General Information

Please see below for information on the things you ask us most frequently about:

Attendance

You are legally obliged to send your child to school and to ensure that they are on time. Failure to do so can lead you to be prosecuted through the court system. At our school, attendance is very high and we work closely with you to ensure that this remains so. We monitor attendance and punctuality closely and will contact you if we have any concerns. If you need help in getting your child to school please contact us in confidence. We are here to help.

Communication with parents (School Gateway)

We communicate with you in a variety of ways but the quickest way of getting in touch with you is through the School Gateway system. This enables us to send emails efficiently and quickly to you. However you must be registered on the system and the best way of doing this is by downloading the app on to your smart phone and ensuring that the school office also has your current mobile number and email address.

First Aid

Qualified first aiders deal with minor accidents and ailments, which occur in school. In the event of a more serious incident, parents will be contacted and advised to seek further medical attention and if necessary the child will be referred to the hospital. It is, essential therfore that emergency contact numbers are kept up to date and we would ask you to ensure that the school office is notified of any changes.

Holidays from School

It is the expectation of St Louis School that parents will take holidays during school holiday time. In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to seek an authorised Leave of Absence from school during term time. If you are considering such a request you should complete the Leave of Absence form which is available from this website under the 'Parents' tab and then 'forms' or the school office. You should give as much information as possible so the right decision can be made. Please note absence from school without proper reason can lead to further action being taken e.g., fines and court appearances.

Illness

We are aware that everyone’s situation is different. Your child’s attendance may be lower for many different reasons and we understand that some of these absences could not have been avoided. However, it is our duty to inform you if your child’s attendance is below the expected 95% standard. It is important that home and school work together to ensure your child is receiving the full education they are entitled to.

Here are a few reminders of things you can do to help your child’s attendance:

• Send your child in even if they have a minor cold. We will try to get them through the day and will always contact you if we feel they are struggling. We would always rather you tried to send them in, even if they do not last the whole day (use NHS website to help you decide https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/)
• If you are keeping one child off because of illness, please ensure you always send siblings in to school
• Avoid taking any holidays during term times – these will not be authorised in keeping with Government Guidance
• Talk to your child about the importance of them being in school and let them know how important you feel it is

If your child has been vomiting or has had diarrhoea, it is school policy for him/her to remain off school for the 48 hours following the last bout. This is to ensure that your child is fully recovered and ready to return to school and to reduce the risk of other people becoming unwell.

Medicine

Medicine will only be administered in school if it is a doctor’s prescription, which requires a fourth dose to be taken with food at lunchtime. In such circumstances a medication form, available from our website (please see 'Forms' ) or from the school office, must be completed and sent in with the medicine, which should be clearly labelled with the child’s name and the dosage. Please note that we can only administer medicine between 12.00 and 12.30. If your child needs medicine at any other times then you will need to make arrangements for an appropriate person to come up to school to do this.

Children who suffer from asthma carry their own inhalers and use them as required. Please notify the School Office if your child will have an inhaler in school or if your child will require any other medication, such as an epi-pen for peanut allergy.

Professional Support

A medical is arranged for new entrants during the term after their fifth birthday. Parents’ consent is sought before hand and they are invited to be present at the medical with the school nurse. During their time in school your child will have height and weight checks, vision screening and the audiologist will test his/her hearing. The school nurse visits regularly and is happy to discuss any matters concerning your child’s health. We have a Counsellor from the 2-CAN counselling service based in our school every Thursday morning. If you are interested in using this service please contact the school office. We also work closely with a range of support services who are available to help you. These include the Specialist Teaching service, the Psychology service, Health Teams and Social Care.

Sacramental Programme

During Year 3 the children are prepared for the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and First Reconciliation. This is a parish-based programme and you must register your child with your Parish Priest. Please contact your priest or a member of the Parish Catechist Team for more details (under the Parents tab and then 'useful links' on our website).

School Uniform

We are proud of our distinctive school uniform and expect it to be worn at all times in school and on most outside visits. Uniform helps children take pride in their appearance and enables a sense of belonging and community. For further information please click on the 'Parents' tab at the top of our web site. Please note trainers are not accepted as suitable footwear and any child coming to school wearing them will be expected to change into black plimsolls. If you need help in buying school uniform please contact the school office in confidence.