What is on offer

WHAT WE TEACH AND HOW WE TEACH

St Luke's Primary School offers a developmental curriculum consisting of the National Curriculum for 6 to 11 year olds, religious education and other subjects. There is a Foundation Stage curriculum for 3 to 5 year olds in line with regulations.

We aim to offer a relevant, broad and balanced curriculum. Each child has an individualised education programme with specific objectives determined according to his or her particular needs. The curriculum content is delivered through a structured teaching approach, that allows active participation by the children in activities that are meaningful and enjoyable. Children receive most of their education through a combination of individual teaching, small group and whole class sessions. The targets for each child are reviewed each term by the class teacher in consultation with parents.

The hours spent on teaching during a normal school week are approximately 23 hours for all pupils regardless of age. This excludes time for breaks, lunchtimes and school assemblies.

The emphasis of educational programmes is upon the development of key skills for living and learning:

• Communication: using language and understanding the language used by others
• Reading and writing
• Mathematics
• Investigating and problem solving
• Self-care skills, e.g. dressing, eating, drinking, personal hygiene
• Working and playing with others
• Independent working and learning
• Mobility and physical development

Where appropriate, we teach children who cannot yet speak clearly to understand and use pictures and signs adapted from the British Sign Language used by the deaf community.

SCHOOL ORGANISATION

St. Luke’s Primary School first opened in September 2002. The school is one of two special schools created by North Lincolnshire Council as a result of the reorganisation of the former special school provision in the area. The other special school is St. Hugh’s Secondary School for pupils aged from 11 – 19 years.

There are 8 ‘generic’ classes for children aged between 6 and 11 years organised according to the age of the children. The classes vary in size, having between 7 and 12 children, and there is a wide range of abilities and needs of the children in each class.

There is a Foundation Stage Unit for about 20 children aged between 3 and 6 years. The teachers have worked hard to establish a relevant and interesting curriculum that is described in a separate leaflet. All staff have specialist expertise in relation to teaching children in this age group.

An important feature of the school is the specialist provision for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and children with autism. This provision includes a class for some children with PMLD and a class for some children with profound learning difficulties and autism. In these two classes, there is a heavy emphasis upon providing structures and activities that promote children’s progress that cannot easily be provided in the ‘mainstream’ classes.

There is a wide range of resources for computer assisted learning. The building is on a single level. It has a hydrotherapy pool. In addition, it has separate PE and dining halls, specialist music, cookery and art/craft rooms and school grounds for PE, adventure play and environmental education. The teaching areas are spacious and each classroom has a withdrawal room for work in a minimal distraction setting.

INCLUSION

There is funding to support inclusion of St Luke’s Primary School pupils into mainstream primary schools and other early years settings. This support is available as long as there is a realistic chance that children can participate at appropriate levels in normal school work and life and eventually transfer full-time to the mainstream school. Each year one or two children have returned to mainstream schools full-time.

SEX EDUCATION

Different programmes exist in relation to children that reflect their age and needs. This focuses upon social relationships and appropriate behaviour rather than on sexual reproduction. Programmes are always discussed with the child's family before implementation. Parents wishing to discuss the school policy on sex education should contact the Head Teacher. Parents do have a right to withdraw their child from all or part of the sex education provided.

SPORT

All children have access to a range of sporting activities, including activities for wheelchair users. The school participates regularly in organised football, athletics and other activities for pupils with disabilities including inter-school competitions. The school has been awarded the PE Active Mark in recognition of the nature and quality of its PE provision. A qualified PE subject leader organises these activities.

ARTS

All children have opportunities for creative development during the course of a variety of curriculum activities including art and music activities. A qualified art teacher is a member of the school staff. The school is fortunate is having several good musicians on the staff.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

The school organises a variety of off-site activities during school hours which are stimulating and reinforce work at school. These include educational visits, use of local shops and recreational facilities. Lunchtime activities of various kinds, including sports and games, are run by the school.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS

Parents have the right to make representations about any aspect of the educational provision for their child. They are encouraged to contact the Head Teacher in the first instance. If, however, they feel that the difficulty is not resolved they follow the governing body’s formal complaints procedure. In such instances, the Head Teacher will give parents details about the procedure. Complaints are heard by a selected panel of governors.

The annual review of each child’s statements of special educational needs provides an excellent opportunity to discuss with the child’s parents progress made in the past year and the priorities for learning and teaching in the coming year.

DISCLAIMER

The information given on this page was valid in Spring 2007. It is possible that there could be changes affecting either the arrangements generally described on this page or any particular part of them before the start of the school year 2007/2008 or in the subsequent years. Parents wishing to contact the individual members of staff or governors named in this leaflet are advised to check the details with the school for any changes beforehand.