The Headteacher has overall responsibility for Newnham Croft Primary School and is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management. The Senior Leadership Team is made up of the Head, two Assistant-Heads and SENCO. The Assistant Heads teach 4.5 days a week, while the SENCo works across the school for 3 days each week. Our Assistant Heads each lead the key stages - split into KS2 and EYFS/KS1.
There are eight classes each with the equivalent of a full time teacher; in some classes there is a job share which means the children benefit from a wide range of expertise and experience. All teachers have time ‘out of the classroom’. This is known as PPA time (planning, preparation and assessment). It is used to prepare plans and resources, to assess children’s learning, attend training and to support curriculum and staff development. Our teachers are highly qualified; they keep up to date with the latest developments and attend regular training and briefings. When one of our class teachers is out of class, we are usually able to ask one of our own staff to work with the class. This means that the children are taught by someone who knows them and the way things work at Newnham Croft.
We have a number of Teaching Assistants and one Nursery Nurse in school to support children with their learning. They are usually attached to a particular class and work alongside the class teacher. They may be supporting individual children or they may work with groups of children and provide general help in classrooms and around the school. Teaching Assistants are valued members of staff who receive training and are consulted in all matters of school policy and practice. We also work with a range of specialist teachers and coaches who offer expertise in specific areas of the curriculum, for example, sport and music.
Our administrative staff in the school office deal with a broad range of tasks including supporting admissions to the school, managing some of the wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities we offer children, administering children’s lunchtime arrangements and dealing with all financial matters. The Headteacher and Finance Manager manage the school budget and ensure that we follow local and national audit requirements.
Our site manager is responsible for the upkeep, safety and security of the school building, site and grounds, and, of course, its users!
A team of lunchtime supervisors is responsible for ensuring the safety and well being of children at lunchtime in conjunction with the teaching staff.
Newnham Croft staff work together as a team, sharing ideas, expertise and resources. We encourage team planning and teaching and shared responsibility. We take part in inter-school projects and support each other’s professional development. The teaching staff are able to teach and work with children of all ages and share in developing areas of the curriculum and school policy. This means that all staff will get to know, and probably teach, your child at some stage of their primary school career. All of our staff are professional partners.
We have a varied and engaging programme of professional development for all our staff. This includes opportunities to team teach, attend courses, work with colleagues and visit other schools. There is an ongoing process of challenge and support.
We value your trust in the professionalism of our staff and ask that you treat them as professionals who work very hard to support your children. Please always communicate in ways that are commensurate with our values and vision. We welcome challenge but this needs to be balanced with awareness that our staff are well educated and understand how to develop children to their potential. If you have concerns please address these with the class teacher and not via Class List or other social media platforms. If your concerns are not addressed please follow our Complaints Policy.
Governors have their own page on our school website and they have three main roles:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.