Information for Parents

Useful Dates

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Attendance

• Please inform the school of the reason for a child’s absence as soon as possible.  We would be grateful if parents could contact us on the first day of absence before 9:30 am.  This contact can be by note, in person, or a telephone call where you can speak to the office staff or leave a message on the answering machine. As the safety of our pupils is paramount, you will be contacted if we have concerns about the whereabouts of your child.

• Morning school begins at 9.00am, afternoon school at 1.00pm. Pupils arriving after 9.10am will receive a late mark in the register.

• In partnership with our feeder Infant schools, we firmly believe that there are links between attendance and attainment. The more a pupil is in school, the more they increase their opportunity to fulfill their potential.

• Written requests for leave of absence for a family holiday will be considered by the Headteacher, who will authorise holidays under exceptional circumstances. 

• Where permission has not been applied for in advance (retrospective approval cannot be given on return) the absence is classified as unauthorised.

• Leave for medical or dental appointments is authorised where confirmation has been received from the parent by note, or telephone call.

Road Safety

A school crossing patrol is provided at the beginning and end of the day on both Station Road and The Green. Please show consideration to the residents on Southdale Road when parking cars at the beginning and end of school. Playground gates, at the end of the school, will be opened at 3.25pm. In the interest of their safety, we would be very grateful if young children remain supervised on the school playground and kept away from the chipped bark and wild life areas.

Medicines                                                

If your child is required to take any type of medication, please mark the product clearly with your child’s name, dosage and time of dosage and hand it in to the school office.  We do require written parental authorisation to administer medication and your child will be responsible for calling at the office to have their medication dispensed by a member of staff.

Child Protection Procedures

Because of day to day involvement with children, schools are particularly well placed to observe outward signs of abuse or changes in behaviour. Parents should be aware, therefore, that where it appears to a member of school staff that a child may have been abused, the school is required, as part of the local Child Protection Procedures, to report their concern to the Social Services Department.

Accidents at School

Whilst every care is taken to prevent accidents from happening at school children do have ‘falls’ and ‘bumps’. We are able to deal with minor cuts and bruises, however, if a child needs more expert medical attention we will contact you by tele­phone so that you can make arrangements to take your child to the doctor or hospital. 

If it is not possible to make contact with a relative and it is deemed necessary, medical advice will be sought. For children receiving a bump to the head, notification, where appropriate, will be sent to parents informing them of the incident and what precautions to take.

 Emergencies

In case of an accident in school, all possible steps will be taken to contact you immediately. Parents are asked to complete a personal record sheet listing emergency contact numbers in prior to their child starting at Southdale. This is most essential when a parent or guardian needs to be contacted in the event of illness or an emergency. Please inform the school secretary of any subsequent change of address, place of work or contact telephone numbers. It is vital that in an emergency, our records are kept up-to-date.

School Meals

A cafeteria system is in operation with cooked meals being brought in from South Parade School. Meals cost £1.20 per day, and money for the week full week (£6) is collected on  Monday mornings. Cheques should be made payable W.M.D.C.

Children may bring a packed lunch as an alternative, which should be in a container clearly marked with the child’s name. Water is provided but children may bring their own drink. For safety reasons, glass bottles or cans of drink must not be brought to school. Plastic water bottles filled from the school water dispensers may be brought to school to re-hydrate during lesson time.