Parents' Guide 2

What Parents Need To Know:

Open Door Policy
Parents are very welcome at school and we have an open door policy. The best time to see the teachers is immediately after school at 3.05 p.m.
If you want to see the Head teacher on an urgent matter, please come at any time, with or without an appointment. We are always anxious to know of anything which might affect your child’s progress and well being at school.

Home/School Communications
Teachers will send home an outline of the work to be covered in school at the beginning of each term. Parents are also invited to a meeting with the class teacher during the first couple of weeks of the Autumn Term.  

Parents can also communicate daily with their class teachers by using the notebook which accompanies reading books and is taken home each night in book bags.
 
Newsletters are produced fortnightly on Friday and can be viewed online in addition to the paper copy that is currently sent home with the children. They inform the parents about events, holiday dates and other important information. Letters can be emailed if preferred.
 
Regular parent consultations are held every term and an annual report is given at the end of the Summer term. An Open Evening is held at the end of the Summer Term. Parents are also invited in to school at the end of the Christmas and Easter terms to view work with their child.

Parent Helpers
We welcome the help of parents in school. Our parent helpers play a very valuable part in St. Mary’s School. If you would like to volunteer your help, please see your child’s class teacher or call at the school office. All helpers will need to undertake a Criminal Records Bureau Check.

Educational Trips And Visits
During their time at St. Mary's the children have the opportunity to visit many local places such as:

Moors Valley Country Park, Poole Park, Scaplens Court, Kingston Lacy, Longdown Dairy Farm, Museums in Poole and Wimborne and other places of interest.
 
We also offer a short residential visit to Springhead Study Centre in the delightful North Dorset village of Fontwell Magna for the oldest year group. This carefully structured visit allows children opportunities for field work, outdoor activities and to develop social skills.

Activities
The children are given the opportunity of taking part in various lunchtime and after school activities which may include Football, Chess, Drama, Art, Sewing, and Country Dancing Club.
 
Curriculum Weeks
We have a curriculum weeks during the year, where the whole school studies a particular topic, in the past we have held:
 
Sports Book Week, which culminated in everyone dressing up as a sports star and producing a sports report.
 
Around the World Arts Week, all of our children travelled to different countries around the world (Australia, USA, Brazil Malawi and UK) and learnt a skill from that country to show to their parents at an open afternoon.