The Home – School Agreement
All parents and pupils are expected to sign a Home – School Agreement when they become a pupil at Heartsease. The purpose of this agreement is:
To foster partnerships between the school and parents
To raise standards across all areas of school life
To make expectations clear on all side
We have high expectations of ourselves, our children and our parents and carers, so please make sure you read through the agreement carefully and discuss it as a family.
Punctuality
At Heartsease we place a huge importance on punctuality and it is vital that all children arrive at school in time for morning registration. If children arrive late this not only interrupts the lesson and makes it difficult for the class teacher to settle the children, but your child will also miss the lesson introduction which will make it difficult for them to understand what they are learning that day, and as the first lessons of the day are the vital literacy and numeracy lessons, this can have a big impact. We also schedule a lot of our small group interventions in the mornings so it is vital that your child is here to benefit from this additional provision.
Attendance
Regular, punctual attendance is essential to the progress and success of every pupil. At Heartsease we expect all children to have 96% attendance unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Many parents believe that they have a legal right to take up to 10 days holiday during the school year but this is no longer the case. The Government and Norfolk County Council guidance is now that no holidays should be taken during term-time. As such, the school will not authorise any holidays during term time.
If there are other exceptional circumstances that require your child to be absent from school for a short period of time, please put your request in writing to the Head Teacher.
Absence
If you know your child is going to be absent from school for a clinic visit or dental/medical appointment please inform the school office and bring a copy of the appointment card. Wherever possible, appointments should be made outside school hours unless it is an emergency.
Sickness
If your child is going to be off sick, please call the school office (01603 307820 – option 1) before 9.30am on the first day of absence. You will be asked for the reason for the absence and when you expect the child to return.
Uniform
We encourage all parents to support the uniform policy – we believe that a uniform looks smart and adds to the children’s sense of identity and belonging to the school.
Please make sure all items of clothing are clearly labelled with your child’s name – including coats, hats, gloves and scarves. We recommend purchasing iron-in labels rather than using pen which washes out after only a couple of washes. Children are not allowed to wear open-toed sandals or high heels. Long hair should be worn tied back or plaited.
Jewellery
Jewellery is not permitted. It can easily be lost and can be dangerous if it catches on something. This includes necklaces, bracelets, rings, hoop earrings and watches. Your child may, however, wear small plain studs if they have pierced ears.
PE Kit
Children should wear black shorts and a yellow t-shirt for PE. Whilst the children are in reception, you may prefer to bring in their PE kit on a Monday and leave it on their peg for the week rather than you having to remember which day of the week it is needed.
Swimming Kit
Swimming bag
Towel
Swimming costume
Swimming hat
Googles are optional
Boys
Boys are to wear short fitted swimming trunks/shorts and not long summer/beachwear shorts.
Girls
Girls are to wear a one piece swimming costume with a plain or very simple design. (no accessories or two piece costumes.)
Behaviour
At Heartsease we have a behaviour management policy which encourages pupils to recognise and respect the rights of others, assist them with developing self discipline and also enhances their self esteem. We aim to create an environment at all times that encourages good behaviour.
At the beginning of the new school year all class teachers establish the class rules with their class. These rules are displayed prominently in the classroom and referred to on a regular basis.
At Heartsease our emphasis is on rewards to reinforce good behaviour. This is achieved by:
Frequent praise of both work and behaviour
Stickers, certicards and stamps in books for good work
Showing good work to Senior Management Team
Awards in achievement weekly assembliesAlthough we work very hard to ensure high standards of behaviour, there will be times when class rules are broken and it is essential that certain sanctions are used to show disapproval of unacceptable behaviour.
A stepped approach is used:1 A verbal reminder is given e.g. ‘remember our class rule about putting your fans up, make sure you do that next time you want to answer question please’.
2:The behaviour is recorded on the traffic light system.
3:If the child continues to behave unacceptably they spend “time out” with Mrs Craig.
4:if the unacceptable behaviour persists, the child will be sent to a member of the Senior Management Team.
A positive partnership with parents is crucial to building trust and developing a common approach to behaviour expectations and strategies for dealing with problems. We will always inform you at an early stage if there are concerns about your child’s behaviour.
Bullying
Bullying is the repetition of unwanted behaviour towards a child over a period of time. We take bullying very seriously at Heartsease and work hard to make sure the children feel safe and secure at school. However, we are not complacent and know that bullying can happen in all schools and at all ages.
We want children to tell someone – a friend, a teacher, a parent or other adult, so that intervention and positive action can take place. Please help us by encouraging your child to tell someone if he or she is being bullied and please contact us straightaway so that we can deal with the issue as soon as possible. Similarly, if you suspect your child is developing bullying tendencies, please let us know so that we can talk and take positive action to remedy the situation.
