Communication
Methods of communication
BIS HCMC believes that good communication between parents and school is essential, and we aim to provide a wide and varied range of opportunities for parents to engage with what is happening here at school on a regular basis. Following is a wrap up of those options available. Please do ensure that your email address is up to date at all times and that if you ever see an email from us in your SPAM box that you add BIS HCMC to your safe senders list.
Weekly campus update
To keep you informed with the weekly events in school, each Head of Campus will update the News and Insights section of our school website each Friday. This provides an overview of what has occurred during the week, as well as an a look forward to any upcoming events. You will be emailed a link to this update each week, but otherwise simply return to this page and click on the pictures below, or the links here:
Early Years and Infants, Junior Campus, or Whole School.
If your email address changes, please inform the office immediately so that this important communication reaches you each week. Contributions are made by the Head of Campus, staff and children.
SeeSaw
Beginning in the academic year 2018-2019, the primary campuses will be using SeeSaw, a multi-use communication tool which provides teacher to student, teacher to parent, and student to parent communication; along with notifications of upcoming events and highlights and being an online 'Learning Journey'. This is all available through the SeeSaw app, available here for Apple devices, and here for Android.
We are very excited about what Seesaw will offer us as a school, but mostly because our lines of communication with you, as parents, will become immediately better. Notifications of events and pupil work will be instantaneous once the class teacher has updated their App. We hope and trust that you will get much from this new initiative.
Weekly year group update
Weekly class information providing details about the children’s present and future learning will be made available to you every week from your child’s year group leader. This will come as an email attachment.
Email/School Diary
To enable regular communication between you and the teacher, the two most effective methods are the school email system and the School Diary. If communicating with your child's class teacher via email, teachers will endeavour to reply within 24 hours. School diaries can also be used to communicate with the class teacher.
A copy of your child’s timetable is placed in the diary showing specialist lessons when your child will require additional equipment to be brought into school, e.g. PE kit, swimming costume.
School magazine
The ‘Spectrum’ magazines report on the term’s events and achievements as well as keeping parents informed of whole school developments. The magazines are sent home with the children each term.
CHQ
CHQ is an online communication management system. This system is used for club selection also. All club selections are made online, as are various whole year group and school announcements. A link to CHQ can be found on the home page of the school website. It is vital that your email address is always up-to-date for CHQ to be effective. If it changes, please inform the office at either campus as soon as possible.
Destiny
Destiny is our online library catalogue system, allowing children and parents to search for book titles in school from their own computer. Destiny can be accessed via our whole school website, or here for EYIC and here for JC.
School ‘Year Book’
This will be sent home at the end of Term 3 and will provide a colourful souvenir of the year.
Reports and Parent-Teacher Meetings
Report
You will receive two written reports each year:
End of Term 1 – For F1 to Year 6, an interim report detailing effort and achievement for that term and identifying targets to help your child’s future learning.
End of Term 3 – For F1 to Year 6, full report detailing effort and achievement for that school year and identifying targets to help your child’s future learning.
Parent Teacher Student Conferences (PTSCs)
The first PTSC is a pastoral event, or a 'getting to know the teacher' evening at the beginning of Term 1.
At the end of Term 1, the interim report will form the basis for discussions at the first academic PTSC in January for Y1 – Y6 classes.
Invitational PTSCs happen in Term 2 and in Term 3 to discuss the End of Year Report with teachers will be made to all parents at the end of Term 3 which may include a follow up of the year's progress.
You may, of course, request additional meetings with the teacher, Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or Head of Campus at any time by prior arrangement with the school office.
