FAQ’s

What do I do if my child is ill?
How can I help prevent my child from getting headlice?
I start work early and finish late, are there facilities to look after my child outside school hours?
What is the catchment area for Toddington St George Church of England School
What is the daily school schedule?
What is the age range of the Lower School?
How can I find out about the admissions process?
Where can I buy the required uniform?
How much do school dinners cost?
How do I apply for free school dinners?
Are there any breakfast and after school clubs?
Leave of absence
What should I do if my child needs to take medicine during the day?
What do I do if my child is being collected by someone else?
Can my child have a drink and snacks during the day?
How do I find out how my child is progressing?
Is St Georges a religious school?
How do I apply for School transport for my child?
Is there a Hearing Impaired Unit at St Georges?
Are there Teaching Assistants available at the school?
Will my child be expected to do homework?
Are traditional spelling tests given?
Will my child go on a school trip?
Is swimming / learning to swim part of the curriculum?
Is there a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) / Parent forum?
Can I volunteer to be a parent helper at the school?

What do I do if my child is ill?
If your child is not able to attend school due to illness you should contact the school as soon as possible, either by telephone or letter.  We must know where your child is by 9.30am.  
Click here to read the Health Protection Agency’s leaflet on “Infection Control”

How can I help prevent my child from getting head lice?
Check your child for head lice once a week and follow the guidelines in the Hearin “Once a Week, Take a Peek” leaflet.
Click here to download the leaflet 

I start work early and finish late are there facilities to look after my child outside school hours? 
Yes, there is a child care service run by Toddington Childcare located within the grounds of the school who run a breakfast and after school club.
Click here for more details 

What is the catchment area for Toddington St George Church of England School?
The catchment area for TSG includes Toddington, Tebworth, Wingfield, Chalgrave, Fancott and Tingrith.

What is the daily school schedule?

• The school site is open from 8.40am.
• Children are not supervised in the playground before 8.50 a.m.
• Foundation children go directly to their classrooms at 8.50 a.m.
• KS1 children go directly to classrooms at 8.50 a.m.
• KS2 children meet in the back playground.
• Nursery: Siblings are usually dropped off first and then Nursery children are taken across to the Nursery afterwards. Afternoon children go directly to Nursery at 1.00 pm.

Key Stage 1

Time
8.50am	Doors must be open for children to come into class
8.55am	Registration and start of school day
10.45 – 11.00	Lunchtime – class teacher to say Grace with the children before bringing them into the hall
11.55 – 13.00	Lunchtime – class teacher to say Grace with the children before bringing them into the Hall
15.20 End of day	Children to be collected by parents/carers from the classroom doors

Key Stage 2

Time
8.50am	Duty teacher blows whistle, children line up in class lines
8.55am	Registration and start of school day
10.30-10.45	Playtime – children come in independently, teacher needs to be in classroom awaiting them
12.15 – 13.15	Lunchtime
15.20 End of day	Children to be collected by parents/carers from KS2 ‘back’ playground

What is the age range of the Lower School?
The age range educated in school is 3 – 9. Foundation Stage is the name for the classes that have Nursery and Reception age children. These children join school as rising 4’s or 5’s respectively. These children follow a curriculum specifically designed for the Early Years. Key Stage 1 is the name that describes the children in Year 1 and Year 2 classes. These children are aged between 5, 6 and 7. This is the first stage at which children start working on the National Curriculum and follow Numeracy and Literacy NC plans. There are two classes in each year group in this stage.

TSG offers the lower end of Key Stage 2. We have Year 3 and 4 classes and children continue learning within the National Curriculum. Children in Year 3 and 4 are between 7, 8 and 9 years of age. There are two classes in each year group in this stage. The last two years of Key Stage 2 are offered at our local Middle School, Parkfields.

We admit up to 30 children in each class in Key Stages 1 and Foundation. In Key Stage 2 we, ideally, keep class sizes at 30.

Toddington Childcare is also situated on the school premises and offers ‘wrap around’ childcare, in the form of a Breakfast Club, After School Club and pre-school for children from the age of two and a half years of age.

How can I found out about the school admission process?
Admission into Nursery (Ducklings) is via TSG.  To apply for a Nursery place, you have to fill in a Nursery Waiting List form (available from the School Office or website).

Once we have your child’s name on our Nursery waiting list, you will be contacted to pick up a copy of the Admissions Brochure and Application Form from either School, Nursery or Toddington Childcare.   

Your child will start Nursery part-time (afternoons 1.00 – 3.15) the term in which they have their fourth birthday.   We have three admissions to Nursery a year; in  September, January and just after Easter.  Children who join in September will move to the morning session in January and the January afternoon children to mornings after Easter allowing the Summer term  entry to have a small, well supported teaching group. The children will then start the main school the following September (some children will be almost five, others will have just had their fourth birthday in the summer).  

Please be aware that a place at Nursery does not automatically mean you have a place at the main school.  This is a separate application which is not administered by Toddington St. Georges but as an Academy we have elected to have this process administered by The Admissions Department at Central Bedfordshire Council, either by form on an online application. These applications usually have to be in by the middle of January in the academic year in which they are due to start school in the September.   

It is not the school’s responsibility if you fail to submit your application within the admissions round, and if the school is heavily subscribed at that time, it  may mean that your child will not gain a place at School.  Applications need to be received by CBC by 15th January the year your child is due to start in the September.  Any late applications received after that date will be dealt with in June.  You will receive notification of a place by 16th April.

Where can I buy the required school uniform?
All the children wear school uniform. All items, except sweatshirts, may be purchased from any high street store.   The sweatshirts, cardigans and KS2 PE tops with embroidered school logos are purchased from www.essentialschoolwear.com. More details can be found here.

Girls
Girls may wear a dark blue skirt or pinafore dress, a light blue polo shirt, and dark blue school sweatshirt, or dark blue cardigan. Pale blue and white gingham material is used for the summer dresses.  White or grey socks.  Dark blue trousers may be worn in the winter months.

Boys
Boys may wear grey trousers, a light blue polo shirt, dark blue school sweatshirt.  White or grey socks. They may wear grey shorts as the weather gets warmer if they wish.

P.E. AND GAMES:
We have a very busy PE & Sports programme and correct kit is essential. No plimsolls are required for Nursery children.

Girls
Dark blue shorts, white T-shirts. Plimsolls are required for outdoor games on the playground.

Boys
Dark blue shorts, white T-shirts. Plimsolls are required for outdoor games on the playground. As all cloakroom areas are small, large sports bags cannot be accommodated and we therefore ask that all children be provided with a named draw-string bag for their P.E. clothing.
Children are asked to have a pair of football boots from Year 3 onwards for winter sports activities. They need to have both their plimsolls and boots in school.  We recommend a dark blue track suit, or sweatshirt and jogging bottoms, for outdoor activities during the winter months.  All children will need shinpads.
As part of our commitment to improving the health of our pupils and the quality of physical education in school we expect all children to change for P.E. lessons.  Children have to have long hair tied back and any study earrings must be taped up – parents/carers to provide suitable surgical tape.

Swimming
Pupils visit the swimming pool in years 3 and 4. They will need a one piece swimming costumes/trunks (not shorts) and a towel. They must not wear jewellery.  Please DO NOT have your child’s ears pierced in the term they learn to swim at school as they may well have to miss a number of lessons as a result, as no earrings are allowed in the pool and they will not be able to remove their studs from newly pierced ears.

How much do school dinners cost?
Chartwells offer our hot meal service at school and cook our school dinners on the premises daily.  School lunches cost £2.10 a day / £10.50 a week and need to be ordered in advance using their online ordering facility. You can choose to have a dinner once a week or daily and can book accordingly.  To help children choose meals and to save time ordering, parents like to sit down with their child and choose dinners in advance, (eg: for the whole half term) and they can then pay for the meals weekly or for the whole period (ie: a whole half term), whichever option suits them.

How do I find out if my child is entitled to free school dinners?
Until September 2014 when all Reception, Year 1 & 2 children become eligible to a free school meal, you may qualify if you are in receipt of the following:

• Income support or;
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or:
• Employment and Support allowance (income related) or
• Guarantee Element of the State Pension Credit or
• National Asylum Seekers Support (NASS) or
• Child Tax Credit (but not working Tax credit) and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190.

How do I apply for free school dinners?
Simply ring 0300 300 8306 – they will be able to check entitlement electronically against information provided by the Department for Education (Eligibility Checking Service).  You will need to have to hand National Insurance Numbers for yourself/and your partner, along with your dates of birth and dates of births for your children.
After September 2014 the Government intends to provide FSM for years R, 1 & 2.  Further details will follow.

Are there any breakfast and after school clubs?
The school is fortunate to have a Breakfast, Lunchtime and After School Club (Toddington Childcare). The club meets in a smart Portakabin at the back of the school site and has its own play area and kitchen.  Access is primarily via the pathway between TSG and PFMS.

Children who attend the club are brought to the school and collected from the school by the staff of the Club. Slips are given to teachers so they are aware of which children will be at club each day.
The Breakfast Club is available from 7.30-8.50am.  Children must be signed in to the club and should not be dropped off in the car park area.

The After School Club opened in June 2001 and expanded to become TCC andis run independently.  The service is open from 3.15-6.00 pm each school day.  24 places are available each day for children attending the school, or those who are full time at nursery.  The club is staffed by trained and qualified personnel who plan a range of activities for the children’s enjoyment.  Visit www.toddingtonchildcare.org.uk for more information.

Children can attend part time Nursery, lunch club and TCC if a parent requires 8 – 6 care and learning for their child.

Leave of Absence:
Steady progress in school depends upon maintaining a routine, and we hope parents/carers will support us by keeping disruptions in attendance to a minimum.  However, if you need to take leave during term time you must apply to the school for an authorisation of absence.  A Leave of Absence Form is available for this purpose from the main office or can be downloaded from the website. It is very unlikely you will receive authorisation for holidays in term time as it subject to government guidance.  It cannot be assumed that holidays will be authorised unless for specific family circumstances or in agreement with the government guidance.
It is also on the reverse of the Leave of Absence Form.

What should I do if my child needs to take medicine during the day?
If medicine needs to be administered in school, parents/carers must sign an Indemnity Form, available from the office. Unfortunately, we are only able to accept prescribed medicine with dosages of up to four times a day. Dosages of three times a day can be managed at home by taking medicine before and after school and then before bedtime.

What do I do if my child is being collected by someone else?
Children are not able to leave with any adult.  We will only release children to those adults identified on our contact database that we do not know and therefore parents/carers must telephone the school with relevant information if another adult is collecting their child. All children will stay with the class teacher if they cannot see their parent/carer as they leave the class. Years N, R, 1 & 2 are handed to those adults collecting them.

Can my child have a drink and snacks during the day?
Some children may require mid morning snacks. As part of the school’s focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle for children we are keen to encourage the children to eat and drink as healthily as possible during the school day.
We advise the following items would be most suitable for snacks at playtime:

• Pieces of fruit (grapes, apples, bananas)
• Dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, dates without stones)
• Vegetables (carrot sticks, cucumber)
• Bottled water

Children will also be asked not to drink

• Fizzy drinks
• Milky drinks (e.g bottled milkshakes)

The School operates a ‘no nuts policy’ – as some children have serious allergies.  Sweets, chocolate, crisps and chewing gum should not be brought to school.  However a child may wish to share a small treat with their class on their birthday and this is allowed.

On Fridays we have ‘Fruity Friday’.  Children are able to buy a portion of fruit for 20p during morning playtime.

How do I find out how my child is progressing?
Parents have many opportunities to find out how their child is progressing, see their work and the visit the school environment. Parent evenings, “open classroom” events, parent information meetings and “how we teach” workshops.  If a teacher has a particular concern they will always get in touch with the parent / carer.

Parents Consultation evenings are usually held mid October, mid February with the open classroom event in July.  Annual reports are sent out in July and a follow-up appointment is offered with the Annual Report.  

Is St Georges a religious school?
TSG is a Church of England Academy and is part of the Diocese of St. Albans. The school was established to provide education for the children of the parish of St. Georges and Chalgrave.  The Christian foundation is fundamental to the values the school promotes and is the cornerstone to our school ethos.  All children and parents are requested to respect the Christian values of the school.

The school has as a close affiliation with St Georges Church located on Toddington village green.  The Reverend Anne is a regular visitor and provides the school with spiritual guidance.  Toddington St. George has had a clear focus on developing our RE curriculum since a new curriculum was agreed by SACRE in 2012. We have busy enhancing the quality of our Collective Worship times and our Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural work with our children.  The focus enabled the school to gain an Outstanding grading from SIAMS under their new criteria in July 2013.   To then build on this further we developed the RE curriculum this academic year and applied for Silver RE Quality Mark. As a pilot school for this new award we were supported to apply by our local Diocese and the Local Authority.

How do I apply for school transport for my child?
Children are eligible for free transport if they live in the villages of Tebworth, Wingfield, Chalgrave, and Tingrith or if they are part of the HIU unit.  The School Office will be able to apply for school transport on your behalf.

Is there a Hearing Impaired Unit at St Georges?
Yes – the Hearing Impaired Provision was purpose built and opened in 1971. It continues to provide for hearing impaired children living in Central Bedfordshire, who have hearing losses ranging from moderate to profound levels.  The Provision has a qualified Teacher of the Deaf and trained Educational Communicators who support the inclusion of the children within the school.  Our Hearing Impaired Provision is also affiliated to the Parkfields Middle School Learning support unit which ensures ongoing support through to Year 8.  

The Provision within Toddington St George school has a Total Communication Philosophy which means a variety of methods are used to communicate with the children including speech, signing and finger spelling, depending upon the individual needs of each child.  The children wear hearing aids and some have cochlear implants.  They also wear personal radio aids in school where the teacher wears a transmitter and the child a receiver.  The school has rooms with sound field systems in and a sound project space for focused small group and 1:1 teaching.

The children join their hearing peers in class supported by Educational Communicators.  Each child is withdrawn into the Provision for part of their timetable to develop their language and communication skills.  They are monitored by the Speech and Language Therapist and are visited by the Educational Audiologist on a regular basis.

Are there Teaching Assistants available at the school?
Yes, all classes have an experienced  trained TA working alongside the teacher, sometimes taking small groups for additional work.

Will my child be expected to do homework?
Yes, this varies according the year group – this includes daily reading, weekly spellings and maths and take home tasks each half term (see class page for more information).

Are traditional spelling tests given?
Yes – from year 1 upwards there is a weekly spelling test.

Will my child go on school trips?
Yes, these are usually linked to the topics they are studying that term. In addition, last year TSG year 4’s went on their first residential visit to Mill Rythe, Hayling Island which was so successful it is planned for this year too. Year 3 have an overnight ‘camping trip on the school field’ in the Summer term to help them prepare for Mill Rythe.

• Nursery Woodside Animal Farm
• Reception Woburn Safari Park
• Year 1 Higgins Museum (Bedford), Stockwood Park
• Year 2 Ashridge Forest
• Year 3 Visits to Hatfield House, Moot Hall, Ampthill Park, National History Museum in London and MK Theatre
• Year 4 Visits to Holdenby House, Faith Tour, Cadburys World and MK Theatre

Each year group also has visits within school to support the curriculum

Visits into school include amongst others:

• Nursery Tricky Micky entertainer, Zoo Lab
• Reception Living Eggs
• Year 1 Animal Ark Farm, Raptor Foundation
• Year 2 Sir Teachalot, Storyteller Princess
• Year 3 TBA
• Year 4 Planetarium

Year 3 also take part in Learning Futures.  This is an innovative project in which children work in enterprise groups and develop ideas for a campaign, a healthy schools drama production or an item they market. They then present their enterprise group idea to other pupils (in years 7 and 9) who share and vote on their ideas.

Is swimming/learning to swim part of the curriculum?
Pupils visit the swimming pool at Flitwick Leisure Centre in years 3 and 4 for a block of six weeks in each year, usually in the Autumn term. They will need a one piece swimming costumes/trunks (not shorts) and a towel. They must not wear jewellery.  Please DO NOT have your child’s ears pierced in the term they learn to swim at school as they may well have to miss a number of lessons as a result, as no earrings are allowed in the pool and they will not be able to remove their studs from newly pierced ears. (see PE guidance)

Is there a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) / Parent Forum
Yes – we have a fantastic group of parents on our PTA from the school who come together to organise various fundraising events with a common goal of enhancing the children’s education and experiences whilst raising funds for the school.

If you would like to join the PTA then they would love to hear from you. They help with fundraising and organising events. You just do as much or as little as you can. You are very welcome to contribute to events if you cannot attend meetings. We would love to hear your ideas and feedback, or if you can donate your time please contact the PTA / School as we keep a list of helpers that we can approach for larger events.

You can contact the PTA via email on toddingtonpta@gmail.com. More information about the PTA can be found here.

The Parent Forum is a group of parent representatives who meet approximately once a month to discuss school-related issues.  Meetings are led by Mrs Meachem, a parent governor, are informal and a genuine opportunity for open discussion.  Parent Forum Newsletter No.1 can be found under NEWS.  The Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher review parent forum meeting discussion and they liaise with the Forum about ways in which their views can improve children’s opportunities in school.

Can I volunteer to be a parent helper at the school?
Yes – we are delighted to have a team of volunteers who help us in various year groups – going on walks around the village, on trips to educational establishments, reading with the children individually or in groups, and generally helping out in the classroom.  If anyone is interested in being a volunteer we ask that they complete a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Scheme)