We CARE • Curiosity - Aspiration - Respect - Enthusiasm
We CARE • Curiosity - Aspiration - Respect - Enthusiasm
COVID Information
Parent Information Handbook
We have tried to answer some of the frequent questions parents and carers have about our school in our updated Parent Information Handbook. We hope this provides you with the information that you need and would be grateful for any feedback; if you think of something that we have missed, please let us know.
To contact the school office please phone 01491 651862 or 01491 651862 or email parents@cholsey.oxon.sch.uk
Transition Information
We have also produced transition information for each phase KS1, LKS2, UKS2.
These pdfs have details about daily routines and expectations.
Click below on the buttons to view/download the pdfs.
COVID FAQ’s
Can I take my child on holiday during term time?
Oxfordshire discourages children being taken out of school for family holidays. We would encourage parents to discuss any term time holiday plans with the school.
‘The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 previously allowed headteachers to grant leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday during term time in “special circumstances” of up to ten school days leave per year. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 which came in to effect on 1st September 2013 removes references to family holiday and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.’
If you plan to take a holiday with your child/children during term time, please contact the headteacher.
Which classes do Forest School and when should I arrive if I am helping?
All children in our Foundation Stage Class go to Forest School every week.
In Years 1&2, Forest School runs on alternate weeks and groups are noted on the weekly bulletin.
Year 5 and 6 volunteers are on a rota to help and will need to have wellies and suitable clothes to change into.
Children will be in their class group for Forest School and parent/carer rotas are emailed. Helpers should arrive at 9am (9.15am for Foundation Stage) for morning Forest School and 1pm for the afternoon session.
When will my child do PE?
Children have PE lessons twice a week. These are either with a class teacher or a specialist coach. However, sometimes opportunities for sporting activities arise at other time and it is therefore expected that children will have a PE kit in school all week. Years 3-6 will all have 10 weeks of swimming each year as part of the curriculum.
Is there a Lost Property box?
We strongly recommend that all clothing, including outdoor wear, is labelled so that any items that go missing can be re-united with the owner. In the first instance you should carefully check the cloakroom areas, as items are often hidden. The next port of call is to alert the class teacher who will look out for the item. We do have a central collection of unnamed items in our disabled toilet near the library. We recommend you ask the office for assistance with this.
How will my child's class teacher communicate with me?
Class teachers will send out a curriculum letter at the beginning of every big term to describe the learning taking place that term. Foundation Stage send out a weekly information letter and KS1 (Years 1&2) use a whiteboard outside their area by the bike shed to share updates.
Teachers may arrange meetings with parents and carers throughout the year and are available to speak to at the end of the school day with prior arrangement through the school office. Parents Evenings are held in the Autumn and Spring terms and annual reports are sent out towards the end of the academic year.
What is a typical day's timetable for my child?
This can change on a daily basis depending on the learning needs of the children and activities available.
For EYFS please have a look at the EYFS page.
Typically in KS1 and KS2 the mornings will focus on literacy and maths which includes reading or phonics. The afternoons tend to be subjects like Music, PE, Computing, History, Geography (often the topic for the term) and Science. In KS1 time is also given for the children to investigate and consolidate their learning through structured play (see KS1 rationale).
When can my child start learning to play a musical instrument at school?
This depends on the instrument and sometimes on the size of the child. We are proud of the musical talent we have at Cholsey School and we provide recorder lessons for all children in Year 2. However, we have many visiting music teachers, who can offer group and private lessons for other instruments. Please ask at the School Office and they will direct queries to the relevant music teachers.
What are Reading Buddies'?
Classes in KS2 (Years 3-6) are each paired with a class in Foundation Stage or KS1. They will ‘buddy’ up once a week to listen to each other read. This may be older children reading to younger children, younger children reading to older children, or even a bit of both!. The children will discuss what they have read together. The children enjoy spending time together and getting to know each other, as well as spending valuable time enjoying books together.
My child has mentioned a 'Talk Partner'. What is that?
Children are paired by their class teacher with another child in the class to sometimes discuss the answer to a question. This supports actively engaging all children and giving them time to think, as well as helping to raise their confidence in putting their ideas forward, by sharing them with a partner first. Talk Partner pairings will change throughout the year.
Will my child get a snack during the school day?
Fruit is provided for all children in Foundation Stage and Years 1&2. Children can help themselves to fruit in Foundation Stage and Years 1&2 have it available during Investigation Time. Children in Years 3-6 are welcome to bring in fruit or another healthy snack to eat at playtime.
School Uniform
Our school logoed uniform and house coloured PE t-shirts can be purchased online from www.makeitmine.co.uk. Below are some of the items you can buy online.
By purchasing your house colour tshirts through this website will be directly supporting our school PTA.
Pudmore
Buckland
Sandfield
Iddmead
Before and After School Care
The school runs Breakfast and After-School clubs every weekday during term time. In line with government guidance for protective measures against COVID-19 in school settings, we will be operating 2 separate clubs – one for children in Foundation Stage and Years 1-3 and another for children in Years 4-6. This will support with keeping groups small and as consistent as possible. For information on how to book places and terms and conditions relating to the clubs, please click here.
Breakfast Club (8am-start of the school day)
Offering a relaxed and homely atmosphere our Breakfast Club provides your child with a healthy breakfast, chat with friends and choice of activities, before the start of the school day.
A wide variety of breakfast options is available to choose from, including cereal, toast, spreads, fruit and fruit juice. Breakfast is then followed by a child-initiated activity before play workers ensure each child arrives safely at their classroom.
After School Club (end of the school day-5:30pm)
Providing a combination of healthy snacks and fun activities, our After School Club creates a fun, but safe environment where your child can play freely and relax with friends.
Children in Foundation and Key Stage 1 will be brought to us by a teaching assistant from their classroom. Older children will make their own way to the school hall where they can be registered by after-school club staff.
We provide a variety of hot and cold snacks throughout the week, including bagels, rolls, carrot and cucumber sticks, as well as pizza, beans on toast and crumpets. The light snack will be provided at the start of the session and thus will hopefully not interfere with your evening plans.
At After School Club our emphasis is on having fun, as well as providing fun-filled activities chosen by the children. The selection of activities available varies each day, but often includes a choice of board games, arts and crafts, Lego and Playmobil. There will also be the option to quietly relax and read a book or watch a film.
Whenever possible, we will strive to take the children outside and play various sports such as tennis and football or allow them to play freely on the adventure playground or field.