Dear Parents/Carers,
Here is your toolkit to support and help you and your family through your journey at The Leys. If you require additional information and support please email admin@leys.herts.sch.uk or familysupport@leys.herts.sch.uk
Brighter Days Club aims to provide a friendly, fun and safe environment together with high-quality childcare for all pupils aged 4 - 11 (Reception to Year 6), before and after school hours. There is always a variety of activities provided for the children to cater for the differing ages and interests, including drawing and painting, board games, reading and other shared activities, reading. The children have access to the playground where staff lead a range of activities for them.
The Breakfast club opens at 7.30am in the Junior School building.
The Afterschool club runs every school day in the Junior School building from 3:15pm - 6:00pm.Snacks and drinks are provided in line with our healthy eating policy.
For further information please visit our website: www.brighterdayskidsclub.co.uk
Or give us a call: 07727 092382
Please take a look at our Classes page which can be found here
Keeping our children safe online has become just as important as teaching them how to cross a busy road. The internet brings fantastic opportunities for learning, but at the same time children need to learn how to keep themselves safe. This forms an important part of the curriculum but it is important that we work together in partnership.
E-Safety is taught as part of computing lessons. The children are being taught how to use the internet safely and how to deal with issues that may arise from accessing online materials.
This is something that is constantly being reinforced to keep the 'SMART' message in the forefront of the children's minds. The school has effective monitoring and filters in place that helps safeguard all users when accessing the internet in school. Any issues that may arise are instantly alerted to the SLT and our Computing leaders who can deal with the issue in the most effective and efficient way.
Below, you can find notes and handouts from parent sessions. There is also a parents guide section, these contain useful information about specific apps, platforms, games and explain ways of staying safe whilst using the Internet.
Please find below a selection of printable safety cards for social media, online games and other media services
Here at The Leys Primary & Nursery School we follow the SMART principles for staying safe on the internet. These are;
S - SAFE
Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information – such as your full name, email address, phone number, home address, photos or school name – to people you are chatting with online.
M - MEETING
Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present.
A - ACCEPTING
Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages!
R - RELIABLE
Information you find on the internet may not be true, or someone online may be lying about who they are.
T - TELL
Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online. You can report online abuse to the police at www.thinkuknow.co.uk
An organisation working directly with children, parents and teachers to ensure that the issues of online child protection and the safe and positive use of the internet are addressed.
The NSPCC also have a range of advice and support on how to help children stay safe online
This website was developed out of a partnership between CEOP and The Parent Zone and contains lots of good eSafety advice.
Here you will find e-safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe on the internet.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has set up its own website which has been designed and written specifically for children, young people, teachers, parents and carers.
Kidsmart is an award winning internet safety website for parents and those working with children. It has been developed by the children's internet charity Childnet International and has excellent information on many of the technologies used by children, with guidance on how to ‘stay safe’ online.
One in five young people have experienced bullying by text message or via email. This web site gives advice for children and parents on cyberbullying.
Specific help on how to set up internet controls at home. Guidance and articles for parents about keeping children safe online.
A website designed to strengthen awareness and understanding of what digital citizenship is. It encourages users of technology to be and become responsible DIGItal citiZENS.
What is the FOL?
It stands for 'Friends Of The Leys'
It’s everyone who one way or another is connected to the School: parents, teachers, teaching assistants, office and caretaking staff, Governors and all stakeholders involved in the School.
The FOL acts as a starting point for the school community, it is a support mechanism for the School and a support means for all parents. It is also a major contributor to fundraising for the School.The FOL organises and runs a multitude of events throughout the year to help raise money for the School. And these are fun events for all the family and for grow-ups.
Every year the School runs and supports Enterprise Day, termly Discos, non uniform days, a SummerFair and many other activities. Our biggest fundraisers are The School Discos and Summer Fair.
Money raised at these events is then spent on various projects:
In the near future, the School is looking to invite both theatre companies and artist’s to visit the school, as well as continue to upgrade IT equipment for the children and planning extra curriculum trips for pupils.
Our aim is that we will work together to help the school and this in turn will help the children!
If you are interested to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact the Chair of the FOL Committee friends@leys.herts.sch.uk, or any current FOL Committee member through the School’s office.
Help comes in many guises and everyone is welcome!
Remote Learning - Information For Parents - Download To View
Follow this guidance to help to create a positive learning environment at home:
Be realistic about what you can do
Keep to a timetable wherever Possible
Parents Guide to Google Classroom
As you’ll be aware, under the current circumstances relating to COVID-19, staff at The Leys have been preparing resources for home learning opportunities. We consider it to be vital, for both academic and mental health needs, that all children have the opportunity to access learning when at home for a sustained period.
To that end, we have set up a Google Classroom for each class and will be providing all pupils from Years 1-6 with a login. Some pupils have been shown how to access their Google Classroom and below is further information for you regarding access.
Google Classroom is a free and secure learning network for teachers, pupils and schools. It provides a safe way for us to connect, share content, access homework, participate in discussions and receive class information. Using Google Classroom allows you and your child to have access to work at any time through the Internet and is accessible online and through any mobile devices with Internet capabilities—including iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Additionally, the use of Classroom will help keep pupils and parents informed of work to complete.
There is an option for pupils to message each other, however we strongly advise against this and request that you use the platform purely for accessing learning and communicating with the class teacher.
We would like all pupils to make contact with their class teacher within the next two weeks and use it as a platform to communicate and stay in touch with their class teacher and pupils. Pupils may want to use the opportunity to ask questions about work that has been set.
At a later date, teachers may set some tasks for pupils to complete with no time restrictions.Pupils in Reception classes will have home-learning set through Tapestry, as normal.
For further information see our Parents Guide to Google Classroom pdf
Further reading:
- How to submit an assignment in Google Classroom
Supporting learning at home is the best way to accelerate both your child’d progress and attainment.
What’s the best way to help your child to learn at home?
Your home is where your child can develop a positive attitude towards learning. What’s more, it’s where they can be encouraged to explore the world around them from being a baby through to adulthood.
You don’t need to turn your home into a classroom to make it a great place to learn.
Please see below useful resources and websites to help you with learning at home.
Programmes we use at school:
Other useful websites and programmes:
Pupils join our Nursery or Reception classes from many local child care services: including pre-schools, day nurseries and child minders. We maintain positive links with all our providers and always contact and visit the previous setting of new pupils as part of the transition programme, if local.
The Leys has close links with our local pre-school Pilgrims Way which is on our site. They have access to our facilities in the school, and have strong links with our Teaching team in the Early Years. We fully support the high quality provision they offer. If you have a 2 or 3 year old child looking for a place then please call them to check availability.
Please enquire at the pre school or call them on 01438 369519 and ask for Karen or Chloe.
The Leys Primary & Nursery School is an inclusive community that supports and welcomes pupils with medical conditions. We aim to provide these pupils the same opportunities as others at the school.
On admission to the school you are asked to complete an emergency contact form. This form also requests information about any medical conditions your child may have. It is important that this record is kept up to date and that you provide us with as much information as possible about any conditions which may affect the well-being of your child.
The school was very proud to become one of the first of 19 recipients of the Diabetes UK charity's Good Diabetes Care in School Award, which is open to all schools in the UK. The schools were chosen by an assessment panel, which includes parents and representatives from Diabetes UK. We were presented with the award during an assembly on 16/12/2017.
The award is to acknowledge those schools that have worked really closely with pupils, school staff and parents to ensure that children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in their school have the same opportunities as their peers without the condition. This ensures children with the condition are able to fully participate in their education and so reach their full academic potential.
If your child is unwell and unable to attend school please telephone us before 08:50.m. If your child is taken ill during the day we will contact you to make arrangements for your child to go home.
If your child sustains a minor injury at school we will administer first aid. If your child has a head injury we will inform you by text, send a bumped head letter home and your child will be given a bumped head sticker. In the event of a serious injury both the emergency services and parents will be contacted.
If your child needs medication during the day we require you to complete a form at the office. Staff will only administer medication that is prescribed and essential; that is where it would be detrimental to a child’s health if the medicine were not administered during the school day. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to collect the medication from the school office at the end of the day.
If your child suffers from asthma we require you to complete an asthma card (available at the office). This card helps us to know the instructions for administering the medication to each child. The card will be kept in the classroom along with your child’s inhaler. Please ensure that you provide the school with an inhaler that has been prescribed to your child, in its original box and clearly labelled with your child’s name. The school keeps emergency salbutamol inhalers which can only be used if the pupils prescribed inhaler is not available and if we have written parental consent for the use of an emergency inhaler. Consent forms are available from the school office.
If your child suffers from an allergy please let us know. We have a number of children in school with severe nut allergies; therefore we are a nut free school and ask that no food containing nuts is brought into school.
Individual Health Care Plans will be created for those children with more complex medical needs; such as diabetes or anaphylaxis. The IHCP is a written agreement with parents and in some cases the school nurse, who identify the necessary safety measures that need to be put into place to support pupils with medical needs and ensure they are not at risk. It is the responsibility of parents/carers to inform the school of any medical needs to ensure a care plan is completed as soon as it is needed and to also inform us if the care plan needs to be updated.
It is essential that you keep us updated of any changes to your contact details.
Senior Leadership Team
Mrs D Khangura
Head Teacher
Responsibility: Safeguarding, Leadership & Management, Progress & Attainment, Teaching and Learning, Professional Development, Attendance, Behaviour and Wellbeing.
Mrs A Barr
Deputy Head Teacher
Responsibility: Safeguarding, Teaching and Learning, Behaviour and Wellbeing, Mental Health Lead Teacher and Designated Teacher for looked after and post looked after children, ECT mentor.
Dr A Christie
Assistant Head Teacher / Class Teacher
Responsibility: Upper School Team Leader, Mathematics Subject Leader, Pupil Parliament, Global Learning, Volunteers Manager, Professional Mentor.
Mrs A-M Fonseca
School Business Manager
Responsibility: School Finance, Health & Safety, Medical Plans, Admin & Lunchtime Staff, First Aid.
Miss M Doherty
Assistant Head Teacher / Class Teacher / School Strategic leader
Responsibility: Personal Development, Pupil Premium Leader, Enrichment and overall strategic vision of the school
Miss J Garner
Lead Teacher / Class Teacher
Responsibility: English Writing, Lower School Team Leader.
Middle Leadership Team
Mrs J Pomroy
SEND
Responsibility: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Mrs Ewa Balaban
Class Teacher
Responsibility: Early Years Leader
Miss S Lea
Class Teacher
Responsibility: English Reading Leader
Mrs Hayley Luzzeri
Class Teacher
Responsibility: Science Leader
Early Years
Higher Learning Teaching Assistant: Mrs C M Smith
Nursery
Campbell Class
Teacher: Mrs E Balaban
Responsibility: Early Years Leader
Early Years Practitioner: Mrs L Stewart
Teaching Assistant & Learning Support: Miss M Judd, Miss L Allen, Mrs S Goyal
1:1 Learning Support: Mrs D Pinnigar, Mrs L Waterton, Mrs L Warner
Reception
Benjamin Class
Teacher: Mrs K Fathers
Responsibility: SMSC, PSHE and School travel plan.
Teaching Assistant: Mrs C Smith
Murphy Class
Teacher: Miss S Lea
Responsibility: English Reading Subject Leader
Teaching Assistant: Miss C Pemberton
Lower School
Higher Level Teaching Assistant: Mrs N Chapman and Mrs C M Smith
Year 1
Learning Support: Miss I Anderson-Kobs
Bryon Class
Teacher: Mrs L Webb
Responsibility: Design and Technology Leader
Teaching Assistant & Learning Support: Mrs J House, Mrs S Goyal
Kerr Class
Teacher: Mrs H Buckley (2.5 days) and Mrs C M Smith (2.5 days)
Responsibility: French
Teaching Assistant & Learning Support: Mrs D Vaughan-Gray
Year 2
Learning Support: Mrs C Phipps
Soundar Class
Teacher: Mrs A Soule (2 days) and Mrs L Maisey (3 days)
Responsibility: RE Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs K Fountain
Donaldson Class
Teacher: Mrs K Moore
Responsibility: History Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs H Ward, Madame V Feuer
Year 3
Learning support: Miss P McDonagh
Gavin Class
Teacher: Miss J Garner
Responsibility: Lower School Team Leader, English Writing lead
Teaching Assistant: Mr M Page
Dahl Class
Teacher: Miss H Evans
Responsibility: Geography
Teaching Assistant: Miss M Devonshire
Upper School
Higher Learning Teaching Assistant: Mrs K Parrett and Mrs M Davies
Year 4
Learning Support: Mrs S Goyal
Morpurgo Class
Teacher: Miss T Huntly-Peck
Responsibility: Art Leader
Teaching Assistant & Learning Support: Mrs A Pathak
Mante Class
Teacher: Mr K Harlock
Responsibility: Computing Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs G Hildebrandt
Year 5
Learning Support: Mrs L Warner
Riordan Class
Teacher: Mrs M Doherty
Responsibility: School Strategic Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs L Banks
Zephaniah Class
Teacher: Miss A Wood
Teaching assistant: Mrs J Cade
Year 6
Learning Mentor: Mrs M Davies
Malala Class
Teacher: Dr A Christie
Responsibility: Upper School & Mathematics Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs H Westwood
Blackman Class
Teacher: Miss H Luzzeri
Responsibility: Science Leader
Teaching Assistant: Mrs C Phipps
Subject Specialists
Mr J Newlands
PE Specialist
Responsibility: PE Subject leader
Mr S Sapsed
Specialist Dance Teacher
Administration
Mrs A Fonseca
School Business Manager
Responsibility: School Finance and Health & Safety Officer
Mrs K Reeves
Finance Assistant & Admin
Responsibility: School Finance
Miss J Bullen
Admin
Responsibility: Admissions & Attendance
Mrs S Leadbetter
Admin
Pastoral Staff
Mrs S Clibbon
DSP Safeguarding Lead and Family Worker
Responsibility: Safeguarding
Behaviour & Wellbeing Staff
Miss S Heath
Lead SEND Teaching Assistant
Miss D Hobson
SEND Teaching Assistant
Miss T Singh
SEND Teaching Assistant
Mrs K Pockett
SEND Teaching Assistant
Miss L Allen
SEND Teaching Assistant
Miss J Callis
SEND Teaching Assistant
Mrs M Katun
SEND Teaching Assistant
Mid-Day Supervisors
Miss L Caslake - Lunchtime Manager
Miss T Milner - MSA
Mrs T Callis - MSA
Miss S Sharp - MSA
Mrs D Pinnigar - MSA
Miss M Worsdale - MSA
Mrs M Tring - MSA
Miss S Anderson - MSA
Miss L Allen - MSA
Mrs L Waterton - MSA
Site Manager
Mr M Small - Site Manager
Mr D Dinnage - Assistant Caretaker
The Governors of The Leys are keen to work closely with parents and carers to help shape the future of the school. This is why we have established the All through Parent Forum to encourage greater representation and influence from those who have children at the School.
A Parent Forum is a body of parents and carers, which represents parents and carers and provides a forum for them to put forward their views to the Headteacher and Governing Body. The Parent Forum is representative of all parents and carers in the school community and is an inclusive and accessible way to involve parents and carers in decisions about the School. It is a forum through which parents and carers can be consulted, learn more about the School and how they can be involved in it, be provided with information and encouraged to network with other parents and carers. Involvement in the Parent Forum is less formal and requires a lesser commitment than being a member of the Governing Body, whilst enabling parents and carers to make a real contribution to the School
The Governing Body remains the decision-maker and provides the strategic leadership for the School. The Parent Forum has a consultative and advisory role; it is a means to strengthen the voice of parents and carers and to enable them to express their opinions and influence decisions. Parents and carers are a driving force behind their children’s achievements, but also for improving the School system as a whole. The Parent Forum gives parents and carers a route to express their opinions and ideas and the School and the Governing Body, a means to sound out parents’ and carers’ views on decisions about the strategic direction of the School. The ParentForum also supports the Governing Body in promoting the well-being of students. Parents and carers value not only educational achievement at the School, but a commitment to a positive ethos and a range of activities and opportunities beyond the formal curriculum. Involvement in the Parent Forum is an opportunity to generate a culture of genuine participation and to attempt to reach those disengaged parents and carers and parents and carers of particular groups of students who may face significant barriers to their inclusion such as language, literacy or culture.
The following benefits of having a Parent Forum have been identified:
The Vision
The Leys All Through Parent Forum aspires to reach out and engage with all parents and carers, providing them with a voice and to actively contribute to making a difference to the educational and life experience of students
The Mission
“Success through parental engagement and involvement.”
Parent Forum Meetings 2024
Friday 8th March 2024 - Invite Letter
The Leys has a programme of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) aimed at developing values and attitudes and the personal skills to make choices.
Some children are taught sex education at home. Many however are not. It is our responsibility as a school to take nothing for granted and, in a caring, matter-of-fact manner, explain to the children the facts concerning how bodies change during puberty, facts about reproduction and birth. Education about sexuality and relationships is also covered.
The Leys’ sex education is seen as part of our health education curriculum, linking PSHE, Science and RE. Sex education is more than just biological facts and hygiene, it has moral, legal, cultural and ethnic dimensions. Sex education does involve knowledge of how the human body functions, but it also involves feelings about love, sexuality and responsibility towards oneself and towards others. We provide opportunities for pupils to express themselves within a trusted and safe environment, we encourage them to articulate their thoughts, doubts and anxieties in order that they can build the skills they need to make responsible decisions, communicate effectively, develop healthy and appropriate relationships.
Sex education is a part of our whole school health education programme. SRE is taught in all year groups using the agreed approach based on the Christopher Winter Project.
Sex and Relationship education is always taught with due regard to moral and legal considerations and with the explicit values of family life and supportive relationships. Among the values promoted are:
DFE RSE Guidance for Parents
Available to download here
Please see Government guidance for parents below
www.gov.uk/government/RSE
Available to download and view below
RSE ideas for parents/carers
Involving Parents in RSHE
https://schools.1decision.co.uk/involving
Understanding RSHE
https://schools.1decision.co.uk/understanding
Parenting can be rewarding, but it can also be challenging. We've got parenting tips for all stages of your child's life, as well as advice on how to deal with difficult situations.
How to cope with Tantrums
www.nspcc.org.uk
/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/cope-with-tantrums/
Working from home
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/parents-working-from-home/
Mental Health & Parenting
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/mental-health-parenting/
Talking to your children
about Racism
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/children-race-racism-racial-bullying/
Separation &
Divorce
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/separation-and-divorce/
How to talk to children
about difficult topics
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/talking-about-difficult-topics/
Alcohol, drugs &
parenting
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/alcohol-drugs-parenting/
Pants - The underwear rule
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/
Look, say,
sing & play
www.nspcc.org.uk/
keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/look-say-sing-play/
Hertfordshire City Council - Parents &
family support
www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/
parents-and-family-
support
Families First
Families First Poster
Support my children
online
www.leys.herts.sch.uk/
pt-school-life.html
RSE guidance
for support/guidance
www.leys.herts.sch.uk/
pt-school-life.html
Financial support for parents
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
www.moneyadvice.co.uk
www.nationaldebtline.org
Support for Domestic Abuse survivors/victims
www.stevenage.gov.uk/da
www.refuge.org.uk
www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Children using Social media
www.nspcc.org.uk
www.internetmatters.org.uk
www.youngminds.org.uk
We are always here to support and help you and your family through your journey at The Leys. If you require additional information and support please email admin@leys.herts.sch.uk or familysupport@leys.herts.sch.uk