HINCHLEY WOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Transcription

1 HINCHLEY WOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL Claygate Lane, Esher, Surrey KT10 0AQ Tel: Fax: Headteacher: Mrs Fiona Collins Website: 24 th September 2014 Dear Parents I am sending this letter to make sure that all of you are aware of school policy in a variety of areas. HEADLINES This Newsletter is sent out every Friday by or with the youngest child in your family. Please do make sure you receive it as this is our main form of communication. Results from the Annual Parents Survey in previous years asked that we keep communication to a minimum so therefore we try to keep school letters to a Wednesday and HWPSA news to a Tuesday. WEBSITE Our website is This site provides the school, parents, pupils and the wider community with information on aspects of the school. The site contains information on school policies and admissions details. HOME SCHOOL AGREEMENT Please refer to our leaflet, Home School Agreement, a copy of which is attached. It includes our school code of conduct. This agreement has been discussed with all the children and we ask you to share it at home too. THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM & HOMEWORK A certain amount of homework is expected all the way through the school. We aim to allow you and your children time to plan the best opportunity to undertake the homework tasks for the week. It remains important that homework is completed and returned on time. Some of it is research work, some specific tasks and reading is a daily activity for all children throughout the school. No child is expected to spend more than 30 minutes on a piece of work. If there is a problem please don t let your child become distressed. As long as s/he has really tried to complete it, sign the book or paper to indicate this. (See appendix 1 for the homework timetable). ABSENCE & PUNCTUALITY School starts at 8.50am, and all children should be in the playground by 8.45am. You should not leave your child unattended prior to 8.40am. At 8.48am a warning bell will ring to remind the children to move to their lines. At this point we ask parents to move away from the class lines. It is important that we teach the children, together, to take responsibility for being in the right place as the right time with the right equipment. The children are collected by their class teachers at the second bell (8.50am) ready for teaching and learning. If your child is absent from school for any reason please telephone the office and then send a note on their return to explain the absence. Any unofficial absence (i.e. unexplained absences) and/or frequent lateness will be reported to the Education Welfare Officer and may result in a visit from her/him. The number of requests for absence and to go on holiday reduced in 2013/14 and must reduce still further in 2014/15. There is no longer an entitlement to a holiday in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. A pupil s absence during term time can seriously disrupt continuity of learning and her/his attainment, as a direct result. Not only do they miss the teaching provided on the days that they are away, they are also less prepared for the lessons building on that work after they return. There is a consequent risk of underachievement, which together we must seek to avoid. It is very important that the children attend school unless they are ill. No absences will be authorised without meeting with me ahead of the planned absence date. At this meeting, you will need to describe in what way your request represents exceptional circumstances (the only condition under which I can agree the absence).

2 TIMES OF THE SCHOOL DAY RECEPTION CLASSES YEARS 1 & 2 YEARS 3, 4, 5 & am Registration 8.50am Registration 8.50am Registration am Break am Break am Break pm Lunch pm Lunch pm Lunch Free Flow pm Break No afternoon break 3.10pm End of day 3.10pm End of day 3.15pm End of day TRAFFIC IN CLAYGATE LANE We ask EVERYONE to be extremely careful, considerate and courteous when collecting children from school. The way in which some parents park and drive off prove the greatest road hazards for our children. The council has taken steps to make it safer to be a pedestrian in Claygate Lane we need to think about our own role in improving the situation. Also, our neighbours are understandably annoyed when parents park across their driveways. Please do not park in our staff car park or the Secondary School car park both are in constant use. Please use the main entrance gate to deliver and collect your child. The local police and traffic wardens can issue a parking fine for parking on the yellow lines. Please observe the road signs at all times. Please show every courtesy and consideration to our Crossing Patrol Officer. We will, together, encourage, the children to do so also and to be attentive to their safety at all times. GOVERNORS MEETINGS & MINUTES The Governors Meetings can be found on the school website You may attend Governors meetings should you so wish. Dates of these meetings are published in Headlines and on the website. If you require further details about Governors meetings, please contact the Clerk to the Governing Body, Mrs D Poole via the school office. SCHOOL MEALS Children may have a hot school meal (we cater for vegetarian diets) or they may bring a packed lunch. Please do not pack fizzy drinks, sweets or glass containers. We also have a large number of children and staff who have severe nut allergies. We do not allow any kind of nut in school. Hinchley Wood Primary School has achieved the Healthy School Award and we monitor the nutrition of school meals carefully. School meals may be paid for on the first day of each week, or half-termly by cheque if preferred. Meals can also be paid for online. Please ask at the office for details. Meals must be paid for in advance. Please contact the School Office if there are any problems. Free school meals are available to children from families on income support. If you feel you may qualify, please ask for a form from the School Office. The children in the reception classes are provided with a piece of fruit and a carton of milk at morning break. The children in KS1 are provided with a piece of fruit at morning break. Children in KS2 may bring a piece of fruit for morning break. No sweets are allowed in school unless handed to the teacher on a special occasion such as a birthday. All the children should bring a plastic water bottle for use in the classroom and in the playground. SCHOOL ASSEMBLY & RELIGIOUS EDUCATION You have the right to withdraw your child(ren) from assembly and/or religious education. Should you feel that this is your preferred option, please do not hesitate to contact me via the school office. CHARGING AND REMISSIONS POLICY All activities during school hours are considered important to the pupils development. Although a voluntary payment may be requested, no child will be excluded because of inability to pay. However, if sufficient contributions are not received the school may not be in a position to proceed with the activity. In the case of residential school trips, some of the charges may be remitted but prior agreement with Mrs Collins will be necessary. In all cases, if full payment is difficult please make an appointment to see Mrs Collins.

3 Requests for Non Standard Reports The Governing Body will levy a charge if a school or parent makes a request for additional written evidence of a pupil s performance, aptitude and attainment other than that contained in the Annual Pupil Report. The charge will be 45 and calculated with reference to the time taken by the Head Teacher and other teachers in providing this data. In the first instance the charge is levied at the school requesting the information. The school may direct this charge to you. Lost Books & Equipment The school will request a contribution towards the replacement of books or equipment lost or damaged by pupils. MAKING OUR SCHOOL EVEN BETTER SCHOOL FUND A major area where it is possible to increase income is through the School Fund. There are around 378 families representing our 510 children and they are invited to contribute to the best of their ability to provide the best education for the children. As a guide, we would like as many families as possible to contribute 15 per month per child; however any amount is valuable and much appreciated. We particularly hope that those who can afford more will contribute more. If you are a taxpayer, please do complete the Gift Aid form as this enables us to reclaim the tax paid on your donation, thereby further increasing its value. One-off donations are also very welcome and can also be entered on the Gift Aid form. Many parents have given their names to the school skills bank. They give their time, energies and skills in a wide variety of ways during the school year and could not reasonably be expected to contribute more. Some parents may feel that they cannot contribute financially. This is an invitation to those families who are not able; (due to time pressures etc.) to contribute time, energy or skills but would welcome the opportunity nonetheless to help the school. UNIFORM & JEWELLERY We expect all pupils to be smartly dressed wearing the correct uniform when they come to school and for PE. Long hair (shoulder-length and longer) should always be tied back. Nail varnish and jewellery should not be worn at school and although we permit watches they are the responsibility of the child. If children have pierced ears a simple gold stud may be worn. These must be removed, by the child, for PE and Games. This follows Surrey County Council guidelines. Physical Education is part of the National Curriculum and children need to be appropriately dressed to participate safely. If children come to school wearing nail varnish they will be told to remove it; if they fail to do this at home some nail varnish remover will be provided for them to remove it at school. For Art lessons children need an old shirt or apron to protect their uniform. We ask you to ensure that the children do not bring personal possessions to school, as they can be lost or damaged and valuable teaching and learning time can be lost in resolving conflicts around the possessions. We advise against children bringing mobile phones to school. If it is essential that they bring them, please ensure they are named and left in the school office at the beginning of the day and collected at the end of school. All clothing and possessions must be clearly marked with your child's name. We have vast quantities of lost property to dispose of each term as we cannot return unnamed items. Dogs Please note we do not allow dogs on our site nor do we like to see them tied to the railings outside school.

4 UNIFORM LIST Reception White, short sleeved, polo shirt Grey, school trousers or shorts Navy tunic or skirt Royal blue check dress Royal blue V-neck jumper or cardigan Royal blue jogging suit with school logo Royal blue school fleece Years 1 & 2 Please choose from the following: White shirt with school tie White polo shirt White, blouse Grey, school trousers or shorts Navy tunic or skirt Royal blue check dress Royal blue V-neck jumper or cardigan Royal blue school fleece Years 3 6 As for Years 1 & 2 except that polo-shirts are no longer worn PE (All years) White T-shirt, royal blue shorts and plimsolls (infants) or trainers (juniors). In the juniors, a royal blue jogging suit for winter games is ideal but it is not compulsory. SHOES Black low heeled sturdy shoes (no trainers or open toe sandals) Finally, we welcome and encourage a partnership with you, the parents. If you would like to come into school to help on a regular basis please let your child s class teacher know. Following regulations, you will be asked to complete a DBS check. We ask parents to begin this voluntary work after the autumn half term, giving the children time to settle with their new teacher first of all. If you need to talk to a member of staff, for any reason, please arrange an appointment via the school office. We look forward to working and learning with you and your children in the course of the year. If you have queries or concerns about anything contained in this letter, please don t hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely, Mrs Fiona Collins Head Teacher (Name) Home School Agreement Consent Form I,, have read and understood the policies mentioned in the Home School Agreement. Signed Date: Childs Name: Class: Childs Name: Class: Childs Name: Class:

5 APPENDIX 1 HOMEWORK TIMETABLE Year group and minimum time to be spent on homework each week. Reception Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Sound books for daily practice of sounds High frequency words (HFW) introduced for daily practice. Library Book For years 1-4 homework is given out on a Monday to be returned to the child s class teacher the following week. Year 1 (1 hr) One task- foundation subject, Literacy or Maths. Year 2 (1 hr) Year 3 (1hr 30min) Year 4 (1hr 30min) Year 5 (2 hrs) Year 6 (2 hrs) Literacy or foundation subject task (this may include research skills) Literacy task One or two research topics to be completed throughout the year. Literacy task One or two research topics to be completed throughout the year. Literacy task x2 Two or three research topics to be completed throughout the year. Homework given out on Wednesdays to be returned following Monday Literacy task x2 (given out Wednesdays to be returned following Monday) (given out Mondays, returned Fridays) Two or three research topics to be completed throughout the year. Reading to your child continues to be extremely important in the Juniors. Even if children can lift the words off the page they are not yet fully fledged readers. Don t stop!