Communications & Systems

How does the school communicate with parents?

The school communicates most of the day-to-day general information and updates via the Farlington School App. New parents, carers and guardians will receive an invitation to join, with a unique enrolment code. Once you have downloaded the app, you will receive a notification whenever a message has been sent.

Are there any other systems that I need to know about?

• Classlist (Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and secure parent-to-parent messaging) 

• MagicBooking (Booking platform for certain chargeable events) 

• SchoolCloud (Parents’ evenings and certain bookable events) 

• Parent Portal on iSAMS (School reports)
  
  

Attendance            
What should I do if my child is going to be late for morning registration?

Please complete the absence form on the school app. This can be found by clicking on the three horizontal lines on the bottom right, selecting ‘Hub’, then selecting ‘Report and Request Absence’ and ‘Late Arrival/Early Departure’.

What should I do if my child is unwell and unable to attend school?

Please complete the absence form on the school app before 8.15am. This can be found by clicking on the three horizontal lines on the bottom right, selecting ‘Hub’, then selecting ‘Report and Request Absence’ and ‘Unexpected Absence Form’.

What should I do if I am running late to pick my child up from school?

Please call the office (01403 254967) who will pass on the message to your child’s Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School). Please note that your child will not be left unsupervised at any point. Kindly also note that late pick-up may incur a charge.

What should I do if I need to collect my child early?

Please complete the absence form on the school app. This can be found by clicking on the three horizontal lines on the bottom right, selecting ‘Hub’, then selecting ‘Report and Request Absence’ and ‘Late Arrival/Early Departure’. Should you wish to collect your child during Prep (4.45-5.30pm), please go to Main Reception and our Receptionist, Mrs Sarah Shaw, will assist you.

What should I do if someone else needs to collect my child on my behalf?

Please let the office know as soon as possible, providing the name of the person who will be collecting your child.

What should I do if I need to request an absence during term-time?

For one day absences, please complete the absence form on the school app. This can be found by clicking on the three horizontal lines on the bottom right, selecting ‘Hub’, then selecting ‘Report and Request Absence’, then ‘Request for Absence in Advance Form’. 

Please note that requests for absence in advance (unauthorised holiday or exceptional circumstances) of two days or greater should be emailed directly to the Headmaster, Mr James Passam jpassam@farlingtonschool.com, who will respond accordingly. 

All requests for absences for boarders should be directed to the Head of Boarding, Mr Tony Ashton boardinghouse@farlingtonschool.com in the first instance.

Learning

Where can I see my child’s timetable?

Timetables can be viewed on the Farlington School App. Please click on the family icon along the bottom of the screen - then click on ‘Timetable’. Click ‘View another child’ to switch between multiple children. We operate a two-week timetable, Week A and Week B, with the same timings each day. Pupils will receive their timetable on their first day from their Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School).

How often should I expect a school report for my child and how will it be shared?

At Farlington, we use the Parent Portal on iSAMS to distribute school reports to parents. The school sends a communication when reports are uploaded. The school policy is to produce two written reports per year, and to provide one face-to-face parents' evening. This allows for termly feedback on progress made by every child.

What should I do if I have a question about my child’s school report?

Please contact your child’s Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School) in the first instance. If you have wider concerns, the Head of School will be able to assist: Mrs Rosalind Woodruffe for Lower School; Miss Caroline Bischoff for Middle School; Mrs Caroline Newell for Senior School, and Mrs Penny Hart for Sixth Form.

How do I know what homework my child has been set?

For Reception to Year 2, any homework will be sent home with your child. 

For Year 3 and above, teachers also use Google Classroom; homework will be posted within the relevant Virtual Classroom. 

For Year 5 and above, parents can also see their child’s homework on the ‘Home Learning’ area in the Farlington School App. Please note that this is only intended to provide an insight into the homework being set, and will not therefore display marks or feedback on work submitted.  

Who should I speak to if I have a question about my child’s homework?

Your child’s Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School) should be the first point of contact. For pupils in Middle and Senior School, encourage your child to speak to their teacher him/herself. 

Who should I speak to if I have a question about my child's Chromebook? 

Your child’s Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School) should be the first point of contact. If you still have any technical questions you are welcome to contact our IT Department via email to it@farlingtonschool.com.  

Who should I speak to if I have a question about my child’s academic progress?

If it is for a specific subject, please contact the Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School) first. If you have wider concerns, the Head of School will be able to assist: Mrs Rosalind Woodruffe for Lower School; Miss Caroline Bischoff for Middle School; Mrs Caroline Newell for Senior School, and Mrs Penny Hart for Sixth Form.

What is the process for applying for a Scholarship and in which years are they offered?

Scholarships are offered through assessment to suitable candidates for entry into Years 7, 9 and 12 (Sixth Form). For more information about Scholarships, including the application process and deadlines, please visit the school website.

Pastoral Care

Who should I speak to if I have a pastoral concern about my child?

Your child’s Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School) should be the first point of contact. 

Who should I speak to if I have a safeguarding concern?

Mrs Sarah-Jane Gilbert is our Designated Safeguarding Lead and should be contacted with regards to any safeguarding concerns, via email to sjg@farlingtonschool.com. 

Extra-Curricular

How do I sign up my child to take an extra-curricular sport?

At the beginning of each term a list of extra-curricular activities and clubs is shared with parents. Extra-curricular sports clubs such as football, netball, hockey, rugby and cricket will be listed here and children simply need to turn up. Sports clubs run by external providers, such as fencing, tennis, etc, will be chargeable and available to book through MagicBooking. All details will be shared with parents.

How do I know which sports teams my child is on, and when and where their fixtures are?

All sports fixtures and teams are listed on our dedicated sports website, SOCS: https://sport.farlingtonschool.com/ 

The password for accessing team sheets is: Sport@Farlington23

Our Director of Sport, Mr Simon Faulkner, also shares match reports and a monthly Sports Bulletin on SOCS.

How do I sign up my child to take extra-curricular dance lessons?

Group and individual dance lessons are available to all students at an additional cost. If your child would like to take extra-curricular dance lessons, please contact Dance and Drama Teacher Mrs Kayleigh Wells, kw@farlingtonschool.com.  

How do I sign up my child to take extra-curricular music lessons?

Individual music lessons with peripatetic teachers are available to all students at an additional cost. If your child would like to take extra-curricular music lessons, please contact Head of Music Miss Kirsty Nimmo, kn@farlingtonschool.com. 

Please note that the agreement is between parent and self-employed teacher. For GDPR reasons Farlington School cannot share personal information about your child to this teacher on our system. It is therefore expected that the parent should be responsible for informing the teacher of any necessary information regarding their child’s learning (including SEN and EAL).

How do I sign up my child to take extra-curricular drama lessons?

We offer Speech and Drama lessons at an additional cost. Students work towards achieving LAMDA certificates. Please email Drama Teacher Mrs Lizzie Booth for more information, eb@farlingtonschool.com.  

Please note that the agreement is between parent and self-employed teacher. For GDPR reasons Farlington School cannot share personal information about your child to this teacher on our system. It is therefore expected that the parent should be responsible for informing the teacher of any necessary information regarding their child’s learning (including SEN and EAL).

Who should I speak to if my child would like to join the Equestrian Team?

Please contact our Equestrian Manager, Mrs Kathy Willard, via email to equestrian@farlingtonschool.com for more information.

How do I sign up my child for an after-school club?

At the beginning of each term a list of extra-curricular activities and clubs is shared with parents. Instructions on how to sign up for different activities will be included in the covering letter.

What is the notice period if my child no longer wants to participate in an extra-curricular activity?

One term’s notice is required, in writing, in order to withdraw your child from any chargeable clubs or extra-curricular lessons. 

General Questions

What should I do if my child has lost an item of clothing or school equipment?

Please ensure that all property is clearly labelled with your child's name. In the first instance, please encourage your child to look in the lost property area, or ask at Main Reception. Should you wish to query an item of lost property, please enquire with our Receptionist, Mrs Sarah Shaw, at Main Reception. For safeguarding reasons, we ask that parents do not enter the school building to look for items without staff supervision. 

How do I contact the Medical Centre?

You can contact the School Nurses, Mrs Karen Hayes and Mrs Nicola Walker, via email to medicalcentre@farlingtonschool.com. 

How do I access the School Calendar and find out term dates?

You can access the School Calendar via the school app or the school website. Term dates are also posted on the school website, as far in advance as possible.

How can I arrange to speak to the Headmaster?

Mr Passam is present on the driveway most mornings during drop-off. If you wish to speak to the Headmaster at another time, please contact the Headmaster’s Secretary, Miss Sasha Turnbull, via srt@farlingtonschool.com, who will be able to arrange this. We also hold Parents’ Coffee Mornings, generally on the last Friday of each month, which provide an opportunity to informally meet with Mr Passam and the Senior Leadership Team (the dates of Parents’ Coffee Mornings are listed on the School Calendar and shared in the Weekly Bulletin).

Who should I contact if I need to discuss my bill?

Please contact our Finance Department via email to finance@farlingtonschool.com. 

Who should I contact if I would like my child to take the school bus?

For information regarding bus routes and availability, please contact our Transport Manager, Mrs Felicity Currie, by email to fc@farlingtonschool.com. 

Who should I contact if I would like to enquire about flexi- or full-time boarding?

Please contact the Head of Boarding, Mr Tony Ashton, with any boarding enquiries, via email to boardinghouse@farlingtonschool.com. 

Please note that boarding is for students in Year 7 and above, and the school offers flexi-boarding nights where space is available. From September 2025, every day pupil from Year 7 and above may apply for one free night of boarding (subject to availability) across the academic year 2025-2026.

How do I find out about the lunch menu? 

Lunch menus are posted on the school app, and included in our Weekly Bulletin, sent via the school app on Fridays.

What time can I drop my child off in the morning?

The school day begins with Registration at 8.25am. 

Lower School children may be dropped off at our Early Birds club, to be supervised by a member of staff, from 8.00am.

Children in Years 5 and 6 who arrive between 8.00am and 8.15am should go to their classroom, where they will be supervised by their Class Teacher.

Parents of students in Reception to Year 2 may escort their child to his/her classroom from 8.15am. Students in Years 3 to 6 are welcome on the tennis court playgrounds from 8.15am.

Students in Years 7 to 11 are welcome to arrive from 8.00am and enter through the Pupil Entrance at the top end of the main drive, in time for 8.25am registration. 

Students of any age should not be dropped at school prior to 8.00am. Pupils should not arrive before this time as staff are not yet on site and supervision is therefore not in place.

What after-school provision is available?

Whole School

Afternoon Tea is available to pre-book through MagicBooking in half-termly blocks, and is available after school (between 4.20pm and 4.40pm) and before optional activities begin. Parents must sign-up and pay in advance for this provision. We regret that we are unable to take ad hoc daily bookings for this service.

Lower School (Reception to Year 2) 

For those children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, after-school supervision is offered each day from the end of the school day until 4.20pm. This includes clubs and supervised Prep activities. Charges may apply for external club providers.

Extended Day runs from 4.20pm until 5.45pm for the children in Reception to Year 2, and is charged at £7.50 per session per child. This is added to the end-of-term bill. 

If you would like your child to take part in Extended Day on an ad hoc basis, please email office@farlingtonschool.com in advance or on the morning of the day you would like your child to stay later, confirming the time you will collect.

Lower School (Years 3 and 4)

For all students in Year 3 and up, after-school supervision extends to 5.30pm to allow for clubs, sports fixtures and Prep. Charges may apply for external club providers.

If you are delayed in collecting your child, they will automatically go into our Extended Day provision, and a charge of £2.00 will be added per session per child to the end-of-term bill. At no point will your child be left unsupervised.

PLEASE NOTE: there is limited Extended Day provision on the day before Half Term holidays, and none on the last day of term.

Middle and Senior School (Years 5 - 13)

School buses depart at 5.35pm. All day pupils are expected to have been collected, and therefore offsite by 5.45pm. The school allows a 15-minute window of discretion until 6pm for collection, with late collection monitored to ensure fair usage for emergency situations only. After 6pm, there are significant implications for staffing to provide supervision, and the school will charge a £20 late collection fee per half hour to cover this cost. Any charges will be added to the school bill.

What should I do if I need to contact my child during the school day?

Please call the school office and your message will be relayed to your child or to their Class Teacher (Lower School) or Form Tutor (Middle and Senior School).

Where should I go if I need to drop something off which my child has forgotten during the school day?

Please go to the Main Reception and leave the item with our Receptionist, Mrs Sarah Shaw, who will ensure that it is delivered to your child. Parents should not go directly to their child’s classroom during the school day.

Who should I contact if I would like to get involved with the PTA?

Farlington has a thriving PTA which is always keen to welcome new volunteers. Please contact your Class Rep via Classlist and they will be able to introduce you to the PTA committee. Alternatively, you can contact the committee directly via email to pta@farlingtonschool.com.

Where can I purchase school uniform? Is there a second-hand uniform shop and how do I access it?

School uniform may be purchased new from Schoolblazer or from our ‘good as new’ second-hand Uniform Shop. This is run by our PTA, and opening times will be shared on the school app. Uniform requirements are listed on the school website and on the school app, in the Hub.

Should you have any further questions which are not covered here, please feel free to email office@farlingtonschool.com or call 01403 254967 and our Receptionist, Mrs Sarah Shaw, will be happy to refer you to the correct member of staff.