Communication
Communications at St Peter’s
At St Peter’s Anglican Methodist Primary School, we believe that it is important to work in partnership with parents/carers and that clear communication between school and parents/carers is important to help children benefit as much as possible from their time in school. We encourage parents/carers to play an active part in their child’s education and welcome discussion with parents/carers on all aspects of their child’s education, their personal and social development and care and welfare.
We communicate with parents/carers in a variety of ways as described below. We have also set out how we would like parents/carers to communicate with us to ensure the quickest possible response.
Visiting School
Parents/carers are always welcome at school.
If you wish to speak with your child’s class teacher personally please do this at the end of the day. Class teachers and school leaders can be available to meet parents/carers, by appointment, at the beginning and end of school days to discuss more sensitive concerns. A member of the Senior Leadership Team is also present at the gate into the playground at the beginning of most days for you to talk to.
If you are visiting school to attend a meeting, one of our school office staff members will ask you to sign into the school visitors book and read our visitors information and will then provide you with a lanyard which we kindly ask you to wear when in school.
We aim to be a paperless school (where possible) and recommend that you communicate with us via email office@stpetersprimary.co.uk. Your message will be checked during school hours and will be sent on to the relevant member of staff to deal with. Please remember that class teachers do not often have access to their email accounts during the school day. If the issue is urgent please call the school and speak with a member of the office staff.
Contacting School by Telephone
If you need to pass on a more sensitive or urgent message (i.e. change of pick up arrangements for the end of the day) please call the main school number 01454 631137. The school office is open from 8.30am – 3.30pm, Monday – Friday.
If you have an urgent enquiry that can’t be discussed with your child’s teacher or you have a safeguarding concern, please contact a member of the office staff and ask to speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
The members of the Senior Leadership Team are:
- Paul Smith, Executive Headteacher
- Nic Baykaa-Murray, Head of School
- Sarah McKenzie, SENCO
- Clare Trayler, School Business Manager
- Liz Cannock, Senior Teacher
Arbor App Messages
We use the Arbor App messaging system to contact parents/carers with things such as reminders about school events and changes to information already provided etc. We urge ALL parents to download the Arbor App and turn on the notifications to ensure important information is not missed. Please help us by making sure that we always have your correct email address. If your details change, you can update them in the Arbor parent portal yourself or by notifying the office.
Text Messages
We have the capacity to use a text messaging service to contact parents/carers with any urgent information – for example; if it is necessary to close the school in an emergency. Please help us by making sure that we always have your correct mobile telephone number. If your details change, you can update them in the Arbor parent portal yourself or by notifying the office. Please note this service has a high cost to the school and will only be used in urgent/emergency situations.
Newsletters
The Headteacher writes a newsletter each fortnight which is circulated to parents by email and is published on the school website to download. This provides general information for parents/carers in addition to items of news and events. We urge all parents/carers to ensure they read the newsletters and make note of the important dates/information contained in it.
Website
The school website www.stpetersprimary.co.uk is a useful tool in finding out information about our school. Information such as newsletters, school policies, information on admissions, holiday dates and termly events, SEND information reports and other useful information can be found on the school website.
In addition, the website has a useful calendar at the bottom of the home page with details of key events.
Each class has its own page containing a vast amount of information.
School Letters
During the year we will write to you with information about activities that will involve your child – these could be educational visits, sporting activities or special events in school. The majority of the time, these letters will be sent by email, however if a permission slip etc is required to be returned to school it will be distributed to the children to take home.
Autumn Term ‘Meet the Teacher’ Sessions
At the beginning of each school year we will hold a short Meet the Teacher meeting at the end of the school day for each class. This provides an opportunity to meet your child’s new class teacher early in the school year as well as provide you with some information and routines for the year ahead.
Parents Evenings
Parents evenings take place in both the Autumn and Spring terms. This provides an opportunity to meet your child’s class teacher for a 10 minute appointment to discuss their progress and see their books. Notification of the dates for parents’ evenings will be sent by email and appointments can be made through Arbor. Arrangements for an online meeting can be made if you are unable to make it into school.
Annual Report
Towards the end of the Summer term your will receive a written report for your child from the class teacher. This will detail their progress during the year and their targets. Results of any statutory tests (for relevant year groups only) and an annual attendance certificate will also be included.
For Parents/Carers of Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
SENCO Times
Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) is Miss McKenzie. If any parent has a concern regarding their child’s needs or feels that they would benefit from speaking to Miss McKenzie, please speak with your child’s class teacher in the first instance. Miss McKenzie works Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Children with Identified SEND Needs
For parents/carers of children who are listed on our SEND register, these parents/carers will be invited into school to discuss the children’s targets which will be recorded on a SEND support plan called a Pupil Passport.
Children with Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs)
For children who have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP), parents will be invited into school each term for an interim review. This is where the long term plan for your child’s needs shall be discussed and reviewed. Furthermore, an annual review meeting will take place annually to discuss your child’s progress, health and well-being and agree targets for their educational, social and emotional development.
Contacting Staff Outside of School
We welcome discussion with parents/carers on all aspects of their child’s education, and personal and social development. It is the school’s policy that these discussions must take place on the school premises or in other professional settings. This enables us to have the right information available to discuss your child’s needs.
Please note that discussions or contact with staff must not take place via any unofficial channels. Please do not contact staff outside of their professional role or by personal communication such as their private email addresses, personal telephone numbers or via social media such as Facebook or Twitter. Staff should not be contacted outside of working hours.