Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child walk home unaccompanied?
Only pupils in Years 5 and 6 are allowed to walk home by themselves, and written authorisation is needed from the child’s parents. If a Year 5 or 6 child is to walk home alone from an after-school club that finishes after 4.15p.m., separate written permission from a parent is needed on the clubs form to confirm that the child can walk home alone at this time of day Children in FS and Years 1 to 4 must always be collected by an adult. We cannot allow them to be collected by an older sibling who is under 18 years of age, including Year 6 pupils. If you need to notify us about a change in collection arrangements for your child at short notice please telephone the school office on 01858 465479. Please don't email or send a message via our website as we cannot guarantee that it will be seen in time. Mobile Phone Letter Mobile Phone Agreement Walking Home
Can I take my child out of school during term time?
Amendments to the 2006 Pupil Registration Regulations came into force from September 1st 2013. The amendments made it clear that headteachers may no longer grant leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Holidays are not considered as exceptional so the headteacher is no longer able to authorise any holiday absence during term time. Headteachers have to determine the number of days that a child can be away from school if exceptional leave is granted. As previously, any child whose attendance falls below 96% will have their attendance monitored and the parents of any children whose attendance falls below 90% will be contacted by letter. Any persistent low attenders could ultimately receive a fine. If you would like to apply for exceptional leave for your child please contact the school office for a form.
Who do I need to tell if my child is ill?
Please ring the school before 9.30 a.m. if your child is absent due to illness. If your child becomes ill during the school day, they will be assessed and you may be contacted to come and pick them up. For any sickness type bugs, we follow health guidelines and ask that your child remains at home for 48 hours after the last time they were sick (or had a tummy upset). This is to prevent the spread of infectious bugs.
What should I do if my child has a planned appointment during school hours?
If your child has a planned appointment, such as at a hospital, please send a note and a copy of the appointment letter to school so that we can put the right code into our registers. We would prefer any routine dental or medical appointments to be taken out of school time or in the holidays please.
How will I know if the school is closed for snow or bad weather?
We will endeavour to keep the school open at all times, even in adverse weather, unless we feel that the safety of our pupils and/or staff may be compromised. If it is necessary to close the school, you will be informed at the earliest opportunity via the school's text messaging and email service and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/meadowdaleprimary/). You can also listen to BBC Radio Leicester 104.9 FM or Harborough FM for the daily school update.
Does my child have to take part in collective worship?
We expect children to attend assembly; however, any parent can request permission for their child to be excused from attending religious worship and the school will make alternative arrangements for the supervision of the child during the period concerned. Parents do not have to explain or give reasons for this. This complies with the 1944 Education Act and restated in the 1988 Education Reform Act. The Headteacher keeps a record of all children who withdraw from collective worship.
Do you have any before and after school childcare facilities on site?
Yes we do! We have both before and after school provision here at school daily from 7.30 - 9 a.m. and after school from 3.15 - 6 p.m. This is run by Caterpillar Day Nursery – please ask at the school office for further information or contact the nursery manager on 01858 432661.
Do you accept children from outside the school's catchment area?
If our school isn’t full in a particular year group (i.e. 60 children per year group) then your child can theoretically be admitted. Please see our admissions page for details of how to apply. Priority is given to in-catchment children but those with siblings already at the school may also be able to apply for a place. We would advise parents to visit several schools, including their own ‘catchment area’ school before making a final choice: there are many good schools very close by in Market Harborough and we would recommend that you visit the school during the working day to get a real feel for it before deciding.
Can I come to visit the school?
We would be delighted to show you round. Please ring the school office to arrange a time which is convenient to you and the school and we look forward to meeting you.