General Organisation

Admission

A preference form must be completed for every child (including those from Churchdown Parton Manor Infants School), as places are allocated by the LA.

Parents moving into the district or considering sending their child to the school are invited to contact the Head Teacher to arrange a visit. Parents of Year 3 children to be admitted to the school in September are invited the term before admission to visit the school. At that time there is an opportunity to see the classroom environment the children will be working in and to ask questions of a general nature that may be of interest to the group. There will also be an opportunity to buy items of school uniform.

Lunch

Children are able to have a school lunch or they may bring a packed lunch. Cooked lunches must be paid for in advance on Mondays.  Money should be sent in a sealed envelope with the child's name and class on it.  Unfortunately, meals cannot be supplied if not previously paid for.  Free school meals will be granted only to children whose parents/guardians are in receipt of either Income Support, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Support under part VI of the Immigration & Asylum act 1999, Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual household income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £14,155 or the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.  Application forms can be obtained from the school secretary or from Shire Hall. 

 Fruit club

Fruit club operates from 8:40 to 8:55 each morning.  There is the opportunity to purchase fresh fruit, milk, fruit juice and water.  Children can also practise tables, catch up with homework and generally socialise. 

P.T.A

Our policy is based on the notion that a school uniform:

·        promotes a sense of pride in the school;

·        engenders a feeling of community and belonging;

·        is practical and smart;

·        identifies the children with the school;

·        is not distracting in class (as fashion clothes might be);

·        makes children feel equal to their peers in terms of appearance;

·        is regarded as suitable, and good value for money, by most parents;

·        has been designed with health and safety in mind.

Our school uniform is as follows. Many of these items can be purchased from the school office.

There is an optional maroon school fleece suitable for boys and girls, maroon baseball cap and ski-hat. In the summer girls might like to wear red/white check dresses. There is also a limited supply of second-hand uniform available from the school.

School Charging Policy

Education is provided at the school without compulsory charges to parents. This is a principle that the school supports fully. The school will finance the vast majority of activities with funds received from the County Council. There are though, some valuable educational activities that the school cannot provide without seeking some financial support from parents:  

School Visits

Where the visit occurs during school time there will be no compulsory charge, but voluntary contributions will be invited.  Parents who make the voluntary contribution are paying for their child only and not subsidising others.  Any deficit is covered by school funds or the trip does not go ahead.  Full charges may be levied for visits occurring out of school hours or for the board and lodging cost of any residential activity.

Equipment & Materials

An occasional charge may be made for materials used when articles are being made to take home.  Prior agreement is sought from parents.  A charge is made for the hire of musical instruments and tuition.

Consultations

Open Evenings for consultation are held three times each year and may be spread over two evenings.  A school report is sent out prior to the Summer Term evenings so that you have an opportunity to discuss it if necessary. 

There is a monthly coffee morning for parents to meet the Head Teacher and some staff.  These will be publicised in the newsletter and on signs in the entrance.

If you come to school for any reason, you must report and sign in at the Office.  Signs do indicate this.  You must also sign out as you leave.  This will help us to be sure at all times that we know who is on the premises. 

 Homework

We are required by the DCSF to follow set guidelines on the giving of homework.  It is seen as an essential part of children's learning and its success is dependent on parental support.

All children are asked to learn their tables. All children are encouraged to read at home. From time to time work is taken home because it has still to be completed. When a class is working on a particular project, children are asked to 'research' certain topics. At the Curriculum Evening in September, each year, parents are informed what homework will be given to their child's class, on which day it will be given and other practical matters are discussed.

Within maths, children are often asked to do small tasks based on the home environment.  In the early years this should not take long to do but should develop a homework habit. By Year 6 the amount increases significantly as preparation for the transition to Secondary School.

Homework Allocation Chart

Pupils' Property

Bicycles may be brought to school provided they are kept in good order and should be locked.  The school cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage and sadly this does occur. Children should be encouraged to wear helmets.

Children seen to be riding in a dangerous manner will lose the privilege of bringing bicycles to school.

We ask that children do not bring valuables to school.  Any pupil bringing money to school should keep it on their person until able to hand it to the class teacher. The Year 6 Class keeps items of found property.  Children who have lost things may enquire at the classroom. 

Health and Welfare

Day to day pastoral care of the children rests with the class teacher and overall responsibility rests with the Head Teacher. A child with a specific difficulty should seek help from :-

§         The class teacher

§         The teaching assistant

§         The Head Teacher

§         The secretary

Teachers should not be expected to administer medicines to the children. Children should not have cough sweets or lozenges in school, as there is a real danger of choking when these are eaten unsupervised in the playground. If medicine does have to be brought in to school, it should be handed in at the office and will be kept in a locked cupboard.  The medicine must be marked with the child’s name and clear instructions.  We need a note from the child’s parent giving us permission to administer the medicine. It is the child's responsibility to ask for the medicine at the appropriate time, and a designated adult will administer it.  Children who need to have inhalers in school should keep them in their classroom.

Should your child be ill or have an accident, we try to contact you as a parent.  In the meantime we make him/her as comfortable as possible.  If hospital treatment is required we prefer for the child's sake that you take him/her.  However, in cases of emergency we take your child to hospital and do our best to contact you as soon as possible.  It is essential that we have a way in which we can contact you in an emergency, preferably a phone number.

Drug Education, Road Safety, Health Education and 'Stranger Danger' feature regularly within the curriculum.

We welcome and encourage help and support from parents in the classroom. As a security precaution, we ask parents who help in the classroom to undergo a police check.

As part of our concern for your children's safety we ask you not to drive a car onto the school premises or park on the yellow zig-zag lines outside school.  We now have electronic gates that can only be activated by a special zapper.