunity for you to meet teachers and ask any questions. We strongly encourage parents to attend this meeting if at all possible. It is not important for your child to come along to this meeting, as they will have the opportunity to attend school on some preliminary visits in order to meet their teacher and each other, spending some time in the school environment.

Places are allocated in accordance with County Guidelines, which can be found in the booklet "Going to School in Lincolnshire" This booklet is available from County Offices or from the School Office.

If applicants exceed places, the highest priority will be given to those for whom the school is clearly more appropriate than any other school. In allocating places in accordance with this policy, the following factors will be considered in the order in which they are set out below: