Absence: Please inform the school as soon as possible if your child will not be in school, giving the reason for the absence – whether it is due to illness or medical appointment.

Email the school at junioroffice@csgvillageschool.org or call the office on 01494 873090. If no-one answers, please leave a message on the answer phone which will be picked up by the office staff before school begins. Once the class register has been taken, the school will contact parents of children who are not in school and for whom we have not received a reason for absence to check that they are safe. If your child is off school for subsequent days, please continue to inform us of their absence.

Allergies: If your child has any type of allergy, please ensure that the School Office is aware of the details of the allergy. If your child requires medication to treat this allergy, then any autoinjectors, such as Epipens, and antihistamines belonging to children are kept in the class medical bags. We ask parents to ensure that any medication provided is in date. We have a school emergency Epipen and will ask all parents of children with Epipens to provide consent for the use of this school Epipen.

Assemblies: There is a daily assembly in school.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the assembly themes are varied, and this whole school assembly usually takes place between 10:40 and 10:55. 

Thursday is the day for singing assembly – this is a longer assembly and the children practise singing a wide range of songs. This assembly takes place between 11:50 and 12:20.

On Friday our Achievements Assembly takes place in the afternoon (1:20pm to 1:35pm). We like to celebrate children’s achievements in sports and other activities both within and outside school. If your child would like to be presented with a certificate, cup etc. gained in an outside activity, please bring it to the School Office before Friday morning so that it can be presented to them during the Achievements Assembly. The winners of the Class and House Cups are also announced during Friday assembly and various certificates are awarded.

Address changes or new contact details: Please inform the School Office of any change of address or contact details. If the main parent/ carer is to be away at any point during term time, e.g. for work or holiday reasons, it is really helpful to know and to have temporary replacement priority contact details. The School Office sends out weekly email reminders and most letters are sent out by email, so having an up-to-date email address is really important.

Asthma: Inhalers belonging to children who suffer from asthma are kept in the class medical bags. We ask parents to provide an inhaler for use in school if appropriate, and to ensure that the inhaler provided is in date. We have a school emergency inhaler and will ask all parents of asthmatic children to provide consent for the use of this school inhaler.

Behaviour and Promoting Positive Behaviour: The relationships developed between staff and pupils are central to promoting positive behaviours for learning within our school. Children continue to use the Gem Gang, promoting specific learning behaviours and enthusing children to care for others and care about their own learning. Where a child may find making good decisions a challenge, a member of staff will talk with them to assist them in reflecting. The child may need further reflection time during the enrichment time or a conversation with you as parents may be needed. Should a child display more challenging and persistently poor behaviour, this will be managed by the Head and Deputy Head, using a pastoral support system.

Pupils and teachers are assigned to one of four houses, named Air, Earth, Fire and Water. In addition to the verbal and more relational approach to promoting positive behaviour, the children may receive points for excellent achievement and various acts of kindness etc. The house points are added up each week and a trophy passed to that week's highest scoring house in Friday's assembly. The houses provide a means of interaction between different classes and year groups in events such as Sports Day and Themed Weeks and are a spur to friendly competition throughout the year.

Class Parent Representatives: Each class has a volunteer parent who acts as a liaison point between the teacher and parents on general issues. Class parents contact parents via Classlist, arrange social gatherings and muster voluntary help when needed, eg, on school trips. They also provide the focal point for communication for all parents. If you have specific concerns or issues you wish to raise, please do not do so through your Class Representative as this is not part of their role. Please contact the class teacher or the School Office directly.

Classes: 

• Year 3 – Ash Class and Oak Class       
• Year 4 – Acer Class and Palm Class
• Year 5 – Beech Class and Maple Class
• Year 6 – Acacia Class and Bonsai Class

Clubs – After School and Lunchtime: There are a number of opportunities for your child to join in lunchtime and after-school activities. Some of these are run on a voluntary basis by staff and are free of charge, but some, such as the externally run sports clubs, are provided on a private basis and a charge will be made. Parents will be emailed with details of clubs and how to sign up for these clubs. Details of current clubs are the school website here.

Cycling to school: Bikeability cycle training sessions are available during Year 5 & 6. Year 6 children may request to cycle to and from school. We ask that parents of Year 6 children wishing to cycle to school and to store their bikes on school premises, should complete and submit a Cycling Permit letter, a copy of which is available on the Forms page of the website here. Children are not permitted to cycle on school property other than during cycle training sessions.

Drinking Water: Children should bring a named water bottle to use in their classroom, and they are encouraged to drink regularly during the day. Water bottles can be refilled from the taps in class.

Free School Meals: If you think that your child might be eligible for Free School Meals, please complete an application form copy available on the website here or look at the School Meals 

Gem Cards: Gem cards will be given to children who show learning behaviours above and beyond what is expected. Staff issue these cards which can be taken home to share with parents.

Gem Power Rules: Our Gem Power Rules which promote positive learning behaviour as well as a positive approach to others.

Hair: Pupils with long hair, regardless of gender, should use elasticated ties or ‘Alice bands’ (not hard hairbands) to tie their hair back in school. Hair should not be unnaturally styled with gel or other products.

Holidays and Other Absences in Term Time:  Only in very exceptional circumstances will a leave of absence be granted in term time. Taking children out of class for holidays or day visits during term time is not an exceptional circumstance and will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. If you believe that your request for leave of absence is driven by exceptional circumstances, we are happy to receive your request and to discuss it with you. Please ensure that all requests are received at least one month in advance of the absence using the absence request form available from the school website here.

If your child has a doctor's appointment, a music exam or other appointment, please inform the School Office in advance of the day of the appointment – if possible by email.

Home/School Communication – Parent/Teacher Communication: Teachers are available in class at the beginning of the school day (8:45am). If you have any concerns or wish to discuss any matter with the class teacher or another member of staff, please call the office to make an appointment or email the school office.  Appointments will be made as soon as possible. Please avoid going into classrooms during the day without an appointment. It is important for security reasons that entry to school is managed appropriately, and it is vital that important matters are given a sensible time for discussion which is convenient to all parties and does not interrupt teaching duties. If your child has forgotten something that they will need to take to school that day, please take it to the school office so that it can be taken to your child.

Home School Agreement: Available on the website here.

Homework: Please see our Homework Policy

Houses and House Points: Pupils and teachers are assigned to one of four Houses, named Air, Earth, Fire and Water. House points are awarded for especially good work or behaviour. The house points are added up each week and a trophy is passed to that week’s highest scoring house in achievement's assembly. The houses provide a means of interaction between different classes and year groups in events such as Sports Day and Themed Weeks and are a spur to friendly competition throughout the year.

Air (Blue), Earth (Green), Fire (Red), Water (Yellow)

Jewellery: Wristwatches are the only acceptable form of jewellery. No bracelets or necklaces etc. are permitted unless prior arrangements have been agreed for religious reasons. Earrings are not allowed to be worn in school under any circumstances. If ears are to be pierced, please ensure this is done at the start of the summer holidays so they have a chance to heal before school starts. Any child wearing earrings to school will be asked to remove them.

Journeying to and from school: Our main gate is accessed from Parsonage Road and is open from 08:45. The Lagger Gate is accessed from Lagger Close and gives access via a path alongside the school field. The Hillside Close gate opens onto the Lower School Playground and can be accessed using the Hillside Close footpath coming up from the zebra crossing on the Deanway, or by following the path from the Bowstridge Lane playground car park area. Parents are asked not to drive up Parsonage Road as this causes serious problems for the local residents and endangers pupils walking to school. The side gate near the main Parsonage Road entrance, the Lagger and Hillside Close gates are open from 08:45 until 09:00 and unlocked again at 15.25.

At the end of the school day, all children must be collected from their classteacher by an adult. Children who are not collected from class will be taken to the School Office to await collection. If they are still waiting after 15.45, we will contact the child’s parent or carer as appropriate.

Labelling Clothing and Equipment: All items of uniform and kit, including coats, bags, lunch boxes, water bottles, pencil cases etc should all be clearly labelled with your child's name (initials will not suffice).

Library Books: The school library is open at lunchtimes for pupils to borrow books. We ask that all library books are returned before the end of the academic year in July.

Letters, News and Updates: The School Office will email copies of letters and news whenever possible. Some items may also be sent out as paper copies under exceptional circumstances. Please ensure that the school office has a current email address for each parent requiring copies of letters and news.

Lost Property: There is a school lost property box kept in the Dining Hall. Please look here for any lost items. Clearly labelled items will be returned to their owner when possible. Each class has a lost property box as well. The school lost property box will be emptied at the end of each term and items either recycled or binned as appropriate.

Meals – School Meals: School meals are served every day in the Junior School. These meals are cooked for us at St. Joseph’s Junior School in Chalfont St Peter and delivered fresh every day. There is usually a choice of a main meal plus a vegetarian main meal with cooked vegetables, or salad and a choice of pudding or fresh fruit. Meals must be pre-ordered using ParentPay. Please contact the office if you need logon details for ParentPay. 

Menu information is available on ParentPay or on the School Meals Page of this website. The cost per meal is currently £2.98 but if you think that your child might be eligible for Free School Meals, please ask the School Office for an application form.

Meals - Packed Lunches:  If not having a school meal, children need to bring in a packed lunch to eat in school in a named container. Lunches should be balanced and healthy, (please do not include sweets or chocolates – a biscuit or small cake is fine – and nothing that contains nuts of any type, i.e. no peanut butter or hazelnut spread type products). Water should be included. Packed lunches are kept in school bags in the cloakroom.

Snacks for morning break: Children may bring in a fruit or vegetable snack for morning break. Break-time snacks should be kept in their bags in the class cloakroom.

Drinks: Children should bring a named water bottle to use in their classroom, and they are encouraged to drink regularly during the day. Water bottles can be refilled from the taps in class. 

Make-up and Nails: Nails should be kept short to avoid injury to others, particularly during PE and games lessons. No make-up, including nail varnish, is allowed.

Medicines in School: Medicines should only be brought into school when essential. A medicine administration form for prescribed medicines, including any hayfever medicines, is available from the School Office or on the forms page of the school website here and must be completed before any medicine can be administered by school staff. Medicines should always be provided in the original container with the prescriber’s instructions for administration and dosage. Any medicines should be handed in to the School Office and not be carried around by your child. If you have any queries about what medicines we can dispense to children, please contact the office.

Messages for Children: We understand that it is sometimes important to get a message to a child about changes to after-school collection or to inform a child that the person collecting them may be running late. Please inform the School Office if this is the case, and we will always do our best to get the message to your child in time. Please try to ensure that your child is aware of collection arrangements each day. We ask that changes to collection arrangements are emailed to the School Office before 12:30 if possible.

Music/ Instrument Lessons: A number of opportunities for pupils to learn musical instruments are offered by music teachers from the Bucks Music Trust. Drumming lessons are provided by independent teachers. There are charges for these additional lessons. See the music lessons section of the website for more details.

Newsletters: Newsletters are issued termly and copies are available on the Letters section of the website – click here.

Numeracy Groups (Maths Groups): Early during the first half-term, classes will be divided across their year group into two or three ability groups for Numeracy lessons. This is to enable the subject matter and learning goals to be targeted more precisely at the needs of individual pupils.

Open Door: Parents are welcome to come into school each Friday morning from 8:45 to 8:55am to read with your child and look at their books so that you are clear about what they have been doing in the week. If you have any concerns or questions about your child's learning, we are happy to talk with you either by phone or before or after school. We believe that one of the keys to a successful and all-round education is partnership with parents.

Paper Copies: Requests for paper copies of documents should be made to the School Office - JuniorOffice@CSGVillageSchool.org - stating which document you require and for what purpose. There will be NO charge to parents for any such documents requested.

Parking Promise and Safe Zones - The areas outside our school sites are busy in the morning and at the end of the school day. Parents who park close to entrances, on yellow lines or on the pavement act irresponsibly and place children in danger. See here for a copy of our Parking Promise and the Safe Zones around our school sites outlined.

Parental Help in School: If you have any specific skills to offer or are just interested in helping in any way you can, please let us know what you are able to do and when you are available. A register of potential helpers, who have offered to help if their skills and availability match the school's requirements is kept by each class parent rep who is able to assist the class teacher with rotas. All parent helpers will have to have an up-to-date DBS check gained through either the Infant or Junior School before they start helping. Contact the School Office if you need to apply for a DBS certificate. 

ParentPay: We use ParentPay payment system to enable parents to make direct and secure payments for school meals, trips and visits. The parent of each child is given a registration link when they join the school. If you have any problems using ParentPay there are help sections on the ParentPay website www.parentpay.com or contact the School Office. 

Parents' Information Meetings: The class teachers hold a year group meeting at the beginning of the school year and other meetings are held throughout the year. The purpose of these meetings is to inform parents of matters affecting the school or to gain feedback on any issues of general concern. Emails are sent out to all parents inviting them to attend the meeting.

Parking: We ask all families to park thoughtfully and to avoid parking on Parsonage Road. The school car park is for staff or emergency use only, unless you have been given specific permission to use it. Please do not use the staff car park when dropping off before 9am or when collecting at the end of the school day at 3:30pm.

PE Kit: Children must wear appropriate clothing for PE and should come in to school wearing school PE kit on PE lesson days. 

Phones and Electrical Devices: Children are not permitted to have phones or electrical devices such as iPods etc in school other than in exceptional circumstances. If your child needs to have a phone in school, please complete a permission form – these are available from the School office or on the website here. Where pupils have obtained consent, then their phone/device should be handed in to the School Office at the beginning of the day and collected at the end of the school day. Can all volunteer helpers please ensure that they do not use their mobile phones whilst they are in school. If you have any questions regarding this please contact Mr Haywood.

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Committee: This hard-working group of volunteers organise a number of fund-raising events throughout the year and provide support to the school in many other ways. Representatives will be present at our Open Evening to encourage your involvement and membership and to poll your views as to future events. They can be contacted via the School Office, via a letter in their post box in the main reception area or by email. Link to the PTA page on our website.

Reading Books: Reading books in our reading scheme are graded and the class teacher will tell your child from which level they should select a book. They are expected to read at home with an adult at least three times a week and this should be recorded in the reading record along with comments about their progress with the book. They have the responsibility of changing their reading book when it is finished and may do so at break times or before or after school. Parent helpers regularly come into school to read with the children. Replacement reading records are available from the School Office for 50p. We also use Reading Eggs software and your child will be given an individual login.

Report to parents: You will receive a report on your child’s progress at parent consultation evenings in the Autumn and Spring terms and a written report in the Summer term. An annual report with their attainment and progress through the year is sent out in the summer term. 

School Council: Early in the Autumn term, each class votes on a boy and a girl to represent them on the School Council. The School Council meets twice every half-term with the Deputy Head and provides a direct means for pupils to express their views about the school and to suggest improvements.

School Financial Support: The school manages its budget carefully, and we rely on fund-raising from the PTA to supply many additional extras. We also ask parents to consider making a regular contribution to school funds of up to £100 per academic year. The School Trust, into which this money is paid, enables us to budget for long-term costs such as additional teaching staff not funded by the County, helping provide both specialist teaching and smaller groups. Information about the Trust and how you can support it is available on the website here or can also be obtained from the School Business Manager.

Sickness (Vomiting) or Diarrhoea: It is school policy that a child should remain away from school for 48 hours from the last episode of any vomiting or diarrhoea.

Snow Closures: In the case of severe weather, we shall advise parents of school closures or changes to the school day. Information will be provided on the News section on the home page of the school website - www.csgvillageschool.org. The Buckinghamshire Council school status website will also be updated, and a notification will be sent to parents via email. For further information, see our Snow Procedures page.

Sporting Events and Matches: If your child is selected to represent the school in a sporting fixture, then you will receive an email, via the office, from the teacher responsible for that team. This will be to seek consent to take part in the event, to give details of the venue, to list any sports kit required and to give transport/lift information and permission. Please complete the online form as soon as possible. We rely on parents to help with lifts to make these events feasible. If your child is not available to play, please inform the school office so that a replacement can be selected.

Stationary: Children should bring in a named pencil case and appropriate stationery. Please see the list of recommended items below:

Pencil cases and equipment – a reminder that children are expected to have the following items in pencil cases:

• 2 pencils
• a pencil sharpener
• a rubber
• a pen – (if your child has their pen licence)
• a purple pen/pencil
• a glue stick
• a whiteboard pen
• a ruler
• a pair of scissors

Please note that the following items are not allowed: Sharpies, gel pens and highlighters. 

Year 3 children do not need a pencil case during their first term.

Stationary Shop: The School Office runs a stationery shop which is open for children to buy items both before school and during the morning break. Our current price list is available on the school shop page.

Timetable: The weekly timetable is structured with daily Numeracy and Literacy lessons plus, on certain days, Science, Topic lessons, PE (Physical Education), ICT (Information & Communication Technology) and French. We try to teach as many foundation subjects as we can through topics. Literacy is largely linked to our topics, and we link Numeracy and Science where we can. This helps the children to see where their learning in different subjects fits together. Where subjects do not fit into a topic, they are taught discretely. Some lessons are not taught by the class teacher but by other teachers who have specialist knowledge of the subject, due to setting arrangements or internal cover for teachers’ Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA) time.

Uniform: Uniform details are given here. School jumpers and PE kit can be purchased at any time from our uniform suppliers, PMG Schoolwear. All other items should be readily available from retailers selling standard school clothing. Coats should be practical, warm and at the very least shower-proof. Please ensure that uniform items and coats are clearly labelled with your child's name.

Weekly Email: The School Office sends out a weekly email each Friday to remind parents of events for the following week. Please ensure that the office has a current email address for any parent who wishes to receive these emails.

Wet Break Time: If the weather is wet, then children will remain in classrooms or school halls under supervision during break times.

Please contact the School Office if there are any additional topics that you would like to have included in this listing.