St John Rigby Catholic Primary School

St John Rigby Catholic Primary School

We are always keen to engage with all parents so that they feel enabled to support their child in all aspects of their education. Catholic education is built on the recognition that parents are the primary educators of their children and therefore the partnership that parents and teachers develop for their benefit of the child is a key foundation in ensuring success.

Early Years

In Early Years, parents are invited along to a Welcome evening where they meet with the teachers, learn about the Early Years curriculum and visit the setting for the first time. Staff are always around on these occasions to support with the paperwork associated with starting school and to answer questions on any topic ranging from school meals to uniform.

Welcome to your new year group

All year groups have a welcome afternoon which is usually just 2-3 weeks into the new academic year. This allows parents to gain an insight into their child’s learning specific to his/her year group. Curriculum maps are issued and teachers answer questions about learning routines, homework, equipment and many other key areas.

Click here to access the curriculum maps in year group order

Reading and Phonics

The introduction of Phonics in schools, something that wasn’t around when we were in school, has, in recent years, revolutionised the way in which children develop the building blocks to become confident, sophisticated readers.

The Phonics information evening which is offered to E Years and KS1 parents is always well attended. It allows parents to gain a basic understanding into the phonemes that make up the spoken word and the graphemes that make up the written word. Sounding, decoding and blending techniques are presented in a way that allows parents to appreciate the exact science of Phonics. Moreover, this evening ensures that the way in which parents support their children with reading (something that is always encouraged) is consistent with the approaches that are used in school.

SATs

The national changes that have taken place in the way 10-11 year olds are assessed are well-documented. In late December, parents and their children come along to learn more about the tests and the preparation that takes place in school. In recent years, the evening has served as great reassurance for children and parents bearing in mind some of the scare stories that have been peddled in the media.

Parents, once again, are given advice on how to support their children at home. This ranges from establishing good study routines through to eating well, sleeping well and making sure that you are in on time during SATs week to enjoy the popular pre-test breakfast.

The Year 6 team is always on hand to answer individual questions and there are opportunities to order recommended revision guides and other resources.

School has changed so much since my day: Drop-in sessions.

St John Rigby is so lucky to have so many supportive parents who want to be a part of their child’s learning journey. Nevertheless, not every parent’s own experience of school is positive and this can make parents apprehensive about coming into school, especially when so much has changed. How have maths methods changed? What is a subjunctive clause or a fronted adverbial? How can I help my child when I feel out of my depth?

Rest assured, if you feel this way, you are not on your own. With this in mind, the school offers a number of drop-in sessions throughout the year where parents can learn the basics and therefore offer support at home. They are always well attended.