Parents’ Handbook for Reception
Dear Parents We are delighted that your child will be joining our School. If your child has transferred from our own Garden House Day Nursery they will already know many of the staff. For those children new to the School, the staff are here to guide and help them to settle in quickly and happily. Change can be unsettling and worrying for young children and parents! We fully understand that it can be a big step for the children to move from Nursery to Reception. We are keen to ensure that all our children are prepared for transition so that they welcome the challenges ahead. We hope to try to allay any concerns that you may have. The following details will hopefully answer some of the many questions you may have and give you important information about the organisation of the School and the expectations. If you have any questions about Reception which are not answered here, please do ask – we certainly do not want you to be worried about any aspect of your child’s new experience. Mrs Sheila Spooner (sspooner@altonconvent.org.uk) Head of Early Years Mrs Maureen Jeffery Reception Teacher (mjeffery@altonconvent.org.uk) Mr Graham Maher (enquiries@altonconvent.org.uk) Headmaster
Mission Statement ‘Be the best that you can be’ The Roman Catholic faith underpins everything that we do at Alton Convent School. It is the basis for our value system and is the core of our philosophy that ‘every child matters’. The emphasis on the individual, within the wider community is a necessary foundation for the happiness and success of the School. Staff and pupils participate in acts of worship. Staff and parents are expected to be supportive of the School’s ethos. Ethos The life of the School is rooted in the Catholic tradition with an emphasis on personal faith, mutual respect, service, integrity, friendship and the need to discover and develop personal talents. Aims • To uphold the ethos of the School, promoting mutual respect and awareness of the wider community. • To pursue excellence. • To maximise individual potential. • To enrich the educational experience of pupils. • To maintain strong links with the local and global community. Communication and Contact Information The School Office (01420 82070 office@altonconvent.org.uk) should be the first port of call for all visitors to the School. The administrative staff will be able to take messages from parents for staff and provide general information. Please feel free to call in during School hours when there will always be someone willing to help. Your child’s teacher, or assistant, will always be on hand to speak to you at the beginning or end of the day. If you have any concerns please raise them immediately and if you would like an appointment to speak to the teacher in more detail, please arrange this for after the School day. Mrs Spooner is also available to discuss any matters and should be contacted via the School Office, or via email sspooner@altonconvent.org.uk A School calendar is produced annually and distributed to parents during the summer holidays. A whole School newsletter is produced termly. We have a communication system called ClarionCall which allows us to email and text parents. Routine mail shots regarding trips, visits and events will be sent to parents in this way. More urgent information which we need to communicate to parents, for instance a School closure,
will be sent via a text message and backed up by an email. Parents are asked to ensure that they keep us updated with any change of email addresses or mobile numbers. There is a wealth of regularly updated news and information on the School website, www.altonconvent.org.uk. Class teachers have a special responsibility for monitoring pupils’ progress, helping them to develop their potential, dealing with pastoral concerns and promoting each child’s well-being. We have a Welcome Evening early in the Autumn term and there is a parents’ evening just after half term. Your son/daughter will receive a full report at the end of the Autumn and Summer term. Mrs Spooner, Head of Early Years, will be happy to meet with parents to discuss any matters and should be contacted via the School Office, alternatively, please email her sspooner@ altonconvent.org.uk. The Headmaster, Mr Graham Maher, will be happy to meet with parents if necessary, and an appointment can be made by calling his Personal Assistant, Mrs Pigott. The Chair of Governors, Mr Clive Hexton, may be contacted through the School via a letter addressed as Confidential and sent to the Clerk to the Governors. Absence Please notify the School by phone if your child is absent. We have a special telephone messaging service for parents to leave a message. On return to School please send a letter to the class teacher; a telephone message is legally not enough for our records. If you have to take your child out of School, please send a note giving the details of the time, the reason and who will be collecting your child. Please report to the School Office before proceeding to collect your child from the classroom. Please ensure that you have signed your child out and in again on return. Parents are asked to avoid booking family holidays in term time. The School Day Beginning of the Day The School day begins at 8.45am when children should be taken directly to their classroom. Breakfast Club is available for children from 8.00am in the Nursery dining room. Children are offered toast, cereal, water or milk within the cost of Breakfast Club. However if they require a more substantial breakfast please feel free to provide this. Reception children will be taken from the Nursery to their classroom for the start of the School day. Please note, breakfast is not available after 8.20am.
End of Day The School day ends at 3.30pm. Children must be collected from the door leading to the Nursery where parents are requested to sign the register. Parents are reminded they must inform staff if another parent is collecting their child at the end of the day. We will not permit your child to leave with another parent, this includes parent’s from the same class, without prior notification. Once parents have collected their child they are responsible for their safety. Please do not allow your child to run off within the school grounds or play on the steps leading to the senior School, on the walls, or grass banks. Please always use the crossing and ensure you hold on to your child in the car park. The driveway and car parks are very busy at drop off and pick up times. Please do not use the Nursery car park. Please contact the School Office if you are inadvertently delayed. The safety of the children is our first priority and it is essential we are informed if you are going to be late. As mentioned, children will only be released into the care of their parents, guardian or a known carer. We will not release your child to another parent unless we have been notified. In cases of an emergency, where an adult unknown to the School is to collect your child, a password will be required. After School Care ‘After School Care’ is available until 6pm each day. This may either be booked in advance termly, half termly, weekly, or on an ‘ad hoc’ basis if spaces are available. Reception children will be cared for within the Nursery area where they will be able to enjoy tea at 4.30pm for an additional charge. There is no charge for After School Care. If you are interested in either ‘Breakfast Club’ or ‘After School’ Care please ask for further details from Mrs Spooner. The Curriculum Reception continue to follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum. The children’s learning continues to be very individual and every child is encouraged to develop and reach their full potential. Great emphasis is placed on the outdoors and children will use the wonderful grounds here at the School to enhance their learning. It is expected that the children will have achieved the Early Leaning Goals in the seven areas of learning by the end of Reception. Children will commence swimming lessons in Reception which are held at Energique Fitness Centre, directly next to the School. Please do not worry about swimming lessons. The teacher and assistant both accompany the children to the pool, along with another member of staff, often Mrs Spooner, to ensure the safety of your children. The staff teaching the children are all fully trained and are both in the water with the children and on the pool side. The children enjoy their time at the pool but are usually quite tired during the initial few weeks. Children will enjoy the opportunity to attend Monkey Music classes on a Friday morning. For those children transferring from our own Nursery, this not only provides for continuity and enjoyment, but also allows for the children to expand their musical knowledge. Kristie is a very experienced teacher who provides differentiated classes throughout the Early Years Department. There is an additional cost for these classes which will be added to your account in arears.
Key Person We continue the Key Person system throughout the Early Years Department. Each child will therefore have a Key Person, usually the class teacher and a Co Person, the classroom assistant. The Key Person will help to ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs. The Key Person will seek to engage and support parents in guiding their child’s development at home. Their role will also help families to engage with more specialist support if appropriate. The Key Person will be responsible for keeping the child’s records updated and will discuss any emerging concerns directly with parents. Educational visits and workshops We are keen to provide opportunities to enrich the curriculum throughout the School year, extending education into the wider environment and drawing on outside expertise. Reception children will begin to experience outside visits and workshops. These will take place either as a whole class or, in conjunction with Key Stage 1 later in the year, as part of their transition. Full details of these activities are circulated to parents in advance. Please do read through these carefully and return the permission slips and payment where required promptly. The health and safety of your children is something we take very seriously; we ensure low pupil:teacher ratios for visits, and extensive risk assessments are undertaken prior to any visit/ trip/activity. If you have any concerns about a particular visit or workshop, please do discuss these with the class teacher or the Head of Early Years. Homework It is not our normal practice to send homework home for children on a regular basis in Reception. However, during the first term children may be asked to carry out certain activities which support their developing reading skills, along with reading books when ready. As children settle and progress, they may start to bring small tasks home to share with you. These tasks are purely optional and we place no pressure on the children, or parents, to complete these. All children are different, some may enjoy sharing their learning with you after School, and others may not. Please be guided by your child. Collective Worship Collective worship aims to promote a sense of our Catholic community and to develop spiritual awareness amongst all our pupils. The School day will begin and end with a class prayer. Grace will also be said prior to lunch. When it is felt appropriate, Reception will join the Lower Prep School for assembly. This is likely to be in the Spring term. Assembly includes prayer and worship within the Catholic tradition of the School. It also provides opportunities to celebrate success, as well as enhance communication within the School community. Regular Masses are held each term as well as on Holy Days of Obligation (if at all possible) and on other special occasions. The dates for these Masses can be found in the School Calendar. Attendance at the School Mass is compulsory for all pupils from Pre Prep upwards.
Expectations of pupils Please note we hold two Open Mornings for prospective pupils, and a further one on a Saturday, which is for parents of current pupils as well. It is expected that pupils support and attend the Christmas Bazaar and the PTFA Summer Fete held on Saturdays. These are both fund raising events organised by parents for the benefit of pupils. Medical Arrangements If a child feels unwell during a lesson the class teacher or assistant will assess the situation. Both the Reception teacher and her assistant are Paediatric first aiders. Paracetamol may only be issued to a child if parents have given consent by signing the data sheet. If a child is not well enough to remain in School, or needs hospital treatment, parents will be contacted. If your child has a life threatening condition which would require a teacher to administer a particular drug (for example an Epipen for anaphylactic shock), please ensure you provide us with a care plan or speak with Mrs Spooner who will make arrangements for one to be put in place. School Records Please complete and return the data sheet to keep our School records correct. These records are checked regularly to ensure we have the most up-to-date information. We ask you to be vigilant about keeping contact numbers updated. Should there be any change in your family circumstances, or any issues which may affect your child, please let us know in writing or in person as soon as possible. Dance Lessons We offer dance classes for pupils during the day as an optional extra. Please see your child’s teacher should you wish him/her to attend. Arrangements for fees are with the peripatetic teacher and not the School. The dance teacher will also arrange to supply uniform if required. For children joining Reception from our own Nursery, these lessons continue with the same teacher your child is familiar with. School Uniform Children are expected to wear full School uniform at all times and abide by the rules. Blazers must be worn to and from School. School uniform must be kept in good condition and replaced where necessary. If there is any reason why this is temporarily not possible, notification in writing is required. Sensible School shoes should be worn. All pupils are requested to wear black shoes, however navy will be accepted. Shoes should be kept polished. Pupils’ hair should be neat and tidy; Boys’ hair should be trimmed neatly, not shaved, and above the eye-brow line. Girls with long hair should ensure it is tied back with a navy hair band, hair tie or ‘scrunchy’, and kept off the face. Similarly, whilst we would not expect prep School children to wear any jewellery, girls with pierced ears may only wear plain silver or gold studs, and only one in each ear.
Please ensure you name everything, including shoes, trainers, all in one suit, wellingtons and sports equipment. Uniform is very expensive and whilst we make every effort to ensure your child’s belongings are not lost, it is very difficult if the items are not named. Please check the PE kit comes home for washing regularly. Summer uniform may be worn after the Easter holidays and during the first half of the Autumn Term. Parent, Teacher, Friends’ Association This is an association that comprises parents and staff. The PTFA gives magnificent support to the School, both in time given and money raised. The Chairman can be contacted via the School. Various events take place during the academic year and letters are sent home with the children. We would be delighted if new parents could join the Committee. Please support the various functions and fund-raising events. It is a good way to meet other parents and staff in a social environment, and the money raised provides additional facilities and equipment for your son/ daughters. Insurance School fees include a premium for insurance against personal accident; it does not cover loss of personal possessions. The School cannot be responsible for the personal effects of pupils. Parents are advised to cover loss or damage through the all-risks section of their household insurance. MP3 players, iPods, and electronic games are NOT permitted in the School. School Lunches Reception children will eat lunch in the Nursery dining room where they will enjoy a nourishing hot meal provided by Care Catering. When it is felt appropriate, often in the Spring term, Reception will have their lunch in our own Refectory as part of their transition into the Lower Prep. Allergies and cultural preferences will be taken into account. At the beginning of lunch Grace is said. We expect lunch to be a social occasion. A menu is produced weekly and will be displayed on the notice boards. Parents may view a copy from the Reception notice board and menus are Clarioned to all parents at regular intervals. Fees The Governing Body determines fees annually early in the Summer Term. Fees are payable in advance on the first day of each term. Parents are reminded that a term’s notice is required when a pupil is to be withdrawn from the School.
Trips etc. can be paid for via cheque, cash or by bank transfer. On the trip letter that you will receive and are asked to return there will be a facility to indicate how you are making payment. Please email tripfinance@altonconvent.org.uk with any queries. Policies for Parents The Ethos statement and the following School policies can be found on our website. If you wish to have a hard copy please contact Mrs Spooner or the Headmasters’ PA. Further policies are available covering a wide range of issues. Policy files are available to view at any time. Achieving Positive Behaviour Admissions Confidentiality and Children’s Records Confidentiality and Client Access to Records Key Person and Settling In policy Making a Complaint Maintaining Children’s Safety and Security on Premises Missing Child Policy Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Supporting Children with SEN Valuing Diversity and Promoting Equality Uncollected child policy Emergency Closure Ethos Complaint We sincerely hope you will always feel able to raise concerns either with the class teacher, or directly with Mrs Spooner, or the Head Master. We encourage parents to seek answers to their concerns when first raised. However, should you feel the need to instigate a formal complaint, please refer to the Complaints Procedures which are available on the Website or from the Headmaster’s PA, enquiries@altonconvent.org.uk I do hope the above will have answered many of your questions, but please do contact me should you have any queries. Please do not think any concern is too trivial to bother with; we welcome your feedback and wish you to feel informed and confident that you have made the right decision in sending your child to our Reception class. We do not wish you to feel anxious about any part of your child’s welfare or education. We are here to support the whole family on this exciting journey as your child begins their formal education. We are looking forward to working with you to provide your child with an excellent education in a safe, happy, nurturing environment. Sheila Spooner Head of Early Years Foundation Stage
Alton Convent School, Anstey Lane, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2NG Tel: 01420 82070 Email: enquiries@altonconvent.org.uk Website: altonconvent.org.uk www.facebook.com/alton.conventschool www.twitter.com/AltonConventSch