School information
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME
We encourage electronic communication wherever possible. All information will be sent via email when we have been given an address, important messages and alerts may also be sent by text. Paper copies will still be available upon request.
CHARGING POLICY
The school follows the policies laid down by Medway Education Authority for charging for school activities.
Charges and voluntary contributions will be sought from parents to facilitate the participation in activities during school hours and for some extra curricula activities.
SCHOOL VISITS
Many educational visits, some residential, are arranged for the children throughout the school year. Notes and information will be sent to parents giving full details of the visit and contributions requested towards the cost etc, and the usual Medway Council permission slip will be used.
HEALTH CARE
Please inform the school of any serious or ongoing medical problem that your child may have so that we are aware of any special requirements for your child. During your child’s school years, the school nurse will carry out, with your consent, eye and hearing tests, and height and weight measurements as recommended by the Medway NHS Trust. A form will be sent home for your consent. Dental screenings are also carried out with your permission and any concerns are reported to you.
ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS AT SCHOOL
Every effort is made to contact parents when a child has an accident or is feeling unwell at school. Minor accidents will be attended to during the school day by trained first aiders. When parents cannot be consulted, first aid, medical assistance or hospital treatment will be sanctioned. It is essential, therefore, that we have an up-to-date emergency contact telephone number for every pupil and an up to date medical history/ knowledge for each child.
MEDICINES IN SCHOOL
Medication can be administered in school. However, office staff will only administer medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor to be taken four times per day and parents must provide proof of this. Parents are required to complete and sign a school medical record form, which is available from the school office. Please ensure that all medicines sent to school are clearly labelled with your child’s name and required dosage. Asthma inhalers may be sent into school and should be handed directly to the class teacher. They must be clearly marked with the child’s name.
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
Pupils leaving school mid-session for a hospital or other medical requirements will need to be signed out from the school office. Please inform the child’s teacher prior to the appointment.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
A school uniform greatly contributes to a child’s sense of belonging and pride in their school. The school colour is red. St John's School sweatshirts, cardigans and book bags all bearing the school logo are available to purchase from the shop School Times. (Although preferred, uniform with the school logo on is not essential as it can be quite expensive.)
For PE all children need to have plimsolls/ trainers, white t-shirt and navy blue or black shorts. Children should bring their PE kit into school on PE days and get changed in the classroom. For information about which days your child does PE look on their class page on the website.
Please ensure all items of your child’s clothing are named to help avoid loss.
Children are not allowed to wear jewellery to school except stud earrings. If watches are worn, then they are the responsibility of the child
LUNCH TIME MEALS
All pupils have the option of a school meal or a packed lunch from home.
All children in Foundation stage and Key Stage 1 will be offered a free school meal.
Packed lunches should be brought to school in a hard cased lunch box. Please do not send fizzy drinks or anything in a can or glass bottle. Sweets, chocolate and crisps should also not be included in lunch boxes. We are a “Healthy School” and encourage our pupils to adopt a healthy attitude towards food and exercise even during pupil morning break and lunch time.
For more information about school lunches look at the 'school lunches' page of our website.
BREAKFAST CLUBS
A breakfast club is currently not available however the school are exploring the possibility of running one if possible.
BREAK TIME SNACKS
Cool Milk for Schools operate on a daily basis (further details about this can be obtained from the school office). Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 are provided with a piece of fruit or vegetable at break time. If parents wish to provide their child with an alternative snack to fruit- a healthy cereal bar is our recommendation.
HOMEWORK
Children are given homework to consolidate learning they have done, extend their thinking further and to prepare them for future learning to come. All children are expected to read, practice spellings and recite times tables to an adult every night.
They are given homework task sheets for literacy/maths towards the end of each week and have a week to return them to school.
For extra homework tasks, parents can get their children to commit all information on their knowledge organiser to memory, complete the challenges set on every piece of homework and to participate in the termly curriculum challenge that children should spend a whole term contributing to, then bring in at the end of their topic.
DISCIPLINE AND BEHAVIOUR
Discipline at our school is based on the philosophy that everyone within our school family has a right to learn and to be safe. The school promotes a positive, well-ordered learning environment which values all children as individuals and where success is celebrated. When behaviour is unsatisfactory there is a clear and structured policy of intervention strategies. The first point of contact is the class teacher who will refer the incident on to one of the senior heads of school should they need to. Parents and carers will be kept fully informed of any unsatisfactory behaviour and actions that are being taken to support their child. Persistent poor behaviour can result in a withdrawal of privileges or even suspension, but we emphasise that the best guarantee of good behaviour is through praise, reward and the co-operation between teachers, pupils and parents.
PROGRESS REPORTS AND PARENT/TEACHER CONSULTATIONS
Pupil progress is shared with parents regularly at All Saints
Formal parent/teacher consultations take place twice over the year. Book Looks take place towards the end of each term. At the beginning of each year there is a ‘meet the teacher session’ to find out the expectations of their child as they move on to the next year group in their schooling career.
Class teachers inform parents of curriculum content on a termly basis with knowledge organisers that are sent home and developmental targets to secure pupil progress are provided in all reports and all parent consultation meetings.
ADVERSE WEATHER
During snowy weather, the school site will be assessed and we shall endeavour to make any decisions on the closure of the school each morning by 7.45am at the latest.
If the school is going to open as usual, parents will not be contacted.
In the event of planning for the school to close we will:
- post a message on the school website www.stjohns.medway.sch.uk
- post a message on opencheck.atomwide.com
- inform Kent County Council of any decision to close and they in turn will
- contact the Heart Kent FM radio station who will announce a list of school closures live on air every 15 minutes in the region
- Parents can also download an app to receive notifications about posted school closures via text message with ParentComms
In the event of heavy snowfall during the school day causing the school to be concerned about children’s welfare in relation to returning home, we will:
- text parents to notify them of the need to collect their children early
- update the school website asking parents to come and pick their children up.
It is always difficult to make the right decision about whether the school should be closed or not due to the unpredictability of our British weather, however, we will aim to make any necessary decisions as swiftly as we can.
Please rest assured that any decisions taken by the school, will be based around ensuring that the children are kept as safe as possible.
Please note that if the school is closed due to adverse weather, breakfast and after school clubs will automatically be cancelled too.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s education we encourage you to contact the school to discuss these, initially with your child’s class teacher or by making an appointment with one of the senior leadership team. Should your concern not be resolved, please read the schools complaints policy (On the policies page of the website), fill in the complaints form at the back and ask to speak to a Head of School. If after speaking to a Head of School, you do not feel the matter has been dealt with satisfactorily please contact the school’s Executive Headteacher: Miss Strachan. If Miss Strachan is unable to resolve the matter for you, you should write to the chair of Governors by asking for their email address in the school office or by taking it from the school website.
SECURITY
To keep our whole school family safe, access to school for parents and visitors is through the main entrance where they should report to the office. Parents must not wander into the building from an open door off the playground.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
The school is supported by an active ‘Friends’ of the School Association which contributes to the quality of educational provision of the school. Every parent is an automatic member of the Friends and can participate in social and fund raising functions. A committee meets regularly to organise any diary events.
The school is also keen that parents feel welcome and very much value the time and energy they are able to give as volunteer helpers. Please email the school office if you have a few extra hours in which you could volunteer and we will send you one of our volunteer application forms. All adults must undergo a DBS check to volunteer in school.
GUIDELINES AND POLICIES
School guidelines and policies are regularly revised and updated by the school. Copies of policies are available on request from the office manager in the school reception area.
