The school day begins

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The school doors open at 8.20am, and registers are taken at 8.30.  Families and children can wait in the yard until the doors open, with children in the infant classes who arrive early needing to be supervised.  The yard is busy at this time so please do not allow children to play football or running around games.  In wet weather teachers will open the doors early.  The first ten minutes is a valuable time to settle in, so please aim to arrive at 8.20.

 

Punctuality

Children who arrive after 8.30am have to be marked down as late in the register.  We understand if children are occasionally late due to heavy traffic etc, but would encourage you to make every effort to be punctual so that your child’s learning is not affected.  We will let you know if punctuality is becoming a problem for your child.

 

If pupils are late on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday morning they should report to the foyer in the lower building, sign the late sheet and wait in the foyer.  We need to have a record of the time that your child has arrived if they are marked late in the register, so it is very important that this book is signed.  If there is someone on duty in the office they will supervise them until morning prayers have finished and then dismiss them to their classrooms.  If there is no one in the office please stay and supervise them until 9.00am.  This is necessary because their class will have gone to prayers and we don’t want any children to be unsupervised in classrooms.

 

On a Tuesday or Friday pupils who are late should sign the late sheet and then go straight to their classroom for tutor time (Tuesday) or to their lessons (Fridays).

 

Absence

If a pupil is unable to attend school please let the school know by 9.00am. Please email or phone the school office with the information. If there is no reply in the office then please email.  You can also contact individual teachers using their school email addresses but please don’t phone or text them on personal numbers. It is a legal requirement to record absence as either authorised or unauthorised. If the information is not received by 9.00am then pupils will be marked as an unauthorised absence. This cannot later be changed.

 

If a pupil needs to leave school during the day, they or their parent must sign them out in the sign out book in the foyer, and then sign them in again on their return.

 

Prayers

Prayers is our time of communal worship and is a wonderful blessing to be able to share the gospel, sing and pray together.  We have whole school prayers on Monday and Friday (the Reception class just join the whole school on a Friday and have a separate prayers on Monday), and as primary and senior departments on Wednesday and Thursday.  These are led by staff or parents.  We would encourage you to consider if you would like to lead a prayers either regularly or occasionally, as it is a real blessing.  If you are interested then please speak to a member of staff.  We have prayers between 8.35-9.00 Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and at 11.45 Friday.  At Friday prayers we also celebrate the children’s ‘good work’.

 

Morning Break

Morning break is between 10.30 and 10.45am (Friday 10.00 –10.15am), and is outside, so please send suitable clothing for the weather.  If it is wet play, then children will do appropriately aged activities in their classrooms where they will be supervised by staff.  The pupils can have a snack at this time - Reception to Y3 pupils have a snack tray where they can put labelled snacks when they arrive at school.  Pupils should use the toilets during this time.

 

The top yard is for Reception – Y3 pupils, with equipment and toys available.  The lower yard is for Junior and Senior pupils, where they can play ball games (except Wednesday lunch times).  All children can play on the middle playground, and it is a lovely feature of our school that all ages can play together, with older children learning to care for, support and be a good example to younger children. 

 

Lunchtime

Each class eats in their own classroom under the supervision of their class teacher.  There is no provision for the heating of food. Children have access to water throughout the day if they need to refill their water bottle (we have a water only policy).  Meal times are a calm and relaxed time where we chat and eat together, and children help to clean the classroom before they go outside to play at 12.30 (12.45 for GCSE). 

 

At lunchtime the primary department play on the yards outside.  The infant and junior classes both have the opportunity at this time to access the lower yard so that they can play ball games.  The senior children have their break time on the Ponderosa supervised by staff.  On Wednesday all of the children have their break on the yard supervised by the parent playground team, and ball games are not allowed at this busy time.

 

Wednesday Lunchtime

On a Wednesday lunch time parents need to be in school by 12.30 please.  You are very welcome to have your lunch in the staff / parents room, and additional seating is available in the junior classroom if it becomes too crowded.  Parents responsible for the lunch duty should be in the playground by 12.25pm at the latest.  Children will have playtime on the yard supervised by the parent playground team.  Please do not pick up your child during this time, and keep gates closed for the children’s safety.  At 12.55 the whistle will blow and the children will line up in the playground.  They will be dismissed into their classrooms to collect belongings.  Parents of children from Reception – Year 3 can collect their children from their classroom door, and junior and senior children will wait for you in the lower playground. 

 

More information about the running of Family Afternoon can be found on the Bethany School Family Afternoon Guide for Parents. 

 

After school

The school day ends at 2.30.  Children from Reception – Y3 are dismissed to parents from the classroom door.  After 2:30pm (12.15 pm Friday) the school cannot take responsibility for pupils, but in an emergency or by prior arrangement we would be happy to help. If unusual arrangements have been made for pupils then please let the class teacher know.  If a younger pupil is not collected on time they will be able to sit in the Junior Classroom (next to the school office) where they will be supervised until their parents arrive.

 

Older pupils who need to wait for their parents can wait in the yard.  If pupils go home on their own please encourage them to leave promptly and be considerate to our neighbours.  Football is not allowed after school as it is a busy time.

 

Homework

Each teacher may set homework.  This is an opportunity for children to consolidate what they have learned in school and become more independent in their learning.  We will try to ensure that homework does not dominate out of school time. The shorter school day should provide time for family activities and homework.  A homework timetable will be produced for each class.

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