Courtland School

We have a home/school reading scheme in place. Your child will regularly bring home a book bag. This will have in it a reading book and a reading diary. The diary has the reading focus for the week, plus a question or two for the children to discuss with you. We invite you to write comments about time spent reading with your child and talking about the reading focus. In Reception, children follow the Letters and Sounds phonics programme.

We are very proud of our library. Children are encouraged to borrow books from the library and to share them with you. We aim to instil a love of books and a desire to read for pleasure and information. In school your child will be given every opportunity to share and read books. Infant and Junior classes often team up for this purpose.

We do encourage all our parents to take their children to the local library. We hold book fairs and often have events such as Book Week to promote reading.

Our Home Learning Policy is available for you to view at any time and will be discussed at our September ‘Meet the Teacher’ meetings (see below). Please take an active interest in the tasks set and give the class teacher your comments. Home Learning will be directly linked to the National Curriculum and, where appropriate, followed up in class.

Every Courtland parent is automatically a member of our thriving Parent and Teacher Association. The elected committee organises social events to raise money to pay for additional resources for our children. In recent years, playground resources, books, funding Focus weeks, equipment and the total restocking of the school library have been funded by the PTA. Successful events include Discos, Christmas and Summer Fairs, BBQs, Indulgence Evenings and sponsored walks or skips. These all provide opportunities for parents and children to have fun together. The work of the PTA is part of what makes Courtland such a close and friendly community.

You will be invited to four parents’ evenings during the school year:

September –  All the parents in your child’s class are invited as a group to a meeting with the class teacher. Curriculum plans for the year and how you as parents can help your child will be discussed. The Home Learning Policy as it applies to your child will be explained. Particular procedures and events common to that year of schooling will also be discussed.

October/November  – You will have an opportunity for an individual consultation to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher.

March/April  – You will be invited to a further individual discussion with your child’s teacher on progress and areas for development.

July  – There will be an opportunity to discuss your child’s Annual report and to discuss End of year assessments.

There are informal drop in mornings throughout the year, when you can look at your child’s work and visit the classrooms to look at their displays whilst mingling informally with other parents and staff.