Useful Information
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much do school dinners cost?
Class R, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to free school meals. The cost for Years 3-6 is £2.70 per day.
2. What time does school start and finish?
We start school at 8.50am. We have a staggered entry from 8:40 - 8:50am and then the gates are shut. If your child arrives after this time, please report to the office.
We have a staggered pick up time at the end of the day too, from 3:20 - 3.30pm where your child will be collected in the playground. This equates to the government's recommended 32.5 hours per week.
3. Where can I buy uniform?
School jumpers, blue polo shirts with embroidered logo and book bags can be bought from the school office. Where possible please purchase these via ParentPay.
Alternatively uniform can be sourced from various supermarkets.
We also have second hand uniform to buy for a donation. This can be asked for at the school office.
4. What should I do if I think my child is being 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.
5. Can I park at the school?
We do have car parking facilities on site. 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 to school?
Yes, your child can cycle to school. There are two bicycle racks at the school for secure storage. Please ensure that your child does not ride their bicycle on the school playground eg. They dismount their bike when they arrive at school and walk their bike to the bicycle rack.
7. Can my child walk to school alone?
If you wish an older child (Year 5 or 6) to walk to school alone we must receive a permission letter from the parent / carer with parental responsibility.
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 (no peanut butter)
Baked goods like Cheddars.
Yoghurt and a piece of fruit.
No sweets, fizzy drinks, nuts or chocolate
Water and milk is provided by the school.
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. If an item goes missing your child must inform the class teacher and class teaching assistant and look in the lost property which is located in the Reception Area.
10. Can I receive the newsletter by email?
Yes, please just let the office know your email address. A paper copy is always available should you prefer one. Spare newsletters can be found in the Reception Area and copies can be found on our website.
11. What is the best time to talk to the teacher if I have a question?
Teaching staff will be on the playground to greet your child each morning and at the end of the school day. We also have Class Dojo where you can message your child's teacher privately. You could also make an appointment with your child's teacher, either in person or to speak via the telephone.
12. How can parents get involved?
At Grundisburgh we encourage parents to get involved in various ways from attending trips to shared reading sessions. We also have themed curriculum weeks where we often invite parents in to help or special days such as Christmas Jumper Day and Decoration Day where we welcome your involvement! We have a fundraising team “Friends of Grundisburgh School'' (FOGS) and would welcome new members with new ideas and contacts. Please speak to any member of FOGS if you would like to get involved with FOGS and helping to fundraise for the school. You could also become a Parent Governor and help the school in this way.
13. How do I find out about Ofsted inspection results for the Primary School in which I am interested?
The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) is the Central Government Office which is responsible for carrying out inspections of all schools. OFSTED Reports can be obtained from the Internet at www.ofsted.gov.uk or there is a copy which you can download from our website.
14. How do I compare schools in my local area?
The primary school performance tables provide information on the achievements of pupils in primary schools, how they compare with other schools in the local Authority (LA) area and in England as a whole. You can also access School Performance Comparisons by visiting here https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
15. Is my child entitled to free school dinners?
If your child is in Year R, 1 or 2 then they are entitled to Free School Dinners paid by the Government.
Children whose parents receive the following support payments are entitled to receive free school meals:
Income Support
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
Support under VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax Credit - provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and annual income does not exceed the current limit
The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
16. How will I know how my child is doing at school?
In the Autumn Term a Parents Evening is held when the child has been in school or in a new class, for a period of 5 to 6 weeks. This enables parents to meet their child’s new teacher to discuss how children are settling to work in their new classes, with their new peer group and their academic progress.
In the Spring term, parents are invited into school to discuss their child’s academic progress.
In the Summer Term every child will receive a written report of his/her year’s work. Parents will be given the opportunity to discuss this report towards the end of the Summer term.
17. What do I do if I have a complaint?
Your first port of call should be your child’s teacher. If the issue is not sorted please see Miss Oakley (Assistant Headteacher) or Mr Wilson (Headteacher). If a more formal complaint needs to be raised then you should contact the Chair of Governors, Mrs Debbie Standring. If you were to need contact details for Mrs Debbie Standring please speak to the school office.
