School Uniform
We have a school uniform and would like all children to wear it. Some of it can be ordered through the School Office. The uniform requirements for boys and girls are listed below.
Girls
Mid-grey skirts or pinafore dresses or trousers.
White or grey socks or tights.
Pale Blue polo shirt (with or without the school motif).
Navy blue sweatshirt or cardigan with the school motif.
Home knitted cardigans in the school colour.
A pair of shoes. (No fashion shoes please)
A Summer dress (blue and white gingham).
Boys
Mid-grey trousers.
Long or short trousers.
Pale Blue polo shirt (with or without the school motif).
Navy blue sweatshirt with the school motif.
A pair of sensible shoes.
Sweatshirts, cardigans, polo shirts, book bags etc are available from the School Office. Please see enclosed order form.
P.E. (Girls and Boys)
A pair of shorts. Parents' choice of colour.
A standard T-Shirt. Parents' choice of colour.
Children's P.E. will often be done in bare feet but some activities may require the use of plimsolls. The shorts, T- Shirts and plimsolls must be kept in school in a P.E. bag. They should be taken home regularly for washing and checking.
Please note that for safety reasons we ask all children with long hair to tie their hair back during PE and games lessons and when using some specialist equipment in science, art, food technology etc. Hair should be neat and tidy and any hair accessories such as clips, slides, beads etc should be kept to a minimum.
Jewellery and make up should not be worn in school. Earrings are not allowed, except for children with pierced ears, who may wear studs on those days when they do not have swimming or PE. On swimming and PE days studs should not be worn. The only exception to this rule is if a child's ears have very recently been pierced then, on swimming and PE days, they may wear their studs provided they have been covered with tape (by a parent) before coming to school. Once the lesson is over the child can remove the tape.
Children may wear an ordinary watch when they are able to tell the time but responsibility for its safe keeping belongs to them, and the school will not be held responsible for any losses.
Remember to clearly mark all clothing and personal property with your child's name.
School Routines
The School Year
There are 195 days in our school year. Five of these are used for staff training (INSET days). You will be informed well in advance of these dates via our weekly school newsletter.
The School Day
Nursery
Morning 9.00am to 11.30am
Afternoon 12.45pm to 3.15pm
Reception and Key Stage 1
Morning 8.45am to 11.45am
Afternoon 1.00pm to 3.25pm
Key Stage 2
Morning 8.45am to 12.00 noon
Afternoon 1.10pm to 3.30pm
Please do not send children to school before 8.30 am. A teacher will supervise the children from 8.30 am each day but there will be no supervision before that. At 8.45 teachers collect children from the playground and the school day begins. The only entrance that is available after this period is the main office entrance. This is for the safety of all who work in the building.
The late arrival of children to school causes unnecessary disruption to the classes and creates difficulties with regard to registration and dinner numbers, etc. The school bell rings at 8.45 am and children should be in the playground a few minutes before that time. Please note that children arriving late will be given a "late mark" and parents will be informed if the frequency of "late marks" is too high.
Any children arriving after the bell has gone should report their arrival to the secretary in the school office. Late arrivals for medical appointments are perfectly understandable but it would help if you could let the school know in advance if at all possible.
Absence
There has been a considerable increase in the number of absences for holiday purposes, particularly as some families are taking more than one holiday per year during term time. The legal situation regarding holiday absences is that a child may be taken out of school up to a maximum of 10 days. Beyond that, all absences other than for illness are regarded as being unauthorised. The way in which the National Curriculum now operates makes it increasingly difficult for teachers to give children the opportunity to cover those areas missed through absence.
Please ensure you complete a holiday permission form if it is your intention to take your children on holiday during term time. However, we do ask that you consider the issue carefully before taking your children out of school particularly in years 2 and 6 when the National Curriculum Assessment Tasks are undertaken.
In some instances the cumulative effect of holidays and absence through illness can have serious implications with regard to progress and levels achieved. All absences, both authorised and unauthorised will be recorded and reported to parents in July of each year.
The Attendance Summary Report for St. Matthias and Dr. Bell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for the year 2002-2003 is as follows:
Average attendance 91. 2%
Authorised absence rate 5.5%
Unauthorised absence rate 3.3%
In the event of absence from school, parents should contact the school office as soon as possible giving the reason for absence and an approximate estimation of how long the absence is likely to last. This can be done by telephone, fax, e-mail or by sending in a note to school.
When your child has had a stomach upset and sickness it is important that you allow a period of at least 24 hours to elapse after the sickness has finished before sending him /her back to school. Such action will help to prevent the infection spreading unnecessarily to others in the school.
School Meals
Children may stay for a school meal, bring a packed lunch or go home for lunch. Meals are cooked in our own kitchens and at present about 50% of children have a school meal and about 50% bring a packed lunch. Very few children go home for lunch.
The cost of a school meal is currently £2.10 per day (£10.50 per week.) Meals should be paid for by cash (the correct amount please) or cheque. Cheques should be made payable to Bristol City Council. Please enclose payment in a sealed envelope and send it into school on a Monday morning. The envelope should be clearly marked "Dinner Money" with your child's name and class written on it.
Children on packed lunches should have a proper lunch container, which is clearly marked with their name. Please note that hot drinks and glass bottles are not permitted.
If your child has a school dinner and payment has been made for a week during which an absence occurs, a credit for any missed dinners will be recorded on the school meals' register.
Snacks
Children may bring an item of fruit (apple, banana) to eat at mid-morning play. Children receive a free carton of milk to drink until their fifth birthday. Drinking fountains are available at all times