An introduction to our school
CHILDREN
We have approximately 200 children on roll in 8 single age classes. Our projected pupil numbers for September 2007 are around 170 pupils which will necessitate a review of our school structure. Our current thinking is that there will be six classes, with three classes in Years 3 and 4 and three classes in Years 5 and 6.
Our children come from Innsworth, Churchdown, Longlevens, Sandhurst, Longford and Down Hatherley. However, if we have availability, we can offer places to pupils from further afield.
Approximately 40% of our pupils are from Service families [largely RAF] and because of the imminent Innsworth RAF camp closure, we are experiencing a temporary drop in pupil numbers. We are optimistic that this trend will be reversed when an announcement is made about the plans for the future usage of the camp.
Whilst many children remain at Innsworth Junior for their full four years at the Junior stage, others, because of their Service background, move more frequently. We do not distinguish between backgrounds and treat all pupils equally.
Our pupils display a wide range of abilities, behaviours and needs. We are a school which values everyone as an individual and therefore we pride ourselves on the educational provision we offer.
STAFFING
From September 2007 we will have 5 full-time teachers, including a deputy headteacher, three part time teachers [two are 'job share' and a third being mornings only], a Special Needs teacher for 2.5 days and a headteacher.
The Senior Management Team comprises of the headteacher and members of the teaching staff, who hold a Teaching and Learning responsibility.
Mrs Hamblett, our highly valued school secretary, is supported in the afternoons by a very efficient admin assistant.
We currently have classroom assistants in all year groups and these are used to support children's learning across the curriculum. Two of our classroom assistants are now Higher Level teaching assistants which mean that there will be times when they take responsibility for a class. By September we expect more of our TAs to have undergone this training as we are very proud of our workforce and feel that this is a natural development for our school.
We also have teaching assistants, who work solely with individual children who have Statements of Educational Needs.
The school premises are looked after by our highly skilled caretaker, Mr Birch. A tour of our school will stand testament to the work he has undertaken during the last four years. He has a team of four cleaners in his charge.
Our lunchtime staff comprises of four midday supervisors, with Mrs Turner being the senior one. These four members of staff take control of both the eating arrangements and the organisation out in the playground during the lunch hour.
GOVERNORS
Our governors are proactive in supporting the work of the school and take their responsibility for school development very seriously. They are involved in formulating and regulating policies as well monitoring spending and pupil progress.
BUILDINGS/GROUNDS
Our buildings are light, airy and pleasant. We have eight classrooms, a separate library, a Computer Suite, Special Needs room and a well-equipped hall. Our staff room is often home to individual children needing a place to sit and read with an adult.
We are the proud owners of a designated area known as 'The Growing Beds'. This was developed in 2006, as a result of being part of the 'Health4schools' initiative. This has now been integrated into the school curriculum and during the summer months, children can be seen watering, weeding and tending their year group's plants.
During 2007/8 we will be involved in moving our Ecology area from its present inaccessible position to one that will complement our Growing Beds and therefore, become much more useful to our school curriculum. This will be a major project and will have a fairly substantial pond at its centre. The completion of this outdoor classroom will see tables and benches being erected in order for whole classes to benefit from these outdoor facilities.
We have a field with either a football pitch or two rounders pitches. Our playground is a reasonable size with two netball courts and an area known as the Quiet Area. This area is currently having a 'facelift' with new seating being installed around the trees.
We are very fortunate that we are able to use the new Innsworth Community Hall, which has recently been built on our site. This allows us to access the brand new kitchen facilities as well as the purpose built games hall.
We have approximately 200 children on roll in 8 single age classes. Our projected pupil numbers for September 2007 are around 170 pupils which will necessitate a review of our school structure. Our current thinking is that there will be six classes, with three classes in Years 3 and 4 and three classes in Years 5 and 6.
Our children come from Innsworth, Churchdown, Longlevens, Sandhurst, Longford and Down Hatherley. However, if we have availability, we can offer places to pupils from further afield.
Approximately 40% of our pupils are from Service families [largely RAF] and because of the imminent Innsworth RAF camp closure, we are experiencing a temporary drop in pupil numbers. We are optimistic that this trend will be reversed when an announcement is made about the plans for the future usage of the camp.
Whilst many children remain at Innsworth Junior for their full four years at the Junior stage, others, because of their Service background, move more frequently. We do not distinguish between backgrounds and treat all pupils equally.
Our pupils display a wide range of abilities, behaviours and needs. We are a school which values everyone as an individual and therefore we pride ourselves on the educational provision we offer.
STAFFING
From September 2007 we will have 5 full-time teachers, including a deputy headteacher, three part time teachers [two are 'job share' and a third being mornings only], a Special Needs teacher for 2.5 days and a headteacher.
The Senior Management Team comprises of the headteacher and members of the teaching staff, who hold a Teaching and Learning responsibility.
Mrs Hamblett, our highly valued school secretary, is supported in the afternoons by a very efficient admin assistant.
We currently have classroom assistants in all year groups and these are used to support children's learning across the curriculum. Two of our classroom assistants are now Higher Level teaching assistants which mean that there will be times when they take responsibility for a class. By September we expect more of our TAs to have undergone this training as we are very proud of our workforce and feel that this is a natural development for our school.
We also have teaching assistants, who work solely with individual children who have Statements of Educational Needs.
The school premises are looked after by our highly skilled caretaker, Mr Birch. A tour of our school will stand testament to the work he has undertaken during the last four years. He has a team of four cleaners in his charge.
Our lunchtime staff comprises of four midday supervisors, with Mrs Turner being the senior one. These four members of staff take control of both the eating arrangements and the organisation out in the playground during the lunch hour.
GOVERNORS
Our governors are proactive in supporting the work of the school and take their responsibility for school development very seriously. They are involved in formulating and regulating policies as well monitoring spending and pupil progress.
BUILDINGS/GROUNDS
Our buildings are light, airy and pleasant. We have eight classrooms, a separate library, a Computer Suite, Special Needs room and a well-equipped hall. Our staff room is often home to individual children needing a place to sit and read with an adult.
We are the proud owners of a designated area known as 'The Growing Beds'. This was developed in 2006, as a result of being part of the 'Health4schools' initiative. This has now been integrated into the school curriculum and during the summer months, children can be seen watering, weeding and tending their year group's plants.
During 2007/8 we will be involved in moving our Ecology area from its present inaccessible position to one that will complement our Growing Beds and therefore, become much more useful to our school curriculum. This will be a major project and will have a fairly substantial pond at its centre. The completion of this outdoor classroom will see tables and benches being erected in order for whole classes to benefit from these outdoor facilities.
We have a field with either a football pitch or two rounders pitches. Our playground is a reasonable size with two netball courts and an area known as the Quiet Area. This area is currently having a 'facelift' with new seating being installed around the trees.
We are very fortunate that we are able to use the new Innsworth Community Hall, which has recently been built on our site. This allows us to access the brand new kitchen facilities as well as the purpose built games hall.
OUR QUIET AREA
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We are known to be a friendly but efficient school. Relationships are based on trust and mutual respect. We are a team, who work well together in order for all children to make the best possible progress, whilst enjoying the environment in which they find themselves. As a school we are very honest and open with people and we value the relationship we have with our parents.
We consider that that the only way we can do the best for our children is by home and school working together. Everything we do at Innsworth Junior School should support this approach.
We take self evaluation very seriously and so we constantly strive to improve what we do. This will often take the form of sending out questionnaires to pupils and parents as we are not afraid to challenge ourselves.
The staff are extremely conscientious and go the 'extra mile' when needed. The headteacher and governors greatly appreciate the commitment of such a dedicated staff.
We believe in good discipline and a firm, friendly approach to children is encouraged. Our school motto 'Respect' is fundamental to life at Innsworth Junior School. Children are expected to be polite and self-disciplined. Any member of staff is expected to correct any child displaying untoward behaviour.
Our teaching approach is a varied one, depending on the needs of the children. Individual teaching is undertaken when necessary. Children may be grouped by ability for specific tasks otherwise mixed ability grouping takes place. For English and Mathematics we currently employ ability grouping. When year groups are large we make an extra set in the mornings in order to facilitate learning. From September 2007 we expect this extra set to be in either Year 5 or 6.
We place a great emphasis on the teaching of languages throughout the school. We currently have French, Spanish and German taking place within curriculum time.
The headteacher will often take a group of Year 6 higher attainers in Mathematics in order to take them beyond the Key Stage 2 programme and into the Key Stage 3 programme.
Parental help in school is encouraged as we recognise that our parents have skills that we can use to the benefit of our pupils. This support is developed under the teacher's supervision and direction.
Extra curricular provision is a key aspect of our school and we are very fortunate that staff offer a huge variety of activities for the children to choose from. We receive very positive feedback from our parents about the clubs we run.
EXTENDED SCHOOLS
Larkfield Infants run an after school club to which our children are eligible to join. Adult supervisors are on hand to escort the children to the Infant School at the end of the school day.
INNSWORTH SCHOOLS' PARTNERSHIP
The majority of children, who join our school in Year 3 come from Larkfield Infants school. This is our feeder school and is about a ten minute walk from us. Both schools work together to ensure that a smooth transition between Key Stage 1 and 2 takes place. Larkfield are in the process of formulating a website for their school www.larkfield.ik.org
We have two Comprehensive schools in this are of Gloucester to which the majority of our pupils transfer to for the next stage of their education- Churchdown Comprehensive and Chosen Hill Comprehensive. We have developed a close relationship with both secondary schools so that the transition of our pupils to Key Stage 3 is as problem-free as possible.
www.churchdown.gloucs.sch.uk
www.chosen-hill.gloucs.sch.uk
As Gloucestershire still has grammar schools Year 6 pupils are able to take the tests which deem whether they have the necessary ability to enter these schools. Every year we have pupils who take up places at the Gloucester Grammar schools and the prestigious Pate's School in Cheltenham.
We are known to be a friendly but efficient school. Relationships are based on trust and mutual respect. We are a team, who work well together in order for all children to make the best possible progress, whilst enjoying the environment in which they find themselves. As a school we are very honest and open with people and we value the relationship we have with our parents.
We consider that that the only way we can do the best for our children is by home and school working together. Everything we do at Innsworth Junior School should support this approach.
We take self evaluation very seriously and so we constantly strive to improve what we do. This will often take the form of sending out questionnaires to pupils and parents as we are not afraid to challenge ourselves.
The staff are extremely conscientious and go the 'extra mile' when needed. The headteacher and governors greatly appreciate the commitment of such a dedicated staff.
We believe in good discipline and a firm, friendly approach to children is encouraged. Our school motto 'Respect' is fundamental to life at Innsworth Junior School. Children are expected to be polite and self-disciplined. Any member of staff is expected to correct any child displaying untoward behaviour.
Our teaching approach is a varied one, depending on the needs of the children. Individual teaching is undertaken when necessary. Children may be grouped by ability for specific tasks otherwise mixed ability grouping takes place. For English and Mathematics we currently employ ability grouping. When year groups are large we make an extra set in the mornings in order to facilitate learning. From September 2007 we expect this extra set to be in either Year 5 or 6.
We place a great emphasis on the teaching of languages throughout the school. We currently have French, Spanish and German taking place within curriculum time.
The headteacher will often take a group of Year 6 higher attainers in Mathematics in order to take them beyond the Key Stage 2 programme and into the Key Stage 3 programme.
Parental help in school is encouraged as we recognise that our parents have skills that we can use to the benefit of our pupils. This support is developed under the teacher's supervision and direction.
Extra curricular provision is a key aspect of our school and we are very fortunate that staff offer a huge variety of activities for the children to choose from. We receive very positive feedback from our parents about the clubs we run.
EXTENDED SCHOOLS
Larkfield Infants run an after school club to which our children are eligible to join. Adult supervisors are on hand to escort the children to the Infant School at the end of the school day.
INNSWORTH SCHOOLS' PARTNERSHIP
The majority of children, who join our school in Year 3 come from Larkfield Infants school. This is our feeder school and is about a ten minute walk from us. Both schools work together to ensure that a smooth transition between Key Stage 1 and 2 takes place. Larkfield are in the process of formulating a website for their school www.larkfield.ik.org
We have two Comprehensive schools in this are of Gloucester to which the majority of our pupils transfer to for the next stage of their education- Churchdown Comprehensive and Chosen Hill Comprehensive. We have developed a close relationship with both secondary schools so that the transition of our pupils to Key Stage 3 is as problem-free as possible.
www.churchdown.gloucs.sch.uk
www.chosen-hill.gloucs.sch.uk
As Gloucestershire still has grammar schools Year 6 pupils are able to take the tests which deem whether they have the necessary ability to enter these schools. Every year we have pupils who take up places at the Gloucester Grammar schools and the prestigious Pate's School in Cheltenham.