Practical Matters

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The school expects and promotes good standards of behaviour. We ask for parental co-operation in promoting the school rules which are:

• Respect others
• Be a good listener
• Be polite
• Be truthful
• Walk quietly
• Take care of our school
• Do your best

Children are praised for good behaviour and achievements and receive merit badges and certificates for their efforts.

We have a rewards system for good behaviour and a points system for inappropriate behaviour. Where there are particular problems, parents are invited to school to discuss the matter and to work with the school to improve the child’s behaviour.

DRIVING TO SCHOOL

If you have to drive your child to school, please note that car parks are NOT for parents/carers. It is not safe for the children for parents to drive into or out of the car park. Please park with consideration for others and not in front of the school gates or pathways at any time.

IF YOUR CHILD HAS ALLERGIES

If your child is allergic to anything please inform the school, before they start or as soon as you are aware. This is very important and a form will need to be completed. If your child needs the use of an Epi-Pen, 2 spares need to be provided to the school.

MEDICAL INFORMATION/ MEDICATION

If your child has a medical condition it is vital that you make school aware.  If your child requires routine medication whilst at school you will need to complete the form administering medication before it can be given.  A form can be obtained from the school office or downloaded. Permission to administer medicines. Only medicines prescribed by a Doctor and have a label on from the Pharmacy will be administered to your child upon completion of the form.

ASTHMA

If your child suffers from asthma, please inform school as soon as possible and an AM5 form will need to be completed.  The form can be obtained from the School office or downloaded. ALL children with asthma and using an inhaler must have a spare inhaler in school for their use. AM5 for asthma form

MILK

All children in Nursery and Reception (up to the age of 5 years old) receive free milk.  Milk is available to all children to purchase or if your child receives free school meals they will receive free milk. Milk is charged termly and the cost will be published on the school newsletter. Payment for milk must be made via the School Milk UK website at www.schoolmilkuk.co.uk where you can register your child. If you have any problems paying for your child’s milk then you can contact School Milk UK on telephone number 01924 908 499 or email: admin@schoolmilkuk.co.uk

SCHOOL LUNCHES

School lunches are available daily at a cost of £2.00 per day. Payment is made on ParentPay. The office team can provide you with your unique log in details if you have not already accessed your account.  A healthy option is always available including sandwiches, jacket potatoes and a salad bar.  Vegetarian options are also available.  If your child prefers, they can bring a packed lunch but we ask parents to ensure that the lunch is a healthy option. The menu is now available to view at https://schoolmeals.bradford.gov.uk/

Water is available throughout the school.

WHAT IF YOU ARE LATE TO SCHOOL

Please make sure your child is on time to school, being late can disrupt your child and others education.  If your child is late please make sure they tell the office staff.

CHANGING YOUR DETAILS

Please tell the office as soon as you change your telephone number or address.  It is vital that we have an up to date contact should there be an emergency in school.

WHAT IF YOUR CHILD CAN’T COME TO SCHOOL ONE DAY?

All children learn best if they come to school every day and we give rewards for good attendance.

If your child is going to be away for an appointment or any other reason please let the teacher know and tell us why they are away, otherwise your child’s absence will be “unauthorised” – see our Attendance Policy. Where possible, appointments should be made after school hours or in the school holidays.

Holidays: THERE IS NO AUTHORISED HOLIDAY LEAVE.

You must put children’s education first and not prioritise any holiday or longer visit, in term time.

It will not be agreed by school, there is a form to complete and your child may lose their place at our school.  Children who have been on long visits find it difficult to catch up with the other children. BD5 Holiday Request Form

WHAT IS OUR ATTENDANCE POLICY

Aims:

1. To expect regular attendance and so maximise attendance rates

2. To discourage lateness

3. To inform parents of their responsibilities for pupil attendance at school

4. To work with Education Social Workers to promote regular attendance

Allowing a child to be absent without a good reason is against the law.  Parents or carers can be fined up to £2500 or even imprisoned.

Every half day absence has to be ‘unauthorised’ or ‘authorised’ by the school, not by the parent or carer. Authorised absences are serious illness or something completely unavoidable.

Unauthorised absences: Unreasonable reasons, not agreed with by school, or too late for the register. Children must not be kept at home e.g. on birthdays, to shop, mind the house or as a treat.

WHAT IF MY CHILD IS ILL?

An adult, parent/carer must contact school on the first day of absence by phone 01274 727 970 or in person. The school has a voicemail system so a message can be left.

Emergency Leave: Leave may be granted in an emergency (e.g. bereavement) or for medical appointments providing a parent or carer comes into school to let us know and to collect the child.

Please bring the appointment card or practice telephone number with you.

Appointments

ROUTINE GP OR DENTAL APPOINTMENTS MUST BE MADE OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS AND PREFERABLY IN THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. ANY APPOINTMENT IN SCHOOL TIME MUST BE BOOKED OUT AND A COPY OF THE APPOINTMENT LETTER GIVEN TO THE OFFICE TEAM.

In the 2018/2019 academic year, our attendance was 94.38%

Unauthorised Absence 1.74%

Authorised 3.88%

Our target is to remain at 95% and we need your help to do this.

IS THERE A BREAKFAST CLUB AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUB?

There is a breakfast club which runs at 8am and is £1.50 per day (£5 per week) and there are various after school clubs that run Monday to Friday until 4pm.  Some of the after school clubs have a small fee payable and numbers are restricted.

SCHOOL TRIPS

The school follows the following charges and remissions policy: Charges and Remissions Policy

Permission is required for all children to attend school trips, forms will be sent home with children or can be downloaded. Trip permission slip

On occasions the school will seek voluntary contributions from parents for the benefit of the school or any school activities.

All contributions are voluntary.

Children will not be treated differently according to whether or not a contribution has been made.

The Governors reserve the right to cancel any activity when insufficient contributions make it unviable.

UNIFORM

As suggested by parents, the school has a uniform and all children are asked to wear it. The uniform is;

White/red polo shirt with emblem

Red Sweatshirt with emblem

Red/grey jumpers

White blouse/shirt

Grey/black trousers or skirt

Sensible Shoes

St Joseph’s Peaked cap in summer

PE Kit – Navy blue shorts or navy blue jogging pants and red polo shirt. Footwear – black pumps.

All uniform is available at Natasha’s and TUS in Bradford.

IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH ANYTHING WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Speak to us as soon as you have a concern, before it becomes a complaint.

If you have any concerns including about your child’s educational progress, you should first discuss your concerns with the class teacher. This usually enables the problem to be sorted out swiftly and to everyone’s satisfaction.

If following a discussion with the class teacher, you are still not satisfied you may wish to bring your concerns to the attention of the Phase Leader or Deputy Headteacher.

A copy of complaints policy can be downloaded here complaints policy revised or collected from the school office.

MOBILE PHONES

Mobile phones should not be brought to school and school will not be responsible for them if they are lost or stolen.

Children who travel to and from school alone, are allowed to have their phone with them, but it must be handed in to the office daily during school hours.

ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS

The school will always endeavour to open.  If we do need to close, parents are sent a text message, and announcements made on Radio Leeds and Pulse Radio.  We will also update our social media pages. If you have not been receiving text messages, please contact the school office with an up-to-date telephone number.  If school is open, we ask that parents do their best to safely get their child to school.  Please be aware that school will send daily texts if it remains closed for a period of time, if you do not receive a text that means that school is open. Please ensure we have your correct mobile number at all times. Thank you.

Please be aware that in icy conditions it is only possible to grit the paths.  The driveways, car parks and playgrounds are not gritted.  Please keep to the gritted paths in these conditions.

ENTRANCE GATES

Please note that that the entrance gates on Clayton Lane will open at 3:00pm.  Any parents who arrive before this time will be unable to access the school as children could still be outside accessing outdoor provisions.  Please do not ring the buzzer for access.  This is for the safety of your children.

Please note, parents are not allowed to sit in the hall and wait if the club goes on indoors.

If you arrive early to collect your child, you must wait in the playground.

Thank you for your co-operation.

DATA SHARING

Many children in our school have accessed a children’s centre in the past, and benefited from the services it provides. Children’s centres are asked by the government to show what difference they make to children’s outcomes. By law your child was assessed by us against a national standard (the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile) at the end of their Reception year. We would like to arrange to pass this information back to the children’s centre they attended so the centre can improve what they do. If you would like more information about this, or you do NOT want your child’s information to be shared, please contact Sue (01274 385723) or e-mail: IMTAnalysisTeam@Bradford.gov.uk