Brent Knoll

Church of England

Primary School ‘A Feeling of Belonging’

A Primary school, from Reception to Year 6

Welcome to the School

I am pleased to welcome you to Brent Knoll

Primary School. The school has been on this

site in the village since 1861, though much of

the present day building, behind the

Victorian hall and entrance, dates from

2004.

The school has changed a lot since those

early days of Victorian support; we currently have 130 children based within

five classes. As Head, I am one of the newest members of the community,

having only arrived in Easter 2014. Many of the staff, in contrast, have been

here for many years and many are stalwarts of the village as well as the

school. It really is a close community where children and adults know and

support each other incredibly well. If you are looking for an education where

you really do ‘belong’, but that also offers many opportunities that would be

envied by other larger schools, please do come and visit.

Chris Burman, Head teacher, November 2016

Where We Are

The School is situated in the middle of

the village of Brent Knoll which, as

the name suggests, lies beneath the

Knoll itself. We are just a couple of

miles from the town of Burnham-on-

Sea. The coast of the Severn Estuary

is therefore very close, as are the renowned Somerset Levels. Glastonbury, the City of

Wells and Bridgwater are all a short drive away.

Brent Knoll, visible by the landmark Knoll, is just a few minutes from Junction 22 of the

M5. The A38, heading north to Bristol and south to Taunton, is reached at the end of

Brent Street.

For SatNav, the School’s postcode is TA9 4EQ.

Our Golden Rules

We are gentle.

We are kind and helpful.

We listen to each other.

We work hard, making the most of our time.

We look after property.

We are honest.

We are understanding of each other’s differences.

Our Aims and Values

We are proud of our heritage and the links we have

with the Church and the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

The children are very familiar with St. Michael’s

Church that is only just over the road, and attend

services there every half term, as well as on the

occasion of the main festivals. In June 2016, we had

a Church inspection, known as a SIAMS, and were given an ‘Outstanding’ grade.

Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement was established in 2014. Its key elements tell of how we enrich the lives of our children and inspire them to develop a love of learning through our Christian Values. The Mission Statement contains four themes that establish what our school ethos is.

Love of Learning - We provide an inclusive, meaningful, enjoyable curriculum to inspire and encourage pupils to reach their full potential. We nurture the social and emotional development of all our pupils and teach them how to stay safe and lead healthy lives. We develop their confidence and independence and encourage them to question and reason rationally.

Faith – We are proud to be a Church of England School. We promote the values and beliefs of the Christian faith whilst respecting and celebrating the beliefs and cultures of others.

Respect – We develop each child’s sense of self-worth as well as their sense of responsibility. We encourage children to value diversity and the wonder of creation.

Partnerships – We work together with our families, the Church and the local and wider community, valuing their support.

A Feeling of Belonging

Our Curriculum

Our Curriculum is always being developed and improved. The last two years, however,

have seen many extra changes as we have introduced the revised National Curriculum

and have introduced a new system for assessment.

The core subjects of English and Mathematics remain at the heart of out teaching and

learning. Each class has a daily English lesson, which incorporates Reading and Writing.

The youngest children have a daily phonics session, too. Our phonics is led by the Letters

and Sounds Scheme. Reading is always encouraged. We have a Reading scheme for early

readers, but we also now have a general library. The books can be taken out by all our

families, including pre-schoolers and siblings, as well as the pupils themselves. The books

on loan change each term. Writing is often guided by the term’s Topic theme. Linking

work makes each strand more relevant and language can be transposed between

different lessons.

The Curriculum is broad. Apart from Topics, which usually have a Geographical of

Historical basis, there are regular units of work in Science, Art, Design and Technology,

R.E. and French. We have specialist sports coaches to lead P.E. and Swimming, as well as

for Music. Computing has had a major overhaul, and children are now taught more about

programming, which is proving very popular.

As well as regular trips and visits, we are using the local environment in a variety of ways.

The village and Knoll lend themselves so well to outdoor learning. This year the children

are taking part in our Forest School activities under the guidance of Mrs Sinnott.

An up to date review of what the school does and how it is performing is available via the

Ofsted web-site as the school was inspected in March, 2014. We were very pleased to

receive a GOOD grade in all areas.

More Opportunities

This year we are pleased to offer a wide range of

after-school activities. Sports clubs are varied and

include football, tag-rugby, hockey, basketball,

gymnastics and running. Other clubs that are run

include gardening, Spanish, martial arts and arts.

The governors were kind enough to buy the school

a mini-bus and this is frequently used to allow

teams to enter competitive sports events. In the last two years, the boys and girls

football teams have reached the finals of the Somerset Small Schools Competition. Other

one-off trips are also arranged. During the year the Year 6s have been to Weston to

watch the National Theatre’s live performance of Treasure Island; another group went to

a local willow farm to buy the willow for the school field’s new willow dome and a very

dedicated group went on a Saturday to enter the Wellington School Maths Challenge.

The School Day begins at 9am and ends at 3.15pm. Each morning the gates open at

8.45am, allowing parents and carers to meet each other, as well as teachers. The

Head or Senior Teacher are on playground duty from this time. We have an open

door policy for parents to come in, though teachers may ask you to meet them at a

quieter or more convenient time.

A free hot lunch is currently available to every Infant pupil. Key stage 2 children may

purchase a cooked lunch for £2.60. Menus are available from the office.

Attendance at school is critical for learning. However, we know that occasionally

a child may be unwell or will need to attend a medical appointment. If this is the

case, parents are required to call the school for each day of a child’s absence.

The Head teacher is in regular contact with the Local Authority’s attendance

officer and either can advise you about absence from school.

Our Links

Apart from our links with the Church, we are also very familiar

with The King Alfred School in Burnham. This is the secondary

school most of the Year 6 pupils attend. King Alfred’s has also

undergone many changes in recent years. It is worth looking at

their web-site for information or asking for a visit.

http://www.kingalfred.somerset.sch.uk/

Brent Knoll is a village which really does do a great deal to ensure traditions continue, all

of which add up to a real sense of community. The School joins in with several annual

events: Scarecrow Weekend, Easter Egg Trails and Village fete being three of the biggest.

The village has its own magazine, the Brent Knoll News, which can be accessed via the

following link:

http://www.brentknollvillage.co.uk/

Medication and Accidents

Medication can be administered by staff. If this is required, please see

Mrs Field in the office in order to complete the necessary paperwork.

Medicines cannot be left in the classrooms or cloakrooms and children

must not bring in medicines themselves. Parents will need to collect

unused medicines from the office.

If a child has an accident during the school day basic first aid will be

administered. It is normal practice for the school to inform parents if

their child has had a head bump. The school will always seek to speak to

parents if further medical aid is required, but the Head or Senior Teacher

will act ‘in loco parentis’ and take appropriate action where required.

Useful Information

Chair of Governors

Eur Ing Hugh Mackay JP

Head teacher

Mr Chris Burman

Teachers

Senior Teacher Miss H. Richens

Miss. J. Deacon and Mrs L Beardsley (Dr Seuss Class) - Years 1 and 2

Mrs S. Stockham (Rowling Class) – Years 4 and 5

Mrs. A. Banham and Mrs P Baker (Morpurgo Class) – Year 6

Miss. E Hill (Dahl Class) – Years 3 and 4

Miss H Richens and Mrs L Beardsley (Donaldson Class) – Years Reception

SENDCO (Special Needs Teacher) Mrs. B Jones

Teaching Assistants

Mrs. J. Weston Mrs. H. Key Mrs. J. Sinnott

Mrs. H. Bond Mrs. S. Buller Mrs. A. Smith

Mrs C Harkness

Mrs F Edrich Mrs S Bennett

Finance Officer/Secretary Mrs. S. Field

How to Contact Us

Address: Brent Knoll Primary School, Brent Street, Brent Knoll, Somerset, TA9 4EQ

Telephone: 01278 760546

Email: office@brentknoll.somerset.sch.uk

Web-site: https://slp2.somerset.gov.uk/schools/brentknoll

How to Join the School

Brent Knoll is a Local Authority School and so admissions

are authorised by them. However, if you would like to see

if we can offer your child a place, please call us in the first

instance. If you are not familiar with the school, please do

call to arrange a tour. We are always pleased to do this at

any time.

Year 4 pupils at

The King Alfred School

There is a Summer and Winter uniform for boys and girls. Uniform is available

online. The school office can supply up to date details. We are a school that rarely

cancels breaks due to rain and wind. Children are encouraged to wear appropriate

seasonal clothing, such as Wellingtons and warm coats in the Winter.

Though small, Brent Knoll makes every effort to be a fully inclusive school and we

welcome children of all abilities and from all backgrounds. If your child has extra

needs please do let us know, as support is best provided earlier rather than later.