Our annual survey 2022
Every year, we invite you to complete an annual survey of parents and carers. Thank you to the 22 people who completed this year’s survey.
Most of the questions we asked were based on those that Ofsted use for their Parent View. This gives you the chance to tell Ofsted what you think about your child’s school, from the quality of teaching to dealing with bullying and poor behaviour.
We’re delighted that the statements prompted very good responses: the following questions all had a 100% opinion outcome:
- Is your child happy at school?
- Does your child feel safe at school?
- Does St James’ CE Primary make sure its pupils are well-behaved?
- Do we make you aware of what your child learns during the year?
- Does St James’ have high expectations for your child?
- Is your child doing well at school?
- Is there a good range of subjects available to your child?
- Does St James’ CE Primary promote its Christian ethos effectively?
- Our vision is to be a happy and healthy place to achieve and believe. Overall, do we achieve this?
- Would you recommend this school to another parent?
The other questions we asked typically had a positive response rate of 95%.
We asked if you’re aware of bullying at the school. The vast majority of respondents were not aware. However, there was a small minority who said they were. Our definition of bullying is Several Times On Purpose and our solution is Start Telling Other People. Please do make sure you alert us about any concerns you may have.
We asked if you’ve ever had to raise a concern. We’re pleased that the vast majority who had raised something replied that it was dealt with well – ‘On both occasions my concerns were acknowledged within a very short space of time’ and ‘The teacher was great at explaining and helping’ were typical comments. As always, please do make sure you raise concerns – your child’s class teacher is usually around at the end of the day.
The last question was an open-ended one: we invited any comments you may have. There were 12 comments here, and the majority of these were positive – thank you.
[My daughter] has really developed and has thrived in the warm atmosphere and kind yet high expectations of the teaching staff.
I am particularly impressed at how the older children feel a sense of responsibility for the younger students, all the way down through the academic years.
Both my children and I love this school. The staff are wonderful and so caring. I feel the communications are excellent and the children have fantastic opportunities to develop and grow. I appreciate Miss Beatson being present on the school gates each week.
We’re keen to keep improving. We’ll review the suggestions, which included comments about uniform (introduce a polo shirt colour?). We’ll also make sure staff are aware of the praise they’ve earned.
Thank you to those parents / carers who completed the survey.
As always, please contact us with any questions, comments and concerns during the school year.
Have you entered our Summer competition yet?
Stay alert to happy and healthy faces all around you…
We want to see your pics of hidden smiley faces in your surroundings: a walk in woods or a play on the beach might include creating a smiley face, for example! Here’s our suggestion (look for the smiling face!)…
…but we’re sure you can do better!
Look out for things around you that show a hidden smiley face – a happy and healthy face – or encourage your child to create their own from things around them (pebbles, leaves, Lego…). (Just avoid obvious and intended smiling faces like the ones featured in the Breeze list of summer dates from last week’s message – they’re too easy to spot!)
To enter, email your pics to stjamesoffice@spherefederation.org by Friday 09 September. Enter ‘Summer competition’ as the subject.
All entries will be displayed in a happy and healthy display in school, and there are prizes for our favourites.
Have a great summer!
I can’t believe we have come to the end of Year 4! You have all made me so proud this year and we ended on such a high with our amazing Joseph performance!
I hope you all enjoy the holidays and I look forward to seeing you again as Year 5 in September.
Miss Gledhill
Our Summer competition
We’re a happy and healthy place to achieve and believe!
Over the Summer weeks, we want you all at home to stay alert to happy and healthy faces all around you… and take a pic of any hidden smiley faces in your surroundings: a day out at the beach might include creating a smiley face, for example! Here’s our suggestion (look for the smiling face!)…
…but we’re sure you can do better!
Look out for things around you that show a hidden smiley face – a happy and healthy face – or encourage your child to create their own from things around them (pebbles, leaves, Lego…). (Just avoid obvious and intended smiling faces like the ones featured in the Breeze list of summer dates from last week’s message – they’re too easy to spot!)
To enter, email your pics to stjamesoffice@spherefederation.org by Friday 09 September. Enter ‘Summer competition’ as the subject.
All entries will be displayed in a happy and healthy display in school, and there are prizes for our favourites.
Goodbye, Year 6!
A huge well done to all of the children in Year 6.
Everyone at St James’ is so proud of all you’ve achieved in your time here and we wish you all the best as you start the next chapter at high school.
Goodbye
Thank you for all your hard work this year, we have had a fantastic time together. We hope you all have a lovely summer and we’ll see you in September.
Mrs Flynn, Mrs Palmer and Mrs Cairnes
This week’s message part 2 (Friday 22 July 2022)
The bulk of our last message of the school year comes from Miss Beatson. Before that, we’ve an updated uniform policy. Also, we’ve been asked by Leeds City Council to provide you with some important information…
Uniform
Most parents and carers stock up on fresh uniform over the summer holiday, so we want to let you know about our updated policy now.
This year, we’ve been trialling something we introduced in Covid times: wearing PE kit on PE days. Overall, we like this: it increases time for PE (no changing into kit) and there’s less lost property. However, we’ve seen some deviation from our uniform policy on PE days with some branded tops and shorts sneaking in. Check out our updated policy, especially the part about PE kit. We hope you’ll agree that the changes should actually save you money and be much more convenient for you.
Prevent
This letter is to help raise your awareness of the dangers of radicalisation and to let you know where to get more information, advice and support if you do have any concerns. This leaflet provides a summary about the Prevent programme and how, through the ACT Early website and Support Line, those who are vulnerable to radicalisation can get the help they may need.
And now over to Miss Beatson…
Another year is almost done and what a wonderful year we have had! It’s been so lovely to be able to go back to normal school life. We’ve been able to have parent visits to classrooms, coffee mornings, church services, KS2 productions, school trips and a Year 6 residential – all so important for our children.
The last week of the year is always busy but it’s especially busy for our Year 6 children. With productions, leavers’ service, leavers’ assembly and high school transition meetings, it’s certainly been an intense week. However, the children have embraced every moment, showing resilience and maturity, which makes me confident they’re ready to move on to secondary school. We wish them all the best for the future.
We’re saying a few goodbyes to staff, too: Mrs Flynn, Mrs Boulton and Mrs Wood, but we’ll continue to work with them as they’re still teaching in Sphere Federation. Mr Mills is also leaving to concentrate on his successful coaching company.
We’re going to miss them all so much and I’d like to thank them for all their hard work and commitment.
With departures come arrivals. In September, Mr Freeman will join the Year 5/6 class, Miss Kay will be in Year 2, and Miss Ward in Nursery. Mrs Payne will be the teacher in Reception, although she has been with us at St James’ for the last few months. We’re looking forward to welcoming them all to our school family.
I hope you all manage to relax, have fun and spend some quality time with your children this Summer. I look forward to seeing lots of happy and healthy faces on Tuesday 06 September.
End of Year 3
We’ve come to the end of Year 3 and it’s been a very busy one! The children have matured and it is great to see them working as a team. They are energetic and have an eagerness for learning – which is brilliant!
I think the most noticeable change is the care and empathy the children show to one another. Through great resilience and hard work, there has been some remarkable achievements. I am really looking forward to teaching the class again in Year 4.
Below there are some photos from our year.
Have a great summer!
Goodbye Reception
Well it’s here! The last day of term for 2021-22.
You’ve all had an amazing year!
I thought it would be nice to share some wonderful highlights.
Click here to reflect back on your Reception year.
I hope you all have a happy and healthy summer break.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Tonight, Key Stage 2 performed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat- it really was amazing! The children sang their hearts out and made everybody really proud. Thank you to all the staff who put together a fantastic show and a special shout out to Mrs Valentine’s Mum who spent many hours creating the iconic dreamcoat.
Well done to all the children- it was a huge success!
