Ashburnham Community School

Parent & Carer and School Communication Information

Keeping Parents & Carers Updated

There are a range of ways we will keep parents and carers updated about school news, events and information. These include

• The weekly newsletter, which is  sent every Friday
• Regular emails and texts from the School Office
• Emails from the Class Teachers with class-specific information on the curriculum,  upcoming trips and enrichment activities
• Regular updates on the school’s social media platforms:

Twitter: @ashprimary Instagram: @ashburnhamcommunityschool & @foxfederarationart

• Occasionally,  hard copies of letters and other important documents

We kindly ask that you make sure the School Office has your correct email and phone number and that your child’s class teacher has your correct email address.

Schools are busy places and most things that happen require a lot of forward planning. However, changes are sometimes inevitable and we ask parents and carers to carefully read all communication from the school to keep up to date.

Parents and carers are informed formally about their child’s progress in these ways:

• Two face to face meetings per year in October and January.
• Two formal written reports in January and in July.
• A score for the statutory Multiplication Tables Check in July of Year 4.
• A formal report on their Key Stage 2 SATS results in July of Year 6.

There are also opportunities to see the children’s wonderful work throughout the year: at parent meetings, at parent showcases and at parent assemblies.

Office Opening Hours

Our Office Staff are here to help in any way they can and are available in person,  on the phone or via email from 8.30am - 4.00pm, except for Fridays when the office  will be closed from 2.30pm.

Additionally, the office is always staffed to help with breakfast club drop off (at 8.00am) and after school club pick up (at 4.45pm).

Outside of these hours, parents and carers can send an email or leave a voicemail message.

Parents and carers need to phone the office by 9.00am if their child is too unwell to be at school. A voicemail message can be left at any time during the day or night.

Effective Communication

Members of the Senior Leadership Team are always out in the playground during drop off and pick up for parents and carers to chat to. Class Teachers are usually available at the end of the day if parents need to discuss something briefly or to arrange a meeting to discuss anything that requires more time. Parents and carers may use the year group email (e.g. y1@ashprimary.co.uk) for any class-based enquiries which can’t be answered by the office or to arrange a meeting. Anything urgent (such as a change of pick up arrangements for that day) should be communicated to the office as Class Teachers are not able to check their emails during the school day.

When a Class Teacher or other member of school staff has a behaviour, SEND or well-being issue to discuss with a parent or carer, they will either catch them in person, phone or email at their first available opportunity.

When a parent or carer sends an email, school staff will aim to reply within three working days.

For safeguarding reasons, parents and carers are not allowed  into the school building, unless they have a pre-arranged meeting and are accompanied by a member of staff, or have a question for the Office Staff, during Office Opening hours. If you have a pre-arranged meeting, please inform the Office Staff and wait in the office area.

Raising a concern

If any parent or carer has a concern, usually the best thing to do is to arrange a meeting with the class teacher. It may be appropriate for a member of the Senior Leadership Team to attend this meeting. In some cases, it will be appropriate for this initial meeting to be with just members of the Senior Leadership Team. Where possible, meetings are scheduled for within two weeks of the meeting request.

If the concern is about their child’s or another child’s safety, the parent or carer must phone the School Office to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Kate Webster, Head of School) as soon as possible, or speak to either Kate Webster or Jonathan East in person at drop off or pick up time. Alternatively, an email can be sent to kate.webster@ashprimary.co.uk.

Reporting accidents or illnesses

There are plenty of trained First Aiders at school to look after children in case of an accident or illness. If a child becomes unwell at school, a First Aider will assess them and contact their parent or carer if they need to go home. Where a child has hurt their head, parents or carers will be informed as part of the follow up procedures and, usually, will be asked to come and collect their child. When a child has any form of accident at school, an accident form is completed and a copy is given to the adult collecting them at pick up time.

Expectations of conduct

We expect all members of our community to behave respectfully and courteously at all times, whether it be via email, the phone or in person. Inappropriate conduct may result in school staff deciding that it is appropriate for  the conversation to be stopped and rescheduled for a different time. Multiple instances of inappropriate conduct may result in further action.

Complaints Procedures

If a parent has raised a concern with the school and they feel it has not been resolved, they should follow the procedures as detailed in the Complaints Policy which can be found on the school’s website.