Five Elms Primary School

Dear Parents/Carers, Five Elms is pleased to offer parents a school nurse drop-in session from 8:30 to 10:30 TODAY. If you would like to speak to the school nurse regarding anything about your child, please drop in via the school office.

Dear Parent/carer, Please avoid vaping and smoking at our school gates (Heathway gate in particular) while waiting for the gates to open in the mornings. Also be aware you cannot park on the yellow zig zag lines outside school or across the pavement this can be dangerous for our children. We understand parking is difficult but please park sensibly with the safety of our children in mind. Thank you

Dear Parents/Carers, The School Photographer will be visiting on Friday, 11th October. Kindly ensure that all children attend in full school uniform. For those with siblings who do not attend Five Elms Primary School, we will be offering sibling photographs between 8:00-9:00am. Please report to the main school office during this time. Please note: **LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED ENTRY.** All children will have an individual photograph taken, and a sibling photo where applicable, during the school day. Photos will be provided as proofs, and parents/carers wishing to order larger prints or a series of photos may do so directly through the photographer.

Dear Parent/Guardian, The flu vaccine is being offered at your child’s school again this autumn/winter. We are at Five Elms on Tuesday 15th October, please make sure you complete the form before this date. Please complete the online form so that we can record your wishes. To give consent for your child to have the flu vaccine, please click here: https://london.schoolvaccination.uk/flu/2023/barkinganddagenham Even if you do not wish for your child to have the vaccine, please complete the online form so that we can record your wishes. FAQ’s are also attached along with EAL’s explaining the vaccinations. Your consent will remain in place for the entire flu season. If your child misses a first visit, you do not need to complete a second form. PLEASE NOTE the flu vaccine will NOT be available to otherwise healthy children after December 15th at all, and so we urge you to return the consent form as soon as possible. THE NASAL FLU VACCINE Protects your child from the flu Protects your family and friends from the flu (especially those who are elderly, young babies, or those who have serious health conditions) The nasal flu vaccine is very effective at reducing the spread of flu is free, painless, quick and effective We also offer the flu vaccine as an injection, which is gelatine-free.

Dear Parents/Carers, We would like to remind you of the importance of avoiding scheduling dental or doctor’s appointments during the school day wherever possible. We kindly request that non-urgent appointments are made outside of school hours unless they are emergencies. This helps to minimise disruptions to your child’s learning. key points to remember when scheduling medical appointments during term time: **Advance Notice:** If you need to schedule an appointment during school hours, please provide the school with advance notice. This will ensure your child's absence is recorded as authorised. **Medical Evidence:** Five Elms may ask for medical evidence such as an appointment card. text message or prescription to verify the absence. **Non-Urgent Appointments:** Where possible, non-urgent appointments, such as dentist visits and routine vaccinations, should be made outside of school hours to reduce any loss of learning time. **Hospital or Specialist Appointments:** For hospital or specialist appointments, please bring the appointment letter to the school office to verify the absence. **Emergency Appointments:** In the case of emergency appointments, we kindly ask that you DO NOT schedule them during lunchtime, between 12:20 PM and 1:30 PM. If you are unable to provide evidence when collecting your child. we will require evidence when your child returns to school. We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring that your child’s attendance remains consistent and that their educational progress is not impacted by unnecessary absences. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Dear Parents and Carers, I hope you all had a wonderful summer break and welcome back to the new academic year. We need to make you aware of some important changes that have come into force and the way schools manage absence in term time. Ensuring regular school attendance is important for your child's educational success and overall development. Consistent attendance not only fosters a structured learning environment but also supports academic achievement, social skills, and emotional well-being. Every school day counts towards building a strong foundation of knowledge and skills essential for future opportunities. Regular attendance helps your child stay engaged with their studies, maintain steady progress, and cultivate a sense of responsibility and discipline. By prioritising school attendance, you are investing in your child's future and helping them reach their full potential. In February 2024, the Department for Education published ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’. This document lays out the changes to the management of attendance by schools and in particular, the issue of penalty notices. This came into effect on 19th August 2024. The changes are summarised below:- Per Parent, Per Child Penalty Notice Fines will now be issued to each parent, for each child that was absent. For example: 3 siblings absent for term time leave, would result in each parent receiving 3 separate fines. Five consecutive days of term time leave Penalty Notice Fines will be issued for Term Time Leave of 5 or more consecutive days. Inset training days are school days and can be included in the 5 or more consecutive days where there was intent to be absent for term time leave. 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period Penalty Notice Fines will be considered when there have been 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period. Please make sure that you make contact with us on the first day of absence to explain any absences for your child. First Offence The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance the amount will be: • £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days. • Reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days. Second Offence (within 3 years) The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance the amount will be: • £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days. • There will be no offer of a reduction. Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years) The third time an offence is committed for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance a Penalty Notice will not be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrates’ fines can be up to £2500 per parent, per child. Cases found guilty in Magistrates’ Court can show on the parent’s future DBS certificate, citing ‘failure to safeguard a child’s education’. New two penalty notice limit in a three-year period The three-year rolling period starts for parents when the first penalty notice is issued to them after the 19th August 2024. More information can be found at: Resources for families | Children's Commissioner for England (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf We understand that, financially, times are very tough for many families and so we wanted to make you aware of the changes being made by the Department for Education to prevent holidays being taken in term time and to improve attendance nationally. At Five Elms Primary School the attendance rates are still below the national average and the school would like to continue to work in partnership with parents and families to ensure that all children attend school regularly and absences are kept to a minimum and only for taken for exceptional circumstances. I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation and support with this matter. Yours sincerely, Ms N Butt Assistant Headteacher

Please find attached two letters from our new headteacher Mrs Farrelly, one for parents/carers and the other for our students. Please ensure you show the letter addressed to pupils to your child/children. Thank you! Kind Regards,

Dear Parents/Carers, We hope you have all enjoyed your summer holidays. We are pleased to inform you that Five Elms will open its doors tomorrow, Wednesday 4th September. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back. If your child is starting Reception or Nursery, please refer to your welcome letters for specific start dates. We kindly ask that you ensure punctuality for both drop-off and collection. The school gates will be open from 8:45 AM to 9:00 AM in the morning, and from 3:15 PM to 3:30 PM in the afternoon. Please note that all after-school clubs will begin on Monday 9th of September. For payment details, please refer to the "After School Club" notice on Schoolping.

Dear parents/carers, Please see attached flyer for after school clubs at Five Elms Primary. If you would like your child to join a club. Please use the link below: https://prosports-solutions.pembee.app/listing/afterschool-clubs?filters=65f978a6c996b823f8ea20fc-66d0828a293e055a0e470e79_65f978a6c996b823f8ea20f8-five

Dear Parents/Carers, Five Elms is pleased to offer parents a school nurse drop-in session from 8:30 to 10:30 on the 2nd Friday of every month. If you would like to speak to the school nurse regarding anything about your child, please drop in via the school office. Dates:- Friday 13th September Friday 11th October Friday 8th November Friday 13th December