General Information

The school is most appreciative of the supportive work which this group provides for the school. Friends’ members (all parents are automatically members) organize fund raising activities to give a strong feeling of collective support and interest in our school. We hope that friendships among parents may develop as a by-product of working together as an active group. Membership is open to other interested members of the village community. New ideas are always welcome. Funds raised are used to purchase new equipment for the children.

Contact with parents
Parents are welcome in school.
If a parent wishes to speak to a teacher, however, the best time is after 3.15 p.m.
If a visit is not possible, please feel free to telephone instead.
With prior notice your child’s work is available for you to view and discuss with your child’s class teacher; teachers are always willing to see parents, particularly if any child has a worry that needs solving before it grows larger.

Evenings
Formal discussion evenings for parents are as follows:
Autumn Term: a meeting after half-term to discuss each child’s progress during the first term of the year and parents’/teachers’ priorities for the coming academic year. Children’s work may also be viewed.
Spring Term: a meeting to discuss progress since the autumn term consultation.
Children’s work may also be viewed.
Summer Term: a ‘Celebration of Work’ evening for parents’ to view the year’s work of their own child and to look at the work of the whole school.

Parents’ Forum
This is a discussion group that takes place once a term. All parents have the opportunity to attend. It provides a means for parents to make a substantial contribution to the development of this school. We use the Forum for exploring with parents what we are doing well and for information on those areas where we could improve. Please do attend if you can.

Parent Helpers
We are keen to involve parents in the life of the school in as many ways as possible.
We are always looking for new volunteers for help generally, and also in classrooms.
Weekly newsletters
Parents are kept up to date with the life of the school through the issue of weekly newsletters, sent home via the children each Monday.

Absences
If a child is absent because he/she is unwell, please notify the Headteacher on the first day of absence. This precludes the possibility of a child going missing between home and school and nobody realising the fact. It also alerts us to potential illness in other children. When a child is absent and no telephone call has been received by 10.00 a.m. the school will telephone the home to ascertain the whereabouts of the particular child.
A note explaining reason for absence should be addressed to the class teacher on return to school. Please also give us prior notice if your child has a medical appointment.
We have to keep stringent records concerning school attendance and the number of unexplained absences will be shown on each child’s end of school year report.
We also have to submit annual reports on attendance to the Department for Education each year. The figures for the period 1st September, 2007 to 7th May, 2008 are:
Authorised absence 4.1%
Unauthorised attendance 0.6%

Family holidays
We appreciate that some families cannot take their holidays during the normal school holiday periods. Holidays in term time should, however, be avoided due to the detrimental effect a break has on a child’s continuity of learning. These days learning programmes are so structured and tight that missing a week or two weeks does make a difference. Taking children away from school in term time is not a right: permission for leave of absence of up to ten school days can only be granted by the Headteacher. The Government, Cambridgeshire County Council and the Governors of William de Yaxley have asked the Headteacher to discourage holidays being taken in term time. The Headteacher cannot authorise more than ten days absence in any academic year. Any request for holiday leave must be requested four weeks in advance and will considered by the Governors’ Attendance Committee.

Celebration Assemblies
Parents are warmly invited to our Friday morning Celebration assemblies which are led by the Headteacher or the Deputy Headteacher. These begin at 9a.m. and last until approximately 9.30 a.m.

Home/School Book
We have a Home/School Book which, if used properly, is a real aid to good communication between home and school. It is a means by which you can easily communicate with your child’s teacher on a day to day basis. Teachers can also communicate with you. Contained within this book are pages for recording reading at home. It is important that these are filled in. The Home/School book needs to be brought into school and taken home every day. It is looked at every day by staff, and should be checked every night at home as well.

Emergency Contact
Please would you ensure that you keep us up to date with your contact ‘phone numbers, and that, if you have a mobile ‘phone, that it is switched on during the day.

Working with Parents
Delivery/Collection of Children
Mornings
In the mornings it is helpful to the teaching staff, because of the preparation that needs to be completed for the day’s teaching, if you leave your child either at the outer side gate or the inner gates
Afternoons
You are welcome to wait either outside the main gate or on the school playground.
If you wish to have a brief word with a teacher please wait until most of the children have left the cloakroom areas in order to avoid congestion.
It is lovely to meet younger brothers and sisters but please discourage them from noisy play or peering through windows, causing distraction to those working in class. Younger siblings are, unfortunately, not permitted to play on the adventure trail equipment due to insurance reasons.

Reading
Encouraging regular reading sessions for your child is very important, but we are not in the business of making busy parents feel guilty.
Making some time in the week, in an ideal world every day, makes a huge difference to your child’s technical ability to decode, to understand what they are reading (through discussion) and to find real pleasure in books. It’s not to be underestimated but has to be done when both you and your child are able to enjoy the experience of sharing a book together.

Homework
This whole area can cause anguish for both children, parents and teachers. Teachers always try to match the work to your child’s ability but it is not a precise science! Therefore, the best thing, if difficulties are encountered, is for you to write a note in the Home/School Book and/or to contact your child’s class teacher.

Concerns
We would like to emphasise that for concerns and problems to be dealt with most speedily and effectively, the correct route should be:
1. Your child’s class teacher
2. Mr Hope, Deputy Headteacher
3. Mr. Cooper, Headteacher
If you feel that the concern, or complaint hasn’t been satisfactorily dealt with then you should contact Mr Hope and then myself. If you feel that the matter needs to be referred to me straight away then you are welcome to contact me directly.
One of my main concerns is that you as parents know that we will resolve any difficulties to the best of our ability.

Home/School Agreement
All schools are required by law to have a written home/school agreement drawn up in consultation with parents. Parents and pupils are invited to sign the agreement as an indication of partnership in the learning process.