Partnerships With Parents

Lower School

At St Mary’s, we are committed to working in partnership with parents to ensure that our pupils have the best support for their learning and development.

Current parents are very welcome to contact the school via telephone or email to discuss their daughter’s progress and any issues arising at any time, and we ask that in return, parents keep in contact with us. If you are unsure about any aspect of life at St Mary’s, the first point of contact should be your daughter’s Class Teacher, followed by the Assistant Heads of the Lower School, Mrs Adamson (Pastoral) or Mrs Wentworth (Academic), the Head of the Lower School, Mrs Stanhope, and finally the Principal, Mrs Griffiths. The Office Staff will also be happy to help, or to steer you to the right person.

Open door

Relationships with parents and carers are truly valued at St Mary’s. We strive to have an open door to parents and carers and we believe that a successful education rests upon strong partnerships between home and school. We are therefore wholly committed to establishing good parent/teacher relationships and we encourage parents to contact us at any time should they have concerns or simply want an interim report on progress. If you wish at any time to discuss your daughter’s progress or to see her developmental records and learning journeys, please do not hesitate to speak to her class teacher to arrange an appointment convenient to both parties to hold a discussion. However, if you wish to see your daughter’s personal files, permission must be requested in writing to Mrs Lizzie Bevan (Head of Finance and Operations), as data protection rules must be taken into account.

Reporting

Reports are issued at Christmas and at the end of the school year in July. The Christmas report is a shorter report, which includes English, Mathematics and a general teacher comment. The full report is sent home in the Summer Term. Girls are continuously assessed and parents meet with teachers in October and February to review progress and to discuss their daughter’s next steps. SATs tests take place at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

The pupils also take part in the Incas diagnostic testing at Year 2, 4 and 6. Information on these assessments is also shared with parents.

Parents’ Evenings

There are Parents’ Evenings in October and February/March each academic year. Parents are requested to sign up for an appointment time on the published days. Specialist teachers are available at the February/March Parents’ Evenings. Parents who are unable to attend Parents’ Evening are welcome to speak to the office to arrange a mutually convenient time to discuss their daughter’s progress with her class teacher.

Parent Afternoons

Parents of pupils in Years 1 to 6 are invited into the classrooms every Friday at the end of school to look over their daughters’ work. Please note that this is not a time for consultation with the class teacher, but an opportunity to celebrate your daughter’s work and to be involved in her learning.

Late pick-up

If you are knowingly going to be late to collect your daughter from school, please contact the school office so that we can reassure your daughter that you are on your way. If a different person is picking up your daughter, please inform the class teacher in the morning or telephone the school as early as possible so we can let her know of the new arrangement and we can be sure we are handing her over to the correct person at the end of the day.

Absence and medical

It is important that all our school records show the correct details for you and your daughter. It is very important that the school has an emergency contact number in case a girl is ill or has an accident. Please notify us immediately if there are any changes so our records can be updated. If your daughter is unwell, please telephone the school by 9.30am to let us know she will not be in. If your daughter is to be absent for any other reason (medicals, holidays) please let us know in writing addressed to the Principal, as we are required to keep a record. Similarly, if she leaves the school during the day for whatever reason (for example, a dentist appointment), the office must be informed on departure and arrival (you are required to sign your daughter out).

Senior School

At St Mary’s, we are committed to working in partnership with parents to ensure that our pupils have the best support for their learning and development.

Current parents are very welcome to contact the school to discuss their daughter’s progress and any issues arising at any time, and we ask that in return, parents keep in contact with us. If you are unsure about any aspect of life at St Mary’s, please feel free to call the School Office on 01206 572544 for advice. The Office staff are more than happy to help.

Communication with school

There are many people to whom you or your daughter can come for help if you become worried or unhappy, in addition to the school “Buddy” and “Listeners System”.

Please telephone the school (on 01206 572544) or contact the relevant member of staff via the St Mary’s app to arrange an appointment, or ask to speak to your daughter’s Form Tutor, followed by the appropriate Phase Lead, the Assistant Head (Pastoral), Miss Crewe, the Head of the Senior School, Miss Jones, and then the Principal, Mrs Griffiths.

The Office Staff will also be happy to help, or to steer you to the right person.

It does not matter if a problem seems a trivial one: please feel able to speak to any of us, to sort it out before it becomes a major worry.

Absence

If your daughter is unwell, on the first day of absence please let us know she will not be attending via the St Mary’s app or by telephoning the school and reporting by selecting the absence option. We will contact you if your daughter has not arrived and we have received no notification. Please send a note when she returns after an absence

If your daughter is to be absent for reasons other than illness, for example for dental appointments, or a dance examination, please let us know in writing, in advance, as we are required to keep records. We would like you to aim for, and encourage full attendance. Absence for family holidays are at the Principal’s discretion.

It is vital that the School has up-to-date emergency contact numbers, in case your daughter is taken ill or has an accident. If your contact information should change, please inform the school office as soon as possible so that our records can be updated.

Visitors to the school

All visitors must report to the office on arrival, sign in and sign out again before leaving.

Please check with the Office staff first if you need to speak with your daughter or a member of staff. Do not walk around the school without notifying the office staff, even if you think you know exactly where to find your daughter – fire regulations require us to have a written record of all those on the premises.

Travel

If you are transporting your daughter by car, we request that parents do not drop off and pick up on the school grounds. St Mary’s does operate its own network of school buses, which are only for the use of St Mary’s students and are driven by St Mary’s employees – please see the Transport page of the school website for full information. Areas not covered by St Mary’s buses are served by routes run by other school bus companies – these are also listed on the Transport web page (parents should contact the transport operator directly to enquire about available places and costs).

Reports and Parents’ Evenings

Staff at St Mary’s are committed to keeping parents informed of their daughters’ academic progress.

Students at St Mary’s are assessed at least twice every half term. Years 7 to 10 students receive two interim and one full report per year. Year 11 receive one interim, one full and one pastoral report.

Years 7 to 10 parents are invited to school for two contact evenings per academic year. Year 11 Parents’ Evening takes place in January.

If you are worried

In addition to the school Buddy and Listeners System run by the PSHE department, there are many people to whom you or your daughter can turn for help if there are any questions or concerns. All staff at St Mary’s are dedicated to your daughter’s well-being and your peace of mind as a parent.

Please feel free to contact the school via the St Mary’s app or telephone the school to speak to a member of staff with whom you feel at ease or you feel is most appropriate given the nature of the issue:

  • Your daughter’s Form Tutor
  • Appropriate Phase Lead
  • Miss Crewe, Assistant Head (Pastoral)
  • Miss Jones, Head of Senior School
  • Mrs Griffiths, Principal
  • The Office Staff will also be happy to help, or to steer you to the right person.

Even if the problem seems a trivial one, please feel able to speak to any of us, to sort it out before it becomes a major worry.

Contact the School Offices

Current parents can contact the Lower School and Senior School offices via the St Mary’s app.

TELEPHONE THE SCHOOL OFFICE
Kindergarten and Lower School 01206 211242
Senior School 01206 572544

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