Parents’ Handbookfor the Prep School

Dear Parents,

We are delighted that your child will be joining our school. The staff, and in particular the class teachers, are here to guide, advise and help him/her settle in quickly and happily.

This Parent Handbook contains information about the Prep School (Years R–6). Please take the time to read it carefully, I believe it is important that you know the routines and procedures we have in place for the benefit and well-being of your children. We believe a close and active partnership with parents is essential if your child is to thrive and succeed. The handbook is a working document and will be kept updated on a regular basis with the latest version being available on our school website (www.altonschool.co.uk).

Our school has at its heart people who care about your child. We are passionate about providing an education in a caring and supportive environment which encourages children to thrive and fulfil their potential.

For new parents there is a large amount of information to understand when your child joins the school. I hope that this handbook will make those first few weeks easier to navigate. If you have any questions that are not answered here, please do get in touch with me at pgrimes@altonschool.co.uk.

If you have any questions about the school which are not answered above, please do ask.

Mrs Pim Grimes (pgrimes@altonschool.co.uk) Head of the Prep School

Mission Statement

‘Be the best that you can be’

The Roman Catholic faith underpins everything that we do at Alton School. It is the basis for our value system and is the core of our philosophy that every child matters. The emphasis on the individual within the wider community is a necessary foundation for the happiness and success of the school. Staff and pupils participate in acts of worship. Staff and parents are expected to be supportive of the school’s ethos.

EthosThe life of the school is rooted in the Catholic tradition with an emphasis on personal faith, mutual respect, service, integrity, friendship and the need to discover and develop personal talents.

Aims• To uphold the ethos of the school, promoting mutual respect and awareness of the wider

community• To pursue excellence• To maximise individual potential• To enrich the educational experience of pupils• To maintain strong links with the local and global community

CommunicationThe School Office (01420 82070 office@altonschool.co.uk) should be the first port of call for all visitors to the school. The administrative staff will be able to take messages from parents for staff and provide information. Please feel free to call in during school hours when there will always be someone willing to help. Notes for the teachers may be handed into the School Office or sent via your child.

We have a parent portal that you can access via our website or via an app. You will be sent login details. The parent portal allows you to access information about your child’s activities, curriculum and progress. Our website (altonschool.co.uk) also is the best point of reference for any policy documents. We aim to be as ‘paper free’ as possible, and so will not send you these documents automatically. We are of course very happy to send you documentation if you so wish. Please speak to the School Office if this is the case.

We produce a regular newsletter with information about school news and upcoming events. We also keep all our social media sites up to date. As much as possible we communicate via the parent portal. Every Wednesday we send out an email to all parents alerting them to new information that has been added to the portal that week. Urgent information which we need to communicate to parents, for instance a school closure, will be sent via a text message and backed up by an email. Parents are asked to ensure that they keep us updated with any change of email addresses or mobile numbers.

Class teachers have a special responsibility for monitoring pupils’ progress, helping them to develop their potential, dealing with pastoral concerns and promoting each child’s well-being. There are opportunities to meet all of us early in the term and there is a parents’ evening just after half term. Your son/daughter will receive a full report at the end of the Summer Term.

Mrs Grimes is always happy to meet with parents. A message can be left with the School Office and they will call you back as soon as possible; alternatively, please email them at office@altonschool.co.uk. The Headmaster, Mr Maher, will be happy to meet with parents if necessary, and an appointment can be made by calling his Personal Assistant, Mrs Pigott, at enquiries@altonschool.co.uk.

The Chair of Governors, Mr Hexton, may be contacted through the school via a letter addressed ‘Confidential’ and sent to the Clerk to the Governors.

LatenessIf a child is late for school and misses registration (8.45 – 8.50am) you must sign in at the School Office. Registers will be amended from this information.

AbsencePlease notify the school by phone if your child is absent. We have a special telephone messaging service for parents to leave a message. On return to school please send a letter to the class teacher as a telephone message is legally not enough for our records. If you have to take your child out of school, please send a note giving the details of the time, the reason and who will be collecting. Please collect your child from the School Office ensuring that you have signed out and in again on return. In line with the current Government directive, parents are asked to avoid booking family holidays in term time. Should this be absolutely unavoidable, please write to Mrs Grimes requesting permission.

Beginning of the DayFrom 8.35am, children are supervised on the playground, or inside if wet, by a member of staff. There is no supervision of children on the playground before 8.30am and parents should stay with their children before this time. ‘Breakfast Club’ provides supervised care from 8.00am and anyone wishing to use this facility should go directly to the designated room. Children arriving by school minibus (Years 3-6) should go to the Breakfast Club room if they arrive before 8.35am. There is no charge for this. The school day begins at 8.35am when the school bell is rung. Children move quietly and quickly into school. The register is taken at 8.45am and lessons start at 8.50am.

End of the DayThe school day ends at 3.30pm for Pre Prep (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) and 3.40pm for Upper Prep. Reception children must be collected directly from their class teachers. Year 1-6 children should be collected at 3.40pm from the playground. Please contact the School Office if you are inadvertently delayed. The safety of all our children is our first priority and it is essential that we know when they will be collected. Children will only be released into the care of their parents or guardians unless the school has been informed of other arrangements.

Children travelling by school minibus (Year 3-6) assemble after 3.40pm in the Year 3 classroom or other designated area. A register is taken and the children make a start on supervised homework. They are then escorted to the buses at 4.10pm by a member of staff. By arrangement, children with siblings in the Senior School are welcome to wait with ‘bus children’ and make a start on supervised homework until parents collect them from the designated area at 4.10pm. There is no charge for this.

After School Care and Breakfast Club ‘After School Care’ is available until 6.00pm each day. Children may join straight after school or, if taking part in extra curricular clubs, after they are finished. Prep staff run a number of extra curricular clubs for Upper Prep from 4.00-5.00pm. Children may then be collected from classrooms or may join ‘After School Care’. If you are interested in either ‘Breakfast Club’ or ‘After School Care’ please ask for further details from the School Office. Information regarding extra-curricular clubs is available at the beginning of each term.

The CurriculumAt Alton School, we provide a full and well-balanced curriculum for all pupils. Each term, an outline scheme of work is published on the parent portal to inform parents of the main content of the term’s work.

Educational visits and workshopsWe are keen to provide opportunities to enrich the curriculum throughout the school year, extending education into the wider environment and drawing on outside expertise. These visits and workshops meet a number of aims:

• To support and enhance class-based work• To broaden the experience of the children• To provide the children with the opportunity to take part in activities which would be

difficult to provide on the school site• To provide stimulating and enjoyable experiences• To encourage children to integrate with others and make social contacts• To use the outdoors as an extension of classroom activities.

Occasional externally provided workshops happen in school, exploring particular parts of the curriculum in greater detail or from an alternative perspective. Similarly, there is an extensive programme of curriculum-related educational visits, including a residential visit to an activity centre for Year 4, the Isle of Wight in Year 5 and France for Year 6.

Full details of these activities are placed on the parent portal. Please do read through these carefully and return the permission slips and payment promptly. The health and safety of your children is something we take very seriously. A full risk assessment is undertaken prior to any visit/trip/activity. If you have any concerns about a particular visit or workshop, please do discuss these with the class teacher or Mrs Grimes.

Extra-Curricular ActivitiesA range of extra-curricular activities is offered by teachers after school. These vary each term. A list is available at the beginning of each term and children are invited to choose what they

would like to do. Activities generally start in the second week of each term and finish in the penultimate week of each term. Children taking part in these activities should be collected promptly from the classroom, or designated area, or they may join ‘After School Care’ until final collection time. Children taking part in sports clubs must change back into day uniform before leaving school.

HomeworkHomework activities provide children with valuable practice related to their work in school. For parents, there is:• The reassurance of a consistent and positive approach to homework• An insight into some of the subjects carried out in school• An opportunity to talk to their children about the subject• A focus for communication with the school.

For children, homework:• Provides opportunities for independent work, consolidation and extension and to develop

creativity• Helps to develop good home study habits• Can encourage responsibility for learning.

Pre Prep (Reception, Year 1 & 2)Children may be asked to carry out certain activities which support their learning.

In Years 1 and 2 children are expected to learn spellings for a weekly test and be heard to read each evening. Written tasks and creative tasks linked to the curriculum may also be set.

Upper Prep (Year 3 – 6)Children are expected to read every evening as part of their homework task. Weekly features are the learning of spellings and tables. Children are also expected to complete a set written task most evenings. The duration of all tasks will increase as children move through the school. Suggested guidelines are from 40 minutes in Year 3 and up to 1 hour by the end of Year 6. In Years 5 and 6 children are encouraged to undertake independent research. Year 5 and 6 children are usually set a daily maths homework which is often completed online through the school’s Moodle virtual learning environment, providing immediate feedback on the task, access to additional resources and a closed discussion forum. Literacy Planet, a comprehensive and fun online computer programme, will be used to support English lessons and homework. Creative tasks will be set regularly, often as a weekend activity.

We have high expectations of the quality and presentation of all homework. Upper Prep children are issued with a homework diary. All homework is written on the board for the children to record. Parents are asked to check homework diaries nightly and sign weekly. Comments made in the diary enable parents and teachers to liaise on a regular basis. Any problems regarding homework should be discussed with the class teacher.

Collective WorshipCollective worship aims to promote a sense of our Catholic community and to develop spiritual awareness amongst all our pupils. We also aim to provide opportunities to celebrate success,

as well as enhance communication within the school community. Children join together twice a week for assembly. Both assemblies include prayer and worship within the Catholic tradition of the school. On other days of the week, the school day begins with class prayers and prayers are said at the end of each day. Regular Masses are held each term, on Holy Days of Obligation (when possible) and on other special occasions. The dates for these Masses can be found in the School Calendar. Attendance at the school Mass is compulsory for all pupils. Expectations of pupilsPlease note, we hold Open Mornings for prospective pupils, including one on a Saturday in May which is for parents of current pupils as well. This is classed as a school day so children are expected to attend. It is also expected that pupils support and attend the Christmas Bazaar and the PTFA Summer Fete which are also held on Saturdays. These are both fund-raising events organised by parents for the benefit of pupils.

School Buses (From Year 3 upwards)We operate our own minibus service to and from school for Liphook/Petersfield, Farnham, Rowledge, Haslemere, Basingstoke, Winchester and surrounding areas. Details of the current routes and pickup points are available from the School Office.

HousesIn the Upper Prep pupils are allocated to one of three school Houses: St Augustine, St Chantal and St Paul. Each term, there are House meetings chaired by Year 6 pupils and pupil forums chaired by the Head of the Prep School in which pupils air their views and ideas. Various House competitions, including football, rounders, general knowledge and speech skills, take place throughout the school year. In June, the children compete in the annual Sports Day. There is an ongoing House Challenge Cup, awarded on the basis of credits accrued through the year for effort, kindness and achievement.

Medical ArrangementsIf a child feels unwell, the teacher will send him/her to the School Office and the Welfare Officer or trained first-aider will be contacted. If it is outside of lesson time then the child must in the first instance contact the member of teaching staff on duty who will assess the situation, then contact the Welfare Officer. Many staff are qualified first-aiders. Paracetamol may only be issued to a child if parents have given consent by signing the back of the data sheet. If a child is not well enough to remain in school, or needs hospital treatment, parents will be contacted.

If your child has a life-threatening condition which would require a teacher to administer a particular drug (for example the Epipen for anaphylactic shock) please contact the School Office for a separate form.

School RecordsThese records are checked regularly to ensure we have the most up-to-date information, but we ask you to be vigilant about keeping contact numbers updated. Should there be any change in your family circumstances, or any problem that may affect your child, please let the school know in writing as soon as possible.

Individual Music lessonsIndividual instrument tuition is available to pupils as they move up through the Prep School. Parents wishing their child to receive private lessons in music are asked to complete the required form (available from the School Office) and return it to Mr Robinson, Head of Music. Occasionally there may be a waiting list. Arrangements for fees and lessons are with the peripatetic teacher and not the school.

We also offer dance classes for pupils during the day and arrangement for these can be made through the dance teacher. Arrangements for fees are with the peripatetic teacher and not the school.

Stationery and equipmentOn Induction Day, pupils are given a list of equipment that will be required for the start of the academic year. For pupils entering the school during the academic year, the form teacher will give the parents a list prior to joining the school. Exercise books are provided by the school.Years 5 and 6 are asked to have a dictionary. Each child should have access to the Holy Bible and a world atlas at home.

School UniformChildren are expected to wear full school uniform at all times and abide by the rules. School uniform must be kept in good condition and replaced where necessary. If there is any reason why this is temporarily not possible, notification in writing is required. Sensible school shoes should be worn. All pupils are requested to wear black shoes, polished at all times and with heels not exceeding 2 cms.Pupils’ hair should be neat and tidy. Boys’ hair should be trimmed neatly, not shaved, and above the eye-brow line; girls with long hair should ensure it is tied back with a navy hair band/hair tie and kept off the face. Similarly, whilst we would not expect Prep School children to wear any jewellery, girls with pierced ears should restrict themselves to plain silver or gold studs, and only one in each ear. Please encourage your child to keep their uniform smart and wear it with pride. Do name everything, including shoes, trainers and sports equipment. Uniform is very expensive and Class Teachers do a name check every term, but some children are very casual about possessions. There are often unnamed articles at the end of term that are never claimed.Please check the PE kit comes home for washing regularly – especially at half term and for the holidays. Articles left at the end of the summer term may be disposed of if not collected. Weather permitting, summer uniform should be worn after the Easter holidays and during the first half of the Autumn Term. New entrants should start the year in winter uniform.

Each term, a ‘Second-hand Uniform Sale’ is held. These are marked on the School Calendar. Please contact the School Office for further details. The appointed stockists for our uniform is Stevensons of St Alban’s www.stevensons.co.uk (020 8892 2201).

Parent Teacher Friends’ AssociationThis is an association that comprises parents and staff. The PTFA gives magnificent support to the school, both in time given and money raised. The Chair can be contacted via the school. Various events take place during the academic year. Please support the various functions and fund-raising events; the money raised provides additional facilities and equipment for your

son(s) and/or daughter(s).We would be delighted if new parents could join the Committee. It is a good way to meet other parents and staff in a social environment.

Class RepresentativesParents also help by becoming Class Reps. They run after-school weekly cake sales every Friday. Money raised is sent to different local charities.

InsuranceSchool fees include a premium for insurance against personal accident; it does not cover loss of personal possessions. The school cannot be responsible for the personal effects of pupils. Parents are advised to cover loss or damage through the all-risks section of their household insurance.

School Lunches Lunches are taken between 12.00 and 1.00pm. We expect lunch to be a social occasion and staff on duty check that children are choosing a healthy meal and eat with good table manners. During the lunch hour, children also enjoy a playtime before returning to the classroom for afternoon registration. Grace is said in the classroom before lunch.

School FeesThe Governing Body determines these annually early in the Summer Term. Fees are payable in advance on the first day of each term. Parents are reminded that a term’s notice is required when a pupil is to be withdrawn from the school.

Trips etc. can be paid for via cheque, cash, online or by bank transfer. On the trip letter that you will receive and are asked to return there will be a facility to indicate how you are making payment. Please email office@altonschool.co.uk with any queries. ComplaintIf you have a complaint please refer to the Complaints Procedures which are available on the Website or from the Headmaster’s PA, Mrs S Pigott, enquiries@altonschool.co.uk.

Policies for ParentsThe Ethos statement and the following school policies can be found on our website. If you wish to have a hard copy please contact the Headmaster’s PA.

• Admissions • Anti-bullying• Child Protection• Safeguarding of children• Complaints Procedure• Confidentiality• Disability Policy and Procedures• Discipline, Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions• Emergency Closure • English as a Second Language Policy and Procedures• Ethos

• First Aid• Health and Safety• Missing Child• Non Collection of child• School Trips and Educational Visits• Special Educational Needs Provision

Health & SafetyIf your son or daughter has an injury or receives medical treatment, such as an operation, that affects their mobility in the school, or affects their ability to function, or dress, completely normally then your son or daughter may not return to school until you have informed the School. This includes describing any special medical aids, footwear, clothing or bandaging and how long such treatment/aid will be necessary. This needs to be a full two way discussion, not a letter or email sent with a returning pupil just stating what has happened. We need to know fully how mobility is affected, and how a pupil will manage the normal day to day routine of a school. As you will appreciate the stairs and corridors are busy when lessons change and safety is paramount. The school will then undertake a risk assessment and together with you, agree on the terms and conditions needed to accept your son or daughter back into school.

Code of Conduct• When people are upset try to help them in the best way you can and inform a teacher. • Be kind and sympathetic.• Always be polite and make people feel welcome. Have good manners, open doors for

others and, of course, remember to say please and thank you.• Make work easier for the duty staff by being well-mannered and thoughtful.• Try hard at all things but always ask for help if you are stuck.• Keep the school clean and tidy and help put things away after being used.• Always respect equipment.• Walk in school and keep to the left of corridors.• Try to be punctual, arriving at school on time and completing work in the set time, including

homework.• Try to keep noise at a sensible level.• If anyone has an accident on the playground tell the nearest teacher on duty.• Try to understand other people’s point of view.• Be aware of children smaller than yourself.• Older children should set an example to the younger children.• Line up quickly and quietly when the whistle blows.

THESE ARE OUR GOLDEN RULES• Be gentle• Be kind and helpful• Listen carefully• Work hard• Look after property

Alton School,Anstey Lane, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2NG

Tel: 01420 82070 Email: enquiries@altonschool.co.ukWebsite: altonschool.co.uk