Site security
We are very aware of parents’ concerns about security and we regularly review our procedures to ensure the safety of all our children. Our security plan includes the following features:
We carry out fire drills at least once a term.
Visitors are required to report to the school office and sign in on entry and wear security badges whilst on site. Staff will challenge visitors who do not wear security badges.
A controlled access system is in operation on doors into the building together with CCTV. Our external exits have security devices to stop unauthorised entry and the school is monitored with closed circuit television, which records images onto a hard drive.
We act on new and existing health and safety legislation promptly.
Personal possessions and jewellery
Pupils are responsible for personal items they bring into school. The school cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to children’s clothing or personal possessions, nor can the staff accept any responsibility for the safekeeping of these possessions or money. For reasons of safety and security, we would prefer it if children did not wear jewellery to school.
If children have pierced ears they should only wear studs or sleepers.
Earrings and jewellery need to be removed for P.E. and swimming lessons so please ensure that either your child can remove earrings by themselves or does not wear earrings on P.E. days. If a child has recently pierced ears or cannot remove earrings for another reason, the school must be notified of this in writing and parents will need to supply surgical tape or plasters to be put over the earrings for the PE lesson. Similarly, any jewellery worn for religious reasons must be taped or securely covered.
Please label all items of clothes that your child wears to school. We can quickly ensure named items are returned to the right child.
Lost property
Un-named clothing will be placed in our lost property basket. We regularly encourage children to inspect it. We cannot store unclaimed items for a long period of time and we will dispose of unclaimed items at the end of each term.
Health and welfare
If your child is unwell, please keep him/her at home. Advice from the NHS states that a child should be kept off school for 48 hours following a case of vomiting or diarrhoea and the school follows this as a policy.
We have qualified First Aiders in school and we will attend to minor cuts, bruises and accidents that happen in school. We are not responsible for initial treatment of conditions or illness where parents ought to seek advice from a doctor or give treatment at home. If your child receives a bump to the head or has had an accident that required treatment we will let you know through a note sent home with your child.
If your child has any medical history, problem, allergies or condition, for example asthma, you must let us know.
The school asks parents and carers to update their child’s health records yearly but we need to be informed immediately of any new health or medical concerns relating to a child.
Medicines
Where children are fit to attend school but require prescribed medicine during the day, staff can only administer this after a parent has signed the necessary consent form. In these instances the medicine should be clearly marked with the child’s name.
If your child uses an asthma inhaler or epipen please update it regularly. Children who use inhalers keep them in the classroom so they can have easy and fast access if they need to be used.
School nurse and school health service
The school nurses support the school and families with a range of advice. If you would like to speak to a school nurse, they can be contacted on 0208 276 7900
Oxlow Lane Clinic
281 Oxlow Lane
Dagenham
RM10 8YU
Attendance, absence and lateness
Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school and arrive on time. We are sure you will agree that regular attendance is essential if a child is to make good progress.
If your child is going to be away from school, please contact the office to let us know. A telephone call on the first day of absence is often the easiest way to do this. In order to ensure a child is safe our administrative staff will attempt to contact you by telephone on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you.
Permission is granted for medical/dental appointments in school time, but we must have this request in writing from you. A letter to your child’s class teacher is the best way to advise us of any forthcoming absence.
If we receive no notification from you about your child’s absence this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. In cases of unauthorised absence, significant absence, or lateness you will need to come into school to discuss the matter with our attendance team and provide evidence of your child’s ill health.
When parents fail to ensure regular school attendance of their children (unauthorised absence) the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham School Attendance Service can undertake legal actions.
Parents may be issued with a penalty notice if their child has irregular school attendance or unauthorised leave of absence (commonly referred to as term time holiday). A penalty notice is £60 if paid within 21 days or £120 if paid between 22 to 28 days. Non-payment will result in the parent being prosecuted in court.
Holidays or overseas visits in term time
The school does not authorise children taking a holiday or overseas visit in term time. This will disrupt your child’s education.
Parents or carers who take their child on a holiday in term time may receive a penalty notice (fine) from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham School Attendance Service if the absence from school causes the child’s attendance pattern to become irregular.
Car parking
It is against the law to park on the yellow diagonal zone markings outside the school. We are especially keen that all parents abide by these rulings as illegal or poor parking puts your children’s lives at risk.
Our car park is only for the use of school and education authority staff and is not to be used for dropping off or collecting children. This is in the interests of health and safety. The local authority taxi service who transport entitled children to school are allowed to use the car park as they need to escort children to the school office.
Causes for celebration
Success is a great motivator and we want all of our children to achieve and enjoy their successes. We recognise achievement in our teaching and in the way life is conducted in our school.
We have a ‘House’ system which generates enthusiastic support.
House points are awarded for effort, thoughtful behaviour and anything else that is considered worthy of recognition and special appreciation. The House that scores the highest number of points each week is presented with a trophy in assembly.
Certificates and stickers are also awarded by each child’s teacher.
School rules to ensure an orderly community
I am sure you will agree with us that children learn best in a calm, orderly and respectful environment. This allows teachers to spend time teaching and gives each child the opportunity to concentrate on learning.
Most of our children are very well behaved and are a credit to the school. However we do need a clear set of rules, rewards and sanctions so that all children know what we expect of them and they can expect of us.
Our school rules are displayed in our classrooms and around the school. They are referred to in assemblies and by class teachers on a regular basis. If a child chooses to ignore our school rules and behave badly, we follow the same procedures in all classes. We will contact parents and expect their support if a child’s behaviour disrupts the life of our school.
Should children choose to misbehave on the playground we are likely to keep them in to ensure the safety and well-being of others. We may also exclude a child from the site at lunchtime for persistent misbehaviour at this time of day.
In cases of continual disruption, the school sanctions extend to individual behaviour contracts, report cards and meetings with parents. In cases of continual disruption or major misbehaviour a child may be excluded from school.
We will always intervene if we are aware that a child is being bullied. If you have any concerns you must let us know. It is the nature of bullying that it is often hidden from view. We hope that parents will be aware of the distinction between bullying and petty squabbles or the falling out among friends that most children experience at some stage in their lives. We will sort out these problems as we know that upset children do not work at their best but we also hope parents recognise that the issues here are different from those of bullying.
We have two separate booklets for parents that set out in more detail our behaviour code and our procedures for dealing with bullying. Our behaviour policy is available here.
Complaints procedure
We believe that your child’s education is best supported by a partnership between parents and school which is founded on trust and understanding.
If you have any concerns about matters at Richard Alibon Primary School these are best dealt with by discussing them with your child’s class teacher or the team leader. If the matter is not resolved you can contact one of the Assistant Headteachers. In this way we hope to be able to resolve any problems as quickly as possible.
Our Chair of Governors is also available to discuss matters if, after discussion with school staff, you still feel that matters have not been resolved. The school has a formal complaints procedure which is available from the reception area by the school office or from the school website here.
Policy on charges and educational visits
The school does not charge parents for activities taking place during the school day, with the exception of musical instrument insurance for home use and residential visits.
However, voluntary contributions from parents are needed when we take children on educational visits, which involve transport and /or entrance fees to help us cover the cost. The Governors reserve the right, which is delegated to the Headteacher, to cancel any trip that is not financially viable. In exceptional circumstances, there may be access to funding towards the cost of a trip. If you have any concerns about trips and the associated funding, please contact the Headteacher.
It is the policy of the Governing Body:
- To request voluntary contributions from parents for school activities in school time which can only take place if there is voluntary funding, whilst ensuring that no pupil is debarred solely by the inability of parents to pay.
- To require parents to pay for loss or damage to school property for which their children are responsible where reimbursement is appropriate.
- To levy the appropriate charge to parents for all board, lodging and travel requirements for residential visits and other associated expenses.
- To levy charges for activities wholly or mainly outside hours where appropriate.
- To submit to the Headteacher or Chair of Governors any issue which may require a decision over the implementation of the policy in any particular circumstance.
Data protection and children’s school records
We keep a central computerised pupil record system containing personal information obtained from the enrolment forms. This is used both for administration and for the generation of statistics, which we are required to send each year to the department of Education and Skills and local education authority.
Our record system is registered under the Data Protection Act that regulates the holding and disclosure of computerised personal data. Access to records is password protected and strictly limited to key members of staff.
In accordance with the provision of the Data Protection Act, parents are entitled to apply for a copy of all personal data held about their child allowing a reasonable time for collection of such data.
