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Information for
Families

We value our partnership with parents and carers in helping our children to learn, flourish and achieve.

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Latest News

Our newsletters contain the latest school updates and messages as well as an updated list of school events.

Newsletter 13th September

Newsletter 27th September

Newsletter 11th October

Newsletter 25th October

Newsletter 15th November

Term Dates

As a maintained school, we adopt the term dates of BCP Local Authority which are detailed on their website.

Please also see the latest school newsletter for INSET (staff training) dates and details of other school events.

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Attendance

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It is essential that our pupils form good habits of regular attendance at school from an early age and that excellent attendance is maintained throughout their school career. When a child attends school on a regular basis, they take an important step towards reaching their full potential, and are given the greatest opportunity to learn new things and develop their skills. The more time a child spends around other children, whether in the classroom or as part of a school team or club, the more chance they have of making friends and feeling included, boosting social skills, confidence and self-esteem.

Arriving at school on time is also an essential routine that needs to be established. Children who are regularly late miss certain essential parts of the school day such as settling down to get ready to learn, early morning learning tasks, reading, grammar, phonics and arithmetic, as well as an explanation of the day ahead. Children who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will be marked as late. Anyone arriving after 9:15 a.m. will be marked absent for the morning session.

As a school, we are bound by statutory guidance to robustly monitor attendance and identify barriers that might prevent regular attendance for pupils. This will mean that over the year you may receive communication from us regarding your child’s attendance.

  • General reminders about attendance and holidays in our school newsletters

  • Attendance summary reports each term

  • Generic emails to alert you if your child’s attendance drops below 95%, 90%

  • Phone calls from staff to discuss your child’s attendance

  • Invites for face-to-face meeting to discuss attendance; barriers; strategies; support

​All of the above steps are meant with the best intentions and have your child’s best interests at heart. One of the benefits of a small primary school setting is that we are able to have face-to-face conversations with parents about attendance. We hope to continue having healthy, positive conversations to help support regular attendance.

Here are some other ways we can work together:

  • Leave of absence requests are not authorised during term time. Please check our school term dates before booking holidays. Headteachers are only allowed to grant leave of absence from school in exceptional circumstances.  The decision as to whether any request is considered as ‘exceptional circumstances’ rests solely with the Headteacher. The fundamental principles for defining ‘exceptional’ are rare, significant, unavoidable and short. ‘Unavoidable’ should be taken to mean an event that could not reasonably be scheduled at another time. Any request should be made prior to the leave of absence and should be submitted to the school using the Request for Leave of Absence Form. Parents / carers may be asked to provide additional information / evidence or meet with the school to discuss the circumstances. Parents / carers will be notified of the Headteacher’s decision at the earliest opportunity. If the circumstances are not considered to be exceptional, parents / carers will be informed of this and made aware that the Local Authority may be asked to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice. A Fixed Penalty Notice can be issued to each parent/carer liable for the offence regarding each of their children. Further information is available on the BCP Council attendance webpage.

  • Only keep your child at home if they are too unwell to attend, have been sick (48 hour rule), have an illness that is highly contagious or have a temperature. The NHS has produced guidance on whether time off is required for particular illnesses.

  • If your child is on antibiotics or medicines, they may still be able to be in school. Please speak to a member of the school office team. 

  • Contact school before 8:45 a.m on the first morning of absence by using the office email (office@prioryceprimary.co.uk) or leaving a voicemail (01202 484105).

  • Keep school informed on a regular basis if your child is absent for a long period.

  • Send medical evidence where necessary.

  • Speak to our Pastoral Lead (Miss Field)/ELSA (Mrs Poulter) if your child is a reluctant attender; we will be able to put in positive strategies to support attendance.

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Home Learning

Additional practice on core skills has been shown to develop children's fluency and confidence with a range of skills, including reading fluency, spelling competence and mathematical fluency.

Home learning is set by the teacher each week on Google Classroom / via the child's Home Learning Journal. Information on how to use Google Classroom is available here, or please speak to your child's class teacher.

Children also have access to a number of online practice resources to help them build fluency and confidence:

  • Times Table Rockstars (TTRS): Multiplication tables fluency.

  • Numbots: Addition and subtraction fluency.

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School Meals

The school meals at The Priory School are cooked on the school site in the school kitchen and there is a choice of hot meals provided every day.

The contract for school meals is currently with Hampshire County Council Education Catering. Further details of the meals provided can be found on their website. They can also cater for special diets where the child is registered for this. Information on this is available here.

Meals must be ordered and paid for in advance via Scopay.

All children in the Infants (YR, Y1 and Y2) receive a hot school dinner free of charge. These still need to be ordered in advance.

Alternatively, children can bring a healthy packed lunch. All children eat their lunch in the school hall, and a drink of water is always available. Children must not bring products containing nuts into school.

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The School Day

08:35 School Gate Opens

08:45 Registration / School Gate Closes

08:45 Lesson Time

10:30 Break Time

10:45 Lesson Time

12:00 Lunch

13:00 Lesson Time

14:50 Worship

15:10 School Gate Opens

15:15 End of School Day

This daily routine totals 6.5 hours per day or 32.5 hours per week.

Pupils arriving after registration will be classed as late, with pupils arriving after 09:10 being classed as having an unauthorised absence.

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Uniform

Our uniform list details the items your child will need to wear to school.

 

The school's uniform supplier is QDOS, and Priory uniform is available from them.

Children eligible for the Pupil Premium grant are entitled to a £40 clothing grant which may be redeemed at QDOS. Please contact the school office for further information on this.

Our FPS team have started running a pre-loved uniform shop and all proceeds are donated to the school. If you require second hand uniform, then please either speak directly to Mrs Rayner or Mrs Ponsford on the school gate or via the Facebook page ’The Priory School FPS School Uniform Shop’. A new drop-off and collection area for pre-loved uniform has been set up in the reception area.

All clothing and personal belongings should be clearly marked with the child's name.

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Extra-Curricular Activities

At the Priory School we encourage participation in extra curricular activities to enrich the curriculum and children’s learning as part of their 'bucketful of experiences'.

Information on the school's extra-curricular activities, as well as costings and guidance on how to book, is emailed out to parents each term.

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Arbor

Many of our school systems are managed through Arbor. Parents / carers can access the Arbor Parent Portal via their website.

There is plenty of information on how to access and use the Arbor Parent Portal available in their help guide.

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