St Osmund's CE (Aided) Middle School
Brochure

What is so special about St. Osmund’s Middle School?

St. Osmund’s is a thriving community of children and adults, differing widely in ages, interests and talents. It exists to help every member make the most of his/her abilities in a stimulating and sympathetic environment and to prepare every individual to become a responsible member of society. Our school aims have
been written and agreed by all members of our community:

‘St. Osmund’s aspires to be an e-confident school where all teaching is very good or excellent and where pupils’ achievement matches their God-given potential’.

St. Osmund’s opened as a Middle School in 1979 catering for 250 children aged between 9 and 13 years old. Since its opening, we have grown tremendously and numerous extensions and building projects have been carried out to bring it up to its present size, now providing for 600 children. We have specialist facilities for the teaching of Music, Drama, Information Communication Technology (2 large suites), a superb facility for Technology and Art, and three fantastic Science laboratories which were rebuilt in 2007. In 2002 we added a wonderful Community Sports Centre to our site; this is described in more detail further on in this brochure. There is also: a pond, a small nature reserve, extensive playing fields, a very well-stocked and well-used school library; and ‘The RE:Z’, which is a quiet area or reflection zone for break times and lessons as appropriate. The staff are very enthusiastic, dedicated and work extremely well together as a team. They create a very happy atmosphere in the school which is built on Christian principles, where good behaviour is expected at all times from all of its members.

St. Osmund’s is proud to have a school uniform and we ask for the cooperation of parents in ensuring that it is worn.

Why is St. Osmund’s a Specialist School in Science and Maths?

In 2007 we were, with our sister middle schools in Dorchester, designated a Specialist Science and Maths School. This is a great honour normally reserved for high performing secondary schools and we are thrilled to be able to participate in this initiative for the betterment of pupils’ learning. The additional resources provided through Specialist Status enable us to personalise the learning support for specific groups of pupils, including those still at first schools, and more closely link school life with real life by building links with the world of work.
Science and Maths are definitely areas of strength at St. Osmund’s but the other awards we have received as a school show that we care for every aspect of pupils’ learning. The ICT Mark and Sports Mark Gold indicate the breadth of the curriculum. Our Healthy Schools Award and our work with UNICEF, on their programme for being a ‘Rights Respecting School’, reinforces our care for the whole child.

How will you care for my child?

We pride ourselves on having a range of support systems in place that allow us to provide the care for your child, whatever their need. It is appropriate, therefore, that the pastoral system is a real strength of the school. Our year leaders and form tutors take great care to engage with the pupils in their care. Where they feel the child needs more guidance there is a referral process to one of the many support clubs. These include: “Friends R Us”, a group run to encourage a wider range of social skills; Nurture Group, focusing on self confidenceand self esteem; and “SATS help”, providing guidance on how to cope with the pressure of exams. Our Year 8 pupils also act as Peer Mentors to the younger years, running a “drop in” session alongside the school nurse every Tuesday. Pupils tell us that they respect the work of Year 8 because of the ‘buddy system’ that facilitates Year 8 pupils pairing up and looking after pupils in Year 5 when they first arrive at school.We are also fortunate enough to have on the staff a trained counsellor who is able to provide 1 to 1 support for our most vulnerable children. These additional support opportunities are well utilised and our staff value the extra contribution they make to the child’s overall emotional health and well being.

DASP

St. Osmund’s School is committed to the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership (DASP), whose slogan is “Getting
it right by working together.” The 18 maintained schools, First, Middle, Upper and Dorchester Learning
Centre, seek to ensure that all young people within our pyramid will enjoy an education that is appropriate for
their age, needs and ability.

Since 2002, DASP has also been associated with the National College of School Leadership as one of its first
Networked Learning Communities. The partnership, like our school, has also been awarded Investors in People Status.

What about transfer from First to Middle and Middle to Upper?

New pupils to St. Osmund’s are introduced with the greatest of care through a process which begins long before they walk through the doors in September. A successful programme of induction begins with liaison between ourselves and the First schools in order to ensure each pupil is correctly placed in classes to meet their needs. Year 8 ‘buddies’ establish friendships to guide and support children through out their first year in St. Osmund’s, starting in the final year of First school when preliminary visits are made. Spending a day visiting us here allows each youngster to get to know their new teachers, new surroundings, make new friends from other first schools and to spend time with their Year 8 ‘buddy’. Familiarising them with their new ‘big’ school greatly reduces the anxieties for pupils and their parents and
ensures the best possible continuity of pupil learning. Then, in four years, we embark on another very thorough process of induction for pupils transferring to Thomas Hardye Upper School and Science College. Pupils are given several opportunities to visit and acclimatise to the Upper School during which they are also exposed to the excellent facilities and teaching at the school. We are also grateful to the Churches of Dorchester who give all our Year 8 pupils a retreat day to explore the challenge of change and to reflect on anxieties and excitements this time brings. There is also a good link between Hardye’s staff and St. Osmund’s tutors who are able to brief colleagues on the strengths and needs of the pupils they are due to receive.

What about bullying?

Moving to a new school, parents and children often worry about bullying. Pupils tell us that bullying rarely occurs in St. Osmund’s, but if it does we have a welltried and successful programme for dealing with it. This ‘Seven-Stage Approach’ ensures that no matter what the scale or extent of the problem, we can assurepupils and parents that all such incidents are treated seriously. Most importantly, this approach ensures that the bullied child is protected and the perpetrators are held to be accountable for their actions.

How will I know how well my child is doing?

We place great emphasis on individual pupil achievement. Throughout your child's time at St. Osmund’s we will be continually monitoring
his/her progress, development and approach to learning. Where it is particularly positive it will be recognised through our structured reward system. Where it can improve, there are supportive systems in place to encourage every pupil to work to his or her potential. You will be made aware of your child’s progress through the termly Parent Evenings and through your child's link book where necessary.
We believe that assessment is an important aspect but it should not be divorced from an ongoing awareness of children’s learning. In order to measure your child’s learning teachers regularly mark written work, observe in class performance, and evaluate practical
tasks, in addition to using the standardised tests. In addition to teachers’ assessments we make use of cognitive ability tests in verbal, quantitative and non-verbal reasoning. By these means we can also compare the performance of children at St. Osmund’s with children nationally and set targets for the future achievements of year groups at the school. Year 6 pupils sit the National Tests in English, Mathematics and Science, the results of which combine with teachers’ assessments to form their National Curriculum Assessment. Pupils at St. Osmund’s, and other DASP Middles, also sit National Tests in Year 8. This is a year earlier than pupils nationally and this enables Thomas Hardye School to provide a much more personalised start to pupils’ Upper School education. As a Middle School
we feel we are better placed to support pupils through these assessments as we know their strengths and weakness. This view is borne out by the results which are continually amongst the top scores in Dorset even when compared to schools taking the tests after three years! We provide parents with the results of any standardised tests taken by your child together with national comparative information.
You are actively encouraged to visit the school to discuss your child’s progress or any particular matter of concern with the Class Teacher, Head of Year or Head Teacher at any time during the school year. At the end of the school year, parents are sent a written report. This describes the major achievements they have made during the year and sets targets to achieve in the future.

What if my child needs extra help?

What if my child is particularly able?

St. Osmund’s School seeks to provide for pupils of all abilities, including those who have special talents. Children are quickly identified through the liaison process as well as through our own initial testing and observations. More able pupils will be challenged in all subjects in a variety of ways; from being in a group of pupils of similar ability (e.g. in Maths and later, in French), to being given tasks more specific to their skills or through greater expectations of teachers regarding their achievement. In order to make the most of your child’s abilities we work in partnership with other DASP schools to offer a varied programme of extensive enrichment workshops. Thomas Hardye School receives our pupils for work in Maths and Science and we, in turn, offer extension in Design and Technology to other DASP pupils. We also link with the Sports Schools Partnership to offer challenge for pupils gifted in sports.

How are classes organised in St. Osmund’s?

The school is organised into four Year Groups. In Year 5 your child will come predominantly under the care of one teacher, the class tutor, but will also be taught by a number of other specialist teachers in specialist rooms. A transition occurs gradually in which
there is a movement towards more subject-orientated teaching. In Years 7 and 8 your child will spend a
significant amount of time with the specialist teachers. For actual teaching purposes, the size and composition of the group can vary according to the age and ability of the child and the nature of the subject. As children progress through the school there is a gradual increase in the number of teachers, to permit smaller groupings and, for some subjects, setting according to ability. The range of subjects
taught is that laid down by the National Curriculum.

What about Creative Arts and Sport?

What about religion?

The staff and governors of St. Osmund’s are proud of their status as a Church of England school. We place great emphasis on the spiritual dimension of our children’s growth and development and we have regular corporate worship. Representatives of the Salisbury Diocese often visit the school and are valued members of our Governing Body. The Governors value the support of the Parochial Church Council in all matters, but particularly in helping the Governors to meet their financial responsibility as ‘trustees of the school’. There is daily provision for collective worship. These services are based on a weekly theme and are led by visiting clergy, teachers or class groups. Class groups meet twice a week with their tutor for a quiet time of reflection and discussion. Services to celebrate Christmas and Year 8 Leavers are held in local churches. We also work with the church community to prepare pupils for times of change such as transition to Upper School. It is the Christian faith that inspires St. Osmund’s, both in our worship and in the way we expect ‘members of our family’ to live and work together but we recognise that pupils may come from backgrounds which worship other faiths or none. We respect each
individual child’s faith position and trust that in choosing to send your child to St. Osmund’s you will value and respect the position we hold. Should you wish to exempt your child from collective worship (or Religious Education), you must confirm this wish in writing to the headteacher. However, we stress that collective worship is an important part of our school day and as such it is our wish and expectation that all children should attend.

What do parents think of St. Osmund’s School?

We believe that our school works best when the partnership between home and school is proactive and productive, hence parent opinions matter to us. It is our practice to consult with you about your child whenever there is something which needs to be discussed, academic or pastoral. We also ask for your views on other aspects of the school, such as parent evening arrangements, systems for communicating with you, the facilities offered, uniform matters etc. This is carried out as part of the school’s regular self-review process and parents of all Year 8 pupils are encouraged to respond to us via an ‘exit’ survey before pupils transfer to THS. Our most recent survey in 2006 gave us an overwhelmingly positive response about what parents thought about the school and its educational provision. Most encouraging of all were the responses which stated that pupils had been very happy with us; that the majority knew how well their child had done and how delighted they were with the teaching, the building, the clubs, to name but a few aspects. They also pointed out to us where they felt we needed to improve and this will be built upon in the future. Further evidence of the high regard parents have for St. Osmund’s was received from the OfSTED Inspection Report 2003, which can be found via our website.

How else can parents best work in partnership with St.Osmund’s Middle School?

There are several ways in which school and home can work together to provide the best education for your
child. On transfer to us, all Year 5 parents are required to sign a Home school agreement that details the expectations of all stakeholders in the school community. This forms the basis for the partnership between parents and school. In addition, we are able to communicate with you on a daily/weekly basis through our own Home/ School Link Book. This provides each pupil with homework timetables and guidelines, as well as space for parents and class tutors to make regular signed comments. We ask that parents actively support our homework policy and provide, if possible, quiet conditions in which your child can study. Finally, you can help by volunteering to accompany on school trips, by supporting the sports teams, by working with small groups in the classroom, by sharing library tasks and through supporting our very active PTA. We encourage parents and other members of the community to become involved in the life of our school and therefore to maximise the opportunities which are presented for your child at St. Osmund’s. It is vital that your child sees you in a supporting role, one where you value the experiences they receive and the effort they are putting in.

What goes on in the St. Osmund’s Community?

St Osmund’s offers many extra curricular opportunities for children to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Lists of the out-of-school activities offered each term will be sent to you regularly during the year and are posted on the website. Most of these activities are on offer to all children, though by necessity some are restricted to specific year groups or to single sex groups. The range of activities currently offered includes:

Every effort is made to ensure that the activities are run regularly, although sometimes it is necessary to cancel an arrangement. Normally we would aim to give 24 hours notice of cancellation, but occasionally there are reasons (e.g. staff illness or bad weather) to cancel on the day. In this event, children will be allowed (and encouraged) to make a telephone call home during lunchtime or morning break. If your child is unable to contact you, we will supervise him/her during the time of that session. Children’s education is not confined to the school boundaries; regular day or half-day visits are made locally to enhance learning. Venues used regularly for this purpose include: the Tutankhamun Museum; Poole Harbour; and other natural habitats. We also organise a number of residential visits to centres in Devon, Scotland and to France. In addition the children receive visits from local agencies such as the police, fire brigade and lifeguards to enhance their learning through the PSHE programme We are always pleased to receive any offers of help from parents interested in supporting local activities. Those of you with specific skills that might further increase our range of after-school opportunities would be welcomed too!:

“We want a school where . . .”

• we respect all individuals in a caring environment based on Christian values.
• everyone acts with care, politeness and consideration towards others, throughout the day.
• staff will encourage equality of opportunity, good citizenship, fairness, tolerance and co-operation.
• safe, co-operative and constructive activities take place during non-lesson time, meeting the needs of all pupils.
• it is unacceptable for any member of the school community to be made to feel unhappy, uncomfortable or unsafe by the inappropriate behaviour of others.

A policy agreed by St. Osmund’s children, teachers, governors, lunchtime supervisors and support staff,

Welcome to St Osmund’s Community Sports Centre.

St. Osmund’s Community Sports Centre Dorchester is a unique facility. Established in May 2002, and now approaching our birthday after five very successful years, the sports centre and its team of friendly, qualified staff offer an excellent service that sets it apart from other sports facilities in the area. We are proud of the high level sporting opportunities available for both students of the school and members of the community. The centre boasts a multi-use sports hall, the size of four badminton courts that is used for a large variety of activities,ranging from children’s inflatable parties to 5-a-side football. Other activities on offer include basketball, table tennis, indoor cricket and so much more.
Another popular use of the centre is the modern, air-conditioned fitness suite, offering state of the art cardiovascular and resistance training equipment a great facility used by a whole range of people from the community. Outside, our three floodlit tennis courts widen our breadth of services available. In addition, the use of the field, cricket nets and two multi-purpose hard court areas add to our impressive selection of what’s on offer. The centre also offers great services to the children of St. Osmund’s Middle School by way of after School Activities as well as Holiday Programmes that run throughout the working day. What’s more, these fantastic facilities are available at very affordable prices, and at concessionary prices for students. Affordability is one of our principle aims;we are a charitable company and so seek only to break even. We work with West Dorset District Council and Dorset County Council to ensure we provide the very best sports provision for Dorchester and the surrounding area. Further proof of our success is the extensive use of our centre by external groups and bodies who have relied upon us to supply adequate facilities for their coaching programmes. Tae Kwon Do has proved immensely popular, with tennis and football coaching attracting similar success. The relationship we maintain with both the school and the community is another aspect that we are extremely proud of. The dual use agreement ensures that both parties operate the building to the benefit of their users. This means that the school can continue gaining sporting success, at the same time as offering a wide range of curricular and extra-curricular activities, encouraging children to be active in their lifestyles. Simultaneously, new sporting opportunities are brought to the people of the local community, right to their doorstep! We hope that, in some shape or form, you can take advantage of our services and that you join the large proportion of the community who benefit from the services offered here at St.Osmund’s Community Sports Centre.

Sports Centre Manager

OPENING TIMES

• Monday–Friday – 7.00 am – 10.30 pm
• Saturday 9.00 am – 5.30 pm
• Sunday 9.00 am – 10.30 pm

FOR BOOKINGS and INFORMATION CALL 01305 756472

Working Together to Achieve Sport For All

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