Prospectus
The information shown here has been extracted from our prospectus. A full version of our Prospectus 2021/22 is also available to download below.
Malin Bridge Prospectus 2021-22
School Organisation
Malin Bridge Primary School became part of Chorus Academy Trust in January 2022. We are now a ‘through school’ with over five hundred pupils, aged from 4 to 11 years, accommodated in two buildings: the infant building on the Dykes Lane side and the Junior on the Meredith Road side.
There are currently eighteen classes in the school. The Infant Building houses the eight classes from Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, while the Junior Building houses the ten classes from Key Stage 2. Each class at Malin Bridge Primary School is known by its class teacher’s name. These classes are organised into the four phases below.
Nursery (2-4 years) – two settings
Foundation Stage (4-5 years) – three Foundation Stage classes
Key Stage 1 (5-7 years) – two Y1 classes, one mixed Y1/2 class and two Y2 classes
Lower Key Stage 2 (7-9 years) – two Y3 classes, one mixed Y3/4 class and two Y4 classes
Upper Key Stage 2 (9-11 years) – two classes in Y5, one mixed Y5/6 class and two classes in Y6
The statutory yearly admission number is 75. The school aims to keep the number of children in each class below 30 although this is not always possible. Attending Malin Bridge Nursery does not guarantee a place at Malin Bridge Primary School.
Our School Day
Breakfast Club: 7:30am-school start
After School Club: Close of School – 4:30pm or 5:45pm
Absence from School
Punctuality and Attendance
It is vital that children are in school and learning as much as they possibly can be. There are, of course, times when children need to be absent from school and we will always work closely with families to help as much as we can when this is the case.
We raise the profile of the importance of having the best possible attendance, and celebrate children’s achievements, by having different attendance awards, for individuals, classes and year groups. Dale Edwardes, our Education Welfare Officer, is now based at our school. He works from Mon-Thu and also covers 5 other primary schools in the locality. Dale works closely with our school staff and provides support to children and their families, with regards to improving school attendance and punctuality. If you need any advice or support in relation to your child’s attendance or need any help in getting your child to school, you can contact him on 07885972039.
Absence and Illness
Please remember to inform school before 9.00am or as soon as possible if your child is absent. Parents and carers can leave a message on the answer phone before office hours. If we are not aware that a child is absent, but they are not in school, the school office will contact you to ensure that your child is safe. If you know that your child will be absent for more than one day, please inform us during that first contact call. If you need to take your child out of school during the day, for example to a medical appointment, absence passes should be collected from the school office. Children do become ill at school occasionally. Please ensure that the contact information we have in school is up to date and please inform the office if your details change.
Pregnant women may be at risk if they have been in close contact with children suffering from Chicken Pox, Rubella (German Measles) or Slapped Cheek Syndrome. We advise you to seek medical advice at the earliest opportunity if you feel that your child may have any of these conditions and inform the school office if your child is diagnosed with any of the above illnesses.
Medicines in School
Please note that school can only administer medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse prescriber or pharmacist prescriber and are as originally dispensed (e.g. in their original container which shows the dosage and patient information). This is not the rule for over the counter pain medication, which can be given without a prescription. If your child needs antibiotics, it is often possible to organise the doses so that they can be taken before and after school (e.g. in three doses or less each day). If the prescribed doses require one to be taken in the school day, contact the school office to complete a parental agreement form. When medication is required for eight days or more, the school will draw up a Health Care Plan with parents/carers, who will need to complete a parental agreement form.
Term Time Holidays
We strongly recommend that parents do not take children out of school in term time as this can have an impact on their progress and achievement. Malin Bridge Primary School has, along with our Family of Schools, adopted the policy produced by Sheffield City Council in response to guidance from the Department for Education.
If you wish to request term time leave you should complete the request form, which is available from the letter rack opposite the school office and below. Term time leave can, however, only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Any requests for leave will be assessed on an individual basis, considering both the impact of missing school on the child’s education and any special circumstances we are made aware of by parents and carers.
Under the new regulations taking unauthorised term time leave may make parents or carers liable for a Penalty Notice (fine). We decided to implement this change, and begin to routinely apply fines as expected by the new regulations, from September 2014. It was our hope that this enabled families to take full account of the changes when planning future holidays and other leave. If you are unsure about how this policy will apply to you, then we would encourage you to speak to us about it before making any plans or bookings.
Request for Exceptional Term Time Leave
Lunchtime Provision
Lunchtime takes place between 12:00 and 1:00pm. Foundation Stage, Y1 and Y2 children eat in their classrooms and children from the Bridge and Y3 – Y6 eat in the Junior hall in separate sittings.
School Meals
Children have the option to have a school lunch. They are good value and nutritious, with a choice of a hot dinner option or a school plated sandwich. There is always a vegetarian alternative and weekly menus are displayed around school, downloadable from the school website and sent home periodically by the catering company. We operate a ‘pre-ordering system’; the children tell their teacher their meal choice at registration time and are given their coloured wristband when they line up for lunch to remind them about their choice. The payment for school meals should be made via Iris Parentmail There is also the option to pay for a half or full term. At present the cost of a school lunch is £2.30 per day, payable online.
Free School Meals
All children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 (Y1 and Y2) are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal. Children in Key Stage 2 (Y3 to Y6) are entitled to Free School meals if parents are claiming Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based). Parents of children who are in receipt of Child Tax Credit, and whose annual income (as assessed by Inland Revenue) does not exceed £16,190, will be entitled to free school meals. For more information you can speak to the school office who can process the application on your behalf, or contact Free School Meals, Children and Young Peoples Service, First Point, Howden House, 1 Union Street, Sheffield, S1 2SH (telephone (0114) 2735705 or 2736401). We would encourage parents and carers to claim and use Free School Meals, which can save families approximately £380 per child per year, and also benefit the school, which receives ‘pupil premium’ funding for each eligible child. We would also encourage parents and carers of Infant children, who receive the universal free school meals, to apply so that school receives the appropriate Pupil Premium funding and the free meals are in place when the child moves into the Juniors.
The Pupil Premium is additional funding allocated to schools in order to support looked after children and children who are entitled to free school meals, either now or in the previous six years. The funding is intended to accelerate progress and raise attainment in English and Maths, narrowing the gap between these vulnerable pupils and their peers. We use pupil premium in a variety of ways to provide additional staffing, experiences and resourcing to our school. By broadening the opportunities for our socially disadvantaged pupils, we aim to give them experiences that other children take for granted. More information regarding Pupil Premium can be found on the school website.
Home lunches
If your child goes home at lunchtime they should return via the school office, who will direct them whether to go directly to class or join their class lining up on the playground.
Packed lunches
Children have the option to bring a packed lunch. If your child has a packed lunch they will need a named lunch box and, as there is a shortage of space, it is helpful if these are not carried in large bags. Please do not send your child with a fizzy drink. To support children’s understanding of healthy eating we will promote ‘Healthy Lunch boxes’ in a variety of ways throughout the school year.
Complaints Procedure
Contacting School
We try very hard to provide as many opportunities as possible for children, parents and carers to let us know how we are doing and how we could improve. Whether you come into school to talk to us, either by making an appointment or coming along to a parent forum event, or contact us by letter, phone or email we will always seek to resolve any issue. Ultimately we know that whenever something goes wrong it has the potential to impact negatively on the progress of children.
Complaints Procedure
As part of Chorus Academy Trust, we have adopted a number of the Trust policies. Below is the link to the Chorus Academy Trust policies page which contains the Complaints policy.