Classes and Staffing
Windmill is a two-form entry school with a Nursery. That means there are mostly two classes for each year group.
Classes 1 and 2 are both Reception classes, Class 3 is a Year 1 class, Class 4 has Year 1 and Year 2 children in, and Class 6 is a Year 2 class. Classes 7 and 8 are Year 3 classes and so on through Years 4 and 5... up to Classes 13 and 14 which are also both Year 6 classes.
Sometimes we refer to Early Years (which is Nursery and Reception), Key Stage One (which is Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage Two (which is Year 3 up to Year 6).
We have a fantastic staff team, including a strong group of teaching assistants who have training and experience to cover classes in the teacher's absence (which is why they are called 'cover supervisors').
Sometimes, classes are taught by different members of staff with certain specialisms:
- Coach Carl and Miss Panter are sports coaches who, between them, teach PE in all classes and also run after-school sports clubs.
- Mrs Jackson and Mrs Hawley are specialist music teachers who, between them, work with all classes in the school. Mrs Jackson is a strings musician and we use her expertise to guarantee that every Year 3 child has the opportunity to learn to play a stringed instrument.
- Mr Butterworth is an experienced primary school teacher and an intervention specialist who works principally to support pupils in Year 6 with particular gaps in their learning. He also works with other KS2 pupils in pairs or small groups.
- Mrs Birkett is a specialist Academic Mentor whose mission at Windmill is to ensure every child is achieving what they are capable of. She works with individuals and small groups to support and challenge them according to their specific needs, with a particular focus on Maths.
We also have a fabulous Inclusion Team who support learning and behaviour for pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities.
We have Emotional Literacy Support Assistants in school who can support children who may have particular social, emotional or mental health needs that affect their life at school. There is also access to counselling at school for children who need it.
