Parents & Carers
At The Woodlands School we understand the importance of working collaboratively with our pupils, and parents and carers to ensure that together we achieve the best possible outcomes for our students.
We know that effective partnership requires active parental engagement. Staff work hard to provide families with individualised support, whilst offering an extensive parent training programme.
"We know that it is only together that we can make the difference."
Lisa Munro
Head of School
Communication
From School to You
Wishing to look after the environment we are trying our best to avoid a high usage of paper, therefore we have developed a range of online solutions to communicate with you, including via a Smartphone.
Please let us know if you have issues with any of the solutions we use we will support you in an agreed manner.
Letters, texts & emails
The main correspondance, including our letters from school will be sent through a system called:
Teachers2Parents by Edupot
You will given log in details. Please speak to the office if you need assistance or to have paper copies sent home.
For reminders we will also use the system to send text messages.
Newsletters
A termly newsletter will come from school to say whats been happening in school, class news and key information.
The Aspire Federation will also send out a termly newsletter with information from the Executive Headteacher and the Governing Board.
Social Media
We are reviewing our use of Social media, if you have a view let us know.
We ask staff that they keep professional relationships and therefore should not communicate through social media to families. So please do not be upset if they o not acccept a friend request.
This Website
Websites are a key source of information, which we endeavor to update regularly. Please let us know if there are any issues with the websites and or something you feel would enhance them. Also see The Aspire Federation website.
From You to School
Home/School Books
This is the main communication with the class team, as we do not have the 'at the school gate' contact with you.
It is really important that changes to routine, sleep or comings and people being away or visiting are noted. This information can explain why a young persons behaviour may change and allows us to support them.
Telephone or Face to Face
It can be difficult for staff to stop for conversations without prior arrangement. Please therefore arrange via the home/school book or an email.
Email & Letters
Please use the contact details from the contact us page. If you are emailing a member of staff directly we have an expectation that the member of staff includes their line manager, or a Senior Leader in any response.
Response times
We will aim to acknowledge the receipt of your correspondence within 2 working days of receipt, sometimes this is not possible due to a number of reasons and if this happens please forward your original correspondence to the school office. Please give an appropriate time for a response if it is not given within the acknowledgement.
We do not expect any of the staff to pick up or respond to communications outside of their working hours. It is important
Complaints
We want all families to be happy with our schools, but we understand that sometimes things can happen that can cause upset or an issue to you. Please speak to the relevant member of staff in the first instance, as usually issues can be resolved quickly.
You will find the Complaints Policy on the ‘Contact Us’ webpage on the federation website. You will find the complaints form next to the policy.
School Day
School day
Start of the pupils day: 8.50am (Monday - Friday) learners arrive and the school day begins (30.83 Hours a week)
Staff greet learners and ensure they are safely assisted to their classes
Registration should be completed by 9.30am.
Break time is at approx. 10.45am for across the school, please see class or teacher timetables
Lunch is served in two sittings 12.00pm – 1.00pm (Lower and Middle) and 12.30pm – 13.30pm (Upper)
Special arrangements are made for learners that need to eat in different locations.
End of the pupils day is at 3.00pm, where class staff await a radio call or call from reception to then transition the young people to their buses or parents/carers
Teachers and Teaching assistants must ensure that learners are taken to their home/school transport or parent/carer
Learners access home/school transport from 3.00pm, unless special arrangements have been made with SLT
All learners should have safely left the school site by 3.10pm
School office opening times : 7.30am - 4pm (Monday - Thursday) 7.30am - 3.30pm (Fridays)
Home to school travel
Home to school travel
Some children are entitled to free school travel, under certain criteria. You must arrange this with the SEN Team at the Milton Keynes Council (01908 253414). Once on transport, please direct all questions and queries to the Council Transport Department who can be contacted on 01908 252526.
Unfortunately, the school has no involvement with the decision making.
Car parking
The car parks at both campuses are very limited. We would prefer parents not to bring their vehicles into our car parks due to the limited space and the number of pupils with supported travel arrangements. If you need to collect your child in person, please park in the neighbouring streets, observing the parking regulations. If parking in school, please adhere to the yellow hatched non parking areas.
Pupil illness & medical
About medical support at school
Many pupils at The Woodlands School have medical needs.
All medicine given by staff at The Woodlands School must (as advised by the NHS Primary Care Trust):
come into school in its original box;
be for your child, with a Doctor’s surgery label with dosage;
include a medical consent form completed and returned.
To ensure procedures are current, the following is in place:
All medication, except emergency medications that require a care plan, will be sent home at the end of each term.
Prescription medication should be brought back into school at the beginning with a new medical form signed.
All medication will require a prescription label with the chemist named on it.
We apologise for any inconvenience, but as a school, we must follow guidelines to ensure your child receives the best care. We will call if we feel unable to administer any medicines.
What to do if my child is unwell
If your child cannot attend school due to illness, please contact the school office on the morning of the absence before 9.00am. All absences must also be confirmed in writing even if you have left a message. See Child absence form for appointments.
If your child has a sickness bug you are required to keep them off for 2 days, which starts following the last event of sickness or diarrhoea. This is based on NHS guidance (click link below). Please phone the school office to let us know.
School uniform
About school uniform including where to buy
School uniform gives pupils a sense of belonging, can reduce anxiety and supports routines.
All students should wear the school uniform.
Sew on school logos and logoed uniform can be purchased at Maises in Wolverton, alternatively un-logoed uniform can be worn.
tel. 01908 313313
What is the school uniform
Please label all clothes clearly, thank you.
The School uniform consists of:
Green jumper
White Polo Shirt
Grey Trousers / Skirt
Black shoes, inc. trainers that are mainly black
In 6th Form students can choose to wear smart business wear rather than school uniform. For advice on this please speak to the Assistant Headteacher.
PE & Swimming kit
All pupils need a PE kit in a bag consisting of:
White t-shirt
Black shorts
Trainers or plimsolls
On swimming days, please send your child in with swimming bag containing:
A towel
Appropriate Swimwear (no bikinis)
If required a swimming nappy
Remember to label your child's items.
Other clothing for school
Pupils also need the following for outdoor activities:
An appropriate rainproof for the weather
Welly boots or similar
If possible waterproof trousers (especially for younger pupils)
Change of clothes many young people have accidents or get messy when they are learning, so it is usually good to have a extra set of labelled clothes in a bag for them.
School meals
We are lucky to have an excellant Catering Team who strive to meet the children's tastes, whilst offering a healthy diet.
We would encourage you to complete the free school meal form even if you would prefer to send your child in with a packed lunch as, without this form, we will not receive the pupil premium funding to which your child is entitled.
Free School Meals
From September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 can receive school meals at no cost to you. This is a universal entitlement for all infant aged children.
In addition, every child whose parents’ family income is less than £16,190 per year, and receives one of the following benefits will be eligible for pupil premium funding:
Income Support
Employment & Support Allowance – Income related
Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (not Contribution Based JSA)
Child Tax Credit only (with a combined family income of less than £16,190 per annum as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) Please note, anyone receiving Working Tax Credit, regardless of income, will not qualify for free school meals.
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you receive)
National Asylum Seekers Support (NASS)
Guaranteed Element of Pension Tax Credit
Pupil premium is extra money for the school, provided by the government, which enables us to support your child’s progress and attainment. You can find out how we spend this money by reading our Pupil Premium Statement in the ‘Evaluations’ page.
Ordering School Meals
The school is able to provide your child with a cooked meal at lunch time. This costs £2.50.
It is important that if your child receives a free school meal, that you order. This ensures we have the correct amount of meals cooked and minimise what is left. When your child starts school you will receive a welcome message explaining how to order your child's meal. This new payment system will benefit both us as a school and you as a parent. Not only will you be able to pay for items from the comfort of your own home but you will also be able to access your account at any time to see if there is anything you need to pay for. SchoolMoney will enable us to experience a more streamlined, cost-effective and efficient payment system in a secure and safe environment.
You won’t need to sign up to this system as this is done automatically through the school and as long as you have provided us with up to date contact details we will send you a password with the next few days. This password will give you access to your SchoolMoney account where you can pay for any items we have requested from you.
To log into SchoolMoney, visit the website www.eduspot.co.uk and click on the sign in button in the top right hand corner. In the drop down, select the SchoolMoney Parent Login option and this will send you through to a page where you need to enter your mobile number, email address, the password we have sent to you, and your child’s first name.
The menu
We offer a wide selection of hot and cold meals for the students including a roast dinner, jacket potato or sandwiches and many more. There is always something for everyone.
Making payments to school
We use Eduspot (School Money) This means that you will now have the facility to make payments for school dinners and expenses, such as trips, online with your debit or credit card.
Families without online banking can keep payments up to date by visiting supermarkets, newsagents or Post Office counters where the PayPoint sign is visible. An inclusive alternative, 99% of the UK population live within a mile of one of PayPoint’s 29,000 outlets.
Key documents & forms
Child Absence request
Please read the information from Milton Keynes Council, that explains pupil attendance and the Council's policies, which includes Religious Celebrations & no holidays in term time.
Change of details
It is essential we have the correct details for you, therefore if you are changing your email, phone number or moving house, please complete the form below and send into the school office.
Sharing your views
We are always pleased to hear your views, so please use the 'contact us' page. We use all the views we collect to inform our school evaluation. People are usually more proactive when wanting to make a negative point but we want to here the positives too, this ensures we have a balanced view and can make better decisions, especially those that involve change for all.
The annual review of your child's Education, Health & Care Plan includes your views and it is a the key meeting for you about your child's education and other needs. We also hold parents evenings and a range of events, such as coffee mornings, in which we will gather your thoughts and offer support. Please look out on the calendar and the newsletters for further information.
We complete an Annual Parent Survey in the Summer Term. When the survey is open (a week either side of the summer half term holiday) you will see a form below to complete. The survey is shared with Governors at the Autumn Full Governing Body Meeting.
Training courses for families
The Training Courses offered to families by school are high quality, delivered by accredited trainers and expert staff. Courses include:
Early Bird (NAS)
Teen Life (NAS)
Positive Behaviour Support
There is a range of topics on offer; as well as support sessions; however if there is something that you feel we could offer you then let us know.