Welcome from the Governing Board

Dear Parents/Carers and Stakeholders

Welcome to the Governor pages of our school website.  We hope they will give you a useful additional perspective of the school and an insight into the work we do to support our pupils and our staff.

As governors, it is always a pleasure and a privilege to go into school to see what our pupils have been doing. We never fail to be impressed by what they know and can achieve and the way in which our highly skilled and committed staff take them on an exciting learning journey. During 2023-24, activities to mark World Book Day, Creativity Week and Y6 History Day demonstrated this very clearly.  Pupils naturally enjoy doing well in their studies and Downsway creates an environment in which they are not afraid to say so and to be proud of their achievements.  During visits to the Y2 Outside Area, EYFS Drawing Club and the parents’ meeting for new EYFS pupils, governors were also able to appreciate some of the many ways in which staff ensure that pupils are confident, competent learners.   Visits to meet with Y5 and Y6 Peer Mediators, the School Council and Y3 pupils during Health and Fitness week showed governors that pupils are not solely focussed on their own academic progress and achievement but appreciate the importance of fostering an environment in which all can thrive.  They collaborate enthusiastically to achieve this so that an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation is always in evidence whenever we visit.  We are also invariably impressed by the way staff never make assumptions about our pupils’ capacity to absorb new concepts and to deal with ‘difficult’ ideas.  The skilful manner in which they nurture our pupils’ creative skills means that on any given day, the visitor is almost certain to see imaginative and technically accomplished writing and artwork of all forms.

Downsway offers children a safe and nurturing learning environment whatever their individual needs and in which all can achieve their best. Whilst all teachers are equipped and trained to develop the abilities of each and every pupil and to confront and minimise any barriers to their learning, they are also effectively supported in this by a well-trained and committed team of LSAs (Learning Support Assistant) and ELSAs (Emotional Learning Support Assistant) under the skilled guidance of the IM (Inclusion Manager). Our LSAs and ELSAs are highly knowledgeable practitioners in their own right and develop nurturing relationships with our potentially more troubled children, which help them to feel and keep safe. Whole school initiatives and practice based on sound educational research such as SNUG, Forest School, Therapeutic Thinking ensure that the work of our caring and committed staff is well directed. The appointment of an Autism Champion has further enhanced the school’s capacity to address the needs of our pupils.

This safe and nurturing environment is only possible with the help and support of the non-teaching staff and we are exceptionally fortunate in our Business, Maintenance and ‘Front of House’ teams who work to ensure that the school is a clean, safe, well-equipped and welcoming place in which to learn.

Once again this year, the headline attainment data shows that our 2024 statutory data was inline or higher than national 2024 data in Foundation Stage GLD (Good Level of Development) and in Y6 SATs (reading, writing, maths, grammar, punctuation and spellings, and reading, writing and maths combined.) 

Sports and the Performing Arts continue to thrive at Downsway. Pupils had professional coaching last year in Parkour and Gymnastics and Cricket. Our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils did Badminton at the Cotswolds Sports Centre and were able to gain qualifications in Bikeability (Levels 1 and 2). Pupils also took part in a range of inter-school fixtures in Football, Cross Country, Tag Rugby, Netball, Cricket and Rounders.  The Choir participated in the Junior Music Festival at the Hexagon. Years 5 and 6 also took part in the Annual Primary Maths Challenge. Outstanding sports achievements include our netball team for reaching the netball league finals and winning all their league games; Years 5 & 6 football team for winning a West Berks school tournament and being runners up at the Newbury District primary school 6 aside competition; Year 6 rounders teams for winning a competition against local schools; Years 5 & 6 girls football team for being runners up at a Reading football competition and reaching the finals of a 5 aside football competition against West Berks schools. Last year, there were also some memorable school productions:  Superstan (Year 5 and Year6), Forever Treasure Island (Year 3 and Year4) and the Christmas production (Foundation, Year1 and Year2). The school’s Art gallery showcased pupils’ work with a varied and regularly changing display.

The school offers a range of extra- curricular clubs, which further enrich our pupils’ experience. It is a particular and ongoing focus to ensure that as many pupils as possible can access these activities.  Last year clubs ranged from Choir to Street Dance, from Performers to Spanish. Pupils were also able to take part in school trips including:  Little Street Role Play (Foundation Stage); Ella’s Kitchen (Year1); Reading Museum and Art exhibition trip (Year 2); Legoland (Year3); Reading Museum (Year 4); Fire and Rescue visit (Year 5); Battle of Britain Bunker and the Wind Turbine at Green Park (Year 6). Additionally, there were residential visits for Y6 (Isle of Wight) and Y4 (Ufton Nervet).

Whole school events included Children in Need; Red Nose Day; an Art installation based on the work of Yayoi Kusama; a visit to Downsway by the Paralympian, Aaron Phipps; World Book Day; Creativity Week. There was also a School House Quiz competition for Years 1-6 which was organised by the School Council.

If you are reading this page for the first time, we would particularly like to welcome you. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all parents/carers, Friends of Downsway and professionals from other settings for their continuing support and collaboration and to wish you all the best as we embark on another inspiring year, ‘Challenging Minds and Changing Futures’

The Governing Board

Downsway School

Autumn 2024