About Us

At Copthorne Community Infant school our philosophy is one of outdoor and practical based learning. We aim to provide a nurturing, stimulating environment where teaching and learning reflects all children’s learning styles. We pride ourselves on providing an aspirational, creative, wide and valued curriculum for all children where achievement and success in all areas is celebrated.

Performance Tables

Click on the links below to find further information about our school, including performance tables on the DfE website.

 July '21 IDSR Performance Table

DfE Performance Tables

2018-2019 Performance Tables Key Stage 1

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Catch-up Premium

Children and young people across the country have experienced unprecedented disruption to their education as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19). Those from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds will be among those hardest hit. The aggregate impact of lost time in education will be substantial, and the scale of our response must match the scale of the challenge. Schools’ allocations will be calculated on a per pupil basis, providing each mainstream school with a total of £80 for each pupil.

As the catch-up premium has been designed to mitigate the effects of the unique disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the grant will only be available for the 2020 to 2021 academic year. It will not be added to schools’ baselines in calculating future years’ funding allocations. Schools should use this funding for specific activities to support their pupils to catch up for lost teaching over the previous months, in line with the guidance on curriculum expectations for the next academic year.

Schools have the flexibility to spend their funding in the best way for their cohort and circumstances. To support schools to make the best use of this funding, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has published a coronavirus (COVID-19) support guide for schools with evidence-based approaches to catch up for all students. Schools should use this document to help them direct their additional funding in the most effective way.

School Times

The main entrance gates to school are opened at 8.40am each morning.  Reception class use the front gate to their classroom and Year 1 and Year 2 use the car park gate to the playground. We have found the children really enjoy this independence and settle well into their learning. The school gates close at 8:55am. Anyone coming after this time will be recorded as late. 

Reception have a morning break from 10:15am until 10:30am and KS1 have a morning break from 10.30am until 10.45am. During this break all children receive a free piece of fruit from the School Fruit service and any children who have registered for school milk will receive this too. (please see separate page on Cool Milk)

Lunchtimes are staggered for each age group. Reception are 11:45am to 12:45pm, Year 1 are 11.55am to 12.55pm and Year 2 are 12:15pm to 1:15pm.  During this time the children have their school dinner or packed lunch and enjoy playtime in the playground. Wet, icy or snowy weather means that playtimes will be spent either in classrooms or in the hall.

The end of the school day is at 3pm. EYFS class will leave from the outer door of their classroom. Year 1 and Year 2 classes will leave via their classroom doors out onto the playground. We ask that parents are prompt in collecting their children as it can become quite distressing for children when they are the last one being collected if parents are running late.

After School Clubs

At Copthorne we offer a range of different after school clubs from athletics, to computing, to construction, to singing, to art and science.

Each term (Autumn, Spring and Summer) the club list and sign-up sheet will be distributed.  In the event that a club is oversubscribed then priority will be given to those who have not attended before as well as trying to ensure that children are able to attend at least one of their choices. After school clubs run from 3pm until 4pm. 

Links with The Gambia

We have developed, through one of our school governors - Mrs O'Hagan, links with a school in The Gambia. The way of life out there is in complete contrast to our way of life, learning resources are few and children walk for miles to attend school. There are over 70 children in the nursery with just one teacher! Mrs O'Hagan makes trips to The Gambia every year and spends a lot of time in the school and the villages out there. We at Copthorne have donated many resources to the school, including tables, chairs, books, pencils, games and learning resources. These were shipped to the port of Banjul in The Gambia by container.

Travel Smart

We are constantly trying to make healthy choices at Copthorne and that includes how we travel to and from school. We are part of the Modeshift Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Recognition for School awards (STARS) - this recognises the efforts made to persuade pupils and parents to choose greener and healthier ways of getting to and from school. 

Our school has been awarded the Bronze Award for our commitment to sustainable and active travel, which is an amazing achievement! We aim to continue to improve and a school and our aim is to improve upon this and work towards our Silver Award in subsequent years.

Modeshift STARS is the national schools awards scheme that has been established to recognise schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel. Our school is working hard to become more active when they travel to school. Look at some of our children arriving on wheels: 

 How to Travel to Copthorne Community Infants School 

ModeShift Stars: Our School Travel Plan