Frequently Asked Questions

School Hours

Gates Open at 8.30am

Registration at 8.50am

Lunch 12-1pm

School Ends at 3.30pm

Food in School

The school provides a 2 course hot lunch each day for children who wish to have one or they may choose to bring a packed lunch. There is a meat and a vegetarian option each day as well as jacket potatoes. Fresh, healthy ingredients are used and the meals currently cost £2.30 per day. Payment and ordering of lunches must be done on ParentPay and details of how to activate your account will be given separately.

Healthy Snacks

Sweets, chocolate, chewing gum, fizzy drinks and energy drinks are not permitted in school. No nuts are allowed in school including nut based spreads.

We do encourage children to drink water throughout the day and to bring a piece of fruit for morning break time.

Uniform

All the children wear school uniform, which helps to promote a sense of identity and pride in themselves and the school. We ask that all uniform is clearly marked with their name to ensure that any items misplaced can be returned. Long hair must be tied back and all hair bands should be plain. Uniform is available to purchase from KL Schoolwear www.klschoolwear.co.uk 

Our uniform consists of:

Grey/Black Trousers, or Shorts

Grey Skirt or Pinafore Dress

White Polo Shirt,

Thomas Harding Sweatshirt or Cardigan, 

White/ Grey/Black socks,

Black School Shoes.  

Red Checked Gingham dress in summer

Plain Colour or School Summer Cap.

School Fleeces/Waterproof Jackets are an additional optional item for pupils for playground wear. Fleeces are not an alternative to wearing the school sweatshirt.

P.E. Kit:  School PE Bag, T-shirt with ‘TH’ logo, Black Shorts, change of Socks, Plimsolls, track suit (optional).

School Book Bag

Essential Equipment

Each child should bring to school a named pencil case containing a blue pen, ruler, coloured pencils, glue stick, HB pencils, eraser and sharpener.

Jewellery

For safety reasons no jewellery can be worn in school. However, children are allowed to wear one pair of plain studs. These must be removed by your child for P.E.

Communication

To further enhance our communication and to support our attempts to become a sustainable school, we use email to send letters etc. directly to you. There are a number of benefits to this but one that may be particularly attractive to you is information is sent directly, avoiding letters getting lost. We also operate a texting service which is used to keep parents up to date of events and letters being sent home. Please check regularly for these updates and make sure your contact details are kept up to date. Regular monthly newsletters will keep you up to date with events happening in school and we have a notice board outside reception where we display local events and courses that you may find of interest.

After School Club

Our Afterschool Club provides supervised childcare after school until 5pm. If you would like your child to attend, please contact the office for website details.

Breakfast Club

Our Breakfast Club provides supervised childcare before school and makes sure your child starts the day with a healthy breakfast. If you would like your child to attend, please contact the office for website details.

After School Activity Clubs

We are very proud of our after school clubs and the hard work that goes into organising and running them. Most clubs are free, although occasionally we bring in an outside provider and a charge may be made. Clubs are offered termly and run each week throughout that term. Letters are sent home giving details of clubs that will be available and we allocate places as fairly as possible. Children are expected to attend their chosen club every week. All children are to be collected from the school office promptly at 4.20pm – we do not allow children to walk home on their own at this time.

Visits

As part of our education programme we take children on interesting, educational visits and aim to take Year 6 children on a weeklong residential trip. We will ask for voluntary contributions towards educational visits during school time and if we do not receive sufficient funds, these visits may not be able to take place. Parents will be notified in advance of these trips by letter and we will ask you to give permission and pay, where applicable, using ParentPay. If any family is in receipt of Free School Meals, please have a confidential word with the office.

Medicines

If your child requires prescribed medicines during the school date you will be required to complete a medical form from the office. The school is not able to administer medicine without forms being completed and can only administer prescribed medicines, in the original packaging with the prescription label showing. No child should have any medicine; cough sweets etc on their person or in the classroom.

If your child suffers from Asthma, medical forms should be completed and handed to the office with the inhaler in the original packaging. The inhaler will then be recorded by the office and kept in the classroom for your child to use as required. Parents are responsible for replacing the inhalers when empty or the date has expired.

Absence

When children are absent from school, we are legally required to record reasons for absence. Please inform the office on your child’s first day of absence by phoning or emailing the office. If your child has to leave the school during the day, e.g. for a medical appointment, an adult must collect them and written notice must be given.

Illness

If your child has been off school with vomiting or diarrhoea, parents are asked to keep them at home for 48 hours following their latest attack.

Holidays

Children are not allowed to take holidays during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. School holiday dates for the academic year will be sent to parents and will be available on our website.

Parking

As you will be aware parking is limited around the school and there are many safety issues associated with this, therefore we run a free parking scheme at Water Meadow Car Park. All parents are provided with the opportunity to park in Water Meadow Car Park, free of charge, at drop off and collection times by applying for a parking permit via the school office. In the interests of safety for the school and the wider community, we urge you to make use of the free parking permit we are offering. Please complete an application form.

Emergency Arrangements

Everything possible is done to prevent accidents and injuries in school, but if a problem should occur, or your child is ill our first aid trained staff are on hand to deal with it. If the matter appears to be serious, you will be contacted immediately and asked to take them home or to hospital. It is vital that the school has your emergency contact details and that you inform the school immediately if your telephone numbers change. There are occasions when dates or events may be subject to change at short notice. Please check text messages, emails and the website regularly for up to date information. If at any time you are not receiving text messages or emails, please contact the office.

Free School Meals

If you think your child may be eligible to receive a Free School Meal or even if you are eligible but do not wish your child to have a school meal, it is still worth applying as the school receives funding based on the number of Free School Meal places, which directly impacts on the service we can deliver. Please contact the office for an application form. All applications are treated confidentially.

Homework

Homework will be given within the first few weeks; this may include Maths, English or topic related work. We hope that parents will support us in this by helping their children to get into a routine and by making sure that they have a suitable, quiet place to work. You should aim to read with your child for 10 minutes every day and this should be recorded in their Reading Record. 

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones and electronic equipment should not be used on school premises by children during school hours or during extracurricular activities. Children are discouraged from bringing mobile phones into school. If you feel strongly that your child should bring their mobile phone to school then it should be turned off and handed into the school office at the start of the school day. The phone must be clearly marked with their name. Any child found in possession of a mobile phone during the school day, including additional school activities such as clubs or a school disco, will have it confiscated immediately.

Parents may not use any recording devices on the school premises to film or photograph other children. Exceptions will be made during school performances with the permission of the headteacher. Under no circumstances may any images taken in school be uploaded onto any social media websites.

Parental Involvement

We aim to keep parents well informed parents well informed about all aspects of school life through various methods of communication, including annual pupil reports, newsletters, parent consultation evenings, website, emails and text messages. Any parent wishing to see their child’s teacher or the headteacher is welcome to contact the office for an appointment. From time to time we offer events such as parent information sessions and courses which provide great opportunities to meet other parents and carers to develop parenting skills.

Our Parents’ Association are always looking for parent support to assist with their fundraising events for the children. If you are able to spare any time or support please contact the office. Some of the events they organise are school discos, Summer and Christmas Fayres and a float for the Chesham Carnival.