Daily Details
Please find helpful information below regarding timings, registers, drop off and pick up, communication and uniform.
A Typical Day at Forestdale
Our gates open for the start of the school day at 8:45 a.m. From this time on, there are teachers on duty on each playground. Children must not arrive at school before 8.45 a.m, unless they have been specifically instructed to do so to attend booster classes or need to leave early for a learning visit, etc.
The gates close promptly at 8.55am and children should be in class by then, ready to start their learning. Children who arrive after this time must be taken by their parent/carer to the school office and signed in as late.
Reception Entrance
Infant Entrance
Junior entrance
Reception
Morning Session 8.55 am - 12 noon
Lunch 12 noon - 1.00 pm
Afternoon Session 1.00 pm - 3.10 pm
Key Stage 1
Morning Session 8:55 am – 12:05 pm
Lunch 12:05 pm – 1:05 pm
Afternoon Session 1:05 pm – 3:10 pm
Key Stage 2
Morning Session 8:55 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Afternoon Session 1:15 pm - 3:15 pm
In the morning the children have a daily Guided Reading, Maths and English session, and phonics in the Infants. The children are supported in the class by the teacher and the teaching assistant.
At 9.00 am all the children meet in the hall for an assembly led by either a member of staff or an outside agency. The assemblies are either topical, linked to one of the schools five STAR values or a celebration.
Infants have break time at 10:30am and Juniors at 10:45am. They are encouraged to eat a healthy snack and drink their milk.
At lunchtimes, the children are allowed on the playground or field to play. They are supervised by the mid-day supervisors. Toys are available for the children to play with.
In the afternoons, the children take part in non-core subjects such as Geography, P.E and Art.
The end of the school day is at 3.10 pm for Infants and 3.15 pm for Juniors. Children are not detained in school for any reason. However, occasionally a child may be asked to stay behind while a discussion takes place with the parent/carer.
During dismissal, the teachers will take the children to specific designated areas on the playground. Having designated areas reduces the amount of congestion on the playground.
Parents are asked not to take their children before they reach the designated area or before the teacher has dismissed them. Safeguarding our children is paramount and teachers need to ensure that children go home with the correct adult.
Children may attend after school clubs which will finish at 4.05 pm for Infants and 4.15 pm for Juniors.
Attendance
Ideally, children should be in school, on time, 100% of the time. We attach great importance to making a prompt start to the day so doors open from 8.45am for a punctual 8.55 a.m start to the school day.
Lateness and absence affect all children’s learning, not just those directly involved.
Registration and Punctuality
Each day is divided into two sessions: morning registration is between 8.45 and 8.55am; afternoon registration is at 1.05pm for infants and 1.15 for juniors.
Children arriving late, after 8.55 and up to 9.15 am, are unable to enter through the children’s entrance and must report to the office. They and will be marked in as ‘late’; after that, without a good reason, they will get an ‘unauthorised absence’ on their record. Similarly, in the afternoon children in the infants must be in the classroom for 1.05pm and juniors must be in the classroom by 1.15 to receive an attendance mark from their class-teacher. Children arriving after 1.05pm in the infants and 1.15 in the juniors will get an ‘unauthorised absence’ on their record.
If a child is unwell or going to be unavoidably late the office must be notified as soon as possible, either in person or by telephone, otherwise the child’s absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’.
Register checks are undertaken every day and detailed monitoring of those whose attendance is poor.
If a child is not present and a parent or carer has not contacted the school, the school’s attendance officer will send a text to the parent/carer, which will then be followed up by a telephone call.
Parents/carers are expected to call the school on each day of the child’s absence.
Monitoring Individual Attendance
We closely monitor each child’s attendance. We reward our children for shining examples of attendance.
| Attendance | Action |
| 100% | Children will receive a certificate for outstanding attendance. |
| Below 95% | Parents/carers will receive an attendance letter. The child's attendance will be closely monitored by a member of the Senior Leadership Team, with possible intervention of the Education Welfare Officer. |
| Below 89% | Parents/carers will receive an attendance letter. Guaranteed involvement of the Education Welfare Officer if there fails to be improvement. |
If a child’s attendance and / or punctuality presents a concern, school staff will investigate and support, ultimately supported by the team’s Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Sometimes a child can be reluctant to come to school therefore the child’s class teacher should be told as soon as possible. We will always help support families with strategies to improve their child's attendance.
Rewards and Incentives
| Weekly rewards | Termly rewards | Annual awards |
| Attendance Ted is given to the class the with the highest Weekly attendance. | Certificate for 100% attendance over a term. | Certificate for 100% attendance over the year. |
Whole School Attendance
| Attendance at the end of last academic year | 96% |
| Whole school attendance presently | 96.7% |
| The Government target for attendance | 95% |
Attendance Policy
For more information on attendance and punctuality, please click on the button below:
Communication
Forestdale Flyer
General communication between the school and home is done by email and via the weekly newsletter, The Forestdale Flyer. The Flyer is emailed to parents weekly during term time on Fridays and is also available to view on the school's website.
Working Together
At the start of each term, parents are invited to a Working Together meeting, where an outline of the term’s learning is presented by the class teacher. These happen at 9:00am, in the child’s classroom, with the children present.
Parent Consultations
Parent Consultation Meetings will take place virtually and an email will be sent out on how to book appointments
In the autumn and spring terms, consultation evenings are held when parents, with or without their children, can talk to their child’s teacher, view work, review targets and receive information about their child’s general progress and attitude. This will include information regarding the assessment procedures e.g. Foundation Stage Profile during the Reception year.
Reports
A written report is issued at the end of the school year. Parents are welcome to make comments about the reports either in writing or through meeting the class teacher.
From Home
Information from home concerning absences, dentists’ visits, holidays etc should either be telephoned or sent by sealed letter, with the name of the relevant member of staff clearly displayed.
General notes and queries for the class teacher can be written in the child's contact book which is checked each day. Alternatively, parents can email the school office with questions or concerns.
If you have forgotten to pass on a message regarding a change concerning the end of the day, please telephone through to the office well before 2.45pm to allow sufficient time for the message to be passed on.
The communication via email is great for parents
Communication between parents and teachers is effective
Uniform
At Forestdale Primary School we pride ourselves in looking smart at all times by wearing a smart and comfortable uniform which follows the school’s uniform policy. Uniform can be ordered online from Schoolwear for Less and ShopKeep Easy.
- Policy
- My Clothing
- School Trends
- ShopKeep Easy
- Brigade Clothing
Uniform Guidelines
We believe that a school uniform is important:
- It looks smart
- Wears well
- Contributes to a sense of belonging and community
- Gives a common purpose
- Makes children feel equal to their peers in terms of appearance
- Fosters a feeling of pride
- Is designed with health and safety in mind
We ask that all children wear the uniform and encourage them to maintain a good standard of clean and tidy dress in school.
The uniform is designed to be practical, maintainable and good value for money.
Hair accessories such as slides, ribbons, bobbles, etc, should be fairly simple and if possible in school colours. Hair longer than shoulder length should be tied back from the face.
Parents are asked to ensure that all items are labelled clearly with their child’s name.
For safety reasons we ask that the children do not wear jewellery in school.
For health reasons it is important that children are properly dressed for physical activity.
Seasonal Uniform
Winter
- White polo shirt or button shirt
- School red sweatshirt with/without school logo
- Grey trousers (no jeans)
- Grey socks
- Leather shoes (black - not trainers)
- Grey skirt, pinafore dress or trousers (no jeans)
- Grey socks or grey or red tights
Summer
- White polo shirt or button shirt
- School red sweatshirt with school logo
- Grey trousers (no jeans) or grey shorts
- Grey skirt, pinafore or trousers or red and white checked dress. Play suits are not allowed.
- Grey or white short socks
- Leather shoes (black not trainers)
Summary
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School coats and fleece jackets (both with school logo) are optional.
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Watches may be worn, but the school cannot accept responsibility for any damage or loss that may occur.
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In the interests of safety, the wearing of jewellery is not allowed. Only earrings of the ‘stud' type may be worn in plain silver or gold only.
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Fashion items or items which compromise safety are not permitted in children's hair. Ribbons or hair accessories must be red in colour and kept minimal.
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Make up and nail varnish are not permitted.
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Shoes should be sensible and comfortable (no trainers except for outdoor PE). Shoes with spiked or high heels should not be worn.
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Open-toed shoes are discouraged for Health and Safety reasons (crushed toes) and sling backs are not allowed.
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All clothing should be clearly labelled, and outdoor coats should possess strong loops to ensure they can be hung correctly on pegs.
PE Kit
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Black shorts
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School PE T-shirt with logo or house colour t-shirt (Badger- blue, Fox-orange, Hedgehog-yellow, Rabbit-green, Squirrel-red)
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Plimsolls for inside PE
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Trainers for outdoor PE
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Tracksuit (preferably red or black)
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PE kit should be kept in a named drawstring bag.
Summary
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For outdoor games during cold weather sensible and appropriate clothing is required. Tracksuits are best.
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Football boots or trainers with a good grip for football are needed as well as thick socks.
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Please note that PE kit needs to stay in school and will be sent home each holiday for washing.
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A draw-string bag should be provided so that PE and Games clothing may be kept safely. Bags should be of a reasonable size, not the large holdalls produced by sports manufacturers. These are very difficult to store.
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During PE watches must be removed and placed in the teacher's drawer. However, such items are not the responsibility of the school and we discourage children from wearing expensive jewellery or watches on the premises.
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Studs must be removed for P.E. without exception by the child or covered with school tape. We recommend that ear piercing should take place at the beginning of the summer holiday so allowing time for healing.
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Long hair - when it reaches below the shoulders - must be tied up.
The PTA organises a second hand uniform sale a few times each year.
What does my child need to bring to school?
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School book bag or rucksack
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Named water bottle
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Named contact book
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Reading book
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Named coat / fleece as appropriate to the weather
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Sun hat in summer
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PE kit – should be kept in school
Volunteers
Supporting in classrooms
At Forestdale Primary School there are many opportunities for you to get involved, and here are just a few you can volunteer for:
- helping with reading or listening to children read
- helping out on school trips
- joining our Parent/Teacher association
- becoming a school Governor
- gardening
Parent helpers
In line with Safeguarding requirements you will need to have a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, so please call into the school office if you would like more information. It does take a few weeks for DBS checks to be processed so please give us plenty of time to sort this out. Childrens’ safety and welfare is of prime importance and will always take precedence over visitors to the school.
Any volunteers working in school will need to see and sign a copy of the school’s Code of Conduct. Volunteers are required to comply with the code in order for us to provide and safe and positive educational climate for our pupils.
We also welcome community members who can offer local knowledge and share their skills and talents. We currently have links with the St Mary's Church, Huntingfield Methodist Church, Kidz Klub, the local police and many, many more! If you think you could help to inspire future generations then please contact us.
Parent helpers at Butser Farm
Parent Workshops
At Forestdale we continually run a series of excellent, fun and informative parent workshops throughout the year.
I love the fact the school arranges workshops so parents and carers can support learning at home. Anonymous parent
Working Together
Working Together is a very popular style of workshop for parents. We wanted to move away from more traditional parent meetings where information was just relayed to parents/ carers. Our parents now have the unique opportunity to visit their child’s classroom and take part in fun learning activities, alongside their child, under the guidance and direction of the teacher. We even offer a sausage breakfast and teas/coffees during the break. Please click on the classes below to see the flipcharts.
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Reception
Parents of reception children are invited into their child’s classrooms every Wednesday morning from 8.45- 9.05. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents to see what the children have been learning that week as well as spending quality learning time with their child. The children get to choose an activity to do with their parents and the teachers offer support as and when it is needed.
Online Safety
We take safeguarding children when online extremely seriously. Although we teach children strategies and ways to stay safe online in school, we offer support to parents in keeping children safe at home online.
Please see further details in our Wellbeing page