Introduction

The pupils at Elmstead Primary are aged between four and eleven years.  They are confident and
self - assured.  They are all valued and respected as individuals, whilst being encouraged to develop to their personal best.  Foundation Stage Baseline assessments, linking in to Target Tracker, are used to make a formative assessment of each child, enabling us to provide "value added" information about each child's development through the school. Using prior attainment we can accurately monitor a child's progress and set realistic targets for them to achieve. Using data carefully, and sensibly, we can hopefully challenge any child to at least fulfil their potential. High expectations are an important part of our school culture.

The school is always over-subscribed for entry to Class R and our Admissions Criteria has to be very carefully applied by the Local Authority. As stated above a significant number of the children are from outside the catchment area.  At the end of Year 6 approximately 80% of the children move to the Colne Community School, at Brightlingsea, with the remainder dispersing to a variety of other secondary schools.

PHILOSOPHY - CURRICULUM AIMS FOR THE SCHOOL

  • Every child should develop fully as a result of careful planning and assessment in all aspects of the curriculum during his/her school life
  • The environment should help each child to be able to develop self-confidence and enjoy self-esteem.  As a result self-respect will be developed
  • Each pupil should develop a capacity for enjoyment
  • Each child should develop an enquiring mind and have the ability to question and argue rationally.  The child should be encouraged, and not feel afraid, to form his/her opinion even if it differs from the majority
  • All of the pupils should be helped to use language and numbers effectively
  • An awareness of moral values should be developed.  A respect for religious and moral tolerance of other races and religious ways of life should be instilled
  • The school should help the children to understand the changing world in which they live
  • Every child should develop a positive attitude towards the application of tasks.  The completed task should always be of the highest quality
  • Everyone should be encouraged to achieve as much independence as possible to prepare him/her to be an independent and self-motivated adult
  • Each pupil should be able to enter the world after education as an active participant in society and be responsible enough to contribute towards life in that society
  • There should be equal opportunities for every child irrespective of gender, ethnic background, age or ability
  • Home/school/community links should be developed so that children benefit from their teachers, their parents and the community working together as partners in their education
  • Effective links should be maintained with the Colne Community School to which the majority of our children transfer, and with other schools in the Colne Cluster

We should all work together to create an environment within which teaching and non-teaching staff, school governors, parents and the community work with each other for the successful achievement of these aims for the benefit of all our children.

There is no such thing as failure - only feedback!

NOTE: YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OUR LATEST ADMISSIONS POLICY BY GOING TO THE PARENTS' SECTION AND CLICKING 'ADMISSIONS FORM.'