Procedures for the Arrival and Collection of children

The Lower school gates/doors open at 8.45am for an 8.55am start/registration and open again at 2.45pm for a 3pm collection. All children at the Lower school must be handed over and collected by an adult with responsibility. This adult must be known to the school and any changes in pick up arrangements must be notified to the school before pick-up time.

The Upper school gates open at 8.30 am for an 8.45am whistle, to signal a move to class. Registration closes at 8.50am. Children in Years 3 and 4 must be delivered and collected by an adult. Children in Years 5 and 6 may walk to and from school if parent/carers believe that their child has the appropriate skills and knowledge to navigate the route.

Walking Alone To and From School Guidance

• There are no laws around age or distance of walking to school.
• The school is not responsible for a child’s safety on their way to school or when going home.
• The NSPCC states that children under 8 years of age cannot judge the speed and distance of moving vehicles. They still need help when crossing the roads.

Homefield Procedures

Pupils in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 (YR, Y1, Y2)

• ALL children will be dropped off and collected by a known/named adult. At the end of the day adults collecting should be at the classroom door ready for handover. Any late collection should be phoned into the office so that the adults can reassure your child that someone is on their way.

Pupils in Key Stage 2

• There is no set age when children are ready to walk to school or home by themselves, as each child matures at an individual rate. It will also depend on the business of the route and how many roads need crossing.
• We expect children in Y3 and Y4 to be escorted and collected from school by a named adult. Adults collecting more than 1 child, may wish to arrange a suitable meeting place on site. Please discuss with your child where they should wait and what to do if you are late (return to a school adult or go to the school office)
• The school days across both sites are staggered so that parents can drop off Key Stage 2 children first in the mornings and pick up Early Years and Key Stage 1 children first at the end of the day.
• Children in Y5 and Y6 may walk to and home from school by themselves or with friends if parents have assessed that they can manage the route independently. There should be someone at home to meet your child to ensure that they have arrived home safely.
• Parents in Year 5 should notify the school with permission to walk home independently. At the end of the day the class teacher will allow these children to leave first. The other children must be met by their classroom door/playground.
• In preparation for secondary school, Year 6 children will be dismissed from their corridor and either walk home independently or meet their adult in an arranged place. Please ensure that your child knows exactly where to meet and where to go if you are late.

Children walking unescorted in Y5 and Y6

School will talk about road safety and how to keep safe (stranger danger) regularly in class and assemblies.

Parent/carers should assess their child’s readiness by considering:

• Whether they can cross all the roads confidently and can negotiate the route
• That they will come straight home
• They know what to do if they are approached by people they do not know
• That if they normally walk home with a friend and the friend is not there, that they can ask school to phone home for advice
• That they know they can return to school at any time and ask for help
• That they will behave sensibly. Parent/carers are always responsible for their child’s behaviour before and after school. If a child’s behaviour is unacceptable or dangerous then we will insist that they are accompanied/collected.

All changes to contact numbers, names of responsible adults and arrangements must be notified via the school office so that records can be updated.

Parent/carers in Y5 please complete the consent in MCAS to give permission to walk home