ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL MORPETH TERRACE LONDON SW1P 1EP TEL: FAX:

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1 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL MORPETH TERRACE LONDON SW1P 1EP TEL: FAX: HEADTEACHER: MR J. O NEILL CHAIR OF GOVERNORS: MR J. MORUZZI THE VISION OF OUR SCHOOL IS TO CREATE A WARM, LOVING, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, TO LIVE THE GOSPEL AND TO ENABLE EACH INDIVIDUAL TO REALISE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

2 ST VINCENT DE PAUL RC PRIMARY SCHOOL Morpeth Terrace London SW1P 1EP Founded in 1859 by The Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Tel: Fax: Headteacher M J O Neill STB MA Dear Parents, Welcome to St. Vincent de Paul School. We are a voluntary aided Roman Catholic School situated next to Westminster Cathedral. Governors admit children between the ages of 3 and 11 years. The school recognises that children will come to learn of God's love first of all in their own homes. In partnership with parents, we provide an environment for living and sharing our faith through prayer, meaningful child-centred liturgies and assemblies, which all promote Christ's message. "Love one another as I have loved you". The children are educated in a well-disciplined, caring environment following the National Curriculum guidelines. This enables them to reach high standards that will prepare them for further education in their secondary schools. We welcome you to St Vincent de Paul School and look forward to a happy and successful association over the coming years. Yours sincerely, J. O Neill Headteacher The School Governors: (Chair) Mr J. Moruzzi may be contacted through:- The Clerk to the Governors St. Vincent de Paul School Morpeth Terrace London SW1P 1EP Local Education Office: Director of Education Westminster City Council 64 Victoria Street London SW1P 6QP 2

3 A SHORT HISTORY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL SCHOOL The foundation of St Vincent de Paul RC Primary School dates back to 1859 when the school was founded by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. In June 1859, Sister Marie Chatelain, who had nursed in the Crimea with Florence Nightingale, arrived in London with a small band of Sisters. The intention was to set up a small convent and to work among the poor of Westminster. The Sisters moved into 8 York Street (now known as Petty France) and on 19 July 1859, at a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Wiseman, the first child was admitted. The Sisters established an orphanage as well as a day school for local Catholic children, which continued to grow when the Sisters moved to Park Street and then to Carlisle Place. The school was a private school (sixpence per week) until, in 1914, it was recognised as a Public Elementary School for Infants and Girls. In the 1920s a Day Continuation School was opened for girls up to 18 years old and by 1955 there were 720 pupils at St Vincent's. The popularity of the school meant that it was outgrowing its premises and so, in the early 1970s the senior school amalgamated with St Aloysius Grammar School to form, what is now, Maria Fidelis Secondary Girls School. In 1974 St Vincent de Paul RC Primary School moved from Carlisle Place to the present site. The school acknowledges its debt to the Sisters of Charity and particularly to the foundress of the school, Sister Marie Chatelain. The school badge is the reverse side of the Miraculous Medal, shown to St Catherine Laboure, of the Sisters of Charity, by Our Lady. The badge is a continued reminder of our long association with the Sisters of Charity as well as a reminder of our Catholic faith. 3

4 Our School Mission Statement Jesus said, Love one another as I have loved you The vision of our school is to create a warm, loving, safe, learning environment, to live the Gospel and to enable each individual to realize their full potential To live out our School Mission Statement we strive to: appreciate and celebrate the uniqueness of every individual and enable them to develop and share their talents. show respect for everyone and for our environment. involve parents at every stage, as we recognise their role in their child s development. live the Gospel, in our daily lives, through collective worship, liturgy, prayer, reflection and exploration of faith. The school celebrates the Catholic faith throughout the Church s year. The school community gathers to celebrate Feast days and the Eucharist 4

5 AIMS St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Primary School was founded by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in 1859 to provide for the needs of Roman Catholic families within this part of the Diocese of Westminster by providing an environment where the Gospel values of Christ are experienced by the whole school community. We aim at St. Vincent de Paul to:- 1. Create a happy and stimulating working environment which encourages children to develop and fulfil their own potential. 2. Encourage and instil in children an excitement and awareness of the world around them. 3. Provide equal opportunities for all children to acquire, through a broad and balanced curriculum, the appropriate reading, writing and mathematical skills to equip themselves for a wider world. 4. Encourage children to develop an awareness of themselves and sensitivity to the needs of others. 5. Foster and encourage children's Catholic Christian beliefs and to develop an understanding and tolerance of other religious faiths and cultures. The constitution of the school states: "Religious observances and education in the school shall be in accordance with the rites and practices and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church". The Bishop and governors of the school intend that pupils should receive an education of a high standard provided by teachers dedicated to the task of the Christian formation of children and young people in an atmosphere pervaded by Gospel values and the message of Christ. The governors have agreed that all parents seeking a place for their child at the school will be asked to sign a form to signify that they understand and accept this statement of purpose and aims. 5

6 St Vincent de Paul School SCHOOL UNIFORM LIST Peter Jones, Sloane Square, London SW1 is the school s outfitter. Winter Navy blue pinafore dress White blouse/shirt School tie School sweatshirt Navy blue tights Navy blue school blazer (optional) Grey trousers or shorts Navy blue or black coat Black shoes Summer Blue check dress White socks Yellow Polo shirt (no tie) Grey trousers or shorts Grey socks Black shoes PE White school T-shirt Navy blue shorts Plain navy blue sweatshirt and jogging bottoms Trainers or plimsolls Nursery Plain white T-shirt and plain navy blue shorts worn under a plain navy blue sweatshirt and plain navy blue jogging bottoms. Trainers/plimsolls. Jewellery: For reasons of health and safety, no jewellery is to be worn in school. Plain stud earrings may be worn by pupils who have pierced ears. A plain watch may be worn. Hair ornaments need to be in school colours (no hard plastic or metal). 6

7 The School Information Profile is available on line at and the latest school Ofsted report can be viewed on line at SCHOOL ORGANISATION The school is a one form entry, Roman Catholic, Voluntary Aided Primary School with a Nursery. There is a nursery class and seven mixed ability group year classes, which enables the school to cater for 250 children. NURSERY CLASS Children are accepted into the nursery class from the age of three years, as vacancies arise. There are two half day sessions, from am and from pm. There are a proportion of full time places, which are allocated, on the basis of age, to the twenty eldest children. Parents should bring and collect their children promptly. The school cannot be responsible for children before the opening time of each session. Children should be dressed in school uniform and trainers/plimsolls they can manage themselves. Children follow a wide programme of activities planned by the Teacher and Nursery Nurse and receive the widest possible range of learning experiences and opportunities for exploration. There is no automatic entry to the school from the Nursery. A separate application must be made for a place in the school. SCHOOL TIMES Nursery Part time Part time Full time Key Stage 1 (Infants) am: noon pm: pm pm 8.55 am pm 1.25 pm 3.30 pm Key Stage 2 (Juniors) 8.55 am pm 1.25 pm 3.30 pm 7

8 SCHOOL DAY Children should be in the playground at 8.55a.m, (the gates to the playground open at 8.45 am), where they will be supervised and then met by their class teacher at 9.00 a.m. On wet mornings the school will be open from 8.50a.m. to enable children to wait in the school hall, where they will again be supervised by school staff. LATENESS It is very important that children are on time. Children, who are late, have to sign a late book and those, who come in after 9.30am, have to report to the school secretary. Parents are asked to sign the late book on behalf of very young children or to report with the child to the school secretary's office, as appropriate. If lateness persists, parents are likely to be contacted for an explanation, either by the school or by the Educational Welfare Officer, who checks registers regularly. END OF DAY The school day ends at 3.30pm. Children must be collected from the playground, where they will be with their teachers. It is vital for parents to be on time, as it is very distressing for children not to be collected at the same time as their classmates. ATTENDANCE Children are expected to attend school regularly unless they are ill. If a child is absent, it is necessary for the parent to telephone the school at the commencement of the absence and to provide a letter explaining the reason for the absence when the child returns. This is termed authorised absence. Any absence will be treated as unauthorised if no reason has been given. These absences are also considered as truancy, and the Educational Welfare Officer may visit the family. Please inform class teachers of any dental or hospital appointments (an appointment card is sufficient). If parents call to collect their child for an appointment during the school day, they must go to the office first. Children must be signed out and in on their return at the school office. Regular attendance at school is vital for children's education, particularly at the beginning of term, when they are settling down and starting new projects. Current legislation does not allow children to take holidays during term time at all. Permission may be granted by the Headteacher, in extenuating circumstances, but only after a meeting with parents. School Attendance for the school year Attendance 95.0% Authorised Absence 5.1% Unauthorised Absence 0.0% 8

9 DISCIPLINE Children at St. Vincent de Paul School are expected to be well mannered, courteous and polite, to obey the school rules, to work together with children and teachers, making a happy, hard-working atmosphere, where everyone is valued as an individual and where everyone has a contribution to make to the life of the school. The Head Teacher has overall responsibility for the school discipline. Individual teachers are responsible not only for the good conduct and discipline of their own class pupils but share a wider responsibility for discipline throughout the school. If normal school discipline has no effect on a child's behaviour, the parents will be asked to attend the school to discuss the problem. BULLYING Any behaviour aimed at intentionally intimidating a child, such as hitting, threatening, teasing or persistently excluding them from games, is considered bullying and will not be tolerated in school. Children who experience bullying should never retaliate but must be encouraged to report such incidents to a teacher or to the Head Teacher. All reported cases of bullying will be acted upon. Parents of children, who continually cause problems, will be contacted directly. If, after that, there is no improvement in the behaviour, further action will be taken, which may result in suspension from school. INCLUSION We are committed to fully include all children who attend the school whatever their physical, social or emotional needs. In our endeavour to support children s full inclusion, the School Learning Mentor and SENCO work in conjunction with parents and a variety of external agencies. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS As a school, we are committed to ensuring optimum provision for children with Special Educational Needs. We believe in early identification and tailored support in all areas of the curriculum using a range of support strategies. The school aims to enrich pupils' educational experiences, and maximise their potential across the ability range; incorporating the concept that learning is a continuum. The school follows the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, published by the DfES. Children who have Special Educational Needs are identified, assessed and provided for, following the guidelines in the Code of Practice. Children are monitored and records kept of their progress. When appropriate, outside agencies are involved to ensure that the children's needs are addressed. If parents have concerns about their child s progress they are encouraged to speak to the class teacher in the first instance. The School has a Disability Accessibility Plan to carry out changes to the school site to develop disabled access. Currently, there is disabled access on the ground floor of the school via the Nursery entrance. 9

10 MEDICAL AND SOCIAL CARE Under Westminster City Council regulations, the health and well-being of the children are carefully supervised while in school. The School Nurse attends the school regularly and each child is examined at least once during their time at the school. If a child has an accident at school, the child will be seen by a trained first aider and, if necessary, parents are sent for. During their school days, the children's sight, hearing and dental health is routinely examined and parents are notified if there is any need for treatment. With the full approval of the School Nurse and Dentist, no sweets are allowed in school packed lunches. Children in the Nursery and Key Stage 1 are provided with a piece of fruit to eat at break times and children in Key Stage 2 are encouraged to bring in a piece of fruit. The School Learning Mentor is able to support children with social or emotional difficulties. However, the Educational Welfare Officer looks after any social problems of a permanent or temporary nature which affect the children, and is able to offer help and advice. In some cases help can be arranged in the form of free school meals and financial help for school journeys. Do not hesitate to ask if you need help. Medicines: It is the school policy that staff do not administer medication to children. Medicines may not be given to the children during the day, except by parents. Exceptions may be made in the case of medical conditions of a serious nature by arrangement with the Headteacher. Money and Toys: Children are not allowed to bring money or toys to school unless specific permission is given. If money is brought into school with permission, it should be in a sealed envelope with the amount, child's name and class. It should be given to the child's class teacher at the start of the school day. Jewellery: For reasons of health and safety, no jewellery is to be worn in school. Plain stud earrings may be worn by pupils who have pierced ears. A plain watch may be worn. Hair ornaments need to be in school colours (no hard plastic or metal). School Meals: Meals are cooked on the school premises and the majority of children stay to lunch. Lunch money must be paid in advance. Details from the school office. Free school meals are available if the family receives Income Support or is in receipt of the Tax Credit Award. Changing from packed lunch to school lunch or vice versa requires a term's notice. Children who have packed lunches (no sweets or chocolate are allowed with packed lunches), should be able to manage their packed lunch unaided. Therefore, all Nursery children have school meals. WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL AND THE SCHOOL CHAPLAIN The school enjoys a close relationship with Westminster Cathedral, which is the Parish Church of the school. Sunday 9.00 am Family Masses at Westminster Cathedral are attended by the majority of school families who live in Westminster Cathedral Parish and the singing is often led by the school choir. Many of the altar servers at the Cathedral attend the school. 10

11 The School Chaplain is a member of the Cathedral Clergy. He visits the school regularly and takes part in the whole school assembly on Tuesday afternoons. Parents are welcome to attend school Masses and assemblies EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES There are a number of extra curricular activity opportunities available for children at the school, which include sports clubs and coaching, tuition in languages, and dance as well as homework and games clubs. Parents are informed of these at the beginning of the autumn term. PARENTS, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION There is an active Parent, Teachers and Friends Association attached to the school. Parents automatically become members when their child joins the school and are urged to attend the meetings and functions. Some parents help in the school or act as escorts on school outings, trips to swimming lessons etc. The PTFA organises a number of fundraising and social events throughout the year and more help is always needed. The Association is valued as an important means of communication between the school and parents. There is a coffee morning for parents, run by the PTFA, every Tuesday morning in the school. SCHOOL SECURITY The school regards the safety of your child as paramount. The main gate is kept closed during the day. Access can be obtained through an entry-phone system to the school office. Security cameras are also in use to survey the premises. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SCHOOL MAINTENANCE FUND Each year we ask parents to contribute towards the school Maintenance/Building Fund. We ask each family to contribute 45 per academic year (a percentage of which has to be given to the Diocese of Westminster) to enable us to continue to maintain, improve and develop the school building and grounds. As a Catholic community it is part of our responsibility to do all we can to maintain the school for our children and for future generations. CURRICULUM All curriculum policies and practice at St Vincent de Paul aim to assist and promote high achievement of all pupils, regardless of race, sex, disability or background. The School follows the National Curriculum. The curriculum provision is constantly reviewed by staff and governors following Local Education Authority and DfES guidelines. Children s progress is assessed and tracked and there are opportunities for parents to discuss their child s progress with class teachers. SEX EDUCATION At St Vincent de Paul we consider that sex education is best provided by the parents. We aim to answer children's questions in a sensitive manner at the appropriate level of a child's understanding. The School uses the Archdiocese of Birmingham s All That I Am 11

12 programme which has been recommended by the Archdiocese of Westminster to support children in Yr 5 & Yr 6 with parental consent. Health education is provided in conjunction with the School Nurse. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION The spiritual development of the child is of paramount importance and permeates every aspect of school life. It is the school's hope that each child will come to learn of God's love first of all in their own homes. Through the example and commitment of the parents, the child will be led to develop a loving and trusting relationship with God the Father, His son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The school aims to complement and develop this teaching. As a worshipping community, school Masses and assemblies are held regularly. The 'Here I Am' syllabus, recommended by Westminster Diocese, provides the basis of our Religious Education programme. TEACHER / PARENT CONSULTATION EVENINGS Individual Parent evenings are arranged three times a year. The purpose of the meetings is to enable the parents and teacher to discuss the child's progress and to share any concerns. A written report is given by the class teacher for each child at the end of the academic year. The Headteacher meets with the parents of each class once a term to discuss the curriculum and as a forum for parents to voice opinions and concerns. CONCERNS OR WORRIES The school encourages parents to make an appointment to see the class teacher or the Headteacher if a parent has any concerns or worries regarding their child. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES The school has an Equal Opportunities Policy, which is reviewed regularly in the light of Local Education Authority and Diocesan guidelines for schools. SCHOOL VISITS Visits to the school by prospective parents are welcome. Please phone the school to arrange an appointment ( ). 12