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This section of our school website holds important information relevant to parents of pupils at our school. It allows you convenient access to rules, policies and general information relating to the school's operation. Information is shown on this page and within the specific sections on the left hand side of the page. If you cannot find the information you are looking for then please contact us.
The School Day (Session Times)
Nursery Class
Mornings - 8.40 a.m. – 11.40 a.m.
Afternoon - 12.10 - 3.10 p.m. (if entitled to 30 hours from September 2017)
Reception Class
Morning: 8.40 a.m. – 12.00p.m.
Afternoon: 1.00 p.m. – 3.10 p.m.
Year 1 and Year 2 Pupils (Key Stage 1)
Morning: 8.40 am - 12.00 pm
Afternoon: 1.00 pm - 3.10 pm
This gives 21 hours 30 minutes of teaching time each week.
Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 Pupils (Key Stage 2)
Morning: 8.40 am - 12.30 pm
Afternoon: 1.30 pm - 3.10 pm
All Key Stage One and Two children have morning a break of 15 minutes. This gives 23.5 hours of teaching time each week.
After School Clubs
If your child attends any of the after school clubs they must be collected by an adult at the specified time.
Appointments
In the interests of children’s safety we remind parents that it is vital that they must accompany children to and from the school entrance when collecting or dropping off for medical / dental appointments etc.
Attendance
It is your legal responsibility to make sure that your child attends school every day.
Good habits of regular attendance and punctuality are considered to be an essential part of a child's development and we therefore expect regular attendance (except in times of illness) and good timekeeping, particularly in the mornings.
A reminder to some parents that children should be in the playground by 8.40 a.m. and not wandering in late. Children who arrive late to school must be accompanied into school with an adult and signed in.
The registers close very quickly and your child could be marked absent for the morning session if late. Please remember that punctuality and attendance are extremely important for your child’s progress in school.
When a child has to have unavoidable time off school such as to keep medical appointments, his/her parents should ensure that he/she attends school for the rest of the day. When a child is absent from school parents must contact school on the first day of absence by telephone or send a note to the school either by letter or email to: JEYoung@stthomasmorerc.rochdale.sch.uk . If reported by telephone a letter in writing must be sent into school upon your child's return.
If we do not receive any contact with reason for absence it will be recorded as unauthorised
Parents whose children's attendance falls below 92% will receive a reminder by text how important it is to attend regularly. The Government has indicated to schools that children whose attendance is 85% or lower are classed as persistent absentees.
Family Holidays During School Time
Following on from the Governments legislation in 2003 giving no entitlement to parents to take their children on holiday during term time. From September 2018 we have now implemented Fixed Penalty Notices as per our Attendance Policy and advice from Rochdale Authority. All families who take unauthorised leave exceeding 4 school days will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by the /Education Welfare Service. Further information regarding Unauthorised leave and other attendance matters can be found in our "Attendance Policy" on the policy page of the website.
Medicines in School
​Preventative medicines such as inhalers for asthma are to be kept with the child. Parents are required to sign a School Asthma Card. The child’s name and class must be clearly marked on any inhalers brought to school. Medicines should only be administered at the school when it would be detrimental to a child’s health or school attendance not to do so. School will only accept prescribed medicines that are in date, labelled, provided in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacist and include instructions for administration, dosage and storage. Parents are to complete a consent form prior to prescribed medicines being left at school. We will not administer non-prescription medicines to a child, if a parent /carer wishes a child to have the non- prescription medicine they will need to come to school to administer it to their child.
Charging and Remission Policy
The policy for charging adopted by The Governing Body is based upon the principle that education for all its pupils should be free of charge if it takes place during school hours. The cost of some activities eg educational visits in school hours is such that unless we receive sufficient voluntary contributions, the activity may not take place. No pupil will be barred from a school hours visit or activity on the basis of not being able to pay.
Internet and Social Networking
Whilst an invaluable tool for research and education the dangers of children using the internet are well documented and publicised.Computers and use of the internet is strictly supervised whilst in school and any child using the internet at home should be also be supervised and parental controls and software should be used. The school's position is clear that Primary aged children should not use social networking sites. Facebook rules state that only children aged 13 and above should hold an account.
School Premises
All parents are reminded that pupils should not be on the school premises before 8.30 a.m. as staff are not on duty until this time. I ask parents not to come on the site before 3.05 p.m. Pupils from Secondary Schools who have brothers and sisters attending the school should not be on the premises until after school. If this is not adhered to I will have no option but to ban all secondary pupils from the school site. Dogs are not allowed in the school grounds at any time and please do not bring bikes / scooters on site to add to the congestion. These rules are simply for the protection and safety of our children.
Appointments with Teachers
Parents wishing to see teachers before/after school must make an appointment through the school office. Please note that it is not appropriate to go directly to the teachers classrooms.