Honley Infant & Nursery School Parental Information

 

Parental Information

Click here to download our Behaviour & Discipline Policy

 School Uniform

School uniform is strongly encouraged by the Governing Body and school staff.  
The red sweatshirts and cardigans, white polo shirts and t-shirts, navy/dark grey skirts, pinafore dresses, trousers, as well as red and white striped and checked dresses can be ordered from the school’s supplier at a reasonable cost. 
The school uniform items can be obtained from our supplier :-

Term Time Wear
5 St. Johns Road, Huddersfield,
HD1 5AY
Tel: 01484 453534

Whilst at school, children should not wear jewellery, for safety reasons. Where ears have been pierced the stud type of earing is recommended rather than the sleeper type.

For PE children wear shorts and a t-shirt. As we often take children outdoors for PE it is important that children also have pumps or trainers. During the winter months children should have tracksuit and a warm top. Please make sure that your child has their PE kit in school at all times, stored in a simple drawstring bag in the school cloakroom.

All clothing, indoor and outdoor, and footwear should be clearly marked with your child’s name. 

School Meals and Packed Lunches

School Meals

Children are encouraged to stay for school meals, which are of good nutritional quality and excellent value for money. Some children are eligible for free school meals. If you feel you qualify for this service, please enquire at the school office. Such enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence and children on free school meals are in no way identified in school.

Lunch is treated as an important part of the school day. The children are well supervised by six lunchtime supervisory assistants in the dining room and the playground. The Headteacher or a named teacher are always on the premises during the lunch hour.

Dinner money should be brought to school every Monday in a named purse or sealed envelope. Two weeks notice is required to change from school meals to packed lunches and vice-versa.

Packed Lunches

As a Kirklees Gold Standard Healthy School, we encourage children to enjoy a healthy balanced diet. We do not allow children to bring sweets or chocolate to school and this includes contents of lunch boxes. We also have to be aware that some children in school may have a nut or other food allergy and for this reason we ask that no nut products are brought into school at any time. 

Illnesses and Absences

Procedure for absence due to illness

If your child is ill, please notify school that he/she will not be attending, by telephoning the school on the first morning of absence. Try to do this before school begins, if possible. Please notify the class teacher in advance if your child has a medical/dental appointment in school hours and arrange to collect your child from class at the appropriate time.
If your child is unwell, please keep him/her at home as the school has no facilities to cope with an ill child.

If your child becomes ill at school

If your child is ill at school, we will make every effort to contact you or your nominated representative. It is very important that we have an up-to-date record of a contact name, telephone numbers and address if it is other than a parent who needs to be contacted. We will always act in the best interests of the child and deal with the problems should we be unable to make contact.

If your child needs medication during the school day

Please inform school whenever your child is taking any medication or undergoing a form of medical treatment or therapy about which we may be unaware.

If your child needs specific medication during the school day a meeting between parents, the Headteacher and a healthcare professional will be arranged to devise a health care plan which will be adhered to by staff involved.  

This does not include administering antibiotics / medicine for the usual childhood ailments.

A register is kept of children with chronic health problems and allergies, and medication is administered by members of staff who are qualified First Aiders.

Holidays / Absences during term time

Please inform the Headteacher in writing of the intended absence/holiday.

Holiday request forms are located in the front porch or can be collected from the school office. The maximum amount of time allowed for holidays in term time is two weeks per school year (10 days). Time in excess of this will be considered as unauthorised absence.

The Local Authority considers that regular attendance at school is of such importance that they are now issuing penalty notices (a fine of £50) to parents whose children have regular unauthorised absence from school.

Complaints Procedure

At school level, issues can be raised initially with the class teacher or  the Headteacher and if dissatisfied, The Governing Body.

   * The Governing Body complaints committee will review the Headteacher’s decision where a
     complainant is dissatisfied.

   * Where a complainant requests,  they can present his / her case personally to the complaints
     committee.

   * The complainant may be accompanied by a ‘friend’.

   * The complainant and the Headteacher will be heard by the complaints committee.

If the matter cannot be resolved at school level, a formal complaint can be made at Local Authority level.

At Government level, the Secretary of State for Education can be asked  to intervene.

These procedures have to be used strictly in order.  However, it is anticipated that most complaints will be resolved at school level.

Parking Charter

There is very little parking near the school.

In order to make the journey to and from school safer and more enjoyable we ask all parents to consider the following:-

   * Please walk to school rather than drive whenever possible. Children who exercise by walking to school
     arrive more alert and better equipped for the day ahead. It is a good start to a healthy lifestyle.

   * Consider parking your car on the roads a short distance from the school (e.g. near the roundabout),
     and walking at least some of the way.

   * Always park safely. Poorly parked cars can reduce visibility for drivers and children.

   * When driving near the school be especially careful and always give way to pedestrians. Many people
     taking children to school will have even younger children with them.

   * When using Cuckoo Lane please be patient and travel at walking pace if pedestrians are using this road.
     It can be very unnerving being pressured by vehicles when walking on this very narrow road.

   * Please do not park in the Liberal Club car park. It is not a public car park. 

Fire Safety

As you know the safety of your children is at all times our main priority.
To ensure efficiency in the event of fire, emergency evacuations of the school are practised each term.

PROCEDURE FOR AN EMERGENCY REQUIRING EVACUATION OF THE SCHOOL AND GROUNDS

In the event of a bomb scare or other emergency affecting the school and its grounds, children and staff will be evacuated to the Junior School.

The school will be evacuated and will assemble outside in the playground.
When all persons are accounted for, each teacher will lead their class to the Junior School. The School Administrative Officer will take the registers and signing in books.

At the Junior school all persons will assemble in the hall where the presence of all children, staff and visitors will be re-checked.

The Headteacher will contact:-

Police  -  01484 683593
Radio Leeds  -  0113 2247300
Home 107.9 newsroom  -  01484 319967
Radio Aire & Magic  -  0113 2835500
Radio 5 Live  -  0208 6249501

The above will act as a source of information for parents.

Staff will contact parents via telephone to ask for children to be collected from the Junior School.

Language and Literacy

 To develop speaking and listening skills

   * Talk with your child.
   * Give simple instructions and encourage your child to follow them accurately.
   * Recite nursery rhymes and sing songs together.
   * Play games such as "Simon says" using language such as "in front of", "on top of", "at the side of",
     "below" and "behind".

   * Begin to tell a story - the child continues it - mum or dad completes the tale. Reverse the order.
   * Read fun poetry with simple rhymes, strong rhythm and plenty of alliteration.
   * Share books with your child; let the children see you reading. Show that books can be a useful source
     of information eg. cookery books, car manuals, assembly instructions etc. 

 To develop a good memory

   * Encourage setting the table correctly ready for a meal.
   * Play Pelmanism - cards face down on the table, try to pick up a matching pair. Each time you and your  
     child have to remember the position of the cards turned up earlier in order to find a pair.
   * My aunt went to market and she bought a ...................... . Taking turns, each person in the game
     adds an item and they must be repeated in correct order each time.
   * Kim's game - place several objects on a tray and players close eyes whilst one object is removed. What
     is missing? Repeat.
   * Every child should be taught his/her address, telephone number and birthday.

 To develop visual discrimination

   * Play "spot the difference" games from newspapers or puzzle books.
   * "Letter search" - eg. ring every "a" in  passage of writing using magazines and newspapers.
   * "Word search" - eg. ring every "and" in a passage of writing. Try "the", "it", "on" and "is". Check the
     passage first to ensure that the words are present.
   * From a piece in a magazine or newspaper, circle five words beginning with "s", five words ending
     in "s" and five words with "s" present within them. Use other letters of the alphabet.
   * Play matching games - picture lotto; dominoes; snap. 
   * Find smaller words within a long word. eg. understand: under - stand.
     Information: in - for - or - form - mat -at - on - inform - formation. This is a more difficult game
     for the child who can read reasonably well.  
   * Build jigsaw puzzles.
   * During a journey on foot or by car, play "spotting games". eg. dish aerials, bus stops, road signs,
     car number plates containing a particular letter or number, fish shops, greengrocers, etc. 

 To aid spelling and phonic development

   * Recite the alphabet frequently - start reciting with a different letter sometimes.
   * Recite part of the alphabet - ask "what comes next?"
   * Ask your child to cut out lower case or capital letters from large print in magazines or newspapers.
     Help to stick them on a piece of paper in alphabetical order.
   * Play "I spy with my little eye" - use single letter sounds only at first; use letter blends later
     eg. something beginning with "sh", "ch", "bl", "cr" etc.
   * Make a "sound" box - a box of objects, five of which begin with a particular letter, eg. "M".
     Find the "M" objects.
   * Let your child cut out pictures from catalogues and magazines. "What letter do they begin with?"
     Arrange them in alphabetical order. Make an "M" book. Make a theme book eg. toys, animals,
     Christmas etc. Next to each picture write the initial letter.
   * Play the "letter game". Choose a letter, then think of things beginning with the letter - a girl's name,
     a boy's name, an animal, a flower, a vegetable, a town etc.
   * On a walk or during a car journey, spot as many objects as possible which begin with a particular
     letter sound.

   * Talk, listen, read to and read with your child. Help him/her to wrote first and last names with
     correct letter formation. Play board games.

Always praise your child's efforts to learn

If you enjoy talking with your child and sharing activities, your child will respond in a positive manner. Fifteen minutes each day spent in a relaxed atmosphere sharing an activity which you both enjoy, is of far greater value than a daily lesson where your child is placed under pressure to succeed.                                      

Help your child with Maths

Numbers

   * Sing counting songs and number rhymes eg. 10 green bottles,
                                                                    1,2,3,4,5,
                                                                    5 little ducks went swimming one day,
                                                                    5 brown buns in the bakers shop,
                                                                    1,2, buckle my shoe etc.
   * Can you find page numbers in your book?
   * Can you set the table for your family?
   * Find pairs:- socks, shoes, gloves, mittens, candlesticks, pyjamas, shorts, trousers, slippers, wellingtons.
   * Count large numbers of items (pegs, buttons, beads etc.) by counting in tens.
   * Learn number doubles to ten (1+1, 2+2, 3+3 etc.)
   * Count in 10's from any number (3, 13, 23 etc.)
   * Count in 2's.
   * Count in 5's.
   * Count to 100 backwards; forwards.
   * Collect car numbers which have a 5 in them; 3 in them etc.
   * Collect numbers all around eg. on your microwave, door, telephone, clock, computer, radio etc.
   * Add the digits of car numbers. Who can get to 20 first?
   * Counting in your house. How many doors, windows, fireplaces, rooms, steps, chimneys, etc.?
   * Learn your telephone number.
   * Learn how to use your telephone. First, ask your parent.
   * Change channels on your television using the remote control handset.
   * Use the on/off switch on your torch or battery toy.
   * Cut up numbers in magazines and make a numbers collage.

Games

   * Snap.
   * Snakes and ladders. 
   * Dominoes. 
   * Connect four game. 
   * Beetle game. 
   * Board games. 
   * Skittles; add numbers on the skittles. 
   * Bingo; 10 more game - put counter on the number which is 10 more than the number called. 
   * Bingo; 10 less game - put counter on the number which is 10 less than the number called. 
   * Dice; - use dice with numerals instead of spots - use 2 dice and add the score - change numbers on
     the dice to get higher numerals.

Shape

   * Supermarket packaging; can you find a cylinder, cube and a sphere?
   * Look for 2D shapes. Can you find a triangle, square, rectangle, circle, pentagon, hexagon in buildings,
     packaging, transport, road signs, your house?
   * Weighing/Baking
   * Weigh different items at 100gm. Compare quantities.
   * Bake some buns. Weigh out the ingredients in metric units.
   * Make yourself a sandwich. Can you cut it into halves/quarters?
   * Share a piece of fruit. Cut into halves/quarters for four people.
   * Ask questions such as " are there enough biscuits for everyone to have two each?"

Measuring

   * How tall are you? Measure against a height chart. Compare with your family members. Who is the
     tallest? Shortest? What is the difference in centimetres?
   * Buying new shoes. What is your shoe size? Compare with your family. Whose feet are biggest;
     longest; smallest; shortest?
   * Buying new clothes. Measure your different body parts using a cm. tape measure. Look at the labels
     in new clothes. What do the numbers mean?
   * Use the vocabulary of measuring - wide, narrow, short, long, tall, high, thick, thin - to describe
     things in everyday life.
   * Estimate how many strides across your bedroom/ your rug. Now find out and count etc.

Capacity

   * Supermarket packaging. Read 1 litre; 500ml. Read 1kg; 1/2 kg; 500g.
   * In the bath - use shampoo, bubble bath bottle to talk about full/half full/empty.
   * Can you estimate how many tops fill the empty bottle? Now count and find out. How near was your
     estimate?

Money and Shopping

   * Make a coin rubbings pattern/picture.
   * Arrange 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins in value order.
   * Take 50p to the shop with mum - buy sweets/comic. Count the change together.
   * Buy 2 items from a shop - add how much you have spent. What change will you receive?
   * How many 20p in £1? 5p in 10p? 5p in 20p? 5p in £1?
   * How many packets of crisps can I buy for a pound?

Clocks and Time

   * Look at clocks and watches.
   * Look for clocks in Honley/Huddersfield.
   * Learn o'clock - big hand at the top.
   * Learn half past - big hand at the bottom.
   * Learn - the little hands points to numerals.
   * Learn the days of the week.
   * Learn the months of the year.
   * My birthday is .................................................
   * Make a picture of things you do in the morning/afternoon/evening.
   * Learn the time that school starts/dinnertime/bathtime/bedtime.
   * How many skips can you do in 1 minute?
   * How many 8's can you write in 1 minute?
   * How many times can you write your name in 1 minute?
   * How long does it take to eat your breakfast? Put on your clothes? Walk to school? Make your bed?
   * Always praise your child's efforts to learn.

If you enjoy talking with your child and sharing activities, your child will respond in a positive manner. Fifteen minutes each day spent in a relaxed atmosphere, sharing an activity which you both enjoy is of far greater value than a daily lesson where your child is placed under pressure to succeed.

This information relates to the school year 2008/09 and to the year groups where all the pupils are of compulsory school age.

Total number of pupils on roll                                                      -    121
Percentage of half days missed through authorised absence         -    4.77%    
Percentage of half days missed through unauthorised absence     -    0.11%

Policy for charging for school activities

Where an Educational visit is planned within school hours parents are invited to make a contribution towards the cost. Such financial contributions are  entirely voluntary and in no way affect any child’s entitlement to participate.