Teaching Times
The school day starts at 8:50am and children are not permitted on the playground before 8:30am, as the school cannot assume responsibility for the children before this time. The school day ends at 3:15pm.
The total time available to the children is 23 hours 30 minutes per week,
excluding times used for registration and collective worship,
Clothing
The expected dress code is as follows: -
Boys
Plain navy blue sweatshirt
White shirt or polo type T-Shirt
Grey, black or navy trousers
or shorts (no jeans)
Plain socks |
Girls
Plain navy blue sweatshirt or cardigan
White blouse or polo type T-Shirt
Grey, black or navy skirt or trousers
Blue checked or striped dress
Plain socks or tights |
School sweatshirts can be purchased from the school office or at the New Parent?s Evening.
Shoes should have low heels or sling backs. Trainers can be worn but they should be black or white. No jewellery except stud ear rings. Long hair should be tied back for games and swimming.
For PE we suggest T-Shirts, shorts, leotards and plimsolls. Tracksuit tops or sweaters are a good idea in winter.
Your child will often be involved in activities that are potentially messy. We recommend that they bring a shirt or overall.
Care of Property
All clothing should be clearly and permanently labelled. No jewellery or valuable watches should be brought to school, as we cannot accept responsibility for their loss.
Lunchtime Arrangements
There are three choices: children may go home to lunch, they may bring a packed lunch or purchase a meal from the school kitchen, payable on a daily basis. Advance menus are available. The meals are cooked by Initial Catering, which is a quite separate organisation to the school and also provides meals for Willow Bank Infant School.
Children who eat school meals or packed lunch are required to stay on the premises during the whole lunch time period. A lunchtime supervisor, with the help of three lunchtime controllers, will supervise the children.
Children who opt to go home for lunch should have written permission by the parent to leave school or the parent must sign the child out at the school office.
Discipline
Discipline at Willow Bank is designed to encourage our children to become self-controlled, responsible and caring members of society. Children will be taught to respect others and value things around them. They will be expected to be polite and sensitive to the needs of others, to behave sensibly and courteously, to think situations through and make appropriate decisions for themselves.
In addition to this general principle, we have the following specific rules for children:
· in the morning, children must stay in the playground, unless they are with a parent or until a teacher tells them it is time to go into their class;
· the children must go out at playtime and lunchtime unless they are eating their lunch or are with a teacher. In wet or very hot weather, the lunchtime controllers will tell the children when they can go into their classrooms;
· if a teacher or lunchtime controller thinks a child is too ill to go out to play, they may sit in the hall;
· children may eat fruit or nuts for their playtime snack;
· when in school, the children should walk in a sensible manner;
· children may not use the photocopier or move the TV and computers;
· for PE and games activities, children must bring a change of clothes and footwear;
· children are not allowed any jewellery except studs and these must be taken out or covered during PE and games;
· two footballs and two netballs are allowed in the playground at playtime. No other balls are allowed except tennis balls in the cricket season.
Absence and Holidays
The daily attendance of your child is a legal requirement and we have a duty to keep full attendance records together with notes explaining absence. We must, therefore be informed, either verbally or in writing, of the reason for each period of absence. Holiday request forms are available from the office. A maximum of 10 school days can be authorised in any school year.
Sickness and Injury
Children sometimes become ill or are injured in school, so it is important that we have up to date contact telephone numbers. Please inform the office of any change of details.
Any medicines should be handed to the school office together with full written instructions and a signed consent form.
Charging Policy
Many activities such as educational visits and swimming are not possible unless we receive extra funding. If we ask for a ?voluntary contribution?, it can be assured that the activity to be funded is one of merit and that it has been costed carefully. The contribution is voluntary and if a parent is unable to contribute, no questions will be asked and the child will not be deprived of the activity or singled out in any way. The school has to ensure that voluntary contributions cover the cost of the activity and do not make a profit. Small discrepancies will be covered from the school?s own funds, but serious discrepancies will prevent an activity from taking place.
Transfer to the Junior School
Each parent will be invited to meet the Headteacher and the teachers. They may also view the school. The children will spend a morning with their new class at some point during the summer term. Records will be transferred and discussions take place between the Infant school and the Year 3 teachers.
Transfer to Secondary School
Waingels Copse Comprehensive School receives the majority of Willow Bank children after Year 6 and a close relationship exists with this school. Prior to entry at Waingels, the Deputy Head, the Year Head and the teacher of Special Needs visit the school to discuss and meet the children. The children themselves spend a day at Waingels where they meet some of the teachers and are shown around the school.
Some of our children go elsewhere to continue their secondary education and similar arrangements exist. | 
