St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Welcome to St Joseph’s
2023-2024
Welcome to St Joseph’s
A Message from Mrs Marrin, Headteacher
“I would like to say a personal heartfelt thank you for choosing St Joseph’s for your child and for entrusting your child’s education to us. This is always a very difficult decision to make and we are so pleased that you have chosen our school!
We look forward very much to sharing your child’s primary school journey with you and to meeting you and your child. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries”
What to expect on the first day?
What do you need to know?
Please arrive at our school reception for 8.40 am. We will notify your child/children's new class teacher(s), and also pass on some school data collection/admission forms, which you will need to complete and return to school as soon as possible.
We would ask that you confirm any allergies, medical conditions or dietary requirements when attending the school so that we can record these.
You can find lots of information about St Joseph's on our website, in particular you may find our parents section very helpful.
We understand that joining a new school can be an exciting time, but also involves a lot of new information, so we hope this useful document will be able to answer any questions you may have. However, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you have any questions or queries.
What do I need to know before school starts?
What date and times does school start?
What does my child need to bring to school?
How do I access wrap around care?
What uniform do I need?
Where do I drop my child off or collect them from?
How to I book a school lunch?
How to I book a school lunch?
What happens if my child is poorly?
How do I book/pay for breakfast or after school club??
What happens if I am late?
What time does school start/end?
Your child needs to be in school for
8.45 am to ensure they are ready for registration
8.40 am school gates open
8.45 am classroom doors open
9.00 am classroom doors close/registration children MUST be in class by this time
11.45 am-12.45 pm - lunch time
3.15 pm school gates open
3.30 pm classroom doors open/school ends
Please enter school via the gates near the car park entrance (entrance nearest the traffic lights on Moreton Road). Our usual school day is 9.00 am to 3.30 pm. Children should be dropped off at 8.45 am.
Where do I drop off / pick up from?
Attendance & Punctuality Matters
If you are late you will need to enter school via Main Reception where you will be required to sign in.
Please note there is a one way system in school when dropping off or collecting children.
Please enter school via the gate nearest our F2 classroom and exit school by walking through the playgrounds and leaving via the exit nearest the church gates.
Lunch
All children in F2 and up to the end of Year 2 are provided with a free tasty school lunch . Children in years 3, 4, 5 and 6 may purchase a school meal.
Children will be given different options every day - menus can be found on our website.
Regardless of whether you pay for a lunch, receive a free school meal or provide your child with a packed lunch, you will need to book your child’s lunch in advance via our user friendly online booking system. Further details can be found here
Free School Lunches
&
Pupil Premium
Lunches
All children in F2 and up to the end of Year 2 are provided with a free tasty school lunch as part of the Government's Universal Infant Free School Meal scheme. Although there is no payment required, bookings must still be made via School Money. Once you have selected your lunch choices, although the payment due will be zero, you will still be required to "check out" to ensure your meal choice bookings are processed.
Children in years 3, 4, 5 and 6 may purchase a school meal.
Children will be given different options every day - menus can be found on our website.
Regardless of whether you pay for a lunch, receive a free school meal or provide your child with a packed lunch, you will need to book your child’s lunch in advance via our user friendly online booking system. Further details can be found here
Free School Meals & Pupil Premium
We recommend that you check your eligibility for free school meals (even if your child is below year 3 as eligibility for general free school meals attracts separate vital pupil premium funding for your child and school) by completing the online checking form here. The benefits of completing this check is even if you are not eligible at the time of applying, the system periodically checks eligibility meaning school will automatically be notified should your eligibility status change during your child’s time with us at St Joseph’s
Uniform
What should my child wear?
AUTUMN / SPRING UNIFORM | |
GIRLS | BOYS |
Navy blue Sweatshirt, Jumper or Cardigan | Navy blue Sweatshirt or Jumper |
Light blue blouse or polo shirt | Light blue shirt or polo shirt |
Navy blue skirt, skort, pinafore dress (knee length) or navy blue conventional trousers | Grey or black trousers (conventional style) |
White, navy or grey socks or tights | White, navy, or grey socks |
Black or Navy shoes (open toes, trainers or boots are not permitted) | Black or Navy shoes (trainers or boots are not permitted) |
Navy, white or black hair bands, bows, hair slides etc. |
|
Uniform
What should my child wear?
Please ensure all shoes are velcro fastening as this will help us promote independent dressing when taking shoes on and off and help develop children's fine motor skills.
ADDITIONAL SUMMER TERM UNIFORM OPTIONS | |
GIRLS | BOYS |
Navy or blue checked summer dress | Grey or black shorts |
Navy or checked sun hat | Navy or black summer hat |
Black or Navy shoes (open toes, jelly shoes, trainers or boots are not permitted) | Black or Navy shoes (trainers or boots are not permitted) |
PE Uniform
Full details of our uniform, including information regarding hair and jewellery, can be found on our website or by clicking here
PHYSICAL EDUCATION |
All children must be provided with suitable clothes into which they can change for P.E. contained in a named school PE bag which should be kept in school at all times. |
Black plimsolls (trainers for outdoor sports if applicable) |
White t-shirt with school badge (school logo/badge optional) |
Navy or black sports shorts – plain and not branded |
Navy school hoodies with school badge can be purchased from school for PE on cold days |
Spare socks (spare underwear is advisable for younger children in case of accidents in school) |
In years 3, 4, 5, and 6 children would benefit from having plain black or navy tracksuit bottoms for outdoor games. Please note, no branded clothing or football kits should be worn for PE or extra-curricular activities. |
As well as keeping our children looking super smart and presentable, our school uniform gives our children a sense of identity and belonging within our school community
CLEARLY NAME
EVERYTHING!
It sounds obvious, but believe it or not, we receive so many items of unnamed lost uniform, even on day one of term. Please take the time to ensure you fully name everything (not just initials) so we can do our best to get any lost items back to your child.
You can also find details of our uniform, suppliers and also how to access good quality second hand uniform via FUPS .
Uniform Information
NO STOPPING OR PARKING ON ZIGZAGS
There is no parking available on school premises. You may find parking available in Upton village and some limited drop off/pick up parking available at St Joseph’s Church. When parking within the vicinity of school, please park considerately, ensuring not to park illegally on double yellow lines, too close to junctions or obstructing driveways/traffic.
Police and Local Authority Enforcement Officers regularly patrol to ensure safe parking.
I am unable to walk to school
Where can I park by school?
Your child will only need a book bag and water bottle to bring to school
(only school water bottles and bags please)
- please ensure these are labelled clearly-
Children will not need to bring anything else, e.g. stationery
Please do not allow your child to bring any toys from home to help us maintain infection control measures and prevent unnecessary distractions
What will my child need to bring to school?
School offers breakfast and afterschool clubs to help parents/carers manage the demands of busy lives.
Breakfast Club
Times: 7.30 am - 8.45 am - Cost: £4.50
Children will receive a breakfast from a choice of cereals, toast/crumpets, fruit and juice or milk
After School Club
Short Session Times: 3.30pm - 4.00pm Cost: £3.50
Full Session Times: 3.30pm - 6.00pm Cost: £7.00 & £5.00 for any additional sibling(s)
Children will receive a hot meal / snack
Children will be given the opportunity to complete fun activities led by our wrap around staff. Books can be made via School Money
What if I need wrap around care?
Payments made easy with School Money
Once your child’s admission has been fully completed, you will need to make payments in advance for all school activities via our School Money payment system.
You can book/pay for all school related activities, such as lunches, trips, wrap around care and uniform items.
Simply click on the school money guide for
user guidance and tips
How do I book & pay for school items?
Drop off and collection from breakfast / after school club via the hall door
Wrap around care is located in the school hall next to the school office
Breakfast club is open from 7.30 am After school club closes at 6.00 pm
Where to I drop off or collect for
Wrap Around Services?
Sickness
If your child cannot attend school due to illness, please call our absence line on 0151 677 3970 or email advising of the reason for your child’s absence and expected return date. Please see “Is my child too sick for school?”
Appointments
If your child has an appointment, please try wherever possible to arrange appointments outside of school hours. Where this is not possible, please email the school office (as above) confirming your child’s appointment details and providing proof of the appointment. Please note if proof is not provided, the absence may be recorded as
unauthorised.
Helping stop the spread of bugs at school
If your child has encountered episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting, they must remain off school for 48 hours after the last episode to prevent the spread of sickness bugs/viruses. There are also some other minor viral infections which may require your child to remain absent, e.g. chickenpox, measles, mumps, impetigo, however please contact school who will be happy to advise in relation to any require sickness absences.
What if my child is ill or has an appointment?
Attendance Matters - please click on the picture to open the booklet
Why is regular attendance so important?
Regular attendance at school means that your child can make the most of their education, improving their chances in adult life.
School can also help your child’s social skills such as making and developing friendships. A regular and punctual attendance pattern will help your child when they move into the next stage of their education and ultimately enter the world of work.
The link between attendance and attainment in school is clear. The more a pupil is in the school the more they increase their opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Please click here for regarding attendance including the following topics:-
Attendance & Punctuality
School Information
If you need any information at all, you will find an array of useful information on our school website
On our website you will find information about our policies, lunches, additional school services such as wrap around care, term dates, school news and calendar events, together with details of the curriculum your child will be learning this year.
Need more information - get in touch
If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact our School Office by calling 0151 677 3790 or by emailing schooloffice@stjosephs-upton.wirral.sch.uk
Our school office is open Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.15 pm.
We look forward to welcoming your child/children at St Joseph’s Primary.
Our School Office is open from 8.30 am to 4.00 pm monday to Friday during term time.