At the E.I.S.P. we aim to provide a positive, caring and stimulating environment in which children can feel secure and confident from the very first day. We follow on from the early years department, further developing knowledge, physical skills, exploration and social interaction in a relaxing, caring, yet structured environment. Fundamental to the elementary school is the ability to communicate formally and informally in the English language. Respect is given to the home language used by all children; however, whilst at school the children are encouraged and expected to use standard English in order to communicate effectively with both children and adults. In the context of the English school, the teaching of Italian takes place gradually and systematically. In order to offer an all-round education, the pupils are taught to communicate verbally and in writing in both languages with correct semantics, spelling and grammar. The elementary staff together with support from parents have a key role to play in ensuring and maximising the learning potential of each individual child.

AIMS

We aim to:

1. To offer an holistic education encompassing all aspects of personal development. (academic, physical, social and emotional)
2. To provide a broad and balanced curriculum which offers the children the methodology of a British educational experience, whilst offering the subject requirements of the Italian education system.
3. To increase the children’s range and understanding of standard English by providing stimulating opportunities to develop and use language effectively in all aspects through speaking and listening, reading and writing.
4. To offer a differentiated curriculum to ensure the needs of all children are met.
5. To help children develop lively, enquiring minds to enable them to apply themselves to academic tasks and to encourage such qualities as inventiveness, curiosity and imagination.
6. To help children acquire knowledge, skills, confidence and independence relevant to adult life.
7. To develop in children a sense of self respect, respect for others and a respect for property.
8. To promote and encourage a respect for moral values, by celebrating the richness of other religions, races, cultures, nationalities and ways of life, in keeping with the international context of our school and the multi-cultured context of our world.

THE SCHOOL DAY

8:30 Children begin to arrive and supervision begins in the lunch room and gymnasium.

8:45 First session. Grades three, four and five are collected by their teachers.

8:50 All other grades are collected and taken to their classrooms.

10:30 Morning playtime for all children. Supervised by teachers.

10:50 Second session begins.

12:10 Reception classes begin their lunchtime.

12:25 Grade one classes begin their lunchtime.

12:30 Lunchtime begins for all other children. Supervised by lunchtime assistants.

13:30 Third session begins.

16:00 End of school day.

Parents are reminded that it is important for the children to arrive on time in the morning and not to leave until the end of the school day.
This will ensure the smooth running of the school and will ensure the children do not miss any valuable curriculum time or disrupt class activities that have already started.
The school requires a written explanation or a telephone message to explain any absences. In the event of an absence due to an illness of more than five days, a medical certificate is required giving permission to re-enter the school.

PROCEDURES AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE SCHOOL DAY

The children are supervised either in the lunchroom or the gymnasium from 8:30 a.m. every morning. Parents may enter the school building, however they are reminded that they are not allowed upstairs at any time without first asking permission from the main office.
The teachers collect the children from the lunchroom. In order to be able to do this effectively, parents are requested not to stop teachers to inform them of particular notices/changes to daily events etc. May we remind parents that all notices should be written in the children’s diaries and when relevant parents need to ensure that, they also inform the school office.
At the end of the school day the class teachers accompany the children downstairs and lead them to the playground at the back of the school. Parents are requested to wait for their children in the playground and should not wait inside the school building for safety and security reasons. This helps to ensure that all the children have been collected by the appropriate adult.

CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION

Within the classroom, children work in groups of between 3 and 6. Teachers have different ways of grouping children in order to meet their social and academic needs.
For example, children may sometimes sit in ability groups, with friends or according to the task set, at the discretion of the teacher. All teachers differentiate the work according to the age and ability of the child or the nature of the task. This ensures that all children have equal access to the curriculum.

S.E.N.

Some children may require additional support. The support which is provided by the S.E.N. co-ordinator, other class teachers and/or support assistants is always under the guidance of the class teacher.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Children requiring additional language support (i.e. children joining the school with limited ability in the English and/or Italian language) are also catered for by the school.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The school operates an equal opportunity policy where all children are welcomed regardless of race, nationality, physical or academic ability.

HOMEWORK

It is the policy at our school for all school books used by the children with their English speaking teacher to remain at school. The books may be sent home at the discretion of the class teacher. The Italian teachers send the children’s books home weekly.

Reception Homework
Homework for reception children begins the first week after Easter. The children are given spellings to learn in preparation for their weekly spelling tests.

Key Stage 1 Homework
The children are given maths homework three times each week. The children are also given spellings each week in preparation for their weekly spelling tests.

Key Stage 2 homework
The children are given maths homework three times each week. The children are given work to study in history, geography or science on a rota basis ( one subject per week).They are also given spellings each week in preparation for their weekly spelling tests.

It is important that the children complete their homework independently and unaided by parents. Information regarding the homework is recorded in the children’s diaries from year one upwards.

UNIFORMS

The children are expected to wear a school uniform during the day and to change into a separate P.E. uniform according to individual class timetables.

The day uniform is:
Light blue jumper, cardigan or sleeveless jumper
White polo shirt (long/short sleeved)
Navy blue skirt, skort, shorts, pinafore or trousers

The P.E. uniform is:
Navy blue sweatshirt
White polo shirt
Navy blue tracksuit bottoms or shorts
White or blue socks
Trainers
Shin pads

ASSEMBLIES

Every Monday there is a teacher led assembly with a specific theme. They are non-religious based, bearing a moralistic or educational message. The assembly is a gathering of children usually held in separate key stages and the purpose of the assembly is to create a sense of community. Also once a year during the Monday assembly time, each class presents an assembly for the rest of the school.

Singing assemblies are held every Wednesday in separate key stages. The purpose of the assembly is to improve language skills and diction, to develop a musical ear and an appreciation of different genres of music.

Every Friday we have “Golden Book” assemblies again in separate key stages. These assemblies are a celebration of the children’s achievements both educational and social throughout the week. Certificates are given to children by teachers and the names are recorded in the school’s “Golden Book”.

VISITING THE LIBRARY

We have two libraries, one for key stage one which is situated on the ground floor and the other for key stage two which is on the second floor. At the start of every year the children have a library induction which explains how the libraries operate and the expected behaviour of the children when they are using them. The children visit the library weekly and each child has a library card to record all books that are “borrowed”. Usually a child takes a book home for one week. If a child forgets to return the library book after two weeks, a letter is sent home to remind the parents. In the case of a lost book parents are requested to pay &euro10,00 towards the cost of replacing it.

SPECIAL SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Throughout the year we focus on particular curriculum/cross curricular areas by holding a week of special activities such as, Book Week, Maths Week and Science Week. In addition the children participate in a sports morning and a music/open afternoon. Every Christmas both key stages perform a Christmas production. We value any parental involvement/support during any of our special themed activities.

DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOL

The staff follow a very structured discipline policy.
The philosophy behind our behaviour policy is to maximise good behaviour and minimise misbehaviour, and to have clear expectations of the children in order to create a calm, happy, purposeful and ordered environment. Thus, ensuring that children feel safe and secure at all times and therefore their learning potential is challenged. In order to offer consistency and clarity to the children and to emphasise the positive rather than the negative the school operates a “House Points” system. Each class is divided into four groups:

Giotto (blue)
Galileo (yellow)
Donatello (green)
Dante (red)

Individual class groups are linked to every class in the school. The idea being that children encourage positive behaviour amongst themselves both on an individual and group basis. House points are allocated on a weekly basis within each class. Each week points are added to a running score displayed on the first floor corridor. This is to encourage the continued motivation of the children to take positive rather than negative actions in school. The principles of all forms of behaviour and consequences are outlined and displayed for all children to see.

ATTENDANCE

Children are expected to attend the whole school year and all holidays should be taken in accordance with the school academic calendar. If a child has a prolonged illness and parents request homework they should give the school at least 24 hours’ notice.

COMMUNICATIONS

Every year the school holds two general meetings for each class: the first is in September and the second is in January. The school also offers three individual meetings between class teachers and parents. School reports are sent out bi-annually: the first report is in February and the second is in June. Daily communications between parents and class teachers should be written in the children’s diaries. Any changes to the daily routines of the children must also be written in their diaries, usually giving 24 hours’ notice. The school will only accept verbal communications in special circumstances.

PROCEDURES FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Teachers are always willing to speak to parents, however to ensure that a teacher is available, parents should make an appointment first. To arrange an appointment, you can either contact the teacher direct or make an appointment through the school office.

MEDICAL INFORMATION & ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES

A letter is sent home every year requesting parents to supply us with relevant information regarding the health and dietary needs of the children. Periodic check-ups are conducted during the year and parents are required to keep the school office and the class teacher informed of their children’s illness, diseases or medical problems occurring throughout the year.

Children can only be excused from participating in physical education if they have presented a parental note explaining the problem or, in the case of prolonged absence, if they have a medical certificate.

In the case of minor accidents, first aid will be administered by a member of staff. In the event of need for additional assistance, the parents will be phoned and asked to pick up their child or the child may be sent directly to the Hospital-Emergency Care (Pronto Soccorso).

If a child needs medication administering during the day, the medicine can be kept in the child’s classroom. Instructions will need to be given to the class teacher to ensure that the medication is administered properly.

All the children are covered by the school’s accident insurance policy whilst at school or while participating in organised school trips. In accordance with the insurance policy the school only accepts responsibilty for accidents when proven to be negligent. In the event of an accident caused by another child, the insurance policy considers the child to be covered third party.

PLAYTIME AND LUNCHTIME PROCEDURES

The children have twenty minutes’ playtime every morning. The playground is always supervised by teachers. The children may bring to school a snack and a drink. We encourage the children to eat healthy snacks and parents are requested not to send drinks in glass containers into school.
In the event of wet weather the children remain in their classrooms. They are allowed to eat their snacks and drinks and again they are always supervised by teachers.

The children in reception and grade one are taken to the lunchroom by their teachers. All the other classes are taken outside to wait for their class to be called to go inside for lunch. During lunchtime the children are supervised by lunchtime assistants.
In the event of wet weather the children remain in their classrooms. The children are supervised by lunchtime assistants and it is the responsibility of the Head of the Elementary school to take each class down to the lunchroom to eat.