St Martin’s Catholic Primary School A guide to help y ou prepare y our child for school

1. St Martin’s Catholic Primary School A guide to help you prepare your child for school

2. Welcome to St Martin’s Starting school is always a big step for young children as they move away from the security of home and a familiar pre-school setting. This booklet will help your child to settle into a new school routine. Please set aside some time when you and your child can sit together to go through the booklet to look at and discuss the photographs. Talk about each aspect of the school and what your child can expect to happen. This will reassure him or her when he/she first starts school and remove any anxieties. School should be an enjoyable experience. We want the children in our care to feel secure and happy. If you do have any questions regarding your child starting school, please come and see a member of staff. We will be pleased to help you.

3. People you will meet Mrs Evison ( Secretary ) Mr Hallman ( Headteacher ) MrsO’Nions ( Teacher ) Miss Carter ( Teacher ) MrsBrockley ( Teaching Assistant )

4. The Classroom and Outdoor play area This is where the children will spend most of their time during the school day. When the children first start school they can choose a learning experience they wish to pursue in one area of the classroom. Provision is provided for role-play, reading, writing, number work and creative activities. We also have a construction area and two computers. We have an outdoor area which is available all day. During the morning sessions, the children work in the small area outside the classroom ( zoned by wooden planters ). During the afternoon, children from St Martin’s and Gorsewood Primary have access to the large central area for large construction, bikes, scooters and nature investigations. We promote good social skills, helping children to share, take turns and follow instructions.

5. The Playground There are two playgrounds for the children; one for Juniors and one for infants. The Junior children have one playtime and one dinner time play and the Infants have two playtimes and a dinner time play. The children are encouraged to use the toilets at playtime and at dinner time. A piece of fruit provided for all infant children during morning play. There are playground rules that are in place for children’s safety. There is always a teacher and a classroom assistant on duty on each playground. It is the responsibility of the the member of staff on duty to ensure that playground rules are adhered to and children will be reprimanded if it is thought that their behaviour is unacceptable. The school has a ‘buddy’ system in place whereby older junior children are encouraged to lead play activities with the infants and help them to line up and return to class in an orderly fashion.

6. The School Hall The hall is mainly used for assemblies, school Masses, hymn practices, P.E. and lunchtime. When we have assemblies and school Masses the children are asked to sit in rows with their class group, they are encouraged to listen and watch what is going on. Quite often children from a particular class will lead an assembly or Mass so it is important that the children listen carefully. We often have visitors to lead school assemblies and frequently they have commented on the children’s good behaviour and it is this that we wish to encourage. All classes have one or two weekly P.E. lessons in the hall. The children get changed for P.E. and they enjoy helping the teacher to set out and put away equipment safely.

7. Lunch Time All children stay for dinner having either a packed lunch or a school meal in the hall. The children are given set places, with others from their class, at a particular table. The mid-day assistants supervise the children and encourage good table manners. Children having a school meal will have some choice about what they would like to eat. Children are served a variety of meals at lunchtime. The mid-day assistants help cut up the food for the children.

8. TheToilets The toilets are situated a short distance from the classrooms and have a door directly from the playground. The children are encouraged to continue with the good toilet habits begun at home. They must flush the toilet after use and wash their hands. We have hand driers instead of paper towels. The driers can be noisy so please warn your child as they may not be used to using them. There is also a water fountain in each of the toilet areas. The toilets should be left clean and tidy and children should be made aware that they are not a play area even though they are located near the playground. As part of the curriculum when the children first start school, the school nurse and the class teacher will talk to the children about keeping healthy. Other issues regarding personal hygiene and general cleanliness are also discussed.

9. and finally….. If you have a concern in the morning when you drop your child off on the playground, please speak to a member of staff on duty and she will pass on the message to your child’s class teacher. If you would like to speak to the class teacher, staff are always available after school. We are happy to respond to any concerns relating to your child’s welfare or progress at school. We hope that you have found this booklet to be useful for both you and your child. We try to ensure that all children at St Martin’s have a good start to their school life. We value and depend on the support that we get from our parents and we see school as a three-way partnership, the child, the home and the school.