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Marlow Church of England Infant School

'How to' Guide

We hope that Parents can find answers to most of the questions they may have about day to day school activities; reporting absence, ordering lunches, clubs etc on these pages. We will continue to add items as we become aware of the need for them.

What do I do if my child is unwell and unable to attend school?

On the first morning of your child's illness you should call the school before 9.30am and leave a message on the voicemail box under option 1. If your child is absent for more than three days then you should remain in contact with the school, giving regular updates, so that parent and teachers can work together to ensure the best possible provision for the child. 

If your child vomits or has diarrhoea then they must not return to school for 48 hours after the last episode.

A list of other common childhood illnesses and the exclusion periods can be found at the bottom of this page,

What do I do if my child needs medication in school?

In line with our Policy for Supporting Children at School with Medical Needs, where clinically possible, medicines should be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable them to be taken outside school hours. Where this is not possible we may agree to administer medicine to children only if

· It would be detrimental to the child’s health or school attendance not to do so

· a permission form has been completed by the parent (download below) and

· the medicine is in date, in the original packaging (including the patient information leaflet) and for prescription medication has a pharmacy label in the name of the child.

If the medication is for a long term health issue then you will also be asked to complete a Healthcare Plan in conjunction with the school. 

How do I order school lunches?

Our school lunches are provided by Dolce and are ordered through SchoolGrid. You will need an account to log in to order and the school office can do this for you. Full details can be found under Lunches 

What uniform does my child need?

We do operate a uniform policy and all children are expected to wear the correct uniform every day. Please remember that children are identifiable by their uniform and that behaviour outside school in uniform should be as expected in school.

The full details of uniform and where to buy it can be found on the Uniform page

What are the drop-off/pick-up arrangements?

The gates to school open at around 8.30am and the doors open 8.45-8.55am each morning. Morning registration is at 8.55am. Children in Reception enter through the gate from the Reception playground into their covered area, children in Year 1 enter through the main entrance of the school and children in Year 2 enter through the gate next to Teatimers from the school carpark.

The school day ends at 3.15pm when Reception children are brought to the Reception playground and children in Year 1 & 2 to the front of school.

What Wrap-around care is available

Wrap around care is provided for children at our school by Teatimers and more information can be found on their website or on the Wrap Around Care page

What clubs and extra-curricular activities are available?

There are 2 types of clubs available running at lunchtimes and before and after school:

· clubs provided by school staff that are free for all.

· clubs from outside providers which will generally be chargeable

Full details of current clubs and timetables can be found on the Clubs & Activities page

How can I support my child's learning at home?

The school greatly values the contribution which parents can make by supporting activities at home and this can have a really positive impact on the overall development of the child. Home learning is seen as a key link between home and school and can include:

· daily practise of key words and reading

· learning letter sounds—phonics

· Further ‘self serve’ suggestions on how to support your child’s learning from home will be available through Tapestry for Reception and Google Classroom for children in Years 1 & 2 on a half termly basis.

How can I get information about my child's progress?

There are parent consultations held in the autumn and spring terms. Details of how to book these consultations are sent out in the Newsletter.

If you have a concern, you can use your child’s yellow reading record to write short notes to your child’s teacher.

You can also request a meeting with your child’s teacher by phoning or emailing the school office.

Curriculum evenings are held regularly to cover what and how is taught in school and how you can support your child. Specific details will be given out when these are running. Presentations from previous sessions can be found on the Parent Presentations page     

How can I help at school?

Mums, Dads and Grandparents are all very welcome in school as helpers. At present we have parents working on a variety of activities including listening to children read, mounting and displaying work and helping with sewing and craft activities… the possibilities are endless. The school operates a policy whereby parents need to attend a short training session before helping out in class. We will not ask for parent helpers until after the first half term in the autumn. Please note that if you volunteer to help you may not be placed in your child’s class

We also often need helpers for one-off events such as school trips, special activities in school and short-term projects. Requests for help may be in the weekly Newsletter, on trip letters sent home or specific requests sent by email. You do not need to have attended our Parent training sessions to help out on an ad hoc event.

If you have not been able to find the answer to your query then please contact the school office and we will be happy to help.