Dear Parents and Carers,
As we have entered the final days of this term, I wanted to write and thank you all for your support this year. We recognise how important it is that families and school work together to ensure that each one of our children achieves their potential. This year families have supported home learning superbly with fantastic creative projects and daily reading – thank you for this. Parents have also gone the extra mile in giving their children support they need including bringing children in early for extra lessons, coming to watch assemblies, sports events and performances all over London, volunteering on school trips, being involved in our dedicated PTA, commenting on the blogs, tweeting, and arguing passionately on the issue of Foundation Status. On behalf of the staff, I thank you – your support and your ongoing feedback will help us continue to provide outstanding educations for your children, as we grow larger. We will continue to seek to improve this dialogue and partnership where possible.
I want to now take the opportunity to share with you all the successes of this year and ask you to take 5 minutes to share with us your views on what should be the school’s priorities for next year. You can click here or complete a paper copy to give to the school office (paper copies will come home with children on Tuesday 22nd July) . Feedback forms will be welcome through the holidays and until Monday 8th September 2014.
Have a relaxing summer and I look forward to seeing you and your children in September.
Cassie Buchanan
Highlights of 2013/4
Standards
SATS results aren’t everything but we are rightly extremely proud of these as an inclusive community school. They are a reflection of the outstanding effort and commitment of all the children, staff, parents and our governing body.
End of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Provisional Results 2-13/4
| Reading | Writing | Maths | GPS | |
| Level 4+ | 100% | 95% | 100% | 92% |
| Level 5+ | 77% | 49% | 59% | 69% |
| Level 6+ | 0% | 3% | 5% | 3% |
Level 4 is expected outcome for these assessments. 39 pupils are included in this data.
GPS is Grammar Punctuation and Spelling
End of Key Stage 1
| Reading | Writing | Maths | |
| Level 2+ | 91% | 91% | 91% |
| Level 2b+ | 91% | 73% | 91% |
| Level 3+ | 40% | 22% | 31% |
45 pupils are included in these results
Year 1 Phonics Check
85% of 61 pupils passed the DFE phonics check and are therefore considered to be working at the expected level in phonics. Last year this figure was 69% at Charles Dickens Primary – nationally 69% of children passed the phonics check in 2013.
Early Years.
At the end of the Reception Year, 68% pupils achieved a Good Level of Development. Of the children who previously attended the school’s nursery, 76% achieved the Good Level of Development.
Teaching and Learning
Phonics – we launched a new approach to teaching phonics using ‘jolly phonics’ materials, real books linked to topics and increased materials to support parents at home. Pupil achievement and attainment in phonics is at the highest ever in all year groups.
English and Maths – we increased regular small group and 1 to 1 tuition in the school for pupils who found learning harder. Experienced teachers and HLTAs provided lessons before, during and after school resulting in all these pupils making accelerated progress.
Inclusion – we employed our own speech and language therapist to work weekly with pupils needing support. Language development has improved significantly for these pupils and all made expected progress.
Science – we received our first Gold Science mark for outstanding provision in Science. The annual Science week in Spring Term was focused on Evolution and Zoology with visits from a Zoo Bus, trips to the Royal Institution and ‘Zoology’ day with hundreds of children dressed as animals – great fun and brilliant immersive learning.
Sport – we were recognised by Southwark for a Best Practice award for Sport and PE. Sport continues to go with from strength to strength. We introduced British Gymnastics Awards into gymnastics lessons. We extended afterschool gymnastics lessons to 5 afternoons a week and all year groups plus elite squads. We came first in Southwark Gymnastics competitions in Year 5/6 and 2nd in Years 3/4. Our Key Stage 2 squad represented Southwark at the London Youth games. We also competed and came first in the Southwark Cross Country and 2nd in the Tag Rugby League. We introduced cricket and cycling into lunchtimes and offered ‘multi-skills’ lessons afterschool to year 1 and 2. All classes had had the opportunity to compete at events organised by London PE network. The same network nominated Michael Emoike and Amy Standford as one of 3 best Primary girls and boys in Sport. Mr Cannock was nominated as Coach of the year.
Feeling Safe and Happy – we launched new PSHCE (personal social health and citizenship) lessons with weekly assemblies and circle times. We have had 3 Friendship weeks this year in response to the children’s requests with many new friendships made between older and younger children. The number of incidents of inappropriate behaviour has fallen by 37% since 2012 – 2013. We also provided additional training on road safety and cycling proficiency. We launched the NSPCC pants campaign across the school.
Creative Arts – we have continued to place emphasis on the creative arts with an increasing programme of performances and collaborative projects. Every class has worked with a creative partner this year on a bespoke project. This year we welcomed a new music teacher for younger children, recorder lessons for year 2 , a new partnership with Rambert Dance (see below) and an ‘actor’ in residence. The actor worked with Key Stage One to create the highly successful immersive theatre project ‘Mr Weevil’s Bric-a Brac Shop’ with years 1 and 2. Finally Key Stage 2 have really enjoyed Mr Oxenham’s Ukelele group!
Celebrating Diversity: Everyone enjoyed our 2nd Eisteddfod, a cultural festival to celebrate creative talent but also a chance for children to share their cultural identity through national costume. Our curriculum continued to evolve to meet the needs and interests of our pupils with topics on Invaders and Settlers including Immigration, South Africa and Malawi, India, Russia. Our PHSCE had a celebrating ‘diversity in families’ focus during the summer term.
Humans of SE1 – a cross curricular project from Year 5/6 exploring the community living and working in SE1 and Bankside. Children photographed and interviewed locals and visitors and created music and website to showcase this excellent work.
Dance – Rambert held workshops and worked with Micawber Class to create an imaginative contemporary piece which was then performed at the Laban Centre. Miss Spears led street dance and her troop performed in the Southwark Festival of dance.
Art – we held 3 Art shows showcasing the excellent work of children who have worked alongside Sara, our Artist in Residence. Visitors to the shows made space rockets, raced model cars, and made kites whilst looking at all the stunning art.
Visits – all children have visited the theatre this year as part of our commitment to performing arts. The number of other educational visits has increased too and focused on history and science this year with classes visiting national museums and the Royal Institution as well as continuing to access ‘Art School’ at Tate Modern. Younger children visited The Tower of London, Highgate Woods, The Natural History Museum and London Zoo!
Events
‘I Love Reading’ project– A launch day with all the children shared their favourite book with teachers reading extracts from favourite books to children from across the school. Book of the Month was launched with children challenged to read news books and discuss them in class!
The Year 3 and 4 Ancient Egypt Museum – an interactive display planned and created by the children to share their learning on Ancient Egypt. Children proudly showed their families around the exhibits.
Choirs – we now have a year 3 and 4 choir and two Year 5/6 choirs. They performed as part of Vocal Magic at the Royal Festival Hall. They have sung on the top of The Shard, at Borough Market, At Southwark Council Offices as well as carols around the local community. Year 5 performed brilliantly as part of Southwark Splash at the Royal Festival Hall.
Year 3 and 4 Mandela Concert – A full-scale musical biography of Nelson Mandela’s life in English and South African Languages. Children worked with staff and Pete Letanka to write poems, prose, music, lyrics and performed proudly to parents. Many parents were moved to tears.
Year 6 Show – based on the experiences of children in The Blitz, it was an ensemble piece with many original songs and a talented cast of actors and musicians led by Ms Alcock.
Television – Children took part in The Royal Legion’s advertising campaign video for The Poppy Appeal as well as working with The Ministry of Fun as they developed horrible histories style performances to teach children nationally about World War One. Cbeebies came to visit and performed ‘Rhyme Rocket’.
Two very successful fairs and a ‘Camp Out’ were organised by the PTA . It was great to see so many families at the most recent fair which raised over £2700. Last year’s funds were spent on equipping all classes with large ‘wet play’ boxes of games and Lego. The PTA are a huge asset to the school and we are really grateful for all they do.
Shakespeare’s Schools Festival – Children from Key Stage 2 worked with Ms Alcock to create an abridged version of one of Shakespeare’s plays to perform at The Greenwich Theatre. This project was so good we will also perform again this autumn.
Other Successes
Teacher training – we successfully trained 4 graduates via the School Direct Pathway to become qualified teachers. Our training and our students were graded as outstanding by The Institute of Education. Our NQTs passed their NQT year with flying colours and 3 of our graduate teaching assistants begin teacher training next year.
Training We led successful training for Southwark Schools focused on outstanding mathematics teaching and using coaching to support teacher development. Inexperienced teachers and senior leaders from 7 schools were supported this year and feedback has been excellent. We will continue this support with 8 new schools in September.
School to School Support The headteacher and deputy have supported head teachers of Southwark Schools going through periods of change or challenge. 3 Schools have been supported this year.
Sharing Good Practice. The school is often asked to share good practice both with Southwark schools and beyond by the Local Authority at events for leaders and classroom teachers. Ms Alcock is part of the team verifying teacher judgements for Key Stage 2 writing across the borough
Congratulations and many thanks Headteacher and all the staff. Hope you have a well-earned and proper break.