At Cheselbourne Village School, we are committed to ensuring equality for all pupils, staff, parents and carers irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and ability to participate fully in school life.
We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.
At Cheselbourne Village School, we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.
Equality in teaching and learning
We provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. We do this by:
- Ensuring equality of access for all pupils and preparing them for life in a diverse society
- Using materials that reflect the diversity of the school, population and local community without stereotyping
- Promoting attitudes and values that challenge any discriminatory behaviour or prejudice
- Providing opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of other cultures
- Seeking to involve all parents in supporting their child’s education
- Utilising teaching approaches appropriate for the whole school population which are inclusive and reflective of our pupils.
Equality in admissions and exclusions
Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, religion, belief, disability and / or socio-economic background.
All school policies can be supplied in a paper format. Please contact the school office to make this request.
Statutory Policies & Documents: (click to view)
Required by Education Legislation:
Child Protection Policy and Safeguarding
Allergy and Anaphylaxis Policy
Supporting children & young people with medical conditions
Relationships and Sex Education Policy
Charging and Remissions Policy
Capability Policy and Procedure
Behaviour and Ethos Policy, including Anti-Bullying
Required by other Legislation:
Health, Safety and Welfare Policy
Data Protection and GDPR Policy
Information on how we confirm to the General Data Protection Regulation – PRIVACY-NOTICE-CVS-parents
Other Statutory Policies & Documents:
Disciplinary Policy and Procedures
Admission Arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools in Dorset Council 2025-2026
Other Relevant Non-Statutory Policies & Documents:
Teaching and Learning Policy
Fairness and Dignity at Work Policy
Cheselbourne Village School’s Curriculum Intention
Our primary aim is to ensure that our curriculum, across the whole school, ignites children’s curiosity and inspires them to want to acquire and develop new knowledge and skills built up over their time as they progress through our school.
We involve our children in the design of the curriculum which helps us to actively engage the children in their own learning; challenging them to become independent, well-round individuals who take ownership of their learning and become deep thinkers. We also want our children to be able to apply their knowledge and skill set in a range of contexts within school and real life.
We follow the National Curriculum which is the statutory requirement for learning for all pupils and focuses on ensuring that pupils develop essential knowledge and skills in all subject areas and promotes preparation for, and an appreciation of life in Modern Britain. Through following the aims set out in the National Curriculum, we aim to foster pupil creativity and develop spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills and attitudes to learning and life. The National Curriculum at Key Stage One (Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage Two (Years 3-6, to year 4 at CVS) builds on the skills experienced and learned in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Pre-School/Nursery and Reception).
At Cheselbourne Village School and Pre-School we ensure that there is breadth and balance within the school’s curriculum and plan to link learning in different subjects where we feel that relevant and meaningful links can be made. We intend to make links that enhance and give context to topic learning which in turn help embed and consolidate a solid understanding of all knowledge and skills taught. This approach is supported through having opportunity to plan together as a staff team, through regular monitoring and evaluation and through working in partnership with other schools to share expertise and validate our curriculum delivery and assessment. Being a very small rural school with mixed-age classes requires us to be creative in our approach to learning, ensuring progression between year groups in one class and striving to give children opportunities that are in line with their peers in larger, more urban schools.
Our intention and methods for how we implement our curriculum are underpinned by our belief in:
– developing a positive engagement with outdoor learning
– promoting of our three School Values alongside British Values
– developing our sense of belonging, independence and resilience to the challenges of learning
– ensuring a strong foundation to a child’s learning journey during their time in the EYFS phase
To support our learners in mixed-age classes we manage our curriculum using a cycle that is reviewed annually to ensure progression of skills across each year group whilst learning a variety of different topics across the two-years.
CVS Curriculum Overview Cycle B (2023-24)
CVS Curriculum Overview Cycle A (2022-23)
EYFS Curriculum Overview Cycle B (2023-24)
EYFS Curriculum Overview Cycle A (2022-23)
Special Education Needs and Disabilities – (SEND)
We aim to offer all children the highest level of education but acknowledge that some children need more support. Children with SEND (Special Educational Needs Disabilities) are well supported according to the DfE’s Code of Practice with input from teachers, the SENDCO (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Coordinator) and external agency consultants. When teachers are concerned in any way, parents are consulted and invited to speak with the class teacher and the SENDCO Leader. The support offered is outlined on the schools Provision Map (for more low level needs) or an ILP (Individual Learning Plan). This is regularly reviewed by staff, parents and the child.
The school SENDCO is: Mrs Emma Collett.
SEND Policies:
We follow the SEND Code of Practice in how we support our children with SEND. Please see our SEND Information Report Cheselbourne – Autumn 2026 for further details on our SEND provision.
Please see Policy section for our SEND POLICY.
These documents should be read in conjunction with the below:
Local Offer CVS and the Dorset Council Local Offer
Music
Music Development Plan 2025-2026
For more information about our curriculum and how we teach different across the school please see –
Forest School –
Through providing Forest School learning all children from Reception to Y4:
- have timetabled Forest School sessions,
- gain opportunities to develop their engagement with outdoor education,
- access rich, practical learning opportunities,
- explore learning outdoors that links with our school’s curriculum plan and progression of knowledge and skills.
We intend for our Forest School provision to impact all learners who achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural outdoor environment.
Equality and Inclusion
Cheselbourne Village School wants everyone within our school to feel welcome, valued and included in the school community. We are committed to providing a fully accessible environment to enable this to happen. Our pupils are provided with high quality learning opportunities so that each child achieves all that they can. We want all our pupils to feel confident and have a positive view of themselves. We want our pupils with a disability to access all elements of school life, including school clubs, activities and trips. We recognise that we may have to do things a little differently to make this happen. We are committed to taking positive action in the spirit of the Equality Act 2010, by removing disadvantage faced by pupils with a disability and eliminating discrimination. We will ensure that through whole school training, all staff and governors will be aware of our duties to support children with disabilities, in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Our Staff Team
Our Governors
We are fortunate in having a very knowledgeable and supportive Governing Body at our school. Appointments to see them can be made at the school office. Better still, catch them in the playground! Click on the link below to find out more about what they oversee…
CVS Governors and their areas of Responsibility – SPRING 2025
CVS Pupil Premium
What is Pupil Premium?
The Government gives money to schools to help children from lower income families to do their best. This is a Government initiative called ‘Pupil Premium’. This is paid to schools in addition to main school funding and is the Government’s way to address possible inequalities between children’s attainment.
How does the school use the money for Pupil Premium?
The school can use the money as it decides (it is not assigned to individual children) but we use the money to support all Pupil Premium children. Each year, we publish a Pupil Premium strategy on our website and evaluate it at the end of each academic year to show how the grant is spent and what impact it has had. We are also accountable to Ofsted for the use of our Pupil Premium money.
Please see our CVS PP Letter and Form for more information regarding Pupil Premium and Free School Meals and how to apply for this funding.
CVS PP Strategy 2025 (new December 2025)
CVS Sports Premium
What is Sports Premium?
In March 2013 the government announced that it was to provide funding of £150 million per annum for academic years 2013 to 2014 and 2014 to 2015 to improve provision of physical education and sport in primary schools in England – The Primary PE and Sport Premium. This has continued past these years and is currently still available.
The Primary PE and Sport Premium is designed to help children get an active start in life by improving the quality of PE and sports in primary schools. Headteachers can choose how best to spend this funding including on teacher training, offering more opportunities for pupils to take part in competition and widening the range of sports for both boys and girls.
This funding is allocated to primary school headteachers. The funding is ring-fenced and therefore can only be spent on provision of PE and sport in schools.
How does the school use the money for Sports Premium?
Below is a statement for how this money was spent this year:
*NEWEST* 2025-26 CVS Evidencing the Impact of Primary PE and Sport Premium NEW DIGITAL TOOL
Outcome – March 2023
Cheselbourne Village School continues to be a good school.
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are at the heart of this inclusive and caring school. The values of ‘respect, challenge and nurture’ are central to school life. Leaders have high expectations and are determined that all pupils will succeed. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the education the school provides. One commented that staff are ‘dedicated and enthusiastic and always go above and beyond in creating a fun and nurturing learning environment.’
Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe. Staff know pupils well. They provide strong pastoral support. Pupils are polite and confident. They understand that they need to ‘treat others as they would like to be treated’.
Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Staff talk in high regard about the leadership of the headteacher. They share his passion and drive to ensure all pupils are the best they can be. Staff appreciate the support they receive. Morale is high.
Safeguarding & Child Protection
At Cheselbourne Village School we are committed to ensuring all our children are safe. Everyone working within our school in whatever capacity, has undergone an enhanced DBS check (Disclosures and Barring Service) and Safeguard Update training. All visitors are required to sign in and read through our Child Protection Summary when they come into school.
Our named persons below have undergone up-to-date Level 3 (or Governor) Safeguard training. Our Safeguarding Policy and Child Protection Procedures are on display at the sign-in desk in our school office and can be viewed by the link below.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead with responsibility for Child Protection is:
Mr Chris Perry, Headteacher.
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads with responsibility for Child Protection are:
Mrs Helen Hockham, Early Years Foundation Stage Lead
Mrs Emma Collett, SEND Coordinator
The Designated Safeguarding Governor is Mr David Riddell, Chair of Governors.
Other named roles with safeguarding responsibility:
The Designated Person with responsibility for Children in Care/any Drug Issues is Mr Chris Perry
The Designated Governor with responsibility for Children in Care/any Drug Issues is Mr David Riddell
Data Protection Officer is Mr Chris Perry
E-safety lead is Mrs Emma Collett
The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – phone 01305 221122
We are also part of 
www.operationencompass.org / OE- Parent Letter (19.3.21) / Our Safeguarding OE Statement
The following policies provide detailed information about Child Protection in our school:
CVS Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2022
Guidance for Safer Working Practices
CVS Child Protection Summary for all Visiting Professionals
DfE – Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022
DfE – Working Together to Safeguard Children
CVS E-safety policy – under information and compliance
Safeguarding Information for Parents
This online information site offers free parental resources on a range of topics. It includes online advice regarding live-streaming safety, how to protect your children from grooming on games such as Fortnite or Yubo and how to help your child manage their screen time.
The National Crime Agency Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (NCA-CEOP) have developed a programme called Thinkuknow. It offers up to date, expert advice for children and their adults across a range of issues such as how to live stream safely and ways to monitor your child’s digital security.
The Safe Schools and Communities team from Dorset Police have a really useful Website for advice.
The Prevent Duty, Extremism & Radicalisation
All staff have received WRAP (Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent) and Prevent training. Our school Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies are linked to this and all members of the School, including Governors, adhere to this. Please see the documents below for how we support the Prevent Duty in our school:
Performance
Information regarding our school’s performance can be found on the Department for Education Website.
https://www.find-school-performance-data.service.gov.uk/school/113663/cheselbourne-village-school
Results
Please Click here – CVS Performance Dept. of Education
Equality & Accessibility
Since the 6th April 2012 it has become a legal requirement for schools to publish certain information in connection with Accessibility and in connection with Equality.
We have also to publish information relating to gender, to ethnicity, to attainment differences between boys and girls and to attainment differences between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. However, in a small school such as ours and where individual children could be identified, the school is empowered to limit the information given.
As of November 2020
There were 44 children on roll (33 on school roll and 11 on pre-school roll). The school has decided not to publish information relating to ethnicity of pupils.
The school has decided not to publish information relating to attainment differences between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.
Admissions Policy
Cheselbourne Village School Catchment Area is Cheselbourne, Hilton, Melcombe Bingham and Ansty and the surrounding villages. However, parents can opt to bring their child to our school regardless of where they live providing there is a place available. Children in our catchment area who live more than three miles from the school will be offered free school transport. Some of our children are from families living outside the immediate catchment area but wish for their children to attend Cheselbourne.
All enquiries concerning admissions to our school should be made in the first instance to the school office (01258 837306 or office@cheselbourne.dorset.sch.uk) please and then must be made via: