Somerton Primary School
‘Learning, Playing, Growing, Together’
Somerton Primary School
Educational phases (ages 3-19)
An educational phase is a defined school or stage in the child's education, which is normally defined by legislation or regulation and which is characterised by the age of students, school type and curriculum and assessment arrangements.
First phase: Pre-compulsory education (ages 2/3 - 4/5)
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 defines nursery education as full-time or part-time education suitable for children who have not attained compulsory school age (usually the term after a child's fifth birthday), whether provided at schools (usually nursery schools, or nursery classes or reception classes in primary schools) or elsewhere.
Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships and Plans
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 also requires local education authorities (LEAs) to set up Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships for the provision of pre-school education and childcare, and to submit Early Years Development and Childcare Plans to the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW)
Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships are expected to involve the private and voluntary sectors, who work as pre-school education providers in collaboration with LEAs and consequently receive some government funding.
Early Years Development and Childcare Plans usually consist of a statement of proposals outlining how LEAs will work with voluntary groups, the private sector and employers to provide the statutory provision required (currently this is at least a part-time, good-quality free place for every 3- and 4-year-old whose parents require one). It is also intended that, wherever possible, provision for children with special educational needs (SEN) should be integrated within Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships and Plans.
Nursery provision in maintained schools
Within the maintained schools sector, pre-compulsory nursery education is provided in nursery schools and nursery classes of primary schools. Children are not usually admitted before their third birthday
Other nursery provision
Other nursery provision is made by groups of parents, or voluntary, private or independent bodies in, for example, private nursery schools, nursery classes attached to independent schools and pre-school playgroups. Private and voluntary nursery schools must register with the local social services authority under the Children Act 1989. Admission age varies between groups; 2½ and 3 years are common starting ages.
During this phase, a few institutions target specific groups of children. For example, playgroups run by the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association (PPA Cymru) and Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin (the Association of Welsh-speaking Playgroups) provide places for very young children with special educational needs through a special needs referral scheme. This offers learning and development through play for children with disabilities and other special needs, often alongside other children. There is a Meithrin on the school site.
There are also both public and private day nurseries providing day care for children under the age of 5. These are usually open from around 7.30 a.m. to around 6.00 p.m. throughout the year. Many establishments cater for children from the age of three months onwards
Admissions criteria
Somerton primary School normally admits children from the age of 3 years (Rising Threes) in our Nursery provided we have not exceeded our Pupil Allocated Number (PAN).
Parents have a right to express a preference for a particular nursery institution for their child. Parents initially look to the local education authority (LEA) for guidance on the places available locally. In accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, these may be places in nursery education provided directly by the LEA, or in other institutions (voluntary, private, etc.) which, as part of an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership receive some financial assistance from the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) in respect of the eligible 4-year-olds they educate.
In cases where demand for places exceeds the places available, the LA follow their own admissions policy. Admissions criteria may include the proximity to the school of the child s home, whether the child has any brothers or sisters already attending the school, transport links, catchment areas, medical or social grounds, and parental ranking of preference.
Although attendance in pre-school education is not compulsory, it is widespread and increasing. As a result of recent changes to government pre-school provision policy, all LEAs now have a statutory duty to secure a good-quality, free (part-time) place for all 4-year-olds whose parents want it. Since April 1999, every child has been statutorily entitled to receive three terms of nursery education prior to the start of compulsory education, funded by the local authority.
Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)
As in most schools pupils will attend for five half-day sessions per week in term time, each session lasting at least two-and-a-half hours.
Second phase: Compulsory primary education (ages 4/5 - 11)
In general, primary education covers children who have reached, or are approaching, compulsory school age (age 5) up to the age of 11. Children are not normally obliged to start primary school until the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday, although many children start school earlier. However, some primary schools also have a nursery class, which provides pre-primary education for 3- to 4-year-olds. In some areas, there are separate schools for infant age children (Key Stage 1, aged 5 to 7) (called 'infant schools') and junior age children (Key Stage 2, aged 7 to 11) (termed 'junior schools'). Primary school children usually transfer to secondary education at the age of 11 years.
Somerton is a Primary School catering for pupils from 3 to 11 years old.
In Wales, the primary school normally has seven year groups and comprises two key stages. See the table which follows:
AGE / KEY STAGE / DESCRIPTION5 or under / Foundation Phase / Reception class
5 - 7 / Foundation Phase / Years 1 and 2
7 - 11 / 2 / Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
The reception class often includes younger children who have been admitted to school before they have reached compulsory school age (the term after a child reaches the age of 5 years).
Under the terms of the Education Act 1996 children of compulsory school age may be educated outside school.
All primary schools in Wales which are maintained schools are non-selective and accept children regardless of ability. Schools are generally co-educational, although single-sex schools do exist. Some primary schools are Welsh-speaking, teaching all subjects (apart from English) through the medium of Welsh. Other schools may be bilingual; others teach all subjects through the medium of English with Welsh being taught as a foreign language.
Most children aged 4/5 to 11 are taught in mixed-ability classes with children of the same age, with one teacher in charge of the class. A teacher normally stays with a class for one school year, and at the end of each school year, children normally progress to the next class. However, many primary schools, particularly small schools, have one or more mixed-aged classes, in which case the children might stay in the same class for more than one year.
Somerton has mixed age classes but usually this only involves pupils from two age groups and we try to plan to ensure pupils from Foundation Phase are not mixed with Key Stage 2 (Years 2 and 3)
Proposed new 'Foundation Phase'
Following a consultation in 2003, the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) is introduced of education for 3- to 7-year-olds. As a result, the formal learning which children aged 5 to 7 (in Key Stage 1 of primary education) formally experienced has been replaced by a more informal system of learning based on well-structured play, practical activity and investigation.
Guidance on children's learning and assessment has been produced to support the system of continuous assessment based on observation recommended during this phase. For further information, see the Foundation Phase website at http://www.learning.wales.gov.uk/foundationphase/whats-new-e.htm. This website also provides access to the draft Framework for Children's Learning.
Admissions policy
A school's admissions policy is established by the relevant admissions authority, which is either the local education authority (LEA) or the school governing body, depending on the category of school and the arrangements between the LEA and the school. This policy must contain legally specified information. It must, for example, state how many children may be admitted to the school in any one year. This 'standard number' is agreed by the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) when the school is established, and is set with reference to a school's capacity to accommodate children and to any class size limits which may apply. The admissions policy must also describe the application procedure and explain how places will be allocated if there are more applications than places at the school. For example, priority may be given to children who live closest to the school, to children who already have brothers or sisters at the school, or to children who live within the catchment area. The criteria used to determine which children will gain a place in these circumstances must be within the constraints of the law and the admissions policy must be published annually in the school's own prospectus. School governing bodies are under a duty to publish information about their schools, and LEAs must publish information about admissions arrangements for all mainstream maintained schools in their area.
Academic selection should not be used to decide entry into primary education.
Somerton’s current Pupil Admission Number is 27.
Parental preference
Parents can express a preference for the school they wish their child to attend. A place at the chosen school must be provided unless all the places have already been offered to students who have a stronger claim under the school s published admissions policy. When allocating places, LEAs must take account of expressed parental preferences ahead of those who have expressed no preference and before operating any other local allocation policy. Religious denomination schools may, however, keep places empty if applicants do not meet their criteria for entry. Parents have a legal right of appeal if a place is not offered at the school of their choice.
Length of school year (in days) and day (in hours)
The primary school year consists of 380 half-day sessions. The actual dates of terms and holidays are determined annually by the local education authority (LEA) Education Committee in consultation with the school governing bodies of LEA-maintained schools. In general, the school year runs from about the first week of September to the third week of July. It is divided into three terms, with a long summer break of about six weeks in July and August, shorter breaks of two to three weeks at Christmas and Easter, and one week in the middle of each term. The school week normally runs from Monday to Friday.
The school day is divided into two sessions, one in the morning (usually between 9 a.m. and 12 noon) and one in the afternoon (usually between around 1 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.). There is no fixed number of lessons per week. Recommended minimum weekly lesson times (excluding breaks and collective worship) are 21 hours for children aged 5 to 7 years (Key Stage 1), and at least 23.5 hours for children aged 7+ to 11 years (Key Stage 2)
See Teaching and Learning Policy for details of session times in Somerton Primary School.