St John Fisher RC Primary School

St John Fisher is a bright, busy, welcoming school where there is always lots going on. We benefit from a highly committed staff who work well together to ensure every child reaches their potential whatever their aptitude or ability. We aim to provide the best possible education for our children and value academic, creative, sporting, social and personal development equally highly. We believe that children learn best when they experience enjoyable, relevant activities and where they are encouraged, supported and appropriately challenged. We aim to enable our children to become enthusiastic, independent, life-long learners by helping them to develop positive attitudes to learning and the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

We enjoy a high level of parental support and interest, we firmly believe in the benefits of home, school and parish working together to develop the talents of our children.As a Catholic school, the spiritual development of our children is based on the Church's teachings and on the Christian principles of love, respect, selflessness and forgiveness.If you are looking for a school place for your child, please feel free to come along for our school tour where you will be able to meet our staff and pupils. Children are welcome to attend, no need to book. We look forward to meeting you.

St John Fisher is a voluntary-aided school, which provides a Catholic education for girls and boys from three to eleven years of age. Most children attend the Nursery as part time pupils before joining a Reception class in the main school, in the year of their fifth birthday. The school exists primarily to serve the Catholic community in particular, the children of Catholic families who live or worship in the parish of St John Fisher and surrounding parishes. However, the Governing Body welcomes applications, subject to the availability of places, from those of other denominations and faiths who support the religious ethos of the school. The school is the St John Fisher Parish School. Priests, Catechists and staff work together to create links between school and parish, both spiritual and social. The priests visit the school regularly, celebrate Mass and lead liturgical services for the children. The Deacon and parish sister are also regular visitors.Preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion is undertaken with Y3 children chiefly in their own parishes with support of class teaching in school.

Children are admitted to Nursery Class in September following their third birthday, and in accordance with the Admissions Policy. The Nursery has places for up to 52 children, 26 in morning and 26 in the afternoon. Applicants must complete the school supplementary form available from the school. Children are admitted to the Reception Class in the September following their fourth birthday and in accordance with the school’s Admissions Policy a copy of which can be obtained from the school website. All applicants will need to complete a ‘Supplementary Form’ which, in the case of practising Catholics, will need to be signed by their Parish Priest. This form must be returned to the school. Applicants must also complete a Merton Council application form which is available online and should be returned to the council. If vacancies arise, children will be admitted during the school year. Anyone requiring more information, including information regarding waiting lists, should contact the school office.

The National Curriculum lies at the heart of what is taught at St John Fisher School. It sets out a clear, full and statutory entitlement to learning for all children aged five to eleven and determines the content of what will be taught. It is preceded by the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum which is taught to children aged three to five.

The school, in partnership with parents and with the parish of St John Fisher, offers to each one of its children a Catholic education centred on Christ, which enables them to develop their talents in accordance with Christian values and principles and which throughout all aspects of school life presents Christ’s ministry of love and reconciliation.

At St.John Fisher we are committed to the success of each and every child. This is achieved through a strong partnership between home and school. When a child joins the school we expect their parents and carers as well as the child to sign our Home-School Agreement. This sets out the expectations of school, parents/carers and each child so that by working together each individual can strive to achieve their very best at all times.We welcome help from parents and grandparents with maany school activities. We are very grateful to all the volunteers who support us in this way, and we are very aware of how much the children benefit from this extra contact with interested adults.

Our volunteers are usually asked to work alongside pupils in the school library, playing simple language and maths games with some of our younger pupils or lend a hand with supporting the older pupils in a wide range of activities. We appreciate that time is a highly valuable commodity to us all, but would be delighted to welcome anyone who has even just an hour (or maybe more!), that feels they could commit to on a regular basis.

Under English law, governing bodies of Catholic schools have a corporate responsibility to ensure that their schools are managed in accordance with the Diocesan Trust Deed or the Trust Deed of the relevant religious institution, and the school’s Instrument of Government or Memorandum of Understanding, Articles of Association and Supplemental Agreements for academies, as well as complying with all other legal requirements.