Nook Lane Junior School is a community, co-educational school catering for children in the 7+ to 10+ range, incorporating a 12 place Integrated Resource for children with Language/Autistic Spectrum/ Communication Difficulties.

The school site is extremely attractive, overlooking the Loxley Valley and offering excellent outdoor facilities for
sports and leisure. The playground was extended in the summer of 2006 and is beingmproved each year.

THE SCHOOL DAY
8.45 - 8.55am     Children arrive in the playground
8.50 - 8.55am     Children go into the classroom
8.55am               Registration
3.35pm               End of the school day

ORGANISATION OF CLASSES
The school is organised at present into four year groups, with two mixed ability classes in each year, totalling 8 classes plus an Integrated Resource. Children spend the majority of their time with their class teacher but are in ability sets for Maths when they are taught by either their own teacher or the other teacher in the year group. There is a statutory duty to allow teachers some time during the school day to plan, prepare and assess work for their classes. At these times children will be taught by other staff. When funding allows extra staffing, smaller groups or sets are sometimes formed. Teachers plan the curriculum in year teams and each class follows a very similar programme of work to the other class in that age group.

INTEGRATED RESOURCE
The IR is a twelve place Resource for children aged 7 to 11 years from different parts of the city who have a statement of Special Educational Needs, for Communication/ Interaction/ Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The small size of the class and higher level of staffing by specialist teachers and support staff enables us to provide pupils in the IR with a curriculum suited to their needs and better opportunities to achieve their potential. Children are integrated into the life of the school and participate in mainstream lessons where appropriate. We feel privileged to have an IR and feel it enhances enormously what Nook Lane has to offer all children, as we try to further develop the inclusive nature of the school.

Admission to the IR is administered through the Local Authority Special Needs Section at Howden House.

ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS
Children who attend Stannington Infant School are given first priority for places at Nook Lane; full details about admission criteria are given in the Local Authority’s ‘Guide for Parents’. We also welcome applications from children at other schools.
The standard admission number for each year group within the school is 60, giving us two classes of 30+. Parents of children from other Infant schools are asked, in the first instance, to contact the Headteacher in order to establish the availability of places although applications for admission are administered by Pupils Section (tel number 2735766).

LIAISON WITH OTHER SCHOOLS
We have close links with Stannington Infant School, our linked feeder school. Y2s and Y5s work together on various projects each year and this leads to a 'buddy' system in September. During the summer term there is close liaison to ensure continuity and awareness of the needs of individual children. The majority of our children go to Bradfield School at the end of Y6. There are opportunities in the summer term to
visit secondary schools and to participate in familiarisation activities. The LEA gives full information about how to apply for a secondary school place, sent through school at the beginning of Y6.

WORKING TOGETHER IN SCHOOL
At Nook Lane our aim is to maintain a positive ethos, where care and consideration for others are paramount. It involves all those who are concerned with the school - children, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents and Governors, and encourages support from the wider community. The school has a detailed Behaviour Plan which is based upon the rights and responsibilities of everyone in the school community and includes a code of behaviour called ‘Nook Lane’s Five Rules’.

‘Nook Lane’s Five Rules’.

1. BE KIND, COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE
2. LOOK AFTER OUR SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING IN IT
3. MOVE AROUND SENSIBLY AND SAFELY
4. ALLOW OTHERS TO WORK
5. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST