BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Annual Report 2010/2011

ST MARYS PRIMARY SCHOOL & NURSERY UNIT

CONTENTS School Year 2011/2012 Chairmans Letter Meet the Governors Staffing The Curriculum Fund raising for Charity School Council The School in the Community The Involvement of Parents Our New School Finance 1 2 3 4 59 9 9 10 11 11 12

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 2011-2012

The following dates are inclusive: Closures School Re-opens Mid Term School Re-opens Dates Thursday 1st September 2011 Monday 31st October Friday 4th November 2011 Monday 7th November 2011 Thursday 22nd Dec 12.00 noon Monday 9th January 2012 Monday 13th February - Friday17th February Monday 20th February 2012 Thursday 5th April 12.00 noon Monday 16th April 2012 Thursday 3rd Monday 7th May Tuesday 8th May 2012 Monday 4th & Tuesday 5th June Tuesday 26th June 2012 12.00 noon 2 3 6 5 11 5 No Days of

Christmas Holidays
School Re-opens Mid-Term School Re-opens Easter Holidays School Re-opens May Day School Re-opens Diamond Jubilee Summer Holidays

BOARD OF GOVERNORS ST MARYS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY UNIT 2

BEECHFIELD PARK NEWCASTLE BT33 0BD : 4372 3730 As required by the Education Order 1989, the Board of Governors must provide an annual report for parents, that details the progress of the school during the preceding year. This report provides a statement from the Board of Governors of St Marys Primary School and Nursery Unit, reporting on the management and organisation of the school. It indicates how that has been and will continue to be effected by the Principal and Staff with the support of you, the parents. It is the duty of the Board of Governors: To promote and maintain the Catholic Ethos of the school. To ensure that the statutory curriculum is delivered and the quality of education is satisfactory. To ensure that the individual school policies meet the needs of the pupils. To endeavour to oversee the implementation of the stated aims and objectives of the school. The report identifies the measure of success achieved in carrying out these duties. St Marys Primary School is a vibrant school community, where your children are educated and encouraged to develop spiritually, intellectually, aesthetically and physically with the help of a caring and dedicated staff. On behalf of all the Board of Governors I promise you our continued commitment to the well-being of all the pupils and staff at St Marys PS.

A Hoey Chairman of the Board of Governors

MEET THE GOVERNORS

Members nominated by Trustees: Mr John McGarrity Mrs H McKibbin Mr Desmond Fee Mrs Lucia Burns Members nominated by SEELB: Mr P Durkin Secretary Mrs B OHiggins Member nominated by DENI: Mrs A Hoey Chairperson Elected Members: Mrs Marian Lawrence Mr J Kelly Principal: Mrs D Flanagan Vice Principal: Mrs B Curry (co-opted member and non-voting ) The Board of Governors has many responsibilities and welcomes the support, guidance and training offered by CCMS, SEELB and DE in carrying out its duties. Term of Office: The present Board of Governors term of office runs from 2009 - 2013 Parent Governor Teacher Governor

Teaching Staff 2010/2011 Mrs D Flanagan Mrs B Curry Principal Vice Principal (retired August 2011)

Mr J Kelly Mrs M McCann Mrs D Mahon Mr K Prenter Miss R Thomas Mrs J McElroy Mrs D Keaveney Miss CL Small Mrs A Laverty Miss P Sloan Mrs A McAneney Mrs J Harbinson Mrs L Rooney P1 Miss E McNulty Mrs B Shaw Mrs S Mazarire Non Teaching Staff 2010/2011 Secretaries: Caretakers: Nursery Assistant: Classroom Assistants:

P7 P6/7 P6 P5 P5 P4 2 day week P4 3 day week P3/4 P3 P2 P2 P1 Special Needs Nursery Unit 4 day week Nursery Unit 1 day

Mrs M McConville and Mrs P Holmes Mr T Ferris Key Stage I Mrs E King Miss J McConnell Mrs P Doran Mrs J Byrne Mrs L McClean Mrs U McEvoy Mrs E Hazard Mrs J Cunningham Mrs A Baker Mrs M Carson Miss J McEvoy Mrs C Peters Mrs B Hazzard Mrs M Murphy Mrs P McCabe Mrs J Byrne Senior Supervisory Assistant Mrs K Merron Mrs G Keenan Mrs M Murphy Mrs E Hazard Mrs J Patmore Senior Unit Supervisor (Retired March 2011) Mrs J Goodman Cook / Senior Unit Supervisor from May 2011 Mrs C McClean Mrs D Alexander Mrs R Murray Mrs E Rodgers

Cleaners:

Supervisory Assistants:

Kitchen Staff:

THE CURRICULUM The Board of Governors is responsible for ensuring that the NI Curriculum is being delivered to all the children in St Marys School. Literacy 5

One of our main priorities was the bedding in of our Linguistic Phonics programme which was introduced in September 2009. Teachers spent a lot of time familiarising themselves with the programme and making the necessary resources to undertake the range of activities. A review was undertaken into the teaching of Comprehension and, with the support of a SEELB Officer, we drew up an Action Plan to improve the childrens comprehension skills. The work for this is ongoing and is due to extend into the current school year. A total of 9000 was spent on updating our reading resources at all key stages in order to make reading an enjoyable area for the children. National Book Day was celebrated in March and the children went to great lengths to dress up as their favourite book characters. Our Primary six children reinforced the importance of reading and shared their love of books with everyone at an assembly on Book Day. Numeracy The Lines of Development in both Maths and Mental Maths were reviewed and amended by all members of staff. The World Around Us The teachers used the current Line of Development alongside the specific topics for each class with a view to identifying gaps to be addressed in future planning. Further work will be undertaken in this area during the coming year. Planning Following our Inspection in March 2010 we looked at our short term planning and examined ways in which this could be more consistent and reflect the range of abilities catered for within any one class. Agreement was reached on the introduction of Weekly Planning Diaries which the teachers currently use and structures were put in place to involve the Classroom Assistants and the children in the planning process. Sharing of Good Practice Teachers learn from each other and continually share ideas and teaching approaches. Over the course of this school year opportunities were given to teachers to visit other classes and observe the very good practice throughout the school. We also organised visits to other schools to reflect on practices outside of St Marys. This proved to be a very worthwhile exercise and we have implemented some of the practices observed which has complemented the very good work within our school. ICT: All P4 and P7 children were entered for CCEAs Primary ICT Accreditation Scheme at the end of their respective Key Stages and were successful in achieving a level of success. In P4 nine children attained Level 1 and thirty three attained Level 2 while in P7 six children achieved Level 3 and twenty eight achieved Level 4. Each child was awarded with a certificate detailing their level of ICT competence. Although this is a voluntary scheme, it provides a framework to develop, enhance and assess pupils ICT skills. Consequently, it was decided to introduce it to all children from P3 upwards. Teachers from P3, P5 & P6 identified one task from the Scheme to be completed during each topic over the course of the year. In total five tasks were completed covering a range of ICT skills. This has helped the teachers to develop an understanding of the Levels of Progression for Using ICT prior to its statutory assessment from the 2013/2014 school year onwards. Further time was allocated for the staff to become familiar with the range of programmes available for use on the Interactive White Board as well as a workshop on the scope of LNI (Learning Northern Ireland) which is a secure learning platform 6

designed for teachers and pupils in Northern Ireland. Some teachers encouraged the children to access LNI from home, adding a new dimension to their homework. During the year the ICT coordinator has met with each of the year groups to draw up a line of development and guidelines. At this stage Foundation and Key Stage One have been completed. Key Stage Two is currently in development and will be completed before the end of the year. Following an online 10 week course undertaken by the ICT Co-ordinator on preparing for the ICT Mark, the current policies were amended and several new ones drawn up. As a result we now have: St Marys Vision and Policy St Marys Health and Safety Policy St Marys Guidelines for the use of digital technologies St Marys Social Networking Policy St Marys e-learning Policy Internet and Digital Technologies Policy Effective Use of the Whiteboard Guidelines The official World Maths Day competition began on 1 March 2011 right across the world and finished when it was no longer 1 March. Its aim was to unite the world in numbers. The total competition time was 48 hours. The children were registered by their class teacher and many of them accessed and played the games on line at home. They were competing against children from the far side of the world which was absolutely fascinating for them The teaching of Spanish: Our Spanish tutor, appointed through the Northern Ireland Primary Modern Languages Programme continued teaching Spanish to four of our Foundation and Key Stage 1 classes on a weekly basis throughout the year. Parents from our P4 class were invited into an assembly which showcased the childrens flair and success in a European language. Music: Music is a fundamental part of our pupils experiences within St Marys. It promotes the development of self-confidence and independence, providing a feeling of achievement and satisfaction. The children from primaries one, six and seven provided the Christmas entertainment, with the musical Snow White performed by the P7s supported in the singing by P6s and The Nativity was performed by the P1s. Again we took the concert to St Marys Hall, Main Street, providing an opportunity to take the school out into the community and to such a superb venue. The success of the productions resulted from a lot of hard work and teamwork on the part of the children, teachers and classroom assistants. A wonderful array of costumes and scenery was designed by the staff, adding a wealth of colour and life to the productions. The South Eastern Education and Library Boards Music Service provided individual tuition in stringed instruments and brass to a small group of children on a weekly basis. The String Tutor also operated the Wider Opportunities scheme which provided tuition in violin to all our P4 children for a period of time. Fifteen children were successful in passing the Associated Boards Music Exam, in both brass and strings. Two children achieved a distinction and six children achieved a merit. Congratulations to all on the results of their hard work. Our school orchestra complemented our Culture Day concert as the P2 P6 children entertained a full house with traditional Irish music, drama, poetry and dance. 7

We had a 45 strong choir which participated in the Belfast Peace Proms in The Waterfront Hall Belfast. This was a truly memorable event and a wonderful opportunity for the children to perform in such a splendid venue. The concert was magnificent and the children thoroughly enjoyed singing with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland in a 500 member choir from across Ireland. Physical Education: The Physical Education programme within St Marys helps to promote positive attitudes to physical activity. The children experience a sense of fun, success and enjoyment in all activities, developing confidence both as individuals and as members of groups. The Ministers Sports Programme was delivered by an Ulster GAA coach to Primary 3 and 4 children on a weekly basis. This was a very successful initiative concentrating on the development of ball skills at all stages. An after school training session was also offered to Key Stage 2 children for the first term. Our school soccer team participated in the South Down Primary Schools five-a-side tournament. The boys played four matches, drawing two, winning one and unfortunately losing the last group match where the winners went through to the semi-finals. The boys who represented the school all tried their best and were disappointed not to qualify for the semi-finals. A Down Netball Coach took netball as an after school activity for the girls from P4 upwards. This was well attended and the girls really enjoyed learning the skills. Our primary five girls competed in a mini netball tournament at the Ballymote Leisure Complex in Downpatrick recently. They played very well and were a credit to our school Mr Prenter organised an Athletics Challenge for all P6 and P7 pupils in St Malachys High School run by the Northern Ireland Athletics Foundation. Congratulations to Team Curry who won the in-school competition. Eighteen of our P.7 children remained for the afternoon session where they competed against children from local primary schools. The Board of Governors would like to thank all members of staff who trained and encouraged these children in any way for the above successes and also to thank the parents for their support at the various events, not to mention the transporting of the children to and from venues. Special Needs: One of our priorities remains to be the identification of children with special needs as early as possible in the school year, and to support these children to the best of our ability. To this end, the class teachers drew up educational plans to meet the individual needs of the children and additional support was provided by the Special Needs teacher where possible. This support was organised on a withdrawal basis with the children being taken out from class to work in smaller groups where one-to-one assistance could be given as well as working within the classroom alongside the class teacher. Progress was continually monitored and reviewed over the course of the year with educational plans adapted to suit the changing needs of the children. Parents were informed if their child was receiving additional help and were invited for interview with the Special Needs teachers.

A number of children were supported by the ASCET team Additional Support for Children in Education Team. Children with a range of difficulties received help from various members of the team once it was established. We were fortunate to have a third Classroom Assistant trained for our Reading Partnership Scheme which gives many children the opportunity to address their reading difficulties and to build their confidence. The comments recorded by the childrens parents on completion of the programme reinforced the good work done by the Reading Partners and reflected their gratitude for the opportunity given to their children. Assessment & Reporting: This year saw InCAS (Interactive Computerised Assessment System) become statutory for all children from P4 P7. The results of these were passed on to parents at the Parent/Teacher interviews in the first term. Assessment of pupils progress is an essential aspect of any good teaching and learning as it helps the teacher plan to meet the needs of the children. Statutory Assessment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 continued for primary 4 and 7 children. The table below shows St Marys Primary Schools results compared with the results from all schools in Northern Ireland. Statutory Assessment results for end of Key Stage 1 - 2010/2011
English St Marys Primary School Northern Ireland Summary Maths St Marys Primary School Northern Ireland Summary Level 1 2.38% 5.92% Level 1 0% 5.08% Level 2 47.62% 50.82% Level 2 45.24% 46.64% Level 3 50.00% 42.80% Level 3 54.76% 47.78%

Statutory Assessment results for end of Key Stage 1I - 2010/2011

English St Marys Primary School Northern Ireland Summary Maths St Marys Primary School Northern Ireland Summary Level 2 0% 2.96% Level 2 0% 2.44% Level 3 17.65% 15.16% Level 3 23.53% 15.05% Level 4 61.76% 49.14% Level 4 32.35% 38.73% Level 5 20.59% 32.28% Level 5 44.12% 43.28%

Parental support is vital in the education of your children. The Board of Governors and staff value the co-operation and interest of all parents and seek to involve you when possible in the life of the school. Over the last year, every effort was made to keep you the parents informed of developments within the school and of your childs progress in class. In addition to welcoming parents at any time in the school, formal 9

parent/teacher interviews were also arranged in the first term, second term for primary one, giving parents the opportunity to meet the teachers and discuss any concerns early in the school year. Furthermore, written reports on each child were sent to parents in June. Data Analysis Two members of staff attended training on the effective use of data and subsequently structures were put in place to analyse the schools data and set appropriate targets. Tracking grids for children from P4 P7 were generated and target groups were identified to monitor their progress over the year. The introduction of NRIT tests enabled us to identify under achievers and target these children. This area of work is currently in development and will evolve further over the current year. FUND RAISING FOR CHARITY The school seeks to promote an understanding and appreciation of people in need, both locally and in the underdeveloped countries of the world. Raising money for charities and the awareness raising associated with this is a very important feature of the school. Although our main charity fund-raising is normally undertaken during Lent, we were approached by the NSPCC in the autumn term. This resulted in a HIPHOP being organised and the children raised a staggering 2200 for this very worthy charity. Again during Lent the children worked extremely hard in raising money and donated 724 to Trocaires Lenten Campaign and 500 to Meningitis. This gives us an outstanding total of 3424! A big thank you to all who contributed so generously to our projects. SCHOOL COUNCIL Our first ever School Council began its work at the beginning of the school year. Two children from each P5 P7 class were nominated to represent the school. Regular meetings were held to give the children the opportunity to bring forward ideas to improve the school. The members organised a bunsale, negotiating prices with a local supplier, and raised money to buy games for playtime. The decision regarding the choice of games was left to the Council no doubt they had to use their teamwork skills in reaching agreement! Well done to the members for their commitment to the council. THE SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY The Board of Governors is keen to encourage community involvement in the school. Over the course of the year there have been many opportunities for various members of the Newcastle Community to visit St Marys and share their experiences with the children. The childrens learning experiences are enhanced in many ways in St Marys and the involvement of various outside visitors and groups over this last school year has greatly contributed to their education. Programmes delivered by outside agencies were: Im Special, Youre Special Workshop devised around the area of RSE (Relationships & Sexuality Education) and delivered by the Diocesan Advisers Young Enterprise NI P5, P6 & P7 Bee Safe Programme for P7 children Bombardier worked with the P6 & p7 classes on their Flight topic The Armagh Rhymers Talk from NSPCC followed by Hip Hop sessions which raised 2200

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With the development of a Topic approach to learning, teachers planned educational visits to reinforce the work done in class. Places visited include Castlewellan Forest Park, The Balmoral Show, The Exploris Aquarium, W5, and the cinema. The children had a vast range of worthwhile experiences which brought to life some of the areas which had been studied and researched. Special visitors were also welcomed into the classrooms to support the topics being studied eg doctor, dental nurse, hairdresser, fireman. Participation by children in community based activities: Primary 3, 4 & 5 children took part in the Newcastle Hallowtide Parade of Light, having worked with an artist in creating masks for the parade Primary 6 & 7 children undertook a Litter Pick-up on the beach Primary 7 children sang at Christmas in the Slieve Dhu Nursing Home and the Glen Fold Our choir members sang at a concert in St Malachys High School, Castlewellan, organised to raise funds for the diocesan youth group going to Zambia Whole parish Carol Service P7 trip to Manchester The primary seven children had the opportunity to visit Manchester in May. Four members of staff accompanied the children on the three day trip which included visits to Old Trafford, Lego Discovery Centre, Trafford Watersport Centre and Alton Towers. This action packed trip was well organised and the children were a credit to the school and their parents. Its not often an hotel takes the time to e-mail the organising company to praise the behaviour of a party of school children but The Britannia Hotel in Wigan did just that! Such was the success of our first trip outside of Ireland that the teachers have organised another trip this year. Grandparents Day This year we celebrated Grandparents Day as part of Catholic Schools Week. The children all came together on Key Stage 1 site to showcase their school to their grandparents and to share happy memories of growing up with the support of their grandparents. We were thrilled with the huge numbers who took the time to visit the school and the grandparents thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon and showed an obvious delight in being invited. THE INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS IN THE SCHOOL We have a very active and hard-working Parents Support Group within St Marys. This nucleus of parents has been instrumental in providing the school with many welcome resources. This year they contributed 3000 towards new reading material throughout each key stage. Another Family Bingo night attracted a huge crowd as the children insisted that their parents brought them along. We would like to thank the members of the Parents Support Group for their ongoing. OUR NEW SCHOOL It was with great delight that we received the news of our new school at last! The first sod was cut in March 2011 and we have eagerly watched the progress made on a weekly basis. The building programme is on schedule, with a completion date of June 2012 for the building. The grounds and landscaping is due for completion at the end of September. The Board of Governors would like to take this opportunity to thank the parents for their patience and understanding and for the support given to the school in managing a split site. September is a new beginning for our school and the children and staff, as they move to a state of the art building and begin to enjoy the many benefits which this brings. 11

2010/2011 LMS BUDGET STATEMENT

Budget and Expenditure for the year ending 31st March 2011 Allocation Expenditure Teaching Staff Non -Teaching Staff Non Staff Costs Total Expenditure Carryover 2010/2011
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1019462

778574 127023 905597 55658 961255 961255 58207

SCHOOL ACCOUNT Opening Balance Income Total Expenditure Closing Balance 5268.62 2518.08 4070.08 3716.62 7786.70

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