Other Key Notes
A collection of key reference notes, regarding your polices and aspects relating to your child’s day-to-day life at Chapelfield. If your child has just started at Chapelfield, please take the time to familiarise yourself with this information.
You can use the contents table below to jump between the different notes:
| Charging |
| Children’s Property |
| Collective Worship |
| Communication With Parents |
| Complaints |
| Health and Safety |
| Homework |
| Incentives and Reward Schemes |
| Medicine and Medical Needs |
| School Meals |
| Sex Education |
Charging
The Governors reserve the right under the Education Reform Act 1988 to seek voluntary contributions for the benefit of the school or in support of any activity predominantly during school hours, residential or non-residential. Such contributions will be genuinely voluntary. No registered child of the school will be treated differently whether or not that child’s parent/carer is prepared to make a contribution in response to such a request e.g. for educational visits.
For more information please see our ‘Charges and Remissions Policy’ on the School Policies page.
Children’s Property
School cannot accept responsibility for any personal items lost or damaged on the school premises. Please ensure that you are covered on your own personal insurance policies for such items and please ensure all items are clearly labelled, and re-labelled after a period of time where necessary.
Collective Worship
Chapelfield School has no particular affiliation to any religious denomination, but in accordance with the 1944 Education Act, Education Act 1986 and the Education Reform Act (1988), follows the broad fonts outlines of the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. Each day there is a collective Act of Worship arranged and conducted by a member of staff or a group of children. The traditional religious festivals are celebrated as and when they occur. The ‘School Assembly’ is considered to be a very important focal point of the life of the school as a community.
Parents/carers have the right to withdraw their child from collective worship but are strongly encouraged to discuss any concerns they may have with the Headteacher first.
Communication with Parents
A close relationship with parents/carers is crucial if we are to continue to raise standards of achievement and this is reflected in our School Aims. Parents have been appreciative of the communication they receive from us and we always want to hear from parents where they have concerns.
All parents/carers are invited to monthly Parent Forums which take place on last Fridays in the month from 9.00 – 10.15am. These give parents/carers the opportunity to discuss informally with the Headteacher general school issues. The minutes of these meetings are displayed on the Noticeboard in the main corridor and the external Noticeboard. New ideas and suggestions are particularly welcomed and in this way parents/carers have real influence in the direction of school policy. The meetings have agendas which reflect matters of topical parental interest.
At recent meetings we have discussed:
- The cost of school visits and trips
- Benefits for which parents may qualify
- Safety on the internet
- Our Drugs Education Policy
- Our Anti-Bullying Policy
Questionnaires are also used to determine parental views and action is taken by the school to address any issues causing concern. Written consultation also takes place in relation to important policies such as Sex Education and Behaviour.
Newsletters and text messages are sent to parents/carers on a regular basis and give a variety of information on how parents can be involved in the daily life of the school and of school events.
We are eager for parents/carers to help in classes, through hearing children read, helping small groups of children, assisting with trips etc. In particular we are anxious that any parent with any specific skill, knowledge or trade makes this known to us in order that we can make full use of their talents for the benefit of all our children! We will need to organise a CRB check for all regular volunteers in the school but we hope this doesn’t “put you off!”
Parents/carers can aid the progress of their child by taking a keen interest in their child’s learning at school. Parents/carers receive summaries of plans from their child’s class teacher on the learning to be undertaken each term and within these, details of how they can help their child with the learning. “Meet the Teacher” meetings are held at the beginning of the school year to enable the teacher to set out his/her expectations and for parents to ask any questions about the year ahead.
There is a Home/School Charter which we ask new parents/carers and children to sign. This Charter summarises the rights and responsibilities of school and home and how, by working together, we can enable children to become better learners and keep them safe.
Most importantly, parents/carers need to feel confident about approaching the school with any matter that is giving cause for concern and this should be done immediately if it involves the welfare of their child. We are here to listen and we do our best to ensure the happiness of every child in the school.
Complaints
We take parental concerns seriously at Chapelfield and aim to resolve them quickly and efficiently before they become serious issues. We ask therefore, that parents/carers let us know immediately of concerns they have to enable us to address them in this way.
There is a formal Complaints Policy however, which is displayed on the Noticeboard in the main corridor and which provides a summary of the stages in the complaints procedure.
Health and Safety
The school views the health and safety of its pupils to be of paramount importance. Regular safety checks are made in the buildings and grounds. If there is an accident in school, details are recorded and parents are contacted, therefore we need accurate and up-to-date contact information from parents.
Jewellery
Children are not allowed to wear items of jewellery at school. School cannot be held responsible for these items or any accidents that these items may incur. The school strongly discourages ear-piercing. If your child does have their ear pierced, ear-studs may only be worn for the first six weeks after piercing and these must be worn flat to the ear and removed – or covered by a plaster – for P.E.
PE kit
For reasons of hygiene as well as safety we require all children to change into full P.E. kit for P.E. lessons. We ask parents/carers to ensure their child has his/her P.E. kit in school at all times during the term.
Parking and Crossing
We respectfully request that parents/carers do not park or stop their cars in Clough Street or Andrew Close when dropping off or picking up their child. This practice is extremely dangerous for our children. All new parents/carers are asked to sign an undertaking not to park in these areas.
There is a School Crossing Patrol on Stand Lane at the start and end of each school day. Parents/carers and visitors are asked not to bring dogs, other than guide dogs, on to the school site.
We are Smoke-free
The school is a “Smoke Free” environment with a no smoking requirement throughout the school and its grounds.
Regular Risk Assessments
The Governing Body have adopted the Bury Education Authority Health and Safety Policy, which is incorporated into the school’s own Policy. This includes requirements for regular risk assessments in school and safety procedures for Educational Visits.
Homework
We have a Homework Policy which was drafted following extensive consultation with parents/carers and we continue to respond to parent/carers comments regarding homework. At our “Meet The Teacher” meetings at the start of the new school year in September, class teachers give out information which indicates when and what type of homework is to be given and when it should be handed in.
This varies from class to class but in Reception classes, reading activities are the main focus of expected learning at home. As a child moves through the school expectations regarding the amount and type of homework increase progressively. At Chapelfield we aim to ensure that homework given is connected to the learning going on in class at any particular time. Some homework is actually used to start off a lesson in school.
Homework which involves independent learning is given half termly or termly (to classes from Y1 upwards) and this consists of a number of tasks. This homework has to be handed in on a specified date. The tasks, and date to be handed in, are posted on the Kids Space section of the website.
We stress to all parents/carers the crucial role they play in the success of their child’s learning. Ensuring that they support their children in their homework by letting us know how their child coped with the homework is extremely important eg. by writing a note on the homework. In this way homework becomes an invaluable part of every day learning in school and we can “tailor” the homework to the child’s needs and abilities.
Incentives and Reward Schemes
We have many ways of rewarding both good behaviour and the upholding of our School Values. These are listed in the Behaviour Policy. Many of these rewards are given in Friday afternoon Celebration Assemblies. If your child is receiving an award you will receive a text message inviting you to attend!
Medicine and Medical Needs
We prefer not to administer medicines in school as staff are not medically trained to treat the children. However, we do recognise that there are some cases where children do require medication during school time and we do our best to meet this need.
Short Term Medical Needs
Where it is necessary for a pupil to take a prescribed medicine please request that the dose frequency is prescribed 3 times a day, rather than 4 times a day so that the pupil need not take the medication whilst at school. The medicine can then be taken before school, after school and at bedtime.
If it is essential for a child to receive medication it must be clearly labelled, brought to the school office by the parent of the child and a parent consent form must be completed in person (please see overleaf). The form to complete if this is the case can be found on page 23.
We cannot accept responsibility for any adverse consequences as a result of administering medicines, which we undertake in good faith.
Please note that non-prescription medicines cannot be administered in school.
Long Term Medical Needs
To ensure that each child with long term medical needs receives the appropriate support in school a written Health Care Plan will be drawn up in conjunction with parents, GP and the Local Authority’s advisory teacher for pupils with medical conditions. In keeping with the 2007 Disabilities Discrimination Act, we will do all we can to help meet the needs of children in such circumstances.
Asthma
If a child requires permanent access to medication, a Health Care Plan will be completed. Parents of asthma sufferers who require occasional medication will follow the guidelines for short-term medical needs. In both cases, rapid access to medication will be made available. All inhalers and equipment must be up to date and clearly labelled with the child’s name.
Parents are asked to ensure the school has up-to-date information about a child’s asthma needs and are advised to visit their doctor regularly to ensure their child’s asthma needs are being fully met. This is especially important as an increasing number of children are now suffering from asthma.
First Aid
All injuries to children are dealt with by staff who are qualified First Aiders, these being:
- Mrs D Macdonald (Deputy Head Teacher)
- Mr D Calderbank(Teaching Assistant)
- Mrs. Gibaut (Nursery Teacher)
- Mrs S Seddon (Teaching Assistant)
- Mrs. T McLeod (Teaching Assistant
All injuries are recorded in the Accident Book. Parents are immediately contacted if a child needs urgent medical treatment or to be taken home.
Children with minor complaints take home an incident notification form at the end of the school day. Parents are always notified of knocks to the head (where we know this has happened) so they can check for any ill-effects at home.
School Meals
Further details can be found here: bury.gov.uk
Nutrition
School meals now conform to strict nutritional guidelines and there is a varied menu, with occasional themed days, eg. in celebration of the World Cup or to promote our focus on Fair Trade products. Special provision is made for children who are vegetarian or who require a special diet.
Children choose their lunch from 3 options when they enter school in the morning, telling their teacher or teaching assistant their meal choice. Children arriving late may not be able to choose a dinner and will need to choose at the lunch counter.
Payment
All children in Years Reception to Year 2 are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal.
£2.50 for the 2023/24 school year.
Payment for school meals is made on the first day of the school week. All dinner money should be sent in a sealed envelope clearly marked with:
- the child’s name
- the child’s class
- the amount enclosed
Parents who think their children may be entitled to free meals should contact the Social Services Department or the Education Office (tel. no. 253 5652)
Sex Education
Sex Education is part of our Health Education programme, which includes Personal Safety and icons Drugs Education, all of which aim to provide our children with enough information to make decisions which will keep themselves healthy and safe. Children and parents have played a part in deciding what we cover in this crucial area of learning.
Sex Education is taught in the context of relationships. Topics and themes will continue from year to year in greater depth. Changes at puberty are taught in Year 5, following consultation with parents, and the contribution of the School Nurse is utilised in the delivery of these sessions.
A copy of the school’s Policy and Programmes of Study are available to parents/carers on request. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from Sex Education classes and should put their request in writing if they wish to exercise this right.
This can be a sensitive area for parents to talk to their children about but they can help their child by answering any questions honestly and speaking to school, or the School Nurse, if they need any guidance.