Pastoral Care

The class teacher is responsible for the overall welfare of your child, with a member of the leadership team or the headteacher becoming involved as necessary.

 

The School Day

The school site opens officially for children at 8.40 a.m. Separate access arrangements are available for any early morning activity groups or clubs.

Morning sessions:

infants: 8.50 a.m. – 12.00
juniors 8.50 a.m. – 12.15

Afternoon sessions:

infants: 1.00 p.m. – 3.30
Juniors: 1.05 p.m. – 3.30

School finishes at 3.30 p.m.

Children must arrive at school punctually for 8.50 a.m. Children arriving at school after 8.50 a.m. must enter via the main front door and report to the school office. No responsibility can be accepted for children arriving on the school premises before 8.40 a.m. or remaining after 3.45 p.m. (Unless attending the breakfast club or an official activity supervised by a member of staff or other responsible adult.)
All children have a 15 minute break in the morning and the infants have a 15 minute break in the afternoon.

Office Hours: Monday – Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.

Delivering and Collecting Children and Parking

Only staff members are allowed to park on the school site. Parents with blue disability badges should contact the school office and a parking permit may be issued at the discretion of the headteacher. To ensure the safety of our children parents must not drive into the school car park at any time.

Please park sensibly on the roads outside the school, not on the zig zag lines. Please show respect and consideration to neighbours of the school and the general public when parking to deliver or collect your child.

No child is allowed to leave the school premises unless being collected by parents or a known representative of the parents. Should your arrangements for collecting your child change please inform the school in writing. If the person collecting your child is unknown to the school please ask them to report to the school office where they will be asked to produce photographic identification such as a driving licence or passport.

Cycling

It is recommended that a child who wishes to cycle to school independently has undertaken a course of cycling proficiency training. Permission to cycle to school must be obtained from the headteacher. Parents must give written permission for their child to cycle and take full responsibility for the child’s safety and road worthiness of the bicycle. A cycle helmet must be worn. Children are not allowed to cycle within the school grounds. Bicycles may be left on the school premises in the cycle sheds at the front of the school, however the school cannot accept responsibility for their safety and they are left at the owners’ risk.

Entry to school

All entry by adults to the school should be made through the front entrance via the buzzer system near the school office. For safety reasons most external doors have self closing crash bars to prevent entry and should not be used as access to the school. No child should be asked to open a door for an adult as this would contradict the safety rules which are taught to the children.

Illness or injury at school

Children who are unwell should be kept at home until they are fit enough to participate in the curriculum as normal. All children should be kept at home for a minimum period of 24 hours after vomiting, diarrhoea or starting a course of antibiotics. This is to prevent the spread of infection throughout the school community.

If your child becomes ill during the school day you will be contacted by telephone. Please ensure that the school has up to date information for this purpose. The school needs to be notified immediately of any change of address or telephone number.

Any minor cuts and bumps are dealt with by members of staff qualified to deal with minor injuries. Should a minor head injury occur during the school day you will be notified by letter the same day. Should an accident result in the need for medical attention you will be notified immediately and arrangements made with you to convey your child to hospital either by car or by ambulance.

Medicines

It is recommended that medicines are administered by parents at home, however we recognise that there will be times when a child is well enough to return to school but may still need to complete a course of prescribed medication. We always try to facilitate this, however the following procedures must be adhered to:
If medication has to be administered during the school day parents must complete the appropriate form beforehand specifying the medication involved, frequency and levels of dosage. Forms are available from the school office. Without written consent school staff are unable to administer any medication.

Any medicines to be taken during the school day must be handed in at the school office as soon as the child arrives at school.
All medicines should be in the original container, clearly labelled with the child’s name and required dosage.
Children must never be responsible for the administration of medicine by themselves.
No medicines of any kind may be sent into school without the knowledge and agreement of the headteacher. This includes cough sweets.

Self administered medication for children with chronic medical or physical conditions will be available in the medical room and accessed via the school office. Junior children with asthma may administer their inhalers as and when required as they learn to manage their condition independently.

Staff will only administer medicines following training in the specific type of administration and with a clear understanding of the implications and consequences of the administration. Staff have been given guidance in the care and treatment of children with anaphylactic shock.

Medical Form Medicine Consent Form

Hospital or clinic appointments

Parents are encouraged to arrange appointments after school or during school holidays whenever possible. If an appointment during the school day is unavoidable please inform the school in writing prior to the appointment. Please call and wait at the school office while your child is collected from class by a member of staff. You will be asked to sign your child absent in the Early Birds book.
School Health Service

The school nurse visits school frequently to conduct health interviews and carry out vision and hearing tests. Parents are invited to attend any medical with their child.

Special Circumstances

We ask that parents inform the school of any problem, disability or change of circumstance which could affect their child, both temporarily and permanently, in order that we may provide appropriate support in school.

Communication with School

All letters and money should be put in an envelope clearly labelled with your child’s name, class and purpose of any payment. Please put money relating to different events in separate envelopes as they are handled by different members of the office staff. Envelopes should be sent in with your child who should be encouraged to give them to the class teacher at morning registration. The envelopes are forwarded straight to the school office. Pre printed envelopes are available from the office for your convenience. The school office can be contacted by email at enquiries@st-patricks.hants.sch.uk

School Health Service

Please inform the school if you think your child has head lice or any other problem or condition which is likely to spread. A weekly examination of the heads of all family members should help in the early identification and treatment of head lice. The preferred method of treatment is to use plenty of conditioner and wet comb the hair. Health Visitors and G.P. surgeries can provide more information or visit . http://www.southernhealth.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/childrens-health/childrens-illnesses/ for information about headlice or other children’s illnesses.

Health and Safety

We aim, so far as is reasonably practicable, to provide a safe working environment for children, staff and visitors to the school. Children are encouraged to walk within the school building as running increases the risk of injury. Children are asked not to use the Adventure Playground before or after school. Please ensure that your child abides by this rule as accidents at these times are at parents’ own risk. We ask all parents to support the Health and Safety of the whole school community by adhering to the variety of simple requests made from time to time.