Charging and Remissions

Schools are required to comply with statutory requirements, by publishing details of Charging and Remissions Policy which includes details of the activities or cases where the school will charge pupils’ parents and the circumstances where your school will make an exception on a payment you would normally expect to receive under your charging policy.

The Legal Framework of the charging provisions in the Education Reform Act 1988 are:
• to maintain the right to free school education
• to establish that activities offered wholly or mainly during normal teaching time should be available to all pupils regardless of their parents’/carers’ ability or willingness to help meet the cost
• to give schools discretion to charge for optional activities provided wholly or mainly out of school hours
• to confirm the right of schools to invite voluntary contributions for the benefit of the school or in support of any activity organised by the school whether during or outside school hours Charging Policy Activities without charge There will be no charge for the following activities:
• education provided wholly or mostly during school hours. This includes the supply of any materials, books, instruments, other equipment and also transport provided in school hours to carry pupils between the school and an activity;
• education provided outside school hours if it is part of the National Curriculum, or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination which the pupil is being prepared for at the school, or part of religious education;
• instrumental and vocal music tuition for pupils learning individually or in groups, unless the tuition is provided at the request of the pupil’s parent/carer.

Voluntary Contributions: Where the school cannot levy charges, and it is not possible to make these additional activities within the resources ordinarily available to the school, the school may request or invite parents to make a contribution towards the cost of the trip.

Remissions: All Parents and Carers are made aware that financial support may be made available providing they fulfil the specified criteria. The trust will use information that a child is in receipt of free school meals and/or pupil premium as a starting point and all parents should be advised annually that failure to take up benefits for which they may be eligible may mean that their child does not have access to available funding.

Details of the Trust charging and remissions are published in a policy:

Equalities Objectives

Public bodies, including local-authority-maintained schools, are covered by the public sector equality duty in the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011. This means the trust must publish for each school:
• details of how each school is complying with the public sector equality duty – this will be updated annually
• each schools’ equality objectives – this has to be updated at least once every 4 years.

Ofsted

Both Elmlea Infant and Junior School are highly successful schools with an excellent reputation because happiness and learning go hand-in-hand. Ofsted has judged both schools with the highest grade “Outstanding”.

Elmlea Infant School – Please read our most recent inspection report issued in 2023

Please note that the Ofsted website states that the Elmlea Infant School is closed. This is due to the change of status in 2019 when the school converted from a maintained school to an academy.

Elmlea Junior School – Please read our most recent inspection report here: Ofsted Elmlea Junior School Information

Ofsted Parent View Ofsted Parent View
For parents
Ofsted Parent View gives you the chance to tell Ofsted what you think of your child’s school, including:

• how happy your child is at the school
• how the school manages bullying or challenging behaviour
  If your child has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), we will ask how well the school supports them.
  The questionnaire can be completed at any time – you don’t have to wait until the school is being inspected.
  We will use your responses to help us plan inspections. The information you provide can:
• inform discussions inspectors have with school leaders during an inspection
• help Ofsted decide when to inspect a school
  In addition to this, we also publish the overall summary of the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This information is anonymised.

Elmlea PE Vision
Our school aims to inspire all children to develop a love of physical activity and sport.

Through good physical education, whole school values and a whole child approach, we aim to nurture confident, resilient children who will strive for their personal best. We offer a broad curriculum of sports and activities which build on the children’s knowledge and skills as they progress through school. This is also reflected in our active after school programme where children have opportunities to experience a variety of both externally lead and teacher lead clubs throughout the year.

We aim to ensure that our delivery of physical education allows all children to have the skills and mindset to leave junior school with the capabilities to be successful in their sporting challenges and active lifestyle at secondary school and beyond.

We are committed to ensure our competitive school sport programme allows all children the opportunity to be involved in a range of sports and provide a meaningful experience. Through competitive sport we aim to develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, respect and humility in handling success or disappointment. Through these skills we celebrate children’s success in sport both within school and as part of their own individual achievements in order to recognise their dedication and to inspire others.

We strive to educate both our children and families to develop a greater understanding on how to live healthy lifestyles and make healthy choices. We are dedicated to ensuring healthy minds, as well as healthy bodies and will continue to support our children’s well-being.

PE and Sports Grant

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is a government-backed funding initiative aimed at helping primary schools across England improve their physical education and sport provisions. The Board of Trustees and the joint local governing body committee are responsible for monitoring the impact of the PE and Sport Premium spending and issue an annual report.

Performance Tables KS2

Academic and Performance/Achievement information
• Children’s Services Leaflet
• DFE School Performance Indicators 2016
• DFE School Performance Tables
• KS2-Data-2019

Due to Covid during 2020 and 2021, no national data has been collected or published.

Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and to diminish the differences between them and their peers.

Evidence shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds:
• generally face extra challenges in reaching their potential at school
• often do not perform as well as their peers
The pupil premium grant is designed to allow schools to help disadvantaged pupils by improving their progress and the exam results they achieve.

“It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools per FSM pupil, is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility.” Source – DfE website

At Elmlea, we have high aspirations and ambitions for all our children, and we believe that every child should have equal access to all opportunities. We believe strongly that every pupil, given the right support and expectations, can be motivated to have a passion and thirst for knowledge, and with dedication and commitment to learning can be successful.
We are determined to ensure that our children are given every chance to realise their full potential. Pupil premium funding, along with allocations made from the schools’ own budgets will help ensure this money is spent to maximum effect.

Pupil Premium Spending
Details of Elmlea Schools’ Trust Annual Premium Reports can be found below:

Our pupil premium money has been used to provide a range of additional support for our children and these interventions, along with quality first teaching have started to have a positive impact on children’s attainment and self-belief.
Through targeted interventions we are working hard to eliminate barriers to learning and progress. One of the trusts aims is to ensure that ALL groups of pupils make good progress in order to reach age related expectations as they move through the Infant and Junior schools.
Targeted support is being provided through one-to-one and small group tuition. These interventions support children in knowing where they are and what they need to do to improve their work.
By using the pupil premium support we hope to eliminate any barriers to the child’s learning. The support offered will be tailored to the needs of the child. For some it may be play therapy or a mentor to support the child’s emotional well-being, while for other children it may be in the form of enrichment activities, while for others it may be one to one tuition to ‘catch up’ in maths and English.

Pupil Premium Strategy
Provides the following information:
• how the pupil premium funding was allocated for the previous academic year and the impact of this expenditure on eligible pupils
• the current funding allocation for the pupil premium grant
• details of the main barriers to educational achievement for disadvantaged pupils
• how the allocation will be spent to address the barriers and why these approaches were taken
• how the school will measure the impact of the pupil premium

How do the schools measure the Impact of Pupil Premium?
To monitor progress on attainment, we use where appropriate performance tables that will capture the achievement of pupils covered by the Pupil Premium. At Elmlea, our continuous termly cycle of data collection and the monitoring and tracking of the cohort’s attainment, will be used to inform pupil progress and enable the early identification of need, support and appropriate intervention. Pupil Progress Review meetings take place each term and include the Executive Headteacher (Lorraine Wright), the Deputy Headteachers, the class teacher and the Inclusion Lead/SENDCo.
At each Pupil Progress Review meeting, the school will review the impact of actions taken and will plan for how the funding will be specifically allocated over the next phase. When selecting pupils for Pupil Premium target groups, the schools will look at all pupils across the school. There are some pupils who are not eligible for Pupil Premium who will benefit from involvement in these groups, if their needs are similar and we believe progress can be made towards individual targets.

Monitoring the impact of the school’s Pupil Premium strategy is a regular item at both the Trust Executive and School Leadership Team meetings as well as the joint local governing body committee meetings.

Designated staff members: Lee Daubney (Elmlea Infant School) Jo Sloper (Elmlea Junior School)
Nominated governor – Looked After Children and Pupil Premium: Sarah Rosenburg
Schools receive the following funding for each child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

Eligibility for Free School Meals
A parent may wish to check their child’s eligibility for Pupil Premium or continued free school meals, Bristol City Council has an online system for this.
You will need to enter your name, address, national insurance number or asylum support service number. In addition, you will need to provide your child’s name, date of birth and identify the school they are attending.
Pupil Premium is an important payment for schools and a really good opportunity for eligible parents to get even more support for their children in schools.

If you think your child may possibly be eligible for free school meals, even if you don’t want your child to eat school meals, please do check the information provided Pupil Premium and Free School Meals in Bristol

Every child registered generates valuable income for the school. If you have any questions or would like to know more about Pupil Premium funding and how it is being used to benefit your child at Elmlea Schools, please speak to a members of the Executive Leadership Team. Lorraine Wright, Jo Sloper, Lee Daubney, Andrea Bizley or Vicky Taylor.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

SEND and Learning Support – New Code of Practice

Our Infant and Junior School Special Educational Needs and Disability Policies (SEND) and graduated response are in line with the current SEND Code of Practice.

The Graduated Response is support arising from the four part cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review. Where a pupil is identified as having SEND, to enable the pupil to participate, learn and make progress, we will: remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place.

Bristol Local Offer (information in one place about what help and support there is in the local area for children and young people with special educational needs or a disability) can be found at Bristol Local Offer

If you have any comments you wish to make please send them via the school office info@elmleaschoolstrust.com FAO SENCO

Useful links and services for wellbeing and mental health Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group

School Contacts

The SEND Co-ordinators and/or the SEND named governor can be reached via the school office via email info@elmleaschoolstrust.com

Special Educational Needs and Disability information for Parents/Carers
Elmlea Schools’ Trust believes that all children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress so that they achieve their best, become confident individuals living fulfilling lives and make a successful transition into secondary school and into adulthood, whether into employment, further education or higher education or training. This is regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, impairment, attainment and background. We enable all children to have access to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum. We ensure children are equally valued and fully included in all aspects of school life by creating a sense of community and belonging. We strive to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, and to develop an environment where all children can flourish and feel safe. At Elmlea Schools’ Trust every teacher is a teacher of every child including those with SEND.
Below are some commonly asked questions with answers describing how we support children at Elmlea Schools’ Trust:

1. How does school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
   We identify children as having special educational needs or needing additional help in several ways:
   • If an outside agency identifies special educational need
   • If a doctor/school nurse identifies special educational need
   • By contacting previous schools prior to the child starting at Elmlea Schools’ Trust
   • By gathering evidence including, observations, diagnostic assessments etc. when the parent, class teacher or LSA raises concern.
   • Pupil progress meetings every term where we identify children who are not making expected progress
   • Monitoring interventions and support given to check progress is accelerated

If you think your child may have special educational needs firstly contact your child’s class teacher. They may carry out some assessment or observations, or may arrange for your child to have some extra support in a small group. If there are still concerns after this, you and the class teacher may wish to discuss your child’s difficulty with the school SENDCo. We always aim to build positive, open relationships with parents.

2. How will school support my child?
   The class teacher is responsible for the progress and development of all children in their class, including where pupils access support from learning support assistants and specialist staff.
   
   The SENDCo oversees additional support for children with special educational needs. There may be a learning support assistant working with your child either with a group of children or individually. How often these sessions happen will be explained by the class teacher when the support starts.
   
   Class teachers will meet with all parents of children with special educational needs at least three times a year, which may be part of parent’s evenings. At the meetings we will set clear outcomes and review progress towards them and discuss the support that will help your child achieve the outcomes. As part of these meetings your child will be asked for their views. Parents will have a chance to share their concerns and aspirations for their child. A record of this meeting will be provided for the parent.
   
   The SENDCo can be contacted for further information via the school office via email infant@elmleaschoolstrust.com or junior@elmleaschoolstrust.com .
   
   There is a governor who is responsible for SEND who meets regularly with our SENDCo’s. The governor, executive head teacher and SENDCo report back to the local governing body. The SENDCo’s produces an annual report for governors.
   
   3.How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
   When class teachers are planning their lessons, they think about the needs of all the children in the class. Teachers employ varied teaching styles, classroom organisation and they adapt resources for individual pupils. Learning is differentiated so that all children are able to make progress. Class teachers give regular, detailed feedback to children so they know their next steps for learning.
   
   4.How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?
   Parents are welcome anytime to make an appointment with the class teacher and where applicable the SENDCo to discuss how their child is doing. We can give advice about how to support your child at home with their learning.
   
   If your child is receiving ‘school support’ we will meet you at least twice a year to hear yours and your child’s views, discuss progress and evaluate the support provided.
   
   If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan there is also a yearly annual review. This is a formal meeting to discuss your child’s progress and gather parents and child’s views and aspirations.
   
   As a school we track progress of all children’s learning formally three times a year. We have pupil progress meetings to discuss children who are not on track to reach their end of year targets. Discussions then take place detailing how we can support children to reach their targets.
   
   The class teacher continually assesses each child’s progress and provides feedback to the individual child for their next steps. This feedback and assessment provides evidence of where children are improving and making progress and where children need more support.
   
   There are parent training and learning events offered in school which will be communicated at the relevant time.

5. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All staff believe that self-esteem is crucial to a child’s well-being. We are a caring and understanding community.

The class teachers have overall responsibility for the wellbeing of every child in their class; therefore this is always a parent’s first point of contact. If further support is required, the class teacher liaises with the SENDCo for further advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Care. Some initiatives and resources available in our school to support wellbeing include:

Curriculum underpinned by PSHEE (Personal, Social, Heath and Emotional Education)
Circle Time
Citizenship Group
Learning Together Group
Life Skills
Play Leaders
Play Therapy
School Council
Singing Lessons
Speech and Drama
Staff Mentors
Volunteer Readers

6.What specialist services are available to the school?
Services in school include:
• Experienced SENDCo
• Specialist Special Educational Need learning support assistants who work with children in class and out of class, 1 to 1 or in small groups
• Teachers who take small intervention groups for numeracy, reading and writing
• Play Therapist
• Play leaders

External agencies include:
• Supportive Parents
• Bristol Autism Team
• Educational Psychology
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Speech and language Therapy
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)
• School Nurse
• GPs
• Community Paediatrician
• Education Welfare Officer
• Social Services

7.What training have staff had/are staff having?
• Dyslexia Training
• Autism Training
• Speech and Language Programmes
• Occupational Therapy Programmes
• Physiotherapy Training
• Attachment Training
• ADHD Training
• Positive Handling Training
• PSHEE (Jenny Moseley)
• Dyscalculia Training
• Emotional and Wellbeing Training

8. How will my child be included in activities outside of the classroom, including school trips?
All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum including school trips. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off-site activity to ensure everyone’s health & safety will not be compromised. On the rare occasion that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then alternative activities which will cover the same curriculum areas will be provided in school.

9.How accessible is the school environment?
The school sites and buildings are multi-level with access to all areas on the ground floor, an accessible WC and playground areas, both sites have some challenges with regards to accessibility, however we are always flexible to change classrooms to accommodate pupils’ needs.

10.How will the schools prepare and support my child when joining and transferring from the school?
We provide a detailed and progressive transition programme for children before starting in the Infant and Junior schools. We liaise closely with the local preschools and KS1 feeder schools which is usually the Elmlea Infant School, and any relevant outside agencies throughout the year. Our transition arrangements for pupils in Y2 transferring to Yr3 have the opportunity to:

• Attend some KS2 performances
• Attend some assemblies
• Story time in Y3 classes
• Playtimes in the Junior playground
• Lunch in the Junior school hall
• KS2 teachers meet them in their classes and share a teaching session
• Shuffle Up – pupils in Y2 have a two afternoon sessions in Y3 class with their new Teacher

There is an evening meeting for all new parents of Reception and Year 3 children in June where an opportunity to meet the class teacher and/or the SENDCo to discuss your child’s needs. We will be happy to have a further meeting to discuss anyways we can support children settling into school. Some children may benefit from enhanced transition where we can arrange additional visits to our settings, picture books, social stories, a transition meeting and additional small group visits can be provided where appropriate.

When your child is due to move to secondary school, we will make links with the school so we can share information and plan for successful transition.

We liaise closely with staff when receiving and transferring children to and from different schools. We ensure all relevant information is passed on and provision outcomes are understood.

When children move from one class to another at the end of a school year they will have opportunities to visit their new class and teacher in the Summer term. Some children will require enhanced transition which may include photo books, extra visits to the classroom or teacher, pen picture for parents/child to complete or smaller group discussion around transition, with the present and new class teacher and SENDCo.

11. How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
    We ensure that all children needs are met to the best of the school’s ability with the funds available. We have a team of Learning Support Assistants who deliver programmes designed to meet groups or individual children’s needs. The trust schools follow a graduated approach to supporting pupils based on their needs.
    
12. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
    The class teacher and SENDCo will discuss the child’s needs and what support is appropriate. Different children will require different levels of support. There will be on-going discussions with the parents and the child as part of the plan-do-assess-review cycle.
    
13. How are parents involved in the education setting? How can I be involved?
    We actively encourage parents to be involved in our school community. We have an active PTA who always welcomes new members. They arrange many events throughout the year to raise money for the school.
    Class teachers welcome parent help for a variety of reasons through the school year, for example, taking guided reading groups, 1:1 reading and maths support, science week, art week, sharing expertise and experiences and help with trips.
    
14. Who can I contact for further information?
    The first point of contact is your child’s class teacher.
    You could also arrange to meet the SENDCo via the school office by emailing info@elmleaschoolstrust.com