COOMBE BISSETT CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL in Wiltshire, Salisbury

Education Centre Information: Coombe Bissett Church of England Primary School:

Establishment Type:Voluntary Aided School
Phase of Education: Primary
Status: Open
Local Authority: Wiltshire
Boarders: No Boarders
Sixth Form: Does not have a sixth form
Urban/Rural Description: Village - less sparse
Special Classes: No Special Classes
Religious Character: Church of England
Diocese: Diocese of Salisbury
Nursery Provider: No Nursery Classes
Total Pupils: 88
Number of boys: 53
Number of girls: 35
Age Range: 4-11
Gender: Mixed
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Background:

The school is a small village school with a lovely rural outlook and has a large safe playing field. It is located in the heart of the village 5 miles south of Salisbury. The original school built in 1848 is occupied by parents of a present pupil while the present school opened in 1966. Our school comprises of 4 classes, named after trees, Oak class is the Reception class and has its own toilets and cloakroom. Elm class is Y1 & Y2, Fir class Y3 & Y4 and Ash class Y5 & Y6. All classes have at least 2 computers, with other computers available in the hall. Ash class have an interactive whiteboard. Children attending the school live either in the village or the local surrounding areas. Some families are military. We have a central hall, library, office, cloakrooms and staffroom. There is a school playground and adventure play area with picnic benches on grass where children can eat outside in the summer months. We use the village hall, which is adjacent to our playing field for school productions, gymnastics and drama. We are also able to walk to the local tennis courts, shop, post office, church and a Wiltshire Nature Reserve. This allows the children to access these facilities on a regular basis and enhances their curriculum work allowing for first hand experiences. We are a Church Aided school and links with the church are strong. We have regular services in church and once a week our school assembly is led by the church team. Overall, the school seeks to serve the community in which it is situated. We provide a broad and balanced curriculum. In addition to National Curriculum requirements the children enjoy swimming every week at the local leisure centre and music tuition by the Wiltshire Music service, including individual instruments; flute, clarinet, guitar and brass. Our small classes ranging from 15 to 21 allow our teaching staff to ensure all our children achieve both their full potential in all areas of the curriculum and their personal goals. The school provides after school clubs for all children including recorder, chess, singing, art and craft, football, tennis, rugby and netball.This always brings friends and families together in a happy and welcoming community, We have a school council and all classes are represented. This year they have decided to make recycling and 'going green' one of their many aims. They meet weekly both at class and school level. The school is strongly supported by the local community, villagers are often seen in school supporting the work of the children. Our children take part in all the local sports competitions, netball, cricket, rugby, football, cross country running and the annual swimming gala. We have a Prefect system for the Y6 children and also allocate other areas of responsibility for those who are not prefects. All children succeed in taking responsibility within the school. Homework is set weekly for all children from Y1 to Y5 and more frequently for those in Y6 to prepare them for their move to secondary school. The school also supports national and local charities. Most recently the children filled buckets with toys in aid of the Tsunami appeal, held a cake sale in aid of the earthquake disaster in Pakistan and filled shoe boxes for the children in Bulgaria through Operation Christmas Child. We also support the Trussell Trust a local charity for homeless people.Y6 children helped with food sorting at one of their food banks and returned to school exhausted but very satisfied. School trips are organised throughout the year including The Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth, the INTEC science museum at Winchester, Salisbury Cathedral, Wardour Castle and local country parks and Nature Reserves.Y6 annually visit Oxenwood, which is a residential field study centre. There they enjoy a night walk in the woods, a walk to the local Iron Age Barrow and many team-building activities. All return safely, tired but fulfilled, including the staff! The school endeavours to create an environment to promote love of learning, celebrate all achievements and build self-confidence to enable each individual to fulfil their potential through skills, knowledge and care. The school's early years department has achieved the Bristol Standards Quality Assurance Award, which carries the Investors in Children kitemark. Accreditation was achieved in Sept. 2005 and we hope to hold this for several years to come. The school also holds the Investors in People kitemark. This year we have commenced the Healthy Schools Award and will be setting up a task group involving parents, children, teachers and governors to achieve this.The school has recently been chosen to be part of the Outreach Project, which is linked to Salisbury Cathedral School. This involves weekly singing with their Director of music and will culminate in a performance, actually in Salisbury Cathedral, which will be most exciting.We have a team system within the school. Each child is put into either red, green, yellow or blue team when they join the school. Siblings are in the same team. Children gain team points for achievement and effort in all subjects and also for their personal and social behaviour. The team points are collected each week and added up for the grand total at the end of the summer term. The cups are then presented at the end of our sports day along with the sports cups. Children have been known to get very excited about the results.The school has a strong and well supported P.T.A. Fundraising includes jumble sales, Christmas Bazaars, Beetle Drives, parties for the children, Village Fetes- including Maypole dancing from all the children - and cake sales.The School is registered with the Inland Revenue as a Charity for Gift Aid and details are available on request.We are currently mid-way through a school extension plan, to include an IT room, a further classroom and improved staff facilities.