Walking to School

As part of a healthier and more environmentally friendly approach, we encourage children to walk to school wherever possible.  Children should be accompanied by a responsible person where applicable, and we encourage all persons to wear high visibility clothing, especially in the winter months.  There are two pedestrian entrances to the Infant school and three pedestrian entrances to the Junior school. 

Driving to School

Parking is difficult as the car park is for staff and visitors only.  Private cars are not allowed into the school grounds to deliver or collect children at the beginning or end of the school day.  The main gates remain closed during lesson time.  The surrounding roads can get very congested at times, so please park with consideration for other road users and local residents and park in the market square.  Please note that during school hours there is a 20mph speed limit immediately outside the school.

Rothwell Infant School

At the Infant School the gates will open at 08.45. Pupils in Nursery will use the path on the lehand side and enter at the gate to the Nursery setting. Reception children will enter through the side brown gate and walk up to their classrooms. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 can enter via the front entrance. The doors/gates will be closed at 08.55. 

Rothwell Junior School

At the Junior School the gates will open at 08.40.  Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 will enter via their classroom doors.  Children in Year 3 will enter via the white double doors near the Gladstone Street gate. The doors/gates will be closed at 08.50.  Morning tasks begin at 08.45.  For the safety of the children we would be grateful if parents could ensure their children do not arrive earlier than 8.40am as the school cannot take responsibility for pupils who arrive before this time.  Only children in Years 5 and 6 are permitted to walk to school on their own.

Total Time

The total time that the school day offers for a typical week is 32.5 hours.

Rothwell Infant School

At the Infant School the gates will open at 15.10 children will leave at 15.15. Reception children will leave via their outside area. Year 1, Woodpecker and Owl classes will leave via the front door and Hummingbird and Robin classes will leave via the Hummingbird classroom door which is located near the Reception outdoor area.  Year 2 Kingfisher and Chaffinch class will leave at 15.15 via the front door and Magpie and Parrot class will leave via the side door.  Parents of Infant school children should wait on the school playground at home time in front of the appropriate entrance.  Children will be handed over to parents/carers once you have been identified in the playground.  Main school Children must be collected by an adult or somebody that is over the age of 16.  Nursery children will finish their sessions at 11.45 and 15.30. Nursery children must be collected by somebody that is 18 years or older. These must be identified on our annual permissions form.

Rothwell Junior School

At the Junior School the gates will open at 15.15 and children will leave at 15.20. Children will walk onto the playground from their year groups with class teachers. Children in years 3 and 4 will only be able to go once we have seen you or another person aged 14 or over, who you have named on our collection arrangement form. Children in years 5 and 6 can walk home if you are happy for them to do so, we will require written confirmation from you for them to be able to do this.

Year 3 children will come out on to the Year 3 side of the playground near the Victorian part of the building.  All other year groups will exit on to the main playground. 

Total Time

The total time that the school day offers for a typical week is 32.5 hours.

Mid-Morning Break

Infant School

We participate in the government free school fruit and vegetable scheme and all children in school receive either a piece of fruit or a vegetable each day. In the Early Years foundation stage (Nursery and Reception) this is supplemented with additional food and drink, which has often been cooked by the children themselves.  NO NUTS are allowed in school.  Children should bring a named water filled bottle to school with them every day.

Junior School

Key Stage 2 children may bring in a healthy snack to eat at morning break.  This should be either fruit, dried fruit, vegetables or cheese.  NO NUTS are allowed in school. Children should bring a named water filled bottle to school with them every day.

Lunches

Our lunch provider is currently ABM.  They will provide a hot or packed lunch each day free of charge for all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 under the government’s Universal Infant Free School Meal scheme.  All parents need to do is select from a menu that is changed on a regular basis.  The same meal choices are also available to children in Years 3-6 at a cost of £2.40 per day.  Menus are available to order a week or longer in advance, bookings and payments should be made via School Money. Bookings can be made on the day in an emergency, this will need to be done through the school office. Alternatively, you can provide your child with a packed lunch from home Due to allergies, we are a nut free school so please do not send in nut products or products that may contain traces on nuts.

Children in receipt of Pupil Premium are entitled to free meal throughout all years; further information on how to apply is included later in this booklet or can be completed online at North Northamptonshire Council’s website.  We strongly encourage you to investigate whether your child is eligible as the school’s funding depends partly on this figure.  You can also speak directly to the school office staff if you need help accessing the service. Once registered, you will be given an allocated allowance which can be used to purchase uniform and pay for school clubs and trips.

Lunchtime Care

Over the lunchtime period the children are in the care of the Teaching Assistants.  They are responsible for the safety and well-being of all the children both in the dining area and outside in the playground.  If, during lunchtime, your child is regularly unable to conform to the expected standards of behaviour and is considered to be posing a risk to the safety and well-being of the other children, you may be contacted and asked to make alternative arrangements for supervision at lunchtime as per our behaviour policy.

Good timekeeping is not just good manners, it is also essential in the world of work.  If a child arrives late, they will need to enter through the office and be signed in the arrivals/departures book, and a late mark will be recorded.  You must accompany your child to the school office to give a reason for being late.

Should your child be absent for any reason, please let us know by using the Studybugs App before 8.30am on the first day of illness and each subsequent day.  We are required to record any absences not notified to us as ‘unauthorised’ and to report on these annually. If your child has a medical appointment, please bring the letter with you so a copy can be taken for your child’s file.

If your child needs to leave school during lesson time to visit the doctor, dentist or optician, we will require some formal confirmation of the appointment this can be either by a letter with the appointment details or text/email confirmation clearly showing the date and time of the appointment. Children will not be allowed out of school on their own.  We advise that, if possible, appointments are made after school or in holiday times.  All children must be signed in and out of school in the arrivals/departures book.

If your child needs to take medicine during school time, you will need to bring the medicine into the school office and complete a permission form allowing staff to administer the medicine.  Please ensure that medication is only brought into school if it is essential and doses cannot be administered outside of the school day.  This can only be completed by a parent who holds Parental Responsibility.  For the safety of children, please do not send any medication into school in children’s bags or lunchboxes etc.  It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that all medication kept in school is in place and within date.

If your child needs to take medicine during school time, you will need to bring the medicine into the school office and complete a permission form allowing staff to administer the medicine.  Please ensure that medication is only brought into school if it is essential and doses cannot be administered outside of the school day.  This can only be completed by a parent who holds Parental Responsibility.  For the safety of children, please do not send any medication into school in children’s bags or lunchboxes etc.  It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that all medication kept in school is in place and within date.

Homework is introduced to all children at an early age – regular practice of reading and spelling at home supports learning in the classroom. We also have a number of subscription-based websites which support learning which the children will have access to.  Regular learning log homework will be sent home to pupils to support their topic learning.

We run a range of school clubs across the week (before, during and after school) - some are provided by school staff as well as private providers.  Some of the clubs are funded by the school using our sports premium funding and some require parents to pay for their child to attend.  At the start of the academic year taster sessions for clubs are often held in school and letters will come home with interested children.  Further details about clubs are sent home as regular parent letters.

The Government is giving money to schools and academies to help children from lower income families do their very best.  The funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’.  For every child registered for Free School Meals, the school gets £1,455 extra funding.  So far with this money we have given children extra help in small groups, offered 1:1 tuition, provided lunch bunch and provided parenting support.  If you are registered for Free School Meals, you could also get other benefits e.g. help with the cost of music lessons, after school clubs and school trips.

How does Pupil Premium funding work?

1. First, check if you qualify – it is not just if you are unemployed, so please look at the list below.
2. Registering is easy; apply online at https://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/councilservices/children-families-education/schools-and-education/Pages/free-school-meals.aspx
3. If you want your child to have a free, healthy meal at lunchtime, that’s great – they will get the free meal (saving you more than £350 per year), plus extra benefits, and the school gets more to spend on their education.
4. If you don’t want your child to have the school meals, they can continue as normal – as long as you qualify and are registered, the school still gets extra to spend on their education.
5. If your child is confirmed as being eligible for Pupil Premium Funding, you will receive an allocated allowance from the school which can be used to pay for school uniform, trips and extra-curricular activities such as the before and after-school clubs held at the school.

No-one will know you have registered and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming.

Please talk to us about registering your child today.  If you would like any support in making this claim or need to ask any questions please contact the Infant school office on 01536 906699 or the Junior school office on 01536 906699.  All enquiries are treated with confidentiality.

Do you qualify for EXTRA money to help your child?

You can register your child for Free School Meals if you get any of these benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
• Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Either parent works in the armed forces

Other qualifying factors:

• Looked after by the local authority for at least one day
• Adopted from care in the local authority
• Have left care through special guardianship; and subject to a child arrangement order setting out with whom the child is to live (formerly known as residence orders) in Northamptonshire

For children in the main school we have a recommended school uniform; children in Nursery are welcome to wear this if they wish. Children are not required to wear a uniform with the school logo, plain alternative items can be worn which are available from most supermarkets and clothes stores

ALL clothing should be clearly marked with your child’s name. 

Please note that jeans are not acceptable.

• Navy Crew Neck Sweatshirt/ Cardigan
• White Polo Shirt Years N-4; White blouse - Years 5 and 6
• Tie-Years 5 and 6
• Black/Grey Pinafore Dress
• Black/Grey Knee Length Skirts/Shorts ( we do not think it is appropriate to wear skirts/shorts above the knee)
• Black/Grey Trousers
• Summer Dresses which are made from a navy and white striped or checked gingham material.

• In severe winter we suggest girls wear warm tights – navy/black/grey.
• School Shoes: should be a dark colour with no heel. We will not be accepting any form of boots (woollen, Ugg or leather) or trainers (unless for PE). In periods of bad weather
• children can bring wellington boots to change into at break and lunch times. In summer weather closed sandals in leather and manmade material may be worn (but please no crocs or pumps). If children wish to wear trainers for playtime they must change from their school shoes at break time.

Indoor and Summer Wear PE Kit

• A navy cotton t-shirt with the school name printed on, these are available to order online.
• Navy Shorts or plain black shorts (no logos or football shorts)
• Trainers

Outdoor PE Kit for Winter Weather only

• A navy tracksuit or a dark colour tracksuit
• Trainers

Other Clothing Items

• An outdoor coat especially in the winter weather, preferably with a hood. If not, children need to bring in a hat.
• A rain coat for wet weather, preferably with a hood.

Clothing with the school name embroidered (sweatshirts, cardigans, PE t-shirts and ties) are available to order via Karl Sports (karlsports.co.uk) – if you are in receipt of pupil premium a uniform order form can be obtained from the office.

Early Years and KS1

No jewellery or watches at all; if ears are pierced they must be with a stud only and be removed by the child for PE.

KS2

No jewellery is to be worn except for a watch; if ears are pierced they must be with a stud only and be removed by the child for PE.  Ears should be pierced at the beginning of the summer holidays. 

Hair/Make-up

• No make-up or nail varnish, false nails to be worn or brought into school (or ‘tattoo’ transfers)
• No dyed or coloured hair. Long hair needs to be tied back.
• No body piercings or tattoos please

Swimming Kit (KS2)

Children in Key Stage 2 will need appropriate swim wear i.e. a one-piece swimsuit or trunks (no board shorts are allowed), towel and swimming cap.  A waterproof bag is required to keep swimming gear in.  Goggles are allowed but must be accompanied by a parental note.  Please note your child will be asked to remove goggles when jumping into the pool due to the risk of damaging their eyes.

Uniform with the school name embroidered (sweatshirts, cardigans, PE t-shirts and ties) are available to order via Karl Sports (karlsports.co.uk) – If you are in receipt of pupil premium order forms are available from the school office. As a school we ask that the P.E. T-shirt with the logo and the tie are brought from Karl Sports the rest of the uniform can be purchased from any ‘high street’ retailers.  

The Rothwell Schools does have a pre-loved selection of uniform that can be offered to parents individually or on offer as part of appropriate school events and parents/carers can give a donation if they chose to.  

We hope you will find these guidelines useful (some were introduced at the request of parents) and that it will save arguments between children and adults as to what they can and can’t wear.

No pupils are permitted to have mobile phones at Rothwell Victoria Infant School.

At Rothwell Junior school please only send your child to school with a mobile phone if it is essential for their safety as they walk to/from school unaccompanied (Year 5/6 pupils only) – we require a letter from parents notifying us of this.  All mobile phones must be handed into the class teacher for safekeeping during the school day.  We do not accept any liability for the loss or damage of phones.

If a concern or problem arises then an arrangement to meet the class teacher should be made.  An appointment can made for you with the teacher via the school office so that the matter can be discussed properly and resolved.  The following flow chart will help you to understand who you should direct your query towards:

If you are concerned for the welfare and safety of a child in or out of school then please share your concerns with our Designated Safeguarding team who can be identified by their purple lanyards or email your concern confidentially to a DSL via .

We are lucky to be able to offer all families the support of our Parent Support Worker Miss Van Davies who is available to listen and work with families on a range of issues such as behaviour, sleep, adult learning.  If you wish to speak to Miss Van Davies, please ask at the school office who will pass on your details and arrange for her to contact you to visit you at school or home.

Encourage your child to speak to the class teacher about their concerns as often they can be resolved quickly.  If your child does not feel able to do this, then encourage them to leave a note for school staff in our ‘Chatterbox’ which is in the main corridor at the infant school or in the corridor to Year 4 at the Junior school.  Mrs Cross at the Infant school or Mrs Leader at the Junior school is available for any child to talk with about any concerns they may have.

At various times during the school year you will be invited to come in and see your child’s class teacher to discuss progress.  In addition to these regular meetings, parents receive a School Report at the end of each term and will have the opportunity to discuss this with the class teacher.

We have a variety of agreement forms that we need you to sign and return to us.

• At the start of your child’s school career you will be asked to sign a Home School agreement which lists the expectations and responsibilities of school, pupils and parents.
• Internet use – before pupils use the internet parents will be asked to discuss and sign an agreement for acceptable and responsible use.
• Occasional local visits are arranged which may involve walking short distances or visiting other schools within the Multi Academy Trust. These visits are ‘risk assessed’ in advance and risk assessments have to be approved by the Educational Visits Co-ordinator before they can go ahead. Adequate staffing levels are paramount.
• To comply with new General Data Protection Regulations which came into force in May 2018, additional permission requests have been added to the agreement to ensure that the school identifies how your information is used.
• We also request permission to publish your child’s photograph on the school website.

The majority of letters and newsletters will be emailed home to parents so please ensure your contact details are kept up-to-date.  Please inform the school office immediately of any changes.  If you do not have access to email please let us know, a paper copy will be sent home with your child.

Across the academic year we hold a number of school events, performances and assemblies which parents are invited to attend.  We also have lots of information on the school website www.rothwellschools.org.uk as well as sharing information on the school Facebook account – a link to this can be found on the website. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The school has an active governing body whose job it is to work closely with the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team and the Pathfinder Schools Academy Trust to ensure the smooth running of the school.  When vacancies for Parent Governors arise, these are advertised in the school newsletter.  Mrs Katherine Fairbairn is our Chair of Governors.  If you wish to express an interest in becoming a Governor, then please email