New Islington Free School

[EduCativ]

New Islington Free School is a vibrant and creative learning community where learning comes to life. We provide educational experiences in real contexts and for real purposes, to enable our pupils to seek new possibilities and find new solutions. The positive and productive atmosphere throughout school sets the tone for learning and creates an environment where pupils can thrive. Our staff have the highest aspirations for each child’s learning and personal development and have created a culture in which all achievements are valued and celebrated, and all needs are supported.
Our school curriculum draws on the best of the National Curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum. We want to equip all our pupils with the skills they need to embrace the new opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences they will encounter during their lives in modern Britain and the wider world. For this reason, our curriculum includes strong society and international elements, and we continually promote our school personal goals: inquiry, adaptability, resilience, morality, communication, cooperation, thoughtfulness, and respect. These are eight key personal attributes that are essential in adult life and work, whatever the future holds. New Islington pupils leave primary school well-equipped for the next stage of their education, with a firm foundation of knowledge, understanding and skills, and a love of learning.
New Islington Free School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Every employee (permanent or temporary) and governor of the school, as well as every volunteer who assists the school, is under a legal duty to protect children from harm.
The members of the academy trust have a different status to the governors. The members are the subscribers to the academy trust’s memorandum of an association whose powers include the authority to appoint governors. Members have limited financial liability to the academy trust if it is wound up, which is set out in the Trust’s memorandum and articles of association. The Members may appoint up to 10 Governors. Together, Governors comprise the Governing Body which in turn may appoint further governors under the terms detailed in the Articles of Association.
The Governors, as trustees of the Academy Trust, are legally responsible for the overall management and control of the Academy Trust and the Full Governing Body meets at least three times a year. The work of implementing most of their policies is carried out by the Finance Committee (which meets approximately two weeks before each meeting of the full Governing Body) and the other principal committees (Estates Committee Teaching and Learning Committee Pupil Performance Review Group Remuneration Committee Communication and Fundraising Committee). The Audit Committee fulfills the Trust's obligations under its funding agreement to have robust internal and external audit procedures in place. At least one member of the Audit Committee is a suitably qualified, independent person who is not otherwise involved in the governance or management of the Trust.
The day-to-day running of the Academy Trust is delegated to the Principal and the Bursar (School Business Manager), supported by a staff team with defined areas of responsibility. At New Islington Free School, reading has a high profile and we aim to inspire children to become eager and confident readers. We introduce children to a wealth of quality children’s literature, every class has dedicated storytime, and books are often used as a stimulus for work in all curriculum areas.
We teach our youngest children to read using 'Oxford Reading Tree', a carefully structured reading scheme that offers a range of fiction and non-fiction books at every level. In school, children take part in regular 'guided reading' sessions, in which a group of children shares a book with their teacher. They may discuss the plot, characters, and writing techniques used by the author.
We value the contribution parents make to the teaching of reading and phonics. Every child has a reading record, which charts their reading progress. Teachers offer ongoing guidance, praise, and reassurance to parents about their child’s reading. As well as the reading record and informal discussions, teachers report to parents about reading progress during parents' evenings twice a year and in annual reports.
From Year 2, children move onto 'Accelerated Reader', a program that develops their independent reading skills, comprehension, and motivation for reading. After each book they read, pupils take a short online Accelerated Reader quiz, which provides detailed information for their teacher. Children can use the AR Bookfinder website at home to search for books - from school, the library, or bookshops - which are precisely matched to their reading ability and interests. This approach encourages our children to enjoy reading, even more, to read more often, to think positively about reading, and to see a clear link between reading and their successes.
Phonics is taught systematically throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. We hold workshops for parents in the Autumn term. These events allow parents to learn more about how we teach reading and phonics at New Islington Free School and show how parents can best support their children's reading progress.

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