I hope you had a great summer, and we look forward to welcoming pupils back to school on Thursday. I am just writing with some key reminders and updates, making for a smooth start to the year.

AI

Northaw CE Primary School uses Artificial Intelligence carefully and responsibly to support teaching, learning and administration. We only use a small number of approved tools, and pupil work or personal data is never uploaded. All AI use is risk assessed, follows strict safeguarding and GDPR rules, and is always supervised when pupils are involved. Staff check and adapt AI‑generated content to ensure it is accurate, fair and appropriate. Pupils learn about AI safely through the curriculum, and any concerns are reported immediately. The policy is reviewed regularly to keep children protected as technology evolves.

Allergy Safety

Northaw CE Primary School ensures pupils with allergies are safe, included and able to participate fully in school life. We identify individual needs, minimise exposure to allergens and maintain clear routines supported by trained staff. Allergen‑aware practice is embedded across meals, activities, trips and the wider curriculum. Individual Healthcare Plans and Allergy Action Plans guide personalised arrangements, while prescribed and spare adrenaline devices are accessible within five minutes at all times. Incidents and near misses are recorded to support continual learning. The policy is published, reviewed annually and supported through staff training, pupil education and strong communication with families.

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.

Behaviour Policy

Except in the second half of the summer term, when pupils in Year 6 can bring mobile phones to school, leaving them at reception, mobile phones are banned.

Calendar

Upcoming events for the year ahead have already been added to the calendar on our website.

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.

Extreme Reading

 

This summer, I have once again been challenging the children to do some extreme reading.

Here is what they need to do:

• Pick a book.
• Find an extreme but safe place to read it, like in another country, on a bus or with an animal.
• Ask their parent or carer to photograph them and email us (admin@northaw.herts.sch.uk), or they can bring a copy to school after the summer holiday.

Photographs will be used both for a display by my room and on our website.

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.

Social Action

Last year, we raised money for Médecins Sans Frontières.

This year, we are raising money for the Alzheimer's Society, carefully selected by the school council.

Alzheimer’s Society is the UK's leading dementia support and research charity.

Wraparound Childcare

We now offer wraparound childcare from 7.30am to 4.30pm every day with Premier Education for pupils from Reception.