The Early Years Team would like to say a huge welcome to all the new children due to start in September 2023.

At the 'Meet the Teacher' event, held in September, we discuss different procedures and guides. You may find it helpful to read the information below.

Our school:

Our school mission statement is:  Placing God in our hearts we will love, live and learn

Our Behaviour Charter is, 'Be safe, be a learner, be kind and respectful.'

The School Day

• 8.55am                 School begins
• 11.45am               Lunch Time
• 12.30pm               Afternoon sessions begins
• 3.15pm                 End of school day

Procedures for the beginning and end of the school day.

At the beginning of the day:

The gates are opened at 8:40am.  When the gates (on St Gerrard's Road) are opened, the teachers will greet you  and direct your child to the right classroom.  Parents remain outside the school gates - this is sometimes tricky for children at first but staff will be there to support your child.

At the end of the day:

We will only release your child to an adult who has permission to collect.  You will indicate those authorised to collect on the form in your induction pack.  Children will be released at the same gates (on St Gerrard's Road) at the end of the day. 

Absences and Punctuality

If your child is ill please inform the school office before 9.30am. We operate a first response system so if you do not contact us before 9.30am we will ring you to find out why your child is absent.

School starts at 8.55am, the gates are then locked at this time as the register is taken immediately.  If you arrive after this time, you will need to enter the school via the main office to sign your child in.   If your child arrives in school after 9.25am they are deemed to be absent for the session.

Absences in Exceptional Circumstances:

• Schools are no longer permitted to authorise absences in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

• Holidays in term time are generally not authorised.
• Any unauthorised leave that is taken in term time may result in a penalty notice and a fine.

Please see our Attendance Policy for futher information.

The school holiday list for 2023-2024 is published on the website and is also in your pack. 

Free School Meals:

In Early Years, your child is entitled to a free school meal under the Government Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) Scheme .  This may be a cold lunch or hot meal.  This is not dependent on income and all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled.

There is funding available for schools to support children who qualify for the Free School Meal (FSM) Scheme, which is based on income.  If you feel you are eligible, please complete the form included in your pack and return it to school.

Healthy snacks and drinks:

We are a Healthy School and we hope that you can support our healthy eating policy.  Each day your child will be provided with a piece of fruit or vegetable for their snack.

• Please send your child with a named water bottle for during the day. This is the healthiest option for your child as we only recommend water in school.
• No sweets are permitted in school.

Due to children in school having severe nut allergies, we do not allow children to bring:

-products containing nuts

-chickpeas (including houmous).
-sesame seeds - these are also found on bread buns.

• It is very important that you tell us if your child has any allergies.  This information will be shared with all relevant staff for the safety of your child.

School Uniform

Please read this information in the leaflet sent to you within your packs. It is really important to label ALL your child’s clothing (including coats, lunch bags and shoes) as they often get misplaced.

How can I help my child before starting school?

You are the first and most important educators of your child and we value your support.  Together we can achieve great success.  You can help by:

• Listening to your child read every day and recording your comments on the reading record.
• Helping your child to learn their letter sounds and their key words.
• Encouraging your child to write – name, lists, stories, etc.
• Helping your child complete any homework that is set.

Ask yourself a few questions:

Can your child dress and undress themselves ( your child will need to do this for PE, put on their coats and change shoes for the outdoors)?

Can your child use the toilet independently?

Does your child understand that they have to share?

Does your child know what behaviour is expected?

Can your child hold a pencil correctly?

Can your child write their name?

Assessments:

When your child comes into school a baseline assessment is carried out.  These are used to measure your child’s progress as they move through the year. The teachers are constantly assessing your child so that they can identify their next steps in learning.

If we have concerns about your child’s progress, we will speak to you. You will have the opportunity to discuss next steps and ways to help at home during the parent’s evenings held in the Autumn Term and Spring Term. We value your support in helping your child’s progress and development.

Please talk to us if you are concerned about your child’s progress at any time.

Communication:

• The school newsletter is emailed to parents on a weekly basis (please inform the office if you not receive this and ensure we have got the correct email address).

• The website contains information about the curriculum, forthcoming events and important information.
• We have a Classdojo account which is used to share information.  Please make sure you sign up when you get a link. 

Please keep us informed if you change your phone number or address.

We have a Learning Mentor and Family Support Worker who can support you with any family difficulties.  Please share any significant information about your child before they start school so that we can support them appropriately.

Parents as Partners

We always welcome parents into school to help.  If you feel you can help please ask for a DBS clearance form. We regularly hold drop-in sessions and events for parents.  We hope that you can join us at these events. Please attend the annual parents evening as this is a valuable way of finding out how your child is progressing.

If you have any other queries please do not hesitate to contact us. We will all look forward to seeing you in September.

The Early Years Team