23 May Changes To Start And End Of Day
In order to ensure effective safeguarding of our children, we need to make some changes to the security arrangements for the school. Over the last few years, the governing body, some parents and staff have raised concern about the current arrangements for access to the school building and the impact this has on our ability to keep children safe. Currently, in the morning and at the end of the day, it is extremely difficult for us to ensure the safety of both children and staff. At these times, the school site is vulnerable to strangers entering unnoticed.
As a school, we recognise the challenge of fulfilling our safeguarding commitments on the one hand, and trying to maintain the school ethos of openness on the other. The safety of the children and the staff is paramount, and we have taken every precaution to ensure minimal disruption and inconvenience for all.
In preparation for the introduction of these new measures, we have consulted staff, parents and the governing body. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who was able to attend these consultations, and to those of you that have been in contact since. We have listened and have taken into account all of the issues and concerns that you have expressed. From our consultation it was clear that; parents value the current daily connection and communication they have with the staff. That time spent in the classrooms and in the playgrounds before and after school offer opportunities for parents to talk with other parents enhancing a sense of school community. Parents also stated that they felt it was important that they have the opportunity to see their children’s classrooms and learning. Manageable multiple pick up and drop off was also raised as a concern.
As you will see from the details outlined in this letter, the proposed measures are not drastically different from those already in place. We have worked hard to maintain the open-door policy to the best of our ability, whilst ensuring that our children are kept safe.
Further consultation
I will be running two further meetings to go through the arrangements with parents and carers on Thursday 26th May at 9.15am and at 2.30pm on Coleridge West.
We will be introducing the new arrangements next half term and will also be running an evaluation session for parents to give feedback on 12th July at 9.15 after drop off in order to ensure that any issues raised are resolved for the start of the new academic year in September.
Throughout this next half term we will investigate further ways in which we can ensure that parents feel a close connection with their children’s learning and what goes on in the classroom.
New arrangements starting on Monday 6th June
Staff
As always, should you need to make contact with your child’s teacher and you miss them at the start or end of the day, you can contact them as normal through the school office on 0208 340 3173 or email: admin@creativeschools.co.uk
Staff will now wear lanyards with photo id, making them distinguishable to parents. This is necessary as the school has two sites and staff may not be known by all visitors and parents. Staff lanyards are grey and visitors will be blue.
Access to school via the School Offices
Parents and children should not enter or exit the school via these entrances at the start and the end of the day. Parents please note that you will not be allowed to walk through the corridors of the school unless you have signed in at the office. Once you have signed in, you will be given a lanyard and you will need to sign out and return the lanyard to the office when you leave.
Nursery
Nursery arrangements for pick up and drop off will remain the same. You may have a Nursery child with a sibling further up the school; please note you will no longer be able to do the second drop off through the corridors and will have to do so now via the relevant entrance.
However, if you have another child on Coleridge East you may allow your child to make their own way to their classroom via the corridors.
Reception classes
Drop off – children can be dropped off from their external classroom door as normal, from 8.50am. Teachers and TAs will be on hand to meet and greet you as usual. The children will be expected to hang up their own coats and parents should not be in the corridors. You are still welcome to settle your child in the classroom, and then leave via the external classroom door.
Red and Purple class – parents and children can access their classroom from the East Crouch End Hill gate.
Blue and Orange class – parents and children can access their classroom either from the Waverley Road gate, or walk round from Crouch End Hill gate.
Pick up – children will be sent to you from the classroom door as normal at 3.10pm.
Year 1
Drop off – Parents can drop off their children from 8.50am to the classroom via the external classroom door. You are still welcome to settle your child in the classroom, however parents should not be in the corridors and children are expected to hang their own coats up. Teachers will be at the doors to welcome the children into the classrooms and deal with any incidental issues that arise or are communicated.
Red and Blue class – parents and children can access their classrooms via the East Crouch End Hill gate.
Orange and Purple class – parents and children can access their classrooms via the Haslemere Road gate.
Pick up – Arrangements will remain the same. Children will be ready for you to pick up at 3.10pm from the classroom external doors as normal. However we ask you not to come into the corridors at this time.
Year 2
Year 2 children will now be expected to walk through school on their own to their classrooms. There will be staff from all Year 2 classes standing at the external doors to the building ready to meet the children and parents.
Drop off
Orange and Red class – children can enter the school at 8.50am via Haslemere Road door (the entrance to the Year 1 corridor).
Blue and Purple class – children can enter from the side entrance of the building by the climbing frame on Waverley Road and Crouch End Hill and ascend the stairs to their classrooms.
Pick up – your child’s class teacher will escort the children outside via these exits and will meet you in the playgrounds:
Orange and Red class – parents should wait in the Haslemere playground.
Blue and Purple class – parents should wait in the playground by the climbing frame, on the corner of Waverley Road and Crouch End Hill.
Once the children are outside, your child’s teacher will send your child to you. Please do not take your child without informing your class teacher. The staff will be available at the end of the day should you need to speak to them.
Multiple Drop Offs and Pick ups
After you drop your first child, your second and/or third child can make their own way to their classroom via the school corridors. Class teachers or TAs will be in the classrooms to meet them.
At home time, your child’s teacher or teaching assistant will wait with them until you collect them.
Juniors and Coleridge West
The arrangements for Coleridge West will remain broadly the same. Please drop off your children at their external classroom doors. If you need to see a teacher they will be at the door in the morning and at the end of the day for you to talk to.
Year 4 children should enter the school as normal at 8.50am and should say their goodbyes at the external door to the stairwell or at the door to the West hall. Teachers will continue to bring the children outside to the playground at 3.15pm, and should you need to speak to them or make a time to meet with them, you can do so at this time.
All other children should enter and exit the school via their classroom doors only, and not via the office.
Morning Clubs
East Clubs – you and your child can wait inside the school gate from 7.55am, but nobody should enter the school building until the club leader arrives. The various club leaders will come to pick up your child from the front entrance and you can leave your child with the leader. The children will have time to hang up their own coats, before the club begins.
West Clubs – children should wait outside the gate until it is opened for them to start the club at 8am. Children should say their goodbyes at this point and make their own way to their clubs. They should not follow a member of staff inside the school grounds before the start time of the club. If you are involved with your child’s club, you will still need to sign in and wear a visitor’s lanyard.
Please note that if you wish to see a member of the office staff at this point you may need to wait for a short time as the office staff need to be on hand at the beginning of the day to facilitate the start of clubs.
After School Clubs
Please wait outside the school building on both East and West Coleridge for your child to finish their club. The club leader will bring the children out to you once the club has finished. If you are involved with your child’s club please make sure you sign in and have a visitor’s lanyard.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. While some of these arrangements are new and will take a little getting used to, I do believe that they are necessary in order to keep our children safe during such busy times of the day.