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School Brochure

A staff member will be in the junior playground from 8.45am daily. The Junior and Infant entrances will be open from 8.45am each morning and the children are encouraged to come into school independently and place their bags and coats in their lockers. If you need to speak with a member of staff, please mention it to the staff on the door as they can pass a message on to the teacher in question. These measures are in place as part of Safeguarding and create a calm environment for the children to begin their day.

Children should not be left at school before this time unless they are attending breakfast club and have been handed over to staff.

SCHOOL DINNERS

There is a system in place at school, ’Schoolgateway’, where parents and carers can pay for and choose their children’s meals in the comfort of their home. If, however, you do not have access to the internet, please speak to us and we can assist you with ordering. Currently, children in Reception Class, Year 1 and 2 receive ‘Free School Meals,’ which still need to be booked.  There is support for free school meals for low-income families.  Please email admin@stcolumbas.cumbria.sch.uk. for further information.

St Columba’s Breakfast Club.

Monday to Friday 07.45am – 08.45am.

This is a paid-for club, £3.50 per session.

Children have a healthy breakfast and then take part in various activities run by school staff.

This can be booked via the 'SchoolGateway' App, under 'Items'.

The deadline for booking is three days prior.  Emergency bookings, please contact the school office.

Afterschool Care

’Tea-time Club’ for children from 3:20pm – 5:30pm daily.

This club is run by our own staff. The children play games, have snacks and lots of fun. It is open to all children from nursery to Year 6.    

This club is booked via the 'SchoolGateway' App, under ‘Items’.  The deadline for booking is three days prior.  Emergency bookings, please contact the school office.

The cost of this is

£6.50 per full session 3:20pm - 5:30pm

£4.00 for half session from 3:20pm – 4:30pm

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Religious Education is not simply a subject we teach and offer our pupils; it is integrated into the whole life of our school and into all aspects of the Curriculum.  The scheme for RE, ‘The Way, the Truth, the Life, is used throughout the school. We try to help children deepen their faith and to live and share it with their peers and to participate more actively in the life of the Church.  We endeavour to work in close partnership with parents and the parish.  The children are encouraged to know and love Jesus through prayer and reflection as well as through their knowledge of him in the scriptures.  The school has a policy for collective worship and worship activities take many different forms throughout the school day.  Parents do have the right to withdraw their children from curriculum RE and timetabled worship.  This is normally discussed before enrolment.

School Admissions

Any parent wishing to visit the school or to discuss their child's admission is welcome to make an appointment for a visit or call the office – Telephone (01229) 471522.

PARENTS' CONSULTATION

Parents are welcome to contact the school at any time; the school telephone number is (01229) 471522.  You will receive letters/Class Dojo messages informing you of the termly programme and relevant information concerning parents' meetings, sports, trips, concerts.

We would like you to keep closely in touch with the school to learn about your child's progress and to discuss how you and the teacher may best help your child.

Open Evenings are held each term so that parents and teachers can meet to discuss children’s progress.  You will receive a written report each term too.

Meetings are also held on a class basis so that parents can come and listen to how the curriculum is presented in that particular age group. These take place for all classes to aid transition.  Other meetings are held to outline specific curriculum items when needed.

ABSENCES

If your child has been absent or needs to be absent, you are asked to send a note or telephone the school office as soon as possible. If you fail to do this, your child will be marked as an 'unauthorised absentee'.  An 'unauthorised absence' means an occasion on which a pupil is recorded as absent without authority pursuant to the Pupil's Registration Regulations 1956".

It is the school’s policy that if a child is absent and the parents have not informed us of this, we will contact them on the first day of absence. Children’s absences will be monitored, and parents will be asked to attend meetings if it falls below 95%.

PUNCTUALITY

Please ensure your child is punctual for school unless there is a valid reason.  Being even 10 minutes late can have a serious effect on the child’s learning.

ATTENDANCE

A new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence, is being introduced following changes to the law.  These new Government regulations will come into effect from 19th August 2024, and will affect when penalty notices are issued in Westmorland and Furness. 

What are the changes? 

  1. There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.
  2. The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week's holiday without a penalty notice being issued.
  3. There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days.  If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 21 days of being issued.
  4. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.
  5. If a parent then commits a third offence in  a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them.  

EQUALITY

This Single Equality Scheme is intended to respond to the teachings of Jesus as well as be in line with the Equality Act 2010.  All decisions in school are evaluated in line with all groups to check there is no discrimination.          

This goes beyond the school’s statutory duties to promote race, gender, disability equality and community cohesion and extends to the legislation protecting against discrimination on the grounds of age, sexuality and religion or belief. Race, gender, disability, sexuality, age, and religion/belief are known as the six equality strands.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the enforcement body for equalities legislation and can serve the school with a Compliance Notice if it fails in its duties under the Acts.

 

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