Parent Information A-Z for Parents
A
Absences
If your child is absent we will always need to know the reason why. A personal or telephone call to the school office on the first day of absence is important. If this is not possible, a written note of explanation will save us having to get in touch with you.
Children may, in extreme circumstances have up to ten days absence for special reasons in a calendar year but you will need to request permission from the Headteacher in writing (a Request Form for Leave of Absence can be downloaded below). The school will not authorise family holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances, and then only if your child's attendance to date is better than 95%. We would urge parents to comply with these procedures in order to avoid your child incurring unauthorised absence marks. We regularly monitor the attendance of all children and will contact you if we feel that levels of absence are affecting your child's progress.Related topics: Attendance | Unauthorised AbsencesClick here to download a printable PDF version of our Request Form for Leave of Absence.
After School Clubs
Alfred Salter offers children opportunities to attend some clubs and courses after school. Since opening, we have offered football, dance, sailing, ceramics, printing, outside games, cricket, chess, art, music, French, Turkish, short tennis and modelling. These activities give us opportunities to develop a broader range of interests with the children. We will try to offer new and alternative courses at different times in the year. Courses are advertised and applied for and offers are made based on whether children have attended previous courses, but spaces are always limited. We value help from parents in providing clubs and courses. Please speak to the school office if you are interested in getting involved.Related topics: School Times | SupervisionClick here to find out more about our After School Clubs.
Ages and Classes
Since the National Curriculum was introduced, schools name each year group in the following way:
| Stage | Year Name | Age of Child |
| Foundation | Nursery | 3-4 Yrs. |
| Reception | 4-5 Yrs. | |
| Key Stage 1 (Infants) |
Year 1 | 5-6 Yrs. |
| Year 2 | 6-7 Yrs. | |
| Key Stage 2 (Juniors) |
Year 3 | 7-8 Yrs. |
| Year 4 | 8-9 Yrs. | |
| Year 5 | 9-10 Yrs. | |
| Year 6 | 10-11 Yrs. |
Related topics: School Times | Starting School
Assessment
Keeping records and making assessments of the children’s progress is a vital part of the educational process. Two kinds of assessment take place in school:
- Assessments made by teachers: Observations and samples of children’s work are kept over a period of a school year and form the basis of teachers’ records. A summary of your child’s progress is sent to you at the end of the school year in the form of a Progress Report. Parents of children in the Nursery and Reception receive a different kind of report which has been designed to reflect the way very young children learn.
- Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs): These tests are carried out nationally and are compulsory. Children are tested at the ages of 7 and 11 and reports will be made available to you at the end of Years 2 and 6.
If you would like to learn more about the school curriculum click on the link below or visit us in school.Related topics: HomeworkClick here to find out more about our School Curriculum.
Attendance
The doors to the classroom areas open at 8.55am. It is important for children to be on time for school so that they do not miss the first part of the day. If children get to school late they miss out on what they are going to do and this not only makes for a bad start to their day but also causes disruption for the whole class. Poor attendance and punctuality affect a child’s attainment and progress.
Since the regulations on school attendance came into effect in 1994, children who arrive after 9.30am lose their attendance mark for the morning session.
If children are late they should go straight to their class and parents/carers should let the office know. If the register has already been called the child will be marked late. If they arrive after 9.30am they will be sent to the office where they will be marked late and a mark of absence recorded in the register.Please help us by helping your child to arrive at school on time!Related topics: Absences | School Times | Unauthorised AbsencesClick here to download a printable PDF version of our full Attendance and Punctuality Policy.
B
Behaviour
At Alfred Salter we think of the school as a community. Any rules we have are 'common sense' ones to ensure the smooth running of the community and the safety of the people in it. In order to establish a school where everyone can achieve their full potential, we have high expectations with regard to behaviour. Care and respect for other people are the most important things for all of us to observe.
We expect children:
- To work hard, to take pride in their work and the school and to look after it.
- To treat other children’s work with the same care as their own.
- To respect the property of others and the school's and to keep the school a safe and tidy place.
- To be helpful and understanding towards the adults who are there to help them and who are responsible for them while they are at school.
- To do everything necessary to make the school the sort of caring community where they can make the best possible progress in their work and play safely.
- To refuse to retaliate if they are provoked.
- To come to school every day and be punctual.
There are rare occasions when it is necessary to use sanctions to make sure that rules are kept. You as parents will always be informed if your child is giving cause for concern. It may for example be appropriate to give you a weekly report on your child’s behaviour. In more serious circumstances exclusion from school may be thought necessary. However, you would always be involved long before a situation like this arose. We would like to stress that the majority of children never give cause for concern.
The school has a behaviour policy which is based on the rights and responsibilities of parents, staff and children within the school community. You will be asked to sign a home school agreement indicating that you agree to comply with this policy.Click here to download a printable PDF version of our full Behaviour Policy.
C
Clothing, Jewellery and Valuables
Clothes are always going to go astray from time to time. It is very important that you label your child's clothing so that it can be identified and returned. This is particularly important for coats and jackets which sometimes go home with the wrong person by accident. Lost property is placed in the Medical Room.
Children should not bring valuables to school. This includes toys which can only too easily be lost. If money is brought to school for any reason, it must be given to the class teacher at the beginning of the day for safe keeping. Unfortunately from time to time things do get lost. Whilst we do our best to keep things safe we cannot be responsible for lost items. Please note that mobile phones are not allowed in school.
For the above reasons and for the children’s own safety, jewellery should not be worn in school. If your child needs to wear religious jewellery, this must be brought to our attention on admission or by imforming the school in writing. In certain circumstances, this may mean excluding the child from activities if their safety is at risk. Because of the obvious dangers of earrings worn during P.E., we insist that only studs are worn in pierced ears.Mobile phones must be left with the school office.Please help us by labelling all your child's personal belongings!
Complaints and Problems
We hope you do not have reason to complain, but if you have any worries or concerns, please come and talk to us about them. It is probably best to talk to your child's class teacher first. Teachers are always willing to talk to you, but it is a good idea to find a time that suits you both since there are many meetings and working parties that teachers are involved in after school.
You can always speak to the Headteacher or one of the Deputy Headteachers who will see you right away unless they are unavailable. If you are unable to speak with any of them straight away, the Administrative Officer will book in an appointment at your earliest convenience.
We pride ourselves on our good relationships with parents. Please do talk to us if you have a concern so that it can be resolved quickly.Click here to see the Government's Guidelines on complaints to schools (opens a new window).
Contagious Diseases
If your child catches measles, German measles, mumps, chicken pox, whooping cough or has diarrhoea, please let the school know at once. Your child will not be able to return to school until your local doctor has confirmed that he or she is well enough. This is to minimise the risk of contagious diseases spreading throughout the school.Related topics: Head Lice | Medicines | Sickness
G
Getting to School
In the interest of your child’s health and to avoid danger to other children, we actively encourage you to walk or cycle to school rather than drive. There are several bicyle stands (some of which are sheltered) on the school grounds. To encourage children to cycle safely we have also provided opportunities for cycle proficiency courses.Please secure bikes or scooters you leave at school as we cannot take responsibility for lost or stolen items.Related topics: Parking
H
Head Lice
From time to time there can be an outbreak of head lice in all schools. When this happens we need your help and support.
Please tell us at once if your child has head lice. It is not a sign of dirty hair - quite the opposite in fact. We will of course keep this information confidential, however, we can then alert other parents to look out for head lice on their children.
Head lice is easily treated with a lotion from your health centre or chemist. As soon as your child is clear, they may return to school.Related topics: Contagious Diseases | Medicines | Sickness
Homework
Homework can usefully reinforce and/or extend children’s learning where it is relevant to the work that children are doing at school. We use the term "homework" in its widest sense to include any learning activity that children, individually or with their parents, undertake outside school.
We believe that homework can make a positive contribution to raising children’s achievement. Working at home can foster the following:
- making work in school more meaningful and relevant
- autonomy
- parental support and interest
- enrichment and extension of the curriculum
- challenging activities
- opportunities to learn in different contexts
- the development of skills
What a child is asked to do at home is based on their individual ability and aptitude and what is sent home is entirely at the discretion of the teacher who makes a professional decision about the value to the child of giving homework.
All pupils in the Foundation Stage and in KS1 take home a reading book and a "PACT" reading diary. This is intended to promote opportunities for sharing books with a parent or other member of the family. In KS2 pupils have a reading journal. It is important that as pupils become fluent readers, parents and carers take the time to reflect upon the child's understanding of what has been read, and this can be recorded in the reading journal. We do encourage children to take their reading home for you to take an interest in. By listening to your child read, you can make a major contribution to their learning to read.
As well as PACT, parents are given information about the topic and work planned across the curriculum. This information may include suggestions about things to do with your child or ways that you can help your child if you want to.
Children may also be given other activities such as learning spellings, completing reading journals, researching an aspect of a topic or theme, learning maths facts, solving mathematical problems or finishing off activities.
We do not wish to see homework used to put unfair pressure on children and will regularly review the contribution that homework makes to children’s learning.Related topics: AssessmentClick here to find out more about our School Curriculum.
L
Lunch Time
Children can either have a school dinner, bring a packed lunch or they may go home to dinner. The school meals are cooked on the premises and there is a choice of three main dishes followed by dessert. Salad and a vegetarian main option are provided every day. Water is available to children on their table. Pupils are not allowed to bring their own drinks to have with a school dinner.Related topics: Packed Lunch | School DinnersClick here to see our current Lunch Menu.
M
Medicines
The Local Education Authority has strict guidelines about the giving of medicines in schools. Teachers cannot generally take the responsibility for administering medicines to children. With the exception of asthma pumps, or where a child is receiving regular medication on a long term basis, we suggest that if children are taking medication, they are kept at home until they have completed the course of treatment and are well enough to return to school.
If your doctor advises that your child needs medication, but is well enough to be in school, you will be asked to complete a consent form which gives us full details of the pupil's medication and dosage. A consent form is also required for asthma inhalers, which should be clearly labelled with the name of the child and should show the dosage prescribed by the doctor on an official label. Junior children may keep their inhalers with them, but Infants will be expected to keep their inhalers in the school office. If you have any worries about medication, please speak to the Headteacher.Please note that the school reserves the right to refuse to administer medication.Related topics: Contagious Diseases | Head Lice | Sickness
N
Nursery and Reception
By the time your child arrives at nursery or reception class he/she has already been happily learning all sorts of things with you at home. With your continued help, we hope to build on this and encourage the children to see school as an exciting addition to all that already goes on in their family lives.
There are regular times when you and your child will be invited to visit us before they are due to start school. Also, we are happy to offer you a home visit, where the children and you may feel more relaxed. Later on, look out for invitations to our get-togethers which are both for sharing information about class work, and a chance to meet with other parents.
You are welcome to help in the class areas at any time and you may enjoy working alongside us to help with any of the activities going on. This must be arranged through the school because of strict safeguarding regulations which must be satisfied before you can come into school. We also appreciate regular help with reading, outings, gardening and outdoor play. Please let us know if you are able to help during the day.
All children attending nursery or reception have the opportunity to bring home a book to share with their family each day - you may like to come in and help choose these books with your child. At this age, children are very active in their own learning, so we offer lots of opportunities to explore, investigate, experiment, touch and play with many different things. The children also have access to outdoor areas, which provide a safe, stimulating and valuable learning environment, equally important to our indoor activities.Related topics: Ages and Classes | Starting School | School Times
P
Packed Lunch
It is not always easy to create an exciting packed lunch for your child. You should try to give them nourishing foods that are good for them and avoid things like crisps every day. Please note that sweets are not allowed as part of a packed lunch. Children will be asked to give sweets to a meals supervisor until you are able to collect them.
Drinks can be brought as a part of a packed lunch provided that they are not in glass containers.Related topics: Lunch Time | School DinnersClick here for some lunchbox ideas (opens a new window).
Parental Involvement
There are so many things that parents can do to support the school and we really do need your help. We need you to help your own children as much as possible by talking to them about what they do at school and taking an interest in what they are learning. Being enthusiastic and praising children when they do good work goes a long way towards making children feel positive about school and helps them to have the confidence to do well. Extending the children's learning by asking them lots of questions is another way in which you can help.
If you can find time to read and share stories with your children, the school will be very grateful because when a teacher has 30 children in a class it is hard to hear them all read as much as we would like to. Getting your child to school on time and making sure that they have everything they need for the day is another very important contribution you can make.
We really would like you to come to the various school events e.g. Parents' Evenings, Concerts, Exhibitions, Festivals, Special Events and School Fairs. The children and staff are pleased when you come along as it makes them feel that all their hard work is worthwhile.
Parents are always welcome in the classroom helping with reading, crafts, music, cookery etc. So many parents have skills that would be invaluable to the school; please let us know if you are willing to help. You could work with a group or an individual child. We will need to arrange for a CRB check which will, unfortunately take some time. If you would like to help, please speak to a member of staff in the office.Click here to see our current Events Calendar.
Parking
In the interest of children’s safety, parents are urged to take extreme care when parking near to the school. There is considerable congestion in the locality and there are no facilities on the school premises for parents to park or drop their children off to school. The car park is strictly for staff only.It is now an offence to park on the yellow zig-zag lines. Please be thoughtful and considerate to others.Related topics: Getting to School
R
Religious and Moral Education
Religious Education (R.E.) plays a particularly important part in children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The teaching of R.E. is carried out in accordance with Southwark's Agreed Syllabus, a copy of which can be inspected on request at the school.
Moral Education explores the reasons why we have to behave in certain ways if we are all to live together in a peaceful and thoughtful way. We try to show our children that they must have respect for one another. This means that they must learn to be tolerant of each others points of view and most important of all to treat others as they would expect to be treated themselves. In our multi-faith, multi ethnic community it would be inappropriate to put forward one religious point of view.
Parents have the right to withdraw their children from R.E. and acts of Collective Worship if they wish. If you feel that there may be a problem with this aspect of your child's education please come and discuss it with the Headteacher. If children are withdrawn, they will be given an opportunity to continue work set by their class teacher.Click here to find out more about our School Curriculum.
S
School Dinners
There is a charge for school dinners which currently is £1.50 per meal. We ask parents to pay for dinners on Mondays for the whole week. You are also able to pay by cheque for the week, month or half term in advance. Should your child miss a school meal due to absence from school the charge will be credited back to the pupil's school dinner account.
For administrative reasons we do not normally allow children to change from school dinners to packed lunches or vice versa part of the way through the term. However, if you have a special reason why this should happen, please speak to the Headteacher.
If you think you might be entitled to free school meals please contact the school office or use the link below to find out more.Related topics: Lunch Time | Packed LunchClick here to see our current Lunch Menu.Click here to find out more about free school meals (opens a new window).
| Nursery | Nursery (from September 2010) | |||
| Morning children | 9.00am to 11.30am | Morning children | 8.50am to 11.50am | |
| Afternoon children | 12.50pm to 3.20pm | Afternoon children | 12.20pm to 3.20pm | |
| Full-time children | 9.00am to 3.20pm | Full-time children | 8.50am to 3.20pm | |
| Reception and Years 1 to 6 | ||||
| 9.00am to 3.20pm |
||||
| Lunch | ||||
| Reception and Key Stage 1 |
12.00pm to 1.00pm | |||
| Key Stage 2 |
12.30pm to 1.30pm | |||
The number of hours spent teaching per week for Infant (KS1) children is at least 21 hours. For Junior (KS2) children it is at least 23.5 hours. This figure includes religious education but excludes registration, collective worship and break times.
Children should not be sent to school before 8.45am as there is no one on duty to look after them. Parents must collect children in the Nursery, Reception or Years 1 and 2, or arrange for a responsible adult over 16 years to do so. If you are asking someone else to collect your child, please let us know. This will be in the interest of your child's safety.Related topics: After School Clubs | Ages and Classes | Attendance | Supervision
School Trips and Charges
Children will regularly make educational visits to a wide variety of places of interest as part of their school work. When your child registers for school, you will be asked to sign a permission slip giving us permission to include your child on any outing planned for the class. We will of course inform you before each outing so that you will know where your child will be.
We also ask for a contribution towards the cost of an outing. Whilst this is a voluntary contribution, the school does not have the resources to meet the full cost of these outings and without some contribution, the outing may have to be cancelled. We ask for your support in making your child's education a rich and meaningful experience.
Every year we take pupils in Year 4 and 6 on residential school journeys. Year 4 visit an activity centre on the Isle of Wight. Year 6 visit a Chateau in Normandy, France. The school uses its resources to keep prices manageable for parents.
School Uniform
The school colours are grey, red and white. Within this colour range, parents can choose the kind of garments a child wears. Polo shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces, jackets and P.E. shirts which carry the school logo are on sale in school and we encourage parents to purchase these items (for further details follow the link below).
Clothes should be both comfortable and practical and parents should be aware that school can be a place where children have access to a variety of materials, some of them messy! During the school day children will often use paint, glue, clay, sand and water. They need to be able to use these materials without the fear of damaging "best" or expensive clothes. They need also to be able to run around in the playground without worrying about spoiling clothes if they fall over. Please bear this in mind when purchasing clothes to ensure that they are washable and durable.
When we go out as a group, uniform looks smart, gives the children a sense of identity and makes it easier for the teachers to keep an eye on the children in crowded places. We try to discourage children from turning the school into a "catwalk" where the most expensive and latest design of trainers are paraded. We ask parents to do the same! Clothes with large fashion or sports logos are not part of our uniform.Click here to see our current range of School Uniform items.
Sex Education
The governors of the school have agreed that Sex Education should be included in the school curriculum. The teaching of Sex Education is supported by high quality resources and materials, and delivered through a framework of themes which guarantee that children are exposed to appropriate knowledge throughout their school career on a planned basis.
Parents are invited to inspect teaching materials before they are introduced in the classroom. Year 6 pupils complete a block of work on Sex and Relationships Education after they sit their SATs tests.Click here to find out more about our School Curriculum.
Sickness
If your child should fall sick during school time, they will be looked after by one of our staff and, if necessary, you will be called for. The same would be the case if your child had an accident at school.
In an emergency, we may call an ambulance or take the child to hospital ourselves, but they cannot be treated without a parent or carer present so you would have to get to the hospital as soon as possible.
It is for these reasons that we MUST know how and where to contact you during the day. Should your contact details change, please notify the school office immediately.Please help us by keeping your contact details up to date!Related topics: Contagious Diseases | Head Lice | Medicines
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school's statement on equal opportunities acknowledges that everyone in the school has rights. Children with special educational needs have a right of full access to the National Curriculum.
Our school has been designed to enable all children to have access to the facilities at the school. In addition, we are resourced to meet the needs of children with impaired hearing. We have good access to all rooms and a chair lift to the gallery area. A hygiene room provides good facilities for children with special toileting needs.
Whatever the child's special need, the class teacher is the key figure in intervention and assessment, although there may also be involvement from other professionals such as the school's Educational Psychologist.
The school is committed to the early identification of children with special educational needs and adopting clear and open procedures involving close co-operation with parents who should be fully and actively involved in their children's education. Within available resources we are committed to providing the highest possible quality support for children with special educational needs.Click here to find out more about Equal Opportunities at Alfred Salter.
Sport
Children are encouraged to take a full part in sports activities as part of the P.E. curriculum which includes gymnastics, athletics, swimming and team games. We are very fortunate to have the sports arena and aim to use these facilities to enrich provision for sporting activities. After school activities include opportunities for some children to develop skills with a view to competing with other schools.Click here to find out more about our School Curriculum.Click here to find out more about our After School Clubs.
Starting School
Children come into one of our Reception classes in September if they will become five years of age between 1st September and 28th February, or in January if they will become five between 1st March and the end of August. Applications for planned admissions to our Reception classes have to be made to Southwark Council (for further details follow the link to our Admissions page below).
Applications for admission to our Nursery are made directly to the school. If you want to be considered for a place for your child in our Nursery you should come into school to register when they have reached two years old.Related topics: Ages and Classes | Nursery and Reception | School TimesClick here to find out more about Admissions.
Supervision
Although staff are on the premises before and after school there is no formal supervision in the playground before 8.50am and after 3.30pm. The children are supervised by the teachers during morning and afternoon breaks. The school's mid-day meals supervisor team look after the children during the lunch break. Parents/Carers are responsible for getting pupils to and collecting them from after school clubs and ensuring they are properly supervised at these times.Related topics: After School Clubs | School TimesClick here to find out more about our After School Clubs.
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Transfer to Secondary School
Children transfer to secondary school when they have completed their 6th year at primary school. When children do reach this stage, you will be invited to consider a range of schools before making a decision. The London Borough of Southwark publishes a booklet called "Starting Secondary School" which explains the transfer procedure in detail. This booklet is sent to you from school in the October before transfer. Alternatively, you can download it from the Southwark Council website (see link below). The Headteacher will always be happy to advise parents with this very important, and often difficult decision.Click here to find out more about transferring to secondary school (opens a new window).
U
Unauthorised Absences
Unauthorised absences are those where we have not been informed or where the reason for absence is not considered satisfactory. These absences will be followed up by the class teacher or the Administrative Officer.
If we are concerned about your child’s attendance, we may refer the matter to an educational social worker from the Education Welfare Service, who will get in touch with you if he or she is concerned about your child's attendance.Related topics: Absences | Attendance
Index
Absences
After School Clubs
Ages and Classes
Assessment
Attendance
Clothing, Jewellery and Valuables
Complaints and Problems
Contagious Diseases
Packed Lunch
Parental Involvement
Parking
School Dinners
School Times
School Uniform
Sex Education
Sickness
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Sport
Starting School
Supervision
