Parents provide a learning environment which is enduring and comprehensive. It begins even before birth, operates beyond the child’s day at the setting and provides continuity as the child transfers from one year group to another. All parents can enhance their child’s development and learning. Successful relationships between parents and educators can have long-lasting and beneficial effects on children’s learning and well-being. Successful relationships become partnerships when there is two-way communication and parents value school support in achieving the best outcomes for each child.
Effective communication with school
If you have a question or query about an aspect of school life, please talk to someone at the school.
- Questions about children’s learning should be discussed with your child’s class teacher in the first instance and then referred to the Deputy or Headteacher if these questions have not been answered.
- Questions about children’s wellbeing or emotional issues should be discussed with pastoral or welfare staff who are available on the school gates at drop off/pick up times every day.
- If parents want to let school staff know about events or situations at home that might be impacting on their child’s presentation at school, pastoral or welfare staff are available on the school gates at drop off/pick up times every day and the HT is available at main school reception every day.
- Questions about a child’s special educational needs should always be referred to the school SENCO in the first instance.
Any complaints should be made through official school channels; the school’s Complaints Policy is available on the school website or on request.
Reading books
Our expectation is that children read at least 3 times per week for the required amount of time but we encourage daily reading wherever possible. Books should be brought into school every day and will be changed once they have been read. Reading books and records are sent home every day.
Every hour of reading completed adds to our million minutes of reading goal for this year. Parents are asked to write a comment in the reading record after they have read with their child – it is really useful for teachers to know how well the children read, if they found any particular words tricky as well as how long they read for.
PE Kit
The days for PE change each week as we work on a 2-week programme. We ask that all children bring their kit in on a Monday and take it home on a Friday. This ensures that they have their kit in every day and will not miss PE. All children are required to participate fully in PE lessons unless medical evidence has been provided by a medical professional to say that they are unable to.
Family Information Service
West Berkshire Council run an extremely useful directory of services which every family should know about. Click here to find out what West Berkshire Council can offer you and yours. Information and services include; out of school clubs, youth clubs, training in ASD & first aid, funding sources, health links, internal and external services as well as everything you need to know about applying for an Education Health & Care Plan. The most recent FIS newsletter can also be found below.
FIS Newsletter
Parent Conflict
The Family Safeguarding West Team have produced a parental conflict booklet which was created to help parents understand how conflict can affect children and to offer advice on managing and resolving conflict.
Parental Conflict Booklet
Drop off and pick up times and information
View the drop off and pick up document
50 things to do before you are 5 in West Berkshire
https://westberks.50thingstodo.org/app/os#!/welcome
Early Years Childcare at The Willows
We are pleased to offer flexible early years childcare arrangements across our nursery classes with options for mornings, afternoons, early week or late week sessions. Early week sessions run from Monday morning to Wednesday lunch and late week sessions run from Wednesday lunch to Friday afternoon.
There are currently vacancies in sessions for Saplings (2-3 year olds) and Nursery (3-4 year olds). These are open to funded children or can be paid sessions
Sessions are £15. Lunch club is charged at £3 per day for children who stay for a full day.
Bookings can be made via the school office and are set for a term at a time. If your childcare needs are not covered in the session options above please contact us to discuss the alternatives we can provide.
Helping your child with their learning