Parent Hub

The admissions policy of this school is common to all County schools in West Sussex. Details of the West Sussex Admission procedures are published on the West Sussex website: www.westsussex.gov.uk/admissions Parents considering applying for school are welcome to visit and are invited to telephone the School Office to make an appointment. The Admissions Code, which came into effect in February 2010, places an emphasis on pupils starting in the September following their fourth birthday, as is the current policy in West Sussex, but gives parents the right to choose whether they wish their child to start full-time or part-time, subject to the caveat that children are receiving full-time education in the term following their fifth birthday. Parents still have the right to defer entry to later in the academic year and, in such cases, a place offered in Reception must be held open for the child for that intake year. We are always happy to discuss starting school arrangements with you – please give us a call or make an appointment with the Headteacher to discuss any issues you may have. The school phone number is 01403 734822.

We are pleased to share a useful tool that allows you to compare schools, academies, or trusts across England. This can be incredibly helpful when considering educational options for your child. Please use the following link to access the comparison tool. This tool offers a comprehensive overview, helping you make informed choices. Home - Schools Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool - GOV.UK

We aim to meet the needs of our more able pupils through: Differentiated and open ended activities Problem solving activities Developing thinking skills After school clubs e.g. sports clubs, chess club Use of higher order questions in all areas of the curriculum Extension groups Targeted use of classroom assistants County Pupil Enrichment Programme Music Festival Dance Festival International School work The SENDCo is responsible for coordinating the process of identification of need, provision and review of learning support.

The allocated INSET days for this academic year are as follows: INSET days for 2024-2025; Monday 2nd September 2024 Friday 25th October 2024 Friday 20th December 2024 Monday 24th February 2025 Monday 2nd June 2025

We have been by advised by the police of some useful information which you might find of interest when considering ways to keep children safe online and offline. Please follow the links below: We have been by advised by the police of some useful information which you might find of interest when considering ways to keep children safe online and offline. Please follow the links below: Snapchat - advice is here Facebook - advice is here Instagram - advice is here Twitter - advice is here WhatsApp - advice is here FIFA - advice is here Other websites which you might find useful: Get Safe Online: http://www.getsafeonline.org/ ThinkUKnow: http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ CEOP Website: http://www.ceop.police.uk/ CEOP is a website of the National Crime Agency and is dedicated to tackling the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and young people. CEOP helps children and young people under the age of 18 who have been forced or manipulated into taking part, or are being pressured to take part, in sexual activity of any kind. This can be both online and offline. The CEOP Safety Centre offers information and advice for children and young people, parents and carers and professionals. You can visit the CEOP Safety Centre and make a report directly to CEOP by clicking the Click CEOP button. Online bullying or other concerns should not be reported to CEOP and children and young people should be directed to speak to an adult they trust, and/or referred to Childline 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk. NSPCC: https://www.net-aware.org.uk/ National Online Safety - Fortnite Guide for Parents & Carers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j150BqInjnY Here is a link from e-Safe - How to keep your child safe online Tik-Tok Parent Factsheet Guidance regarding the MOMO Challenge Common sense media - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ National Online Safety - Parents Guide to Discord A Guide to Keeping Your Child Safe Online - Sept 2019 National Online Safety Advice – Fortnite Chapter 2 Click here for further information Guidance re Tik Tok - December 2020 Family Agreement - E-Safety

We are proud to be classed as a good school. Leaders are determined that by the time pupils leave Castlewood, they will be ‘world ready’. This ambition is realised through a school-wide culture of high expectations in terms of pupils’ learning, behaviour and character development. As a result, pupils achieve well and show resilience with their learning. Parents and carers appreciate this culture, with one saying, ‘The exceptional teaching inspires my child, not only to reach their potential but also to foster an understanding of the world around them, enhancing their overall well-being.’ FULL REPORT

Online Safety at Castlewood Primary School At Castlewood Primary School, we prioritise the digital safety of our pupils. Our comprehensive online safety program, as part of our Education 4 Safeguarding curriculum (PSHE) ensures pupils are well-equipped to navigate the digital world safely. We integrate online safety into our E4S curriculum, undertake staff training and provide resources for parents and carers in our weekly newsletter to foster a safe and responsible online environment. Stay informed and protect your child by exploring our guidelines and resources on how to stay safe online here. For Parents - The ABC Checklist With Christmas just around the corner, the holiday period is a great time to take stock of the devices they have (plus any new Xmas devices) and ensure they are set up correctly with any parental features you feel are appropriate for your child. One frustrating issue is that the available features and how you set devices up differ, so to help parents Internet Matters have really good, non-techie guides which you can follow as part of their ABC Checklist. ABC stands for: A - Activate parental controls. B - Balance screen time. C - Check and chat. You can find a full explanation, set up guides and advice HERE. For Parents - Emotional Safety on Roblox The Jed Foundation have put together a great guide for parents regarding emotional safety/wellbeing on Roblox. Although the guide refers to US teens, I would say this guide is appropriate for all children, not just teens. It covers cyberbullying, signs a teen might be struggling online and what parents can do. You can find the guide HERE.

Please use the following link to explore our current results in Reading, Writing and Maths published on the Gov UK website: This includes information about the school, attainment, finances and workforce. Results

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Castlewood Primary School. Castlewood is a friendly, happy and successful school, where we strive to give each and every child the very best educational experience possible, alongside a very healthy dose of fun! We know that an excellent curriculum goes beyond the classroom and so, as well as focusing on those all-important academic skills, we also work very hard to develop the 'whole child', ensuring that our pupils leave primary school as 'world-ready, life-long learners'. ​ In our school, we have polite, happy, hardworking children; talented, dedicated staff as well as a supportive Governing Body and a thriving parental community. We have the highest aspirations for all our children and, through our partnership with parents, we aim for our pupils to become the best learners that they can be. Mrs K Anstee-Brown Please download our new Prospectus for 2024/2025. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the School Office on 01403 734822

The Pupil Premium is allocated to children from low-income families who are currently known to be eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and children who have been "looked after" continuously for more than six months. Schools are free to spend the Pupil Premium as we see fit and we are held accountable for how we have used the additional funding to support pupils from low-income families. We publish information about how we have used the Premium so that parents and others are made fully aware of the attainment of pupils covered by the Premium and the extra support they receive. At our school, we believe that it is our role to ensure that EVERY child achieves to the best of their ability and is supported and developed, regardless of their ability level and whether or not they are achieving the age related expectations. Our children matter to us and, together with Parents and Carers, we work to ensure that they gain the knowledge, skills and enriching experiences that allow them to access and succeed at the next stage of their education and go on to achieve successful, happy lives. We monitor these interventions closely, ensuring that they are effective, and that children make the additional progress they need to make in order to catch up. At Castlewood Primary School, we believe that by directing the Pupil Premium funding in a variety of ways, we will realign the chances for FSM children to achieve as well as their non-FSM peers and to enjoy the same breadth of experiences. Pupil Premium has a wide number of aims: To increase social mobility To enable more pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to get to the top universities To reduce the attainment gap between the highest and lowest attaining pupils nationally Please feel free to download the full reports on our Pupil Premium expenditure and strategy. PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT STRATEGY 2024 - 2025 PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT STRATEGY 2023 - 2026 PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT STRATEGY 2021 - 2022 PUPIL PREMIUM GRANT STRATEGY 2020 - 2021

To report absence we have recently introduced Studybugs. This allows parents a quick and easy mobile solution to report their child's absence. You can download the app from the following platforms. Just click the links below and follow the instructions to sign up. If your child is unable to attend school for any reason, please notify the school before 9:30am either by phone on 01403 734822 or via e-mail to office@castlewoodprimary.co.uk.

Please click the link below to download a copy of the request for absence form We would like to draw your attention to the second page which explains our policy on absence from school and we hope you will feel able to support our aim in keeping school absence to a minimum.

Castlewood Primary school is proud to be a part of UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools Award (RRSA). This means that UNICEF have recognised the school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of our school’s planning, policies, practice and ethos. A rights-respecting school not only teaches about children’s rights but also models rights and respect in all its relationships: between teachers / adults and pupils, between adults and between pupils. We have embedded the ethos, attitudes and language of the CRC into the make up of our school. Children, adults and visitors are all encouraged to think about their own ‘rights’ and their ‘responsibilities’ to others around them in the school community. The CRC provides a clear link for pupils between building up their rights-respecting school, understanding their rights and the need for children’s rights to be realised everywhere. Children and young people in rights-respecting schools develop a stronger sense of the need to act for global justice.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AT SCHOOL Safeguarding is Everybody’s Responsibility. Children have a right to be cared for and protected; protecting them is everyone’s responsibility. Here at Castlewood Primary School we have a duty of care to ensure that all users of the school are kept safe from harm. We are committed to provide a secure and supportive environment in which children can develop and grow into mature and responsible people. Safeguarding children is an essential part of our holistic approach to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect and that every child reaches their full potential. The school’s staff, volunteers and service providers have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as a shared responsibility with parents and other carers. To support this statement, the school may signpost to services that are specialised to promote opportunity, prevent problems, act early and act effectively if and when concerns arise. Therefore, we will report to Children’s Social Care if we have any reason to believe that a child may be at risk of suffering abuse or neglect. Parents/carers are normally our first point of contact, and if a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents/carers will be informed at the same time that the record is made; we will support parents/carers and ensure we work in collaboration with them to protect children. Working with parents/carers to prevent abuse is our primary aim and only when that has failed or in emergency situations will a referral be made to social care. When a referral is made to social care parents will be notified beforehand, except when guidance from social care or the police does not allow this. We cannot safeguard children alone. All children’s services work in partnership with each other. There are duties and rules about information sharing but if staff, parents or carers have any concerns about a child, other parent, provider, agency or any person, they have a responsibility to report those concerns and we must record and act on them. We have a ‘Castlewood Primary School Safeguarding and Child Protection policy’ which is underpinned by the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board Procedures, the document ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and Safer Recruitment guidance. The policy applies to all children and young people regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion. It is a requirement that all users are informed of these policies and practice guidance and what they should do if they have concerns. The safeguarding policy is available from the school office or on our website. Our Designated Members of Staff are: Kirsty Anstee-Brown Vicky Dedman If you are concerned about a child’s welfare, please record your concern, and any observations or conversation heard, and report to a Designated Member of Staff as soon as possible the same day. Do NOT conduct your own investigation. There is a designated email address to notify the school of any concerns: dsl@castlewoodprimary.co.uk If your concerns relate to the actions or behaviour of a member of staff (which could suggest that they are unsuitable to work with children) then you should report this to one of the Designated Members of Staff in confidence, who will refer the matter to the Headteacher (or the Chair of the Governing Body if the concern relates to the Headteacher) who will act accordingly. If you think a child or young person may be in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise contact West Sussex County Council’s Integrated Front Door (IFD) on 01403 229900.

School Milk: Please use the link below to order milk for your child. https://www.coolmilk.com/ School meals: Hot Dinners are provided by The Easy Lunch Company. The food is cooked off site and delivered to our premises. You can use the link below to find out more and order any lunches required, or you can call 01403 741177. http://theeasylunchcompany.co.uk/ Free School Meals In these difficult times, I expect many of you are trying to cope with a change in your financial situation. Depending on your family income and circumstances, you may not only be eligible for a free hot school lunch but also enable the school to access extra funding of over £1000 per pupil, often referred to as Pupil Premium. This enables the school to pay for extra resources, staffing and other after-school activities. Therefore, please consider applying online via https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/free-school-meals/#how-to-apply or completing the forms below and returning them the School Office so that we can send it off to check that both you and the school are not missing out on extra funding. Of course, any information will be treated in the strictest confidence. Free School Meals Application Form

SOCS - our parent/teacher organisation - can supply uniform, both new and pre-loved. Supermarket bought uniform is fine, too, but we do like the children to have a Castlewood sweatshirt or cardigan and PE T-shirt. You can order your uniform online here: https://form.jotform.com/socsuniform/uniform-order PLEASE NOTE – Items can be ordered on a termly basis (order deadline dates will be advised by SOCS on an ongoing basis) and will usually be available for collection via school 10-14 days later. The school colours are Royal Blue and Grey and we would encourage all parents and pupils to support the school by wearing uniform. Royal blue school jumper/sweatshirt or cardigan White polo shirt Grey skirt or pinafore dress or grey trousers or shorts White, grey or dark socks or white or grey tights Sensible black shoes or all-black trainers - no white/coloured soles, designs or laces as these will not be permitted (unless they are worn just for PE) Blue striped or checked dress for summer Short sleeved shirt or polo shirt for summer P.E. Kit House T-shirt Navy blue shorts / dark coloured, plain joggers / dark, plain or house- coloured sweatshirt, no hoodies please. Trainers P.E. bag It would be helpful if all items of school uniform could be clearly named. An old shirt or painting apron would be very helpful for painting or craft lessons. Jewellery A watch and small stud earrings are the only items of jewellery allowed in school. Hair All children are requested to tie their hair up, where it is long enough to do so (shoulder length) to prevent the spread of head lice and for safety in PE lessons. Hair must be of natural colour; extreme styles and brightly dyed hair are not permitted. All over hair cuts should be no shorter than a number 2. Smart fades are permitted. Plain hair accessories may be worn but large hair accessories such as bows or hair extensions will not be allowed. Children should not have haircuts that could distract other children, including ‘fashion’ haircuts such as shaved patterns. Your support with our school policy is much appreciated.

Our school SENDCo is Mrs Becky Moore, for all enquiries about Special Educational Needs, please contact the school office by email in the first instance on office@castlewoodprimary.co.uk. SEND REPORT

We are fortunate at our school to have a thriving and friendly PTA that’s an integral part of the school community. Over the last two years we have raised almost £20,000, which has been spent on equipment and resources to enhance our children’s educational experience and the school’s facilities, such as 15 new ipads, interactive screens for the classrooms, reading books, Leavers hoodies and even mushroom docking stations for the children’s scooters. We are a lively and creative association which is about much more than simply fundraising. SOCS exists to provide closer links between home and school and it is an excellent way to bring staff, parents, friends and our local community together socially in support of the school, working towards a common goal. It’s fun too - just ask any of the Committee members or volunteers! All parents and members of the school community are encouraged to get involved, even if they only have a small amount of time available. All families are automatically members of SOCS when their child joins our school. We welcome all support. FIND US ON FACEBOOK Our committee is: Co-Chairs – Lucy Dunn and Gemma Redford Vice Chair – Caz Forsyth Secretary – Jacqui Richards Treasurer – Paul Helsby Email: socs@castlewoodprimary.co.uk

The government has provided additional ring-fenced funding to support the improved provision of PE and sport in primary schools. Schools can choose how they use the funding for example to: · Hire specialist PE teachers or qualified sports coaches to work with teachers during PE lessons. · Support and involve the least active children by running after school sports clubs. · Provide resources and training courses in PE and sport for teachers. · Run sporting competitions or increase pupils’ participation in such events. ALLOCATED SPENDING 21/22 ALLOCATED SPENDING 22/23 ALLOCATED SPENDING 23/24

West Sussex County Council Here To Help from West Sussex County Council West Sussex Community Hub Families who are not eligible for Free School Meals can access support for food and essentials via the West Sussex Community Hub on 0330 222 7980 which is open 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00 – 17:00 weekends and bank holidays. More information can be found at; https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/support-during-the-pandemic/community-hub-covid-19/ Horsham Foodbank Horsham foodbank are a source of help to families in need. This link will take you to their website - https://horshamdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/ Alternatively, please call 0300 124 0204 to speak to Horsham Matters, a referral partner of Horsham District Foodbank, who will be able to issue you with a food bank voucher if necessary.

Breakfast Club V.I.M. run our breakfast club at Castlewood Primary school. Children arrive around 7.30am and are greeted with a healthy breakfast. The children head to class at 8.30am to start their school day after a relaxing, fun morning. After School Club After school club have two staff members each day. We love to get outside as much as possible, to play games, use the parachute or simply run around with friends. We have inside areas to relax, do arts & crafts, play DS or watch a rainy day movie. Snacks include wraps with a choice of filling, toasties, fruit, juice, bread sticks with humous, rice cakes and much more. All children can have something to eat before heading home for their main meal. Info for Breakfast & After School Club Breakfast Club 7.30am to 8.30am £6.50 per session. After School Club 3.15pm – 5pm – £12.00 per session 3.15pm – 6pm – £15.50 per session Ofsted Number 2743867 For further information visit: vimcamps.com