FAQs

How does the English education system work?

Children in England start school at age 5 in Reception. Before this, they may attend pre-school or nursery. St Andrew's has a nursery for ages 3 and 4. In nursery and reception, children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum. Read more about this curriculum here.

Children stay at St Andrew's for up to 7 years, from Reception to Year 6. Years 1 and 2 are Key Stage 1 (KS1), and Years 3 to 6 are Key Stage 2 (KS2). At age 11, children move to Secondary school.

All Primary schools follow the National Curriculum, including core subjects (English, Maths, Science) and foundation subjects (art, music, PE, history, geography, design technology, PSHCE). ICT is taught both as a separate subject and integrated into others. St Andrew's has many ICT resources with internet access.

Religious Education (RE) is taught at all schools. St Andrew's, a Church of England school, teaches Christianity and other religions. Parents can withdraw their child from RE, but none have done so. The school values diverse backgrounds and encourages sharing of different practices. Read more about the subjects taught at St Andrew's here. 

Daily collective worship is required by law. At St Andrew's, worship is Christian. Children are invited to join in prayer, and many values discussed are common to various religions. Read more about this here.

St Andrew's believes in active learning, encouraging children to ask questions, challenge opinions, and engage in discussions.

When will my child do tests?

Achievement levels are recorded at ages 5, 7, and 11 in Primary school.

At age 5, teachers assess achievement based on classroom observation and share this with parents. At age 7, children receive levels for English, Maths, and Science, based on teacher assessments and national tests in May. Parents are informed of the teacher's assessment, not the test results.

In Year 6, children take national tests (SATs) in English, Maths, and Science. Reading and Maths are tested nationally, while writing and science are assessed by teachers. Results are shared with parents in July.

Teachers regularly assess achievement to plan learning steps. In Years 3, 4, and 5, children take optional SATs to confirm teacher assessments, but these results are not reported to parents.

How will I know how well my child is doing at school?

There are a number of ways that we inform you of your child's achievements and next "targets":

1. Parent/teacher meeting. You will have two opportunities to come and meet with the teacher to discuss the teacher's assessments of your child and what your child needs to do next. Appointments only last about 10 minutes but if you have concerns you wish to discuss in greater detail you can ask to see the teacher after school one day – just pop in and arrange it.
2. Annual written reports. You will receive a report from the class teacher detailing how your child has achieved against the expectations for that year group. Levels of achievement are not reported but it should be clear whether your child is achieving in line with expectations for their year group. You should also be aware of how you can help your child with their next steps in learning. For Reception children the report is written in July at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Who can I ask for help?

We hope you feel comfortable asking any member of staff for assistance. The class teacher can answer questions about your child's work and homework. It's best to speak with the teacher at the end of the school day, as mornings are usually very busy.

Office staff can help with administrative issues or general advice. They can provide dates for events and school holidays, as well as contact information.

The Senior Leadership Team member, Head Teacher, Deputy Head and Assistant Head, are here to help and support you, so please do not hesitate to get in touch via email, phone, or face-to-face in the office or at the school gates.