I hope you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year, and we look forward to welcoming pupils back to school tomorrow. I am just writing with some key reminders and updates, making for a smooth start to the spring term.

Attendance Matters

We want every child to be a HERO - 

Here Every day Ready On time 

(minutes late to school are minutes lost from learning) 

Gates open at 8.35am, and it is expected every child has passed through by the time they are closed (8.45am). Children who arrive after this must enter via reception and are subsequently marked as late; parents and carers must also complete a confidential late-book entry before leaving. Registration closes at 9.00am, when unexplained absences are automatically recorded as unauthorised. The end of the school day is 3.15pm for early years foundation stage and key stage 1, and 3.20pm for key stage 2.

Please contact the school when your child is absent to explain the reason. 

The NHS is clear you can send your child to school with a cold, cough, headache, sore throat or stomach ache if they do not have a fever; cold sore or head lice, but please let us know, so we can look after them. If you are not sure, send them to school anyway as they often improve following registration and we would contact you should their symptoms become more concerning.

Lateness patterns and unauthorised absences trigger a communication from the headteacher. Failure to improve or non-engagement with the school in offering support can lead to involving the Local Authority Attendance Officer and even legal sanctions.

You can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school’s permission.

The guidance surrounding penalty notices has recently been changed.

Calendar

Upcoming events for the term ahead have already been added to the calendar on our website. Please note the house winning most credits last half term (Neverland) can wear their colour on Friday.

Collecting Children

If you have arranged for someone else to collect your child after school, please inform Amy directly.

Dogs

Dogs of any breed or size, even on a lead, can scare younger children, so please do not bring them on site or near the gates.

Invitations and Presents

Invitations to parties and presents for classmates, e.g. birthday sweets or home baking, cannot be accepted by staff for distribution in school.

Healthy Snacks

Parents and carers are welcome to send their child to school with a snack for break; however, healthy choices are strongly recommended for this point in the day. We also provide a range of fruit and veg.

Managing Medicines

We can only administer non-prescription medicines when they have been recommended by a professional, e.g. GP, and written consent has been provided beforehand.

Parking Safety

The carparks are solely for use by staff. No parent or carer should enter with their vehicle apart from when permission has been expressly given by the headteacher. Please avoid parking opposite the school given the dangers this poses to our children.

School Uniform

Expectations regarding school uniform have recently been clarified, reducing costs for parents and carers.

No child should wear hair dye, jewellery, make-up, nail varnish or temporary tattoos to school.

Snow Day

A snow day is a day when schools are closed because there is too much snow for people to be able to get to school. A decision to close the school is never taken lightly, and arguments are often finely balanced. We seek to inform parents and carers via Arbor.

Staffing Developments

We hope to provide parents and carers of children in Oak with a chance to Meet the Teacher now Mr Herbert has joined us.

Mrs Burton is expected to start maternity leave soon. Mrs Whitaker will assume her SEND responsibilities while Mrs Watt will cover her teaching role in Apples & Pears on Tuesday.