TELEPHONE CALLS and VISITORS:

Most communication between home and school is by visits and telephone. All visitors will be treated with courtesy. Aggression towards any member of staff will not be tolerated. We will always endeavour to answer any queries or concerns immediately. Where this is not possible, we will agree a time by which someone will respond.

Should you contact the school by telephone and there is no one in the office to receive your call, please leave your name and number on the answer machine. We will endeavour to return your call as soon as possible. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that the school always has up-to-date contact telephone numbers.

VISITING SCHOOL:

Parents are invited to school on a regular basis to join us for activities, for example: Class Assemblies, Sports day and concerts.

POLICY DOCUMENTS:

Policy documents and leaflets on a wide range of subjects such as Attendance, Homework, Discipline, Complaints and Concerns are available for parents. Copies of each document can be found in the school Reception Area or can be obtained from the school office.

NEWSLETTERS:

A Weekly Newsletter is distributed to all parents on a Monday  via  our website/SNS Sites (Twitter/Facebook) and our school App. The newsletter contains items of interest, news, school development and matters of concern. Sometimes, an Educational Newsletter will be circulated which offers you up-dated information on current trends.

LETTERS:

Sometimes your child will come home with a letter. These can take the form of requests or information on educational visits. Please check your child’s bag nightly.

DIARY OF EVENTS:

A Diary of Events is circulated to all parents at the start of each term. It will contain training days, parent assemblies, sports, concert dates, etc. Any changes to the dates will be placed in the Weekly Newsletter and also placed on the school web site.

TEXT SERVICE:

The school has a “Text Service” available to those parents who have supplied a mobile phone number. Information messages will be sent on a regular basic. Parents can also reply to any messages via text.

CURRICULUM MAPS:

At the start of a new term when your child commences the study of a new theme / topic, he / she will bring home information on the areas they will be studying in all subjects.

PARENT CONSULTATIONS:

Parents have the opportunity to meet staff privately three times a year. These consultations take place in the Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms. Each appointment is of approx 10 minutes duration. Should you at any time have concerns about your child’s progress, please do not wait for these occasions but contact the school and make an appointment to meet with your child’s class teacher or the Headteacher. At the end of the Summer Term, parents will receive a written report about their child’s progress and have the opportunity to meet with the class teacher.

PARENT HELPERS:

If you feel that you can offer your services on a regular basis to help in a classroom or in the school, or have a skill which you feel would be of use, please attend one of the Parent Helper’s Afternoons which are held in the Autumn Term.

This is an opportunity to meet other interested parents, to go through the Parent Helper’s Handbook and discuss any training implications. Please note that all Parent Helpers will need to give consent to a Police Records Check. This is a requirement of national government.

PARENT INVITATIONS:

Parents are invited to school on a regular basis to join us for activities, for example: Class Assemblies, Sports day and concerts. We like to invite parents into school as often as possible although for some events it may not be possible to accommodate all parents and we ask for your understanding on this matter. Mr G Roden (Headteacher) always operates an “open door” policy for parents wishing to discuss any matter. In addition, he holds “Meet the Headteacher” events throughout the year.

P.T.A:

The P.T.A. of Abercarn Primary is a supportive organisation. Activities are co-ordinated by a dedicated group of people who form the committee. We urge all parents to actively support the Association’s work in any way possible.

LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY:

There will always be occasions when parents request their children leave school early. We are always willing to co-operate on this matter but in the interest of safety, we would ask that parents inform us of the time, date and reasons by letter. Always make sure that you tell us the name of the person collecting your child if it is not you. Please do not collect your child from the playground during the day without first registering at the office.

Parents are also asked to inform us in writing if pupils are returning home in a different way or being collected by different adults. Requests made verbally by the children will always be refused and parents will be contacted.

ABSENCE, ILLNESS and MEDICATION:

All absences from school must be explained preferably on the first morning of absence by telephone, failing this, a letter of explanation must be supplied. If a child has an accident or becomes ill in school, it is often desirable to contact the parent with the request that the child is collected. This is done for the benefit of the child and the other pupils in the school. Children who show symptoms of sickness, especially if they have had a disturbed night, should be kept from school.

If children are being treated with medicines with side effects this should be made known to the school. If your child suffers from a medical condition that is likely to affect his / her education, we would be grateful if you would inform us in writing. Should your child require medicine during the day, please be aware that you will have a responsibility to administer it, either by visiting the school or taking your child home to do so. If your child is asthmatic and requires frequent use of an inhaler please ensure that they have access to one in their school bag and know how to use it.