Thank you for considering Parkwood Primary School as a school for your child starting in September 2024. We feel this would be a brilliant choice and we are delighted to be able to share further information with you on this page.
Tours of the School
We welcome prospective parents to visit our school and immerse themselves in our environment ahead of applying for a place. We hope to give you a really helpful snapshot of life in our school.
Tours will last around an hour and a half and will include the following:
· A welcome briefing by the Headteacher
· A tour of Foundation Stage
· A tour of the remainder of the school to see the learning journey our children will be taken on throughout their time at Parkwood.
Children are welcome to attend the tours should their parents wish to bring them. Parents with pushchairs are welcome. We'll do what we can to help you to navigate any stairways.
To book onto one of the tours below, please call the school office on: 01634 234699
or email us at: office@parkwoodprimary.org.uk
· Wednesday 1st November at 9.15am
· Thursday 2nd November at 9.15am
· Wednesday 8th November at 9.15am
Why Parkwood Primary School?
Parkwood Primary is a two-form entry, inclusive primary school located in the heart of Parkwood, with the space to welcome sixty children into our foundation stage setting each year. Parkwood is a locally maintained school.
We ensure that every child is given the best possible beginning to their education and continue to take great strides towards fulfilling their potential.
As a school, we a have a good reputation for developing our own in-house staff and working with outside agencies to meet the needs of our children. Inclusion at Parkwood is about every child getting what they need in order to succeed.
We adopt a ‘This is how we do it here…’ approach to encourage positive behaviour in our children in order to prepare them to be respectful citizens, ready to contribute positively to their community. Our school rules are simple yet effective: safe, respectful and ready. We expect our children to demonstrate safe, respectful and ready behaviour in and around all parts or our school and through all they do so that everyone can enjoy their learning and their play.
Foundation Stage:
Each term, Foundation Stage shapes their learning around a theme that allows us to offer children a range of immersive learning experiences that teach the knowledge and skills that fall within the seven areas of learning set out by the Department for Education.
· Communication and language
· Personal, social and emotional development
· Physical development
· Literacy
· Mathematics
· Understanding the world
· Expressive arts and design
As a school, we are very aware of the importance of this year of schooling. It is at this time that the foundations are laid ready for this learning to be built upon as they move through their primary years.
Phonics:
In Foundation Stage, each child takes part in daily phonics lessons to develop their letters and sound knowledge as well as to build on their early reading skills.
We encourage the children to use phonics across all areas of learning. We believe that the children developing into good, confident readers, as they get older, will help their learning across the curriculum and give them a love of books which will feed their imaginations.
We use RWI (Read, Write, Inc) at Parkwood therefore the children are taught in vertical groups across FS, Year 1 and Year 2 in small groups. This allows us to really tailor the learning to the children. Assessments are conducted each term so each child is placed within the correct group.
Learning Environments:
Materials and resources are arranged so that they are accessible to the children and encourage them to become independent in following everyday classroom routines. Teachers also plan learning around a theme and role-play areas are adapted to suit the theme. These help to encourage the children to consolidate their learning and explore their own ideas through play i.e. café, post office, doctors’ surgery, vets, a shop etc. We have designated outdoor areas outside the classroom so that there are opportunities for learning both inside and outside. These areas are used throughout the year, even if at times the mud kitchen is muddier than at others! We have lovely school grounds and throughout the children’s time at the school, we encourage outdoor learning in the fresh air.
Our School Day:
Our daily timetable encourages out children to learn and develop in a range of ways. Throughout the day, they will take part in whole class lessons, small group lessons and engage in independent activities the children choose from.
Lunch:
You can choose for your child to enjoy school dinners or they can bring a packed lunch to school. There are vegetarian options for every meal. We have fruit available each day for children to have as a snack as well as free school milk.
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to free school meals.
School Uniform:
- A white blouse, shirt or polo shirt
- Plain smart skirt or pinafore in grey or black
- Trousers or tailored shorts in grey or black
- In summer, girls may wear a red gingham dress
- Socks should be white, grey or black in colour
PE Kit
- Blue or black plain shorts
- Plain, round-neck, white t-shirt
- Black trainers for indoor/outdoor games
- Plain, black jogging bottoms and their jumper for winter games.
What is Parkwood’s curriculum like beyond Foundation Stage?
Our teaching approach in KS1 and KS2 uses philosophical questions and concepts that we can explore through all subjects in the national curriculum. Examples of these important, thought provoking concepts are as follows: resilience, adversity and equality to name but a few. We then create an enquiry question that would frame the concepts and give the children a starting point for their learning e.g. Why do people to choose to live where they do?
This approach to teaching avoids our children being passive recipients of our curriculum. They are actively involved from the outset. We want our pupils at the centre of their own learning. The enquiry question is specifically designed to encourage more questions and thoughts – something that continues throughout the learning process.
How do I complete a primary school application?
Like all schools in Medway, we have a single point of entry for reception and admit children in September. Visit the Medway Council website for further guidance and an online application form:
https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200137/schools_and_learning/1059/applying_for_a_primary_school_place
Applications open: Monday 4th September 2024
The deadline for the September 2024 intake is Monday 15th January 2024
How do I appeal for a place in Foundation Stage?
Follow the link below to find out how to appeal for a place at a Medway school: