Parents
Hertfordshire Local Offer website pages
Here you will find information to help you as a parent/carer.
Some links direct you to different parts of the website.
As always, please contact us in school if you want any clarification/ further information.
We are a nut free school. Please do not bring any form of nuts into school. Thank you.
ARBOR - our school payments & info. system
Arbor App now supports biometric login! So, logging into the Arbor App means
- No more entering login details every time - the App will now save parents’ email address and password, eliminating the need to re-enter them each time they login
- Parents can use their existing login method - whether that's face or fingerprint recognition, or their device’s pin code
- For parents with children at different schools, it's now easier and faster to switch between them
Attendance at School
When Your Child is Sick:
Short Term Absences:
When your child is ill, please contact the school office on 01442 398988 or email absence@collett.herts.sch.uk
When your child has vomited or has had diarrhoea, we ask that you keep your child off school for 48 hours. For this and many other common conditions such as Chicken Pox etc we follow current NHS and Government Guidance
Longer Term Absences:
Please contact the school to let us know about your child's circumstances and information relating to this. We sometimes need to let other parents/carers know about illnesses to prevent the spread of viruses and bacterial infections in the school. Where children are away from school for several days, and they are able to access work, we will provide this for the parent/carer to continue learning. Where a child is absent from school for a longer period of time, we work with ESMA (Education Support for medical Absence) to support learning at home or in hospital.
School Registration
- 8.30am is the start of the school day and the register is taken before 8.40am.
- Afternoon Registration takes place between 12.00pm and 1pm
- When a pupil arrives between 8.30am and 8.40am, this is classed as a late. When a pupil arrives between 9.00am and 1.00pm, this is classed as an absence.
Authorisation of Absences
The Head of School authorises absences, where there are legitimate reasons. We recognise many of our pupils have complex medical needs that require visits to specialists in London and further afield. Preparation for these visits and the travel time often mean pupils cannot make school on such days. Where no legitimate reasons are given all absences from school are classed as unauthorised absences.
Holidays in Term Time
We would ask that parents and carers avoid taking their child out of school during term time. We are rarely able to authorise absence in term time. In such cases, please complete the form below and email/send in to the school office for the Headteacher to review and make a decision whether this would be authorised or, an unauthorised absence.
Fines for Parents/Carers regarding absences
The new National Framework about absence in schools has standardised the criteria for fines for parents/carers.
- The school MUST consider a penalty notice when 10 sessions (there are 2 sessions in a school day) are missed for unauthorised reasons in a 10-week rolling period. This carries over from term to term and from school year to school year. Where this criteria is reached, a 'Notice to Improve' letter will be sent initially and parents contacted to highlight the concerns.
- Each penalty notice is a minimum of £80 per child, per parent/carer. If the penalty notice is not paid within the first 21 days, the notice increases to £160. Should there be a second fine, this will start at £160 per child, per parent. These fines are not able to be appealed. Failure to pay them can lead to the Local Authority taking parents to court. Should the parent be found guilty, this will be on their criminal record and will flag on any DBS checks.
- The school must collate evidence of engaging with parents/carers about sustained absences.
- We are rarely able to authorise any holidays in term-time. Any parents/carers taking their children out of school unauthorised for a holiday will receive a fixed penalty notice. For our schools it is worth noting that we club together our INSET days to allow families to take their children on holidays outside of half term weeks and requests will not be authorised.
Anxiety Absences
If your child is experiencing anxiety over attending school, please contact either your child’s class teacher or the school office, who can provide support. Further assistance can be found on the Hertfordshire Local Offer webpage.
Further Information and Guidance | |
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Federation Attendance Policy | Should I keep my child off school? - NHS Guidance |
Holiday Request Form | DfE Guidance |
Communication
Telephone: 01442 398988
Email: admin@collett.herts.sch.uk
Arbor
The Arbor App can be downloaded through the usual channels and allows parents to communicate with the school. All letters home, payments and consents (for trips etc) are done via Arbor. For more information please contact the school. Please note we are no longer taking cash payments.
Class Dojo
Class Dojo allows you to communicate with your child's teacher directly and enables the teacher to update you with some work your child is currently undertaking in class. It is available as an App through the usual channels.
Please note: Teachers are only available between the hours of 8am - 4pm Monday – Friday.
EHCP Annual Reviews
The EHCP is a Local Authority managed document, where the school captures the views of those engaged with the individual child and makes recommendations. The Local Authority has the ultimate 'ownership' of the EHCP and makes decisions on what is and isn't included.
Each year, an annual review of the EHCP takes place at the school. They are an informal meeting to capture the views of parents/carers, the child and professionals working with the pupil. Depending on a pupil's age, progress in learning or transitional time to another phase of education, there will be different people attending the meeting. For some EHCP review meetings, there will be several people contributing to the plan, for others, it will be a simple updating of information.
At The Collett School, we seek to gather views and relevant reports in advance of the meeting, giving families the opportunity to read through these before meeting together to make decisions on the recommendations to the Local Authority about what should be updated.
Who will be at the meeting?
People you have invited to the Review Meeting e.g.
- Social Worker
- Pediatrician
- Respite Carers
- Community Occupational Therapists
- Independent (private) Therapists
People invited by the school
- School-based Speech and Language therapists at The Collett (where relevant)
- School-based Occupational Therapists (where relevant)
The child's class teacher is rarely present because their input is thorough as a result of the report they prepare for the meeting. They also go through the existing plan in detail, to comment on changes that can be discussed and finalised in the meeting.
EHCP Progress at Parents' Evenings
Your child's class teacher will work with you to discuss your child's progress towards their EHCP outcomes.
Free School Meals and Help from the Local Authority
Information on Free School Meals from Hertfordshire Local Authority
If you do not meet the criteria for free school meals but need some support to buy food or pay household bills, help is available. Contact HertsHelp for advice and practical support – call 0300 123 4044, email info@hertshelp.net or visit www.hertshelp.net. You can also find further information around support at Hertfordshire County Council | Help to manage the cost of living
Home-School Agreement
Medicines in School
There are times when it is necessary to administer medicines during school hours either occasionally or on a regular basis.
We are able to do this, but all medicines must be prescribed by a doctor or health professional and in its original packaging.
If your child requires medication during school hours please download the Medicines in School policy or ask Reception to forward you a copy of the necessary forms.
Music Lessons
We are fortunate to be able to offer piano lessons, taught by Meg Cripps, a highly experienced music and SEND specialist teacher. These piano lessons are personalised 1:1 sessions designed to work in the context of your child’s learning styles and needs.
Piano lessons are open to pupils from year 4-11 with a charge. Pupils are required to commit to a trial period of half a term.
Please contact the school office if you would like to book a slot, or email Meg Cripps directly on megcrippspiano@outlook.com
PTA Friends of The Collett School
The Friends of Collett is our school’s Parent Teacher Association and Parent Voice Council.
We decided on ‘Friends of’ as it encompasses other family members and people in our community wishing to support the work of the school in improving opportunities for our pupils.
The Friends of Collett is a registered charity (1157000) with three foci:
- PTA (Parent Teacher Association known as The Friends of Collett)
- To ensure all parents, carers and friends feel welcome as part of The Collett School
- Annual events with an emphasis on everyone being able to attend and enjoy an event rather than fundraising so as to be more inclusive, such as supporting other school events i.e refreshments for school plays, parents’ evenings and sports day.
PVC (Parent Voice Council)
Many parents would like to have more of a say in school decision-making but are not sure about the best way to make their voice heard. After all, most of the decisions made by schools affect parents one way or another and so it is only right that they should be able to contribute their views. This should develop a positive partnership between home and school and that this ultimately benefits the children
School Dinners
Herts Catering Limited
Herts Catering Ltd is our school lunch provider. Eating the right balance of healthy, tasty food helps all children to learn and develop. That’s why making the right decision about what your child eats at school is so important. The meals they provide are packed with great and tasty ingredients to help your child really enjoy lunchtimes at school.
Choosing a school meal will give your child the chance to try new foods and to enjoy eating with their friends All meals are freshly prepared and packed full of the energy and essential nutrients they need to grow and learn.
HCL School Meals Brochure
Free School Meals
We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious health benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve pupils’ readiness to learn.
Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for free school meals. Your child is eligible for free school meals if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400.
- Income SupportFree
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190
To apply, please go to https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
Please remember: if you were eligible for FSM last academic year your application does not renew automatically. You will need to go online and re-apply.
The School Day
Arrival 8.30am
Registration closes at 8.45am
Morning Break 10.15am - 10.30am
Lunchtime 11.45am - 12.45pm
Transport 2.30pm
Uniform
Why a uniform?
Our school uniform exists to support the ethos of the school and help parents and children with regard to differentiating between school and out of school clothing. Our pupils tell us they like having a uniform. There are choices and optional aspects with the uniform that we have found can support individual children and families, such as a child's clothing preferences and costs.
Non-gender bias uniform
Our school uniform is non-gender bias, meaning boys and girls can wear any aspect of the uniform identified below, such as dresses, skirts or trousers.
Where to buy
Most items can be purchased from supermarkets and general suppliers of clothing and shoes. Branded clothing can be obtained from Peter Spivey (see below).
Our school uniform supplier is :
Peter Spivey
71 The Marlowes
Hemel Hempstead HP1 1LF
To visit their website click here Peter Spivey
'Non-Uniform' Guidance
On occasions, students in the main school are allowed to wear clothes other than the school uniform. This may include ‘mufti’ days to raise money and awareness for charities, or as a form reward; or when on school trips.
Whilst this allows students the opportunity to express themselves as individuals, it must be done so in an appropriate way. It is particularly important that any student dress on these occasions recognises that the school is still a working environment, and further that student dress does not cause embarrassment to staff, students and other members of the school community.
In doing so, the following guidelines are to be adhered to:
- Shorts, skirts and dresses, if worn, should be of at least mid-thigh length;
- Leggings, if worn, must also be worn with a skirt, dress or other top, of at least mid-thigh length.
The following items are prohibited:
- See-through clothing, for example see-through blouses;
- Strapless or ‘string-strapped’ tops;
- Clothing which is revealing; for example, exposing bare midriffs;
- Baseball caps;
- Clothing which reveals underwear;
- Flip-flops or backless footwear, due to health and safety issues;
- Clothing with offensive logos.
It is recognised that this dress code will not cover all issues that may arise. Students may seek to wear, for example, items which have not been covered by the above guidelines, but which are against the tenor of the dress code. In such a case, or given any issue of dispute, the final arbiter is the Headteacher or other senior member of staff.
All students are expected to arrive at school wearing clothing in accordance with this dress code. Should they not do so, then they will be sent home to change by the Headteacher or other senior member of staff. Any student unable to go home to do this will work in isolation for the day.
Please label all items of clothing. Lost, named uniform will be returned. Un-named uniform is provided as second hand uniform for pupils in need. |
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Lower School |
Upper School |
Head |
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Body |
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Legs |
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Feet |
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PE Kit |
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Optional Extras |
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