1. How much is Dinner Money?

From September 1st 2021 the daily cost is £2.09

2. What time does school start and finish?

We start school at 8.50am. We would encourage children to be in the school playground from 8.45am to avoid lateness and the stresses this can bring.

The school day finishes at 3:15pm

Our nursery sessions run 8:45-11:45am and 12:15-3:15pm

3.  Where can I buy uniform?

Uniform is available from Vortex clothing or www.myclothing.com

4. Do you offer 30 hour nursery places?

Yes we do from 8:45-3:15pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate flexible requests. Children are required to bring a packed lunch.

5. Can I park at the school?

We do not have a car parking facilities on site. The school gates are locked for the safety of the children between 8:35am and 9:10am and between 2.45pm and 3.30pm. The school is situated on residential roads and we ask parents to park legally and with due consideration for our neighbours.

6. Can my child cycle/use a scooter to school?

Yes, your child can cycle or use a scooter if they are accompanied by an adult. Children are not allowed to use their scooter or cycle on the school site.

7. Can my child walk to school alone?

No, children must be accompanied by an adult. If you wish an older child  (Key 2 Stage) to walk to school or part of the way, please can you inform the class teacher / TA.

8. What should I put in my child’s packed lunch?

We encourage healthy eating and expect parents to choose healthily when creating a packed lunch.

An example of a healthy packed lunch:

  • A sandwich
  • A wafer biscuit e.g. twix, kit kat, blue ribband.
  • Yoghurt and a piece of fruit.
  • Bottle of water or juice.
  • No sweets, fizzy drinks, sweets or chocolate (unless covering a wafer/biscuit)

If your child has a school meal, water will be provided with their meal. Children are NOT permitted to bring their own drink.   

9. What do I do if my child has lost a piece of clothing?

Parents must either sew a name label into all clothing or write the child’s name in indelible ink. Looking after belongings is a key skill for all our children and a name label makes this easier. Items that are lost will be placed in the lost property basket outside the internal hall doors. We will do our utmost to find lost items but we are unable to provide a replacement. At  various stages of the school year, all unclaimed items will be sent to charity.

10. Where will my child go when they finish Darton in Year 6?

We offer varied support in the transition from primary to secondary school. The catchment secondary schools are either Delta Darton Academy www.dartonacademy.org.uk  or Kettlethorpe High School www.kettlethorpehigh.co.uk

Applications for secondary school need to be submitted by the 31st October unless the Local Authority advises a different date.

11. When will my child start in Reception?

Children join our Reception class in the September before their 5th birthday. Please see the school prospectus under the Admission section and for further advice you can speak to the school office staff.

12. Can my child bring toys in to school?

No, we normally discourage toys or collectables (e.g. football cards, fidget spinners) being brought to school, unless the class teacher has specifically requested that they do. Please always check with the class teacher first before hand.

13. What is the best time to talk to the teacher if I have a question?

We would discourage parents from trying to talk to a teacher in the morning as they are busy preparing for the school day. We would advise you to speak to the teacher at the end of the school day, after all the children have been dismissed. We can also make appointments in the school office for parents to see the class teacher or another member of staff as well as the use of Dojo, Google Classrooms or SMAT email for parent / staff communication

14. Is there before and after school provision?

Yes there is provision on site. Please see the tab on our Website called Extra Time, the provider for before and after school care.

15. How can parents get involved?

We encourage parents to get involved in various ways from attending trips to individual reading. If you work for a company that is able to sponsor or donate to fundraising in the school please contact Christine Sowerby, the Parent Support Advisor at school or by email:  c.sowerby@smat.org.uk

16. How do I pay for school trips?

We are a cashless school (there are one or two exceptions eg baking money). All SMAT schools use Parent Pay which is an online system for making payments. Please see the school office.

17. What should I do if my child is bullied?

Advise your child to speak to an adult in the school. This can be any member of staff that they feel comfortable with. You may also wish to support your child by talking to the teacher with your child.  We would encourage that they report any incident to the class teacher as they can observe behaviour during lessons and advise lunchtime staff as necessary. We take accusations of bullying very seriously and any incidents are dealt with appropriately and with speed. If you are concerned about your child please speak to the head teacher and never approach a child or the parent.

18. Can my child bring a mobile phone/wear a smart watch?

Mobile phones may only be brought by Y6 children who have signed the mobile phone agreement. Please see the school office for a copy. They must be switched off and in children’s bags whilst children are on site. Smart watches can be worn by all children but we would ask that they are used sensibly and not linked to phones during the school day.

19. How is learning provided remotely in the event of school closure?

Our remote learning platform is Google Classroom.