Communication with Parents/Carers
"The majority of parents say that the school makes sure that their children are happy, safe and secure."
Ofsted June 2016.
At St Mary's we are committed to ensuring that the communication between parents/carers and the school is good. We use a variety of methods to send information home and we welcome the feedback, questions and queries that are sent back to us in school. In this way, we hope to build a strong partnership with parents/carers, which benefits their child's learning.
Below are just some of the ways that we build this partnership throughout the year:
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Our school website includes much of the day to day information that parents/carers will require throughout the year. Letters, news and diary dates will be regularly updated on the website.
YEAR 6 CLASS MEETING
Year 6 parents/carers are invited to attend a special meeting in the classroom in September, which runs through some of the key events and procedures of the important Year 6-7 transition year.
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE CLASS PHONICS, MATHS AND WRITING MEETINGS
Early Years Foundation Stage parents/carers are invited to come into school in September/October to hear about the way that we teach these aspects at the school. The first meeting is usually followed by refreshments with the Paddlers Parents Teachers and Friends Association.
AUTUMN AND SPRING LEARNING CONFERENCES
These take place in October and February. They provide an opportunity for the children to attend individual meetings with their parents/carers and their teachers. Parents/carers have a chance to see the child's work, discuss their learning and communicate with the teacher, so that every child makes the most of their time at school.
JANUARY AND APRIL DROP-INS
At these times parents/carers may come back into school with their child at the end of the day, to have a look at their books and work on display in the classroom. These are informal sessions and no appointments are necessary.
SUMMER CELEBRATION AFTERNOON
The school is opened up for parents/carers to visit the classes and celebrate the children’s learning through the year.
KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH TEACHERS
We greatly value the positive relationships and good communication that we have with parents/carers on a day to day basis. We don’t expect parents/carers to wait for a whole term for each opportunity to meet the teacher! If there is brief information to share or there are quick queries, it is usually possible to speak to the teacher in the morning. If possible, it is normally better to speak to the teacher after school, as they don’t have to rush off to class and they can give a little more time. If parents/carers need a longer meeting, staff will make an appointment as soon as they possibly can. Parents/carers should not worry if they are not able to make it to the school, as they may telephone the office and a message will be passed to the teacher, who will call back as soon as possible. It is always best to initially contact class teachers about any worries, as they are the people who work most closely with the children.
CONTACTING THE HEADTEACHER
It is important that initial queries go directly to the member of staff concerned, as they are normally in the best position to answer individual questions. However, if a query is about wider school matters, or a problem persists, then the Headteacher would be pleased to help. Parents/carers should contact the school office and they will pass the message on. Parents/carers will usually be asked to indicate what the query is concerning, so that the matter can be dealt with more efficiently. The Headteacher will respond as soon as possible.
LETTERS AND TEXTS
We send most letters by email, as this means that there is no danger of them being forgotten or lost on the way home. Please make sure that we have the correct email address for you and let us know if you think you have missed a communication, so that we can investigate. We do also send home some paper documents, so it is important to check carefully in the book bag each day.
We will also send texts quite often, with little updates and reminders, so it is important for parents/carers to make sure that we have the correct mobile phone number for them.
"The school works very effectively with families and meets the needs of individual pupils wherever they can." Statutory Church School Inspection February 2015.