Looking After Your Child

CARING FOR YOUR CHILD

 

We want your child to be happy and fulfilled at school. The class teacher has the key responsibility to ensure your child feels secure and happy. If there are concerns you need to share, please contact the class teacher in the first instance.

You can also talk to our school Inclusion Manager, Mrs Sevenoaks, if you have concerns related to learning. The Principal or Vice Principal will also be more than happy to talk with you as will Mrs George, our Parent Liaison Officer.

Please make an appointment with the person you wish to talk to by speaking to Mrs Gray, the School Secretary.

We are committed to working with you for your child. We believe that parents and schools both have important responsibilities and that success depends on us both recognising our responsibilities.

 

BEHAVIOUR EXPECTATIONS

 

We want all children to enjoy their time at Christ Church (Erith) C of E Primary School  and we have high expectations of behaviour, in accordance with our whole school policy.  We expect children to respect each other and their environment, so we have class rules to help them achieve this.

 

Our rules are positive to make sure no child develops a negative self-image.

 

Christ Church School Rules

 

- We will be respectful to everyone so that they will be respectful to us.

- We will look after our own, others and school property.

- We will use our manners at all times.

- We will encourage everyone to always try their best everywhere: during lesson times, playtimes and lunchtimes.

- We will always be honest and tell the truth.

 

We will always follow the Christ Church Code!

 

Any inappropriate behaviour will be discussed with parents as it happens, and sanctions such as time out may be used if appropriate. 

We encourage good behaviour through a range of rewards including: DoJo Points, certificates, postcards home and stickers.

 

Anti-Bullying

 

Christ Church has signed the Anti-Bullying Charter. We will go to whatever lengths are needed to ensure that children are not bullied at Christ Church.

It is our aim to ensure that all children are safe and happy at school. Sometimes children will only talk at home about any problems they may have at school and we welcome parents into the school to share this with us.

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Attendance at school is statutory.  The governors expect all children to attend school every day.  In real terms, this means that children should have no more than 10 days absence a year (including illness, medical appointments etc).

 

FUNDING

 

We ask that each child brings in no more than £1 a week to contribute to the class fund.  This is to support activities such as cooking, art projects etc.  This contribution is entirely voluntary.

 

COLLECTION ARRANGEMENTS

 

Parents will have the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher at the end of the day, when they collect their child from the classroom.  If parents wish to have a private chat with the teacher, they need to contact the school office via email or telephone and to arrange an appointment.

 

End of day/session collection

 

The Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 operates a password system to ensure that the right person collects your child. Staff will give you a password, which will be asked for as appropriate.

It is extremely important for us to know if someone other than the usual person is collecting your child.  Not only can it be very upsetting for some children if someone else comes unexpectedly, but our staff will not hand a child to someone they do not know.  Please ring, or write to us, letting us know any change of plan.  Please ensure that you let us know in plenty of time (more than 15 minutes before the end of the session) so that the message can be passed on.

 

HEALTH

 

Any children with special medical problems e.g. asthma, eczema or allergies must be brought to the school's attention.  If you want advice,  it may be possible for us to arrange for you to see the school nurse, so please tell us if you are worried about anything.

 

Medicines          

         

Schools are not allowed to keep medicines for general dispensation (e.g., Calpol, aspirins etc) and for obvious reasons; there must be very strict controls on medicines that are kept in school.

 

Asthma

 

If your child is asthmatic please inform the school office. You will be asked to fill out a record card for your file. You will be asked to provide an inhaler that must be kept in school. Your child will need to know how to use their inhaler independently and it should clearly show your child’s name on the pharmacy label.

 

Hay fever

 

If your child suffers from hay fever, and is particularly affected when playing on a field, please write a letter to the Principal requesting that they can be supervised on the infant playground. Unfortunately we are not able to keep affected children inside during break times.

 

Other conditions

 

Children with epilepsy or diabetes are encouraged to wear a Medi-Alert medallion or bracelet, and these are exceptions to our jewellery policy.

Please make an appointment to see Mrs Gray if your child has a condition that may need individual care and attention. She will arrange for the school nurse to contact you and discuss your child's condition.

 

Accidents and Emergencies

 

If your child has a minor accident a member of school staff will give them first aid treatment. We aim to have as many staff as possible trained in first aid. Your child may be given a letter to be taken home following some minor incidents.

If your child is allergic to plasters, please let us know in writing so that we can offer alternative dressings.

If your child is sick or more seriously injured we will contact you immediately. If we think that an ambulance needs to be called, we will call one at the same time as calling you.

 

It is important that we have up-to-date contact numbers so that we can contact you in an emergency. Emergency Contact Forms are kept in the main reception for ease of access.

 

Please do not send your child into school if they are unwell. They will not be able or willing to learn and they will affect other children. We have no sick bay facilities at school.

 

MEALTIME ARRANGEMENTS

 

Midday Supervision and Healthy Eating

 

Christ Church’s policy is to provide supervision for all pupils wishing to remain at school during the midday break. Lunch, whether provided by the school meal service or brought in by the pupils, is within that supervision. We have extremely competent supervisors, who not only supervise, but care for, and play with, our children. They are led by Mrs Bell, who oversees the whole of midday supervision.

 

School Meals

 

We are fortunate that our school meals are cooked on the premises. Please ask the office for the current cost.  Cheques should be made payable to Christ Church (Erith) C of E Primary School. Enquiries should be made via Mrs Hewitt, our Administration Assistant, who will be happy to calculate your balance. Prompt payment will avoid any embarrassment and where genuine hardship is being experienced, parents may be entitled to claim free school meals for their children. Please ask the office for details.  Currently Foundation Stage and KS1 school meals are free of charge.

We would ask families who are entitled to free school meals to register, even if they intend their children to have packed lunches. The number of free school meals is often needed for statistical purposes, and it is important to be able to report the correct number of pupils with free entitlement.

 

Packed Lunches      

 

As an alternative to a cooked dinner, children may bring a packed lunch from home. We would ask parents to ensure that packed lunch boxes are clearly labelled, and do not contain glass bottles, cans, fizzy drinks, sweets or chocolate, or any nut ingredients.

 

School Trips

 

If your child is on a trip for a full day, you will need to provide a packed lunch. If your child normally has a school meal, the school will provide the packed lunch.

 

Healthy Snacks

 

Fruit

 

Foundation Stage and Key Stage One pupils are given fruit each day. Key Stage Two pupils may bring in either a piece of fruit or fruit juice to drink.

 

Milk

 

Children on free school meals are entitled to free school milk. Other pupils can have milk daily at a cost. A milk form needs to be completed each term if you wish your child to have milk – this applies whether the milk is free or not. Please ask the office for more details.

 

Please help us…

 

Milk Forms

 

Each term every child will be given a milk form. If you would like your child to receive milk, please ensure that you return the form before the closing date. To administer the service properly, any money received after the closing date will not be accepted.

 

Please return the form with the exact payment in an envelope with your child’s name on, to the child’s teacher.

 

General information on School Dinners

 

We tend to throw away any uneaten food. Whilst we do our best to ensure that children are encouraged to eat their lunch, it is not possible to continually observe each child. However, when we are aware that a child regularly never eats enough, we will ensure that parents are contacted.

 

Children may only change from school dinners to packed lunch or vice versa, at the beginning of a term or in exceptional circumstances. Please notify the office in writing if your child wishes to change.