Arrangements for pupils entering school
Children learn best when they are ready to learn. Like adults, children arrive at school in varying degrees of emotional and mental readiness. Some children benefit from a chance to talk or reflect about their life outside of school before they have to cope with the pressures of school life. By providing a little flexibility as children arrive at school, they can spend a little time with teachers and learning support staff leading to a more gentle start to their day’s learning.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
From 7.45 a.m. children accessing ‘Kippers’, breakfast care will enter by the Hall door, where they will be met by a member of our child-care team and registered. These children remain in this provision until a member of the child-care team accompanies them to their class rooms at 8.45 a.m.
From 8.45 a.m. pupils are met and greeted in the playground by Learning Support Assistants and Senior Leaders, who:
- Supervise children before they ‘filter’ into school;
- Supervise hand washing
- Record and report messages from parents to relevant members of staff;
- Arrange appointments between teachers and parents, as required;
- Identify children who may be unsettled upon arrival at school;
- Engage these children in friendly chatter so that children are ready to enter school gently;
- Report concerns to appropriate staff;
- Follow-up contact with children during the day.
Children enter the setting, as follows:
- Early Years, by the Early Years Entrance via the garden through the gate adjacent to the Main Entrance, along the path through the carpark, accompanied by their parents;
- Reception and Year 1 by their classrooms doors directly from the playground, through the gate;
- Years 2 and 3 from the playground through the door, to the left, to reach their classrooms;
- Years 4, 5 and 6 enter from the playground through the door to the right to reach their classrooms.
Pupils with packed lunches, store these on the trolleys available in the school hall. Coats and other belongings are hung-up and stored neatly in the classroom cloak-area.
Beginning the school day
Nursery (Flexible): 7.45 a.m. and hourly at quarter to each hour
Reception & key stage I: 8.45 a.m. ready for learning to begin at 9.00 a.m.
Key stage II: 8.45 a.m. ready for learning to begin at 9.00 a.m.
Morning offering & Collective worship
As a catholic setting we echo the daily pattern of Church prayer (morning, evening and before and after the mid-day meal) so that it becomes a natural part of our children’s lives. We place high value on everyone coming together as a community, whether as a class, school or parish, to represent the Church in worship. This is seen most vividly on Monday & Friday, when all but our youngest children comes together for collective worship.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
All the children are greeted and invited to make our Morning Offering:
“God, I offer you today everything I do, and think, and say.”
On Monday the whole class immediately make their way to the hall for whole school collective worship. At the end of this, one child from each class will collect their lit class candle from the altar and lead their class back to their room. Once in their room the candle is placed on the class altar and can be extinguished.
On Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, one child from each class immediately makes their way to the school candle, with their class candle, unlit while the class gather and prepare. During a short liturgy the candle from each class is lit. Upon their return they will say: This is the Light of Christ that I bring to my friends. The lit candle is then placed on the class altar and collective worship continues. After which the candle can be extinguished.
On Friday, the whole class immediately make their way to the hall for whole school collective worship, led by one child with their class candle lit. This is then placed on the altar in the hall as they arrive.
Whole School Masses
We regularly attend the parish church, as a whole school or individual class, to celebrate mass. We see this as an important part of community life, which helps our school to be involved in the life of the parish. Each class in key stage II has the opportunity to attend mass with the parish at least once each half term.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
When attending for a Feast Day (Holy Day of Obligation), Mass time is determined by parish-need. This takes the place of collective worship in school on that day. The classes begin to make their way to Church approximately 15 minutes before Mass starts so that everyone is settled in place.
On other occasions, such as Beginning the School Year, Leavers’ Mass or Class Masses, Mass is usually at 9.00 a.m. Again, this takes the place of collective worship, in school, for the class(es) involved on that day. If the class is involved, they make their way to Church as soon as the bell rings, so that everyone is in place for 9 o’clock, if possible.
The Collective Worship Plan for the year, available in the annual annex, lists the person or class leading Whole School Collective Worship each week. It also lists the occasions for Mass and the classes attending and preparing ministries. For further advice and guidance refer to the Children & Young People Manual of policies under collective worship or see the head teacher.
Registration & Pupil Absence
Attendance is a key factor in educational success. Regular absence, unexplained absence and prolonged absence is a cause for concern and school will liaise with the Attendance Team at the LA to decide on an appropriate course of action when necessary. In school attendance is monitored by the administration team and head teacher, who rely upon prompt and accurate registration.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
After collective worship and again immediately after the lunch break, the electronic register is completed.
In the case of unexpected absence, parents are asked to notify school, but if this has not been done, or if there is any doubt, a member of the administrative staff makes ‘first contact’ to establish the whereabouts and safety of the absentee.
On the day of their return, after an absence, children should provide a parental notification giving the reason for absence. If this is not forth coming, pupils should be reminded of school policy.
School Meals Money Collection
Due to Universal free meals in reception, Year 1 and Year 2, parents need only inform the school office if their children DO NOT intend to take a school meal during these years. Children who pay for school meals will bring in a coloured meals envelope normally on a Monday morning. These envelopes are forwarded to the school office.
Break-time arrangements
Break-times are a chance for pupils to be active. There are collections of equipment available for children to use on the playground. While all children are encouraged to be active, they need to be safe and staff supervising children should encourage all children to play gentle games which are non-violent, withdrawing equipment if it is being used inappropriately. If children prefer to spend the time quietly, there is a space and bench for them to chatter quietly with friends, or they may prefer to access the garden, which is also supervised.
Morning-Break Time & Lunchtime Arrangements
The playground is supervised by at least one member of staff at all time. At break-times a teacher and at least one learning support assistant are on duty on the playground. All children wishing to leave the playground for a drink or to use the toilet must seek and receive permission from a member of the duty staff.
During the Summer months, the school field is available for games during the break and lunchtimes. The use of the field is at the discretion of the duty staff. Pupils can use their external classroom doors to access the field via the gardens.
Rotas are displayed in the staffroom, for both morning break-time sessions. If the duty day falls when a teacher is out of school, notification will be left in the planning to inform the supply teacher. If absence is unplanned, the team leader will either inform supply cover staff when briefing them or make other arrangements.
Indoor supervision
One member of staff should be present in each classroom throughout the break-time.
Lunchtime supervision
Senior staff or their delegates provide support to our lunchtime supervisors. Learning support and/or behaviour support assistants provide additional support to children, as required by arrangement with the head teacher or the SENCO.
Lunchtime supervisors greet the children as they enter the dining hall and help them to find a place. They advise children, having a school meal, when to move to the serving hatch. As children finish their meal and begin to leave the hall a supervisor moves to the yard/field/classrooms to supervise the children. The other supervisors joins them as the hall empties.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
Morning
| Year 1, 2 & 3: | 10.15 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. |
| Years 4, 5 & 6: | 10.45 a.m. – 11.00 a.m |
If outdoor, children should be escorted to the playground and allowed onto the playground once a member of the duty staff is present. Children should be encouraged to visit the toilet on their way to or from the playground.
If indoor, children remain in their classroom, where desk top activities and games are available. Children should be reminded to visit the toilet during the break-time to avoid disruption to lessons.
Fruit schemes
Pupils in nursery and key stage I are entitled to a piece of fruit each day as part of the government’s national fruit scheme. The children eat their fruit during the break-time. A bin for the disposal of fruit is available. Year 5 children dispose of this into the school wormery or compost heap at the beginning or end of their break.
Lunchtime arrangements
The lunchtime meal provides the children with an opportunity to practise social skills in an informal and friendly setting. To encourage this social interaction children can sit at a table of their choice with their friendship groups or relatives, as available, but should be able to engage in friendly conversation with anyone sitting with them. All children sit down together and await their turn to move to the serving hatch to choose their meal. During this time the children on the table are encouraged to talk politely with each other about topics of interest.
In our school, we follow the procedure below:
| Nursery & Reception: | 11.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. |
| Year 1 & 2: | 11.45 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. |
| Year 3: | 12.20 a.m. – 1.20 p.m. |
| Year 4, 5 & 6: | 12.30 p.m. – 1.20 p.m. |
Grace before meals
As soon as the bell has sounded for the relevant lunch session, all children are invited to say grace:
“Bless us O Lord as we sit together,
Bless the food we eat today
Bless the hands that made the food,
Bless us all
Amen.”
Then the children are sent to lunch. Pupils are encouraged to wash their hands on their way to the dining hall.
Reception & key stage I lunch
Every child is seated. Children receiving a school meal, are advised when to approach the serving hatch to select their lunch. Children bringing a packed lunch collect it from the trolleys as they enter the hall and once seated can begin eating. During the Summer months, the picnic tables, adjacent to the hall doors, are available for children to use when eating lunch.
As children finish eating they return their trays or packed lunch boxes and make their way to the playground/field/classroom following similar arrangements to break-time.
Key stage II lunch
Every child having a school meal is seated immediately, together with the majority of those having a packed lunch. Children receiving a school meal, are advised when to approach the serving hatch to select their lunch. Children bringing a packed lunch collect it from the trolleys as they enter the hall and once seated can begin eating. During the Summer months, the picnic tables, adjacent to the hall doors, are available for children to use when eating lunch.
As children finish eating they return their trays or packed lunch boxes and make their way to the playground/field/classroom following similar arrangements to break-time.
Arrangements for pupils returning to afternoon sessions
At the end of lunchtime classes are instructed to line up. The lunchtime supervisors, send classes to classrooms, where they are met by their teacher. If the children are using the playground, they enter from the play ground door and make their way through the school. If the children are using the field then the external classroom doors are used.
Grace after meals
At the start of the afternoon session all children are greeted and invited them to say grace:
“Thank you God for the food we have eaten.
Thank you God for all our friends.
Thank you God for everything.
Thank You God. Amen.”
Afternoon break-time arrangements
Key stage I: 1.20 p.m. – 1.35 p.m.
This break time session, for key stage I only, is supervised by the lunchtime supervisors, following the procedures similar to those used at lunchtime.
End of school day
Reception & key stage I: Learning finishes at 3.00 p.m. and all children leaving the setting have departed by 3.15 p.m.
Key stage II: Learning finishes at 3.00 p.m. and all children leaving the setting have departed by 3.15 p.m.
Night prayer
As soon as the bell sounds, all children are invited to say our night prayer:
“Now the day is over
We lift our hands and say:
thank you, heavenly Father, for today.
We are sorry for the wrong things,
but glad about the right.
Keep us, heavenly Father, in your love tonight.
Amen.”
Arrangements for pupils leaving school
After night prayer children are dismissed and supervised as they leave school. Pupils from Reception, leave through the early years garden onto the playground. All other classes leave by the appropriate door onto the playground. Children, who are collected should only be released into the charge of an adult that they know and that school has received authority from parents to collect them.
Pupils attending out of school hours learning activities should report immediately to the adult in charge at the designated point to be registered.
Pupils accessing ‘Sharks’, after school care should gather in the early years area where they will be met by a member of our child-care team and registered.
Application for Leave of Absense
Should you be considering taking your child out of school during term time, please download the following document (Microsoft Word is needed to open the file), complete, and hand in at the School Reception.