Encourage pupils to value and respect themselves and others.

Ensure learning is fun, meaningful and progressive and enables pupils to develop skills to become lifelong learners.

Provide an integrated, creative, challenging and interactive curriculum enriching learning for all pupils.

Enhance the environment to make it attractive, fun and thought provoking, to encourage global citizenship and sustainability

Develop a supportive forward thinking staff team valuing professional development

Value parental support and involve them fully in the life of the school through an open door policy

Make our school the heart of the community by celebrating and developing links which enhance learning.

Share our similarities, celebrate our differences.

'Sowing the seeds for success'

The school vision and aims are reviewed annually by the Head teacher, staff and Governing Body.

Meetings of the Governing Body

Meetings of the full governing body have taken place on six occasions. At appropriate meetings the Governors received and considered reports from the resources sub committee, the sites and buildings committee, curriculum and standards committee and the Head Teacher reports on the school and its work. Minutes of all those meetings are available at school. In addition to these formal meetings Governors have visited to enjoy concerts, assemblies and sports/fund raising events.

Parents Meeting

The School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 now enables parents of registered pupils at the school to request up to three meetings per year with the governing body via a petition.

The governing body must hold a meeting within 25 school days of receiving the petition, providing that:

1. the petition contains the signatures of the required minimum number of parents of registered pupils at the school, 30 pupils.

2. the meeting requested by parents must be to discuss a matter relating to the school.

3. there will be no more than three meetings held during the year in which the first petition is received.

4. there are sufficient school days left in the school year for the meeting to be held.

However, the school operates an open door policy and parents are encouraged to approach the school at the earliest opportunity to discuss any concerns.

Current Teaching Staff

The school has 7 full time teachers and 2 part time teachers plus the Head Teacher. We have 8 full time Teaching Assistants, 1.5 Nursery Nurses and 1 Higher Level Teaching Assistant. We aim to ensure that recommended ratio for Foundation Phase is met where the ratio is 1:8 in Nursery and Reception and 1:15 in Y1 and Y2.

Peripatetic teachers in woodwind, brass, keyboard, violin, guitar, percussion and cello visit the school and tuition is given to children in these instruments.

In addition to these services, Also the Tennis Association provides after school coaching. Dragon sport officials work closely with staff and train the pupils in rugby skills.

The wide range of music and sport tuition is only a part of an impressive offering of extra curricular activities at our school.

Current Non Teaching staff 

The school has the services of a full time Business Manager and a secretary working 5 mornings per week.

One caretaker is employed by the school and we pay a service level agreement to a private company to supply 2 cleaners. One cook and one assistant are employed by Chartwells who provide catering. Five staff assist with lunchtime supervision.

Current Internal Organisation

The Curriculum

Aims

All children have a right to a broad, balanced and relevant education which provides continuity and progression and takes individual differences into account.  Work in Mount Pleasant is designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and Foundation Phase and prepare them for their place in society. We integrate the Literacy and Numeracy Framework across the curriculum in order to develop skills based learning and application. Digital competency is a strong feature throughout the school and we pride ourselves in developing this across the curriculum.

At Mount Pleasant we:

• Create a holistic approach to curriculum delivery where pupils are encouraged to plan, develop and reflect their learning goals.
• Cater for the needs of individual children of both sexes from all ethnic and social groups, including the most able and those who are experiencing additional learning needs;
• Facilitate children's acquisition of knowledge, skills and qualities which will help them to develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically, morally and aesthetically, so that they may become independent, responsible, useful, thinking, confident and considerate members of the community;
• Create and maintain an exciting and stimulating learning environment;
• Ensure that each child's education has continuity and progression;
• Ensure that there is a match between the child and the tasks he/she is asked to perform;
• We set realistically high standards in academic personal and social learning goals;
• Provide an appropriate curricular balance;
• Recognise the crucial role which parents play in their children's education and make every effort to encourage parental involvement in the educational process;
• Treat all members of the school community with respect;
• Create a culture of lifelong learning for all.

Our pupils:

• Learn to be adaptable, how to solve problems in a variety of situations, how to work independently and as members of a team;
• Are developing the ability to make reasoned judgements and choices, based on interpretation and evaluation of relevant information from a variety of sources;
• Are happy, cheerful and well balanced;
• Are enthusiastic and eager to put their best into all activities;
• Acquire a set of moral values, e.g. honesty, sincerity, personal responsibility; on which to base their own behaviour;
• Are expected to behave in a dignified and acceptable way and learn to become responsible for their actions;
• Care for and take pride in their school;
• Develop tolerance, respect and appreciation of the feelings and capabilities of others in an unbiased way;
• Develop non-sexist and non-racist attitudes;
• Know how to think, investigate and solve problems mathematically in a variety of situations using concepts of number, algebra, measurement, shape and space, and handling data;
• Are able to listen and read for a variety of purposes and be able to convey their meaning accurately and appropriately through speech and writing for a variety of purposes;
• Develop an enquiring mind and scientific approach to problems;
• Have an opportunity to create and solve problems using technological skills;
• Are capable of communicating their knowledge and feelings through various art forms including art/craft, music, drama and be acquiring appropriate techniques and skills which will enable them to develop their inventiveness, entrepreneurial skills and creativity;
• Know about geographical, historical and social aspects of the local environment and their Welsh national heritage and culture and be aware of other times and places and recognise links among family, local, national and international events;
• Have a developing knowledge of the beliefs of the major world regions;
• Develop agility, physical co-ordination and confidence in and through movement;
• Know how to apply the basic principles of health, hygiene and safety.

The school doors will open at 8.50 a.m. to facilitate pupils being in their classes and ready for lessons to commence promptly at 9.00 a.m. 

Welsh as a second language

In Mount Pleasant Primary we are proud of our cultural heritage. We not only celebrate our heritage with an annual Eisteddfod, but are very proud that every pupil has the opportunity to learn welsh. Welsh is taught and spoken by all class teachers who have received specialist training and support to do so. Pupils are not only taught in specific class sessions but throughout the school day, incidental welsh is used. Also, the Welsh language plays an important part in our Friday Good News assembly where we meet to celebrate success at all levels in our school. Signs throughout the school are bilingual. Bilingualism has been embraced throughout the school. 

School Session Times

    Morning Session 

Juniors                        9.00 a.m. - 12.15 p.m.

Infants              9.00 a.m. - 12 noon

Nursery                        9.00 a.m. - 11.15 a.m

Break                         10.30a.m. - 10.45 a.m.

Afternoon Session

Juniors                        1.00 p.m. - 3.15 p.m.

Infants                         1.00 p.m. - 3.15 p.m.

Nursery                        1.00 p.m. - 3.15 p.m.

Infant   Break            2.15 p.m  -  2.30 p.m

Pupils

There were 253 pupils on roll commencing September 2015.

The children of Mount Pleasant School are, happy and courteous, well-mannered and show respect for others and their property. We are very proud of our school community.

Inclusion for All

The school prospectus clearly states our commitment to equal opportunities and inclusion for all. Creating an inclusive culture and establishing inclusive values is very important to all at Mount Pleasant.

The school treats all pupils equally, following the admission procedures adopted by Newport City Education Authority.   The school has taken many steps to enable all members of the school community to have equal access.   Additional adults are deployed appropriately to ensure all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. This year a new path has been laid to allow level access to the top playground.

Special Needs Provision 2015-16

The number of pupils identified on the Special Needs Register in September 2015 was 25.

The distribution of these pupils on the relevant stages of the Code of Practice was as follows:

The distribution of these pupils throughout the school was as follows:

Pupils placed at School Action receive support within the classroom or a small group activity. Pupils placed at School Action Plus receive advice from specialist outside agencies which is then either used by support staff within the school or specialist staff coming in to the school. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs receive specific support from a member of the Support Staff Team within the school based upon the requirements set out in their statement.

During the year pupils received support from the Educational Psychology Service, the Specific Learning Difficulties Unit, the Gwent Education Minority Ethnic Service, Health, Speech and Language Service, the Educational Service for the Hearing Impaired. The school's team of support staff working with pupils on the SEN register throughout the school as well as supporting groups and individuals within classrooms.

Pupils' national identity

Pupils' ethnic background 2015-16

School Prospectus, Improvement Plan and Policy Review

The School Prospectus was updated to reflect staff changes.

A Nursery Handbook/Prospectus has been written in light of the new Nursery development.

Mount Pleasant Primary operates a Responsive School Improvement Plan.

School Improvement Planning at Mount Pleasant forms part of a cycle starting with effective monitoring and self-evaluation. This informs a termly improvement report identifying improvement priorities which translates into targets for the School Improvement Plan. The School Improvement Plan has an on-going monitoring feature and when all actions are complete it is evaluated and filed with the self-evaluation and monitoring documentation. New priorities appear from the termly improvement report, targets are formed and the cycle continues.

Therefore, the Responsive School Improvement Plan as a document has no start or end date, the dates appear with the individual priorities.

All school policies remain subject to change and amendment as per the school self-evaluation process. The school self-evaluation process/policy outlines in detail the process of review in the school. The school self-evaluation Process is built upon the Estyn Inspection Framework and seeks to move the school forward by evaluation and targeting of specific areas to be developed.

Sporting Fixtures and Achievements

At Mount Pleasant we aim to provide pupils with positive education experiences of

physical activity. Our PE provision is part of a well developed skills based curriculum

which not only provides opportunities to enhance physical well-being but also

opportunities to problem solve, communicate, plan, develop and reflect.

Our pupils participate in PE from reception onwards and, as they progress, have

vast opportunities to take part in a variety of high quality sports. Children are taught

indoor and outdoor sports. Competitive sports taught at Mount Pleasant include

activities such as football, rugby, basketball, netball, tennis, hockey and golf while

our creative and adventurous syllabus includes activities such as dance, gymnastics,

climbing, swimming and many more. Furthermore, at KS2, we send an array of

sports teams to participate in tournaments for many of these different sports. During the Summer of 2016 our children took part in 'football skills' training. The training was implemented by coaches from Brazil. This was organised by one of our Governors, Mr Stephen Bowen.

Links with Community and Police

The governors remain most impressed with the school's continued endeavours to establish links within the community, especially with parents.

The PTA met regularly during term time and the Head, Deputy or Business Manager attended these meetings. The Community Policy have taken an active role in supporting the school and community with parking issues throughout the new build. Governors would like to thank the local residents and community for working with the school particularly in relation to parking concerns throughout the build.

The school is very grateful to the PTA for their continued financial support to fund many worthwhile projects, such as the investment into the outside play equipment and their on-going support for school trips. This shows the tremendous commitment of the PTA to the school.

A weekly newsletter has been available on the school website and provided information about the school's affairs and has proved to be well received, along with the school website. School has also introduced 'parent mail' a texting system to inform parents of current events. All classes hosted a coffee afternoon where parents and children were able to spend time sharing work and class activities.

Parent's evenings have taken place throughout the school year providing an opportunity to discuss the work and progress of the children. The home school links have continued and we have a number of parents helping out at school. The school also enjoys close links with the Police Liaison scheme which involves the pupils in many activities such as theatre visits.

Mrs Christine Thomas and her colleagues from Bethesda regularly visit the school for assemblies as well as running the Discovery Club after school and Bible Explorer.

Policies

All school policies are reviewed on a rolling programme, most policies are reviewed over a three year period. Policies such as Child Protection and Safeguarding are reviewed annually.

Toilet Facilities

Pupils in the reception class have access to their own toilets. All other pupils have

access to a set of toilets in the main building. All toilet facilities have been fully

refurbished within the past 5 years. Toilets are cleaned daily and cleanliness

monitored throughout the day. As a consequence of the new development toilet facilities have been improved. There are now two new toilets in the upper Key Stage 2 building for use by our Junior children.  Part of our drainage system has been upgraded throughout the new development.

Charities

The school has supported BBC Children in Need, Valindra, Sport Relief, The Christchurch Centre (Newport Food Bank) and the Poppy Appeal.

Healthy Schools -Healthy eating and drinking

We are proud to be a healthy school and are working towards gaining our next stage of our 'Healthy Leaf' initiative (the NQA award). Children are encouraged to drink water on a daily basis in school. Children are rewarded with praise and stickers when they are spotted being healthy. A piece of fruit is recommended for children during morning and afternoon break. Chartwells provide our children with a menu

Equalities

Mount Pleasant Primary has an Equalities Plan (SEP) - it builds upon the school's previous Disability Policy and Race Equality Scheme and sits above the school's Inclusion Policy etc. What was previously the school's Access Policy is covered by this Plan. This policy belongs to everybody and is relevant to all pupils, teaching and administrative staff, parents, carers, supporters and the local community. 

To choose objectives for school Mount Pleasant we:

• Listened to equality experts and Heads of schools in Newport about their choice of equality objectives
• Discussed  equalities at schools council
• Drew up a long list with associated actions
• Asked parents
• Children / young people
• Approved at Governors
• Completed and equalities audit

These are the equality objectives we chose.

1. Improved relationships within the school community
2. To provide a happy, safe, inclusive learning environment
3. Children will challenge gender stereotypes through meaningful classroom experiences.

School Leavers

The majority of our children will be attending Bassaleg High

Bassaleg High - 41 pupils

Newport High - 1 pupil 

Governors Expenses and Subsistence Claims 2015 - 2016

During the period 2015 - 2016 there were no claims

Attendance 2015/2016

96.8% for the Year 

2.31% authorised absences

1.30% unauthorised absences 

Mount Pleasant has excellent and sustained attendance; this is thanks to the commitment of parents in ensuring their children have the best possible chance of achieving an excellent education. We are continually striving to improve attendance figures and reduce the number of absences due to pupils taking holidays during term time.

We have set attendance targets for the next 3 years.

School performance

At Mount Pleasant we are very proud of the quality of learning and the achievement of our pupils in every year group. The year 2015-16 has been successful for pupils including those at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 who completed their teacher assessments. Below is a summary of pupil results at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 compare with the results of Newport and Wales. 

Year 6: 1 pupil = 2.2%

Year 2: 1 pupil = 2%

Comparison of Key Stage results 2015 - 2016  Foundation Phase

NB 2.2% achieved L6 in English and Maths

Comparison of Results over a six year period

Pupils leaving year 6 are expected to achieve Level 4. Level 4 is considered average performance. Pupils achieving Level 5 in Year 6 are considered to be working above average.

In Year 2, the end of the Foundation Phase, pupils are expected to achieve Outcome 5, if pupils achieve Outcome 6 they are considered to be working above average.

Literacy and Numeracy priorities for 2015 - 2016