New Starter Information

We always look forward to welcoming our new pupils and their families. 

For those starting in September 2024, into our Foundation Stage Classes at the Infants, or Year 3 at our Juniors, we hope you are finding the information on our website helpful.  

Transition Arrangements - Infants 

All children who accept a place in Reception will be offered introductory sessions in the term before entry to enable them to meet their teacher and familiarise themselves with the school. On these visits, parents will meet the class and Head of School and receive information regarding the school routines, etc. Dates for these introductory sessions will be emailed to parents directly in May.

A Parents Welcome evening for all new reception parents will be held at 7pm on Monday 17th June. Further information will come in May.  

Transition Arrangements - Year 2 to Year 3

When children leave our school, we support them with a number of visits to Polehampton Junior School, so they can become familiar with the working of a school for older pupils.

Each Year 2 will be assigned a buddy from Year 5 who will show them around the junior school and answer any questions they may have. Buddies will also reconnect in the Autumn term once Year 2 becomes Year 3. 

New Starter Key Information

School Lunches

Polehampton C of E Schools use Caterlink as our meal provider.

All children at the infant school are offered a hot school lunch free of charge as part of the Government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. Children will order their lunch in class with their teacher. Our lunch menus change three times a year (Autumn, Spring, Summer). The most recent menu can be found here.

If your child has a food allergy, please complete the Caterlink Allergy form at the bottom of this page and email or hand into reception.  

If preferred, parents can send their child in with a packed lunch. Please note that Polehampton C of E Schools are strictly nut free. This is to ensure children with a serious nut allergy are in a safe space. Therefore, we politely ask that parents do not provide their child with any form of cakes, bars, packets, fruit or sandwich spreads that contain traces of nuts. 

School Uniform

Our school uniform is provided by Gooddies or My Clothing. Our PTA also have a website for good quality second-hand school uniform. Please go to the School Uniform page on the website for further information.

Please ensure you dress your child correctly for the season. Hats, scarf, coat and gloves for when it is cold, a waterproof and wellies for when it is wet and a sunhat and sunscreen for when it is hot and sunny. 

Wraparound Care and School Clubs

A breakfast and after school club is available each day. For further information please click here.

The school organises various school clubs, such as gymnastics, football, french and sewing. These run from the end of school until 4.15pm and take place at the relevant school (infant clubs take place at the infants school and junior school clubs take place at the junior school). To see what clubs we are running this term please click here.

School Communications

Parents will receive a weekly bulletin that gives a brief summary of what the children have been up to across both schools, dates for your diary and key information.

You will also receive ad-hoc communications from the school office or directly from your child’s teacher via Arbor.

Arbor

Arbor is our school’s cloud-based platform. As a parent, you will receive log-in details that will enable you to update your child’s details, book parent evenings and pay for school trips.  

Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium Grant is additional funding given to schools and academies to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers. If you think you may be entitled to free school meals or the pupil premium grant, please click here for further information.

Cool Milk

All children under the age of 5 are entitled to a free 189ml glass of milk as part of the school milk scheme. If you wish to register your child, there is a registration form at the bottom of this page. Once your child reaches 5, Cool Milk will be in contact about paying a subsidised amount if you wish your child to continue receiving milk. Further information can be found on their website, www.coolmilk.com.  

Ready for School 

To support the transition into 'big' school, Wokingham Borough Council have created this helpful information resource.

Mrs Gingell, Blue Class Teacher, has also noted down some useful tips on getting your child ready for school:

Support Reading and Literacy

• Introduce your child to a range of books and things to read including stories, factual books, magazines, shop signs, road names and comics
• Join the library and making a visit the highlight of your child’s week
• Read notices, signs or instructions together when you are out and about
• Encourage them to spot letters from their name in other texts or recognize some familiar words
• Put an alphabet chart (lower case letters!) in their room and talk about the sounds letters make as part of your daily routine so your child is familiar with them and can identify the sounds letters make.
• Read stories together and talking about what is happening
• Encourage them to read their favourite stories to you – demonstrate how to be a good listener by paying attention and asking questions
• Help your child to develop early writing skills
• Help your child to grip a pencil; mark-make, draw, trace, colour and use scissors every day
• Help your child form letters (lower case always at this stage!)
• Help your child to write their name 
• Encourage them to write in greetings cards to family and friends
• Vary the opportunities they have to draw and write – e.g. Blackboards, water, wet paint brushes outside, chalk, notepads and paper, crayons and pencils

Help your child to develop language and communication skills

• Play games where everyone needs to listen and follow rules
• Play guessing games that involve listening to, and trying to name, different sounds, e.g. I-Spy
• Listen to the sounds at the ends of words – e.g. caT, doG
• Sing nursery rhymes and do action songs to encourage speaking and listening. Listen out for rhyming words.
• Encourage them to be curious and to ask questions about what they see, hear and think

Support your child with their mathematical awareness

• Encourage them to make puzzles and build with blocks
• Play games such as Snakes and Ladders and Dominoes
• Promote the development of counting and number recognition
• Use a dice, count the spots, recognize the patterns
• Throw two dice and count how many spots altogether
• Do lots of counting – How many buttons on a cardigan? How many grapes on a plate? How many stairs?
• Encourage them to solve number problems – e.g. How many knives and forks will we need for dinner?

Develop motor skills

• Thread pasta tubes, buttons or cotton reels
• Help your child to use simple tools such as pencils and scissors
• Draw outdoors with chalks, wet water paint brushes and sticks dipped in mud
• Make models with play-doh or plasticine
• Practise catching and throwing a ball
• Use construction toys such as Lego
• Use peg boards and Hamma beads

Support your child with their independence

• Encourage them to dress themselves – this will enable them to be independent when in school.