Online Communications

Warwick Junior School provides general information about the school and information specific to your child, online. There are several sources of information available for parents and we recommend you access these from the Parents’ page on our website.

Parents’ section of the school website

To access the parents’ section of the school website, click on Parents at the top of the home page.

The Parent Portal

In addition to the general information found on the Parent homepage, there is a secure Parent Portal which provides information specific to your child, and as such is password protected. You must create an account in order to access the Parent Portal.

Accessing the Parent Portal

The portal can be accessed via the Parents’ page on the school website (or direct URL, https://portal.warwickschool.org).

Click on Secure Area.

Logging in: At the Sign in to your account screen, enter your email address and password.

NB: If you have forgotten your password, click the forgot your password? link and enter your email address.

NB: If you subsequently wish to change the email address that we hold for you, please email v.hill@warwickschool.org or call 01926 776400 and ask for Vicky Hill.

Once logged in you have access to:

• An overview of each of your children at Warwick School, including attendance, rewards, sanctions, reports, teacher contacts etc
• Forms available to complete for absence notifications and leave requests
• School information including letters home
• and other services which may be added in the future.

If you have any queries regarding the portal please email Mrs Sohal, System Specialist.

After-School Activities Bookings

From the Junior School Parent Portal Home page, click the button to our online SOCS activities site from the grid on the right hand side.

From here you are able to make activity selections. If you change your mind after making a selection please can you email Mr Burchett so that he can edit your choice. Activities will appear red when full. We will try to accommodate all pupils but this may not always be possible. 

Please contact Mr Burchett if you wish to be included on a waiting list.

School Calendar

Our online school calendar can be used to check for key dates in advance, including non-uniform days and other events. To access the School Calendar click on Calendar at the top of the home page of the main school website.

School Sports Website

For essential information regarding sports fixtures, team sheets and results go to the School Sports website by clicking on School Sports at the top of the home page of the main school website - the password is W4rw1ck. Parents are asked to regularly check this website as any changes to fixtures or cancellations will be posted in this section.

Pastoral Concerns: Appropriate Channels of Communication:

Good Relationships

The expectation at Warwick Junior School is that pupils will at all times behave in an appropriate, fair and friendly manner towards each other. It is of course the case that, despite these best intentions, things will sometimes go wrong. The purpose of a policy for good relationships is to explain what should happen when things demonstrably go wrong.

It is expected that any member of staff observing inappropriate behaviour will take action of some kind. This may be direct intervention or it may involve consulting other people or indeed handing the problem on to others. In most circumstances it will be appropriate to inform the Form Tutor of anyone involved. It is vitally important that pupils do not take matters into their own hands. They should see adults in the school as being willing to help and should tell the supervising teacher or their Form Tutor of their concerns.

Where pupils are involved in suspected bullying, the matter is generally dealt with through both individual and group counselling. We aim to resolve any areas of conflict and to ensure that the suspected bullying does not continue. If this initial work fails to resolve the problem, other adults and indeed parents may be involved in order to improve the situation.

Parents should be aware that, while our aim is to resolve conflicts, this does not mean that we will tolerate bullying of any kind. Indeed, this is far from the case.

In the final analysis, suspension or exclusion may be used if bullying behaviour persists.

 

Unhappiness

We believe that happiness is a fundamental right of children and we strive to achieve a happy and safe environment for all of our pupils. We do recognise however, that there will be times when pupils are not happy. While it is true that life involves highs and lows, we will do all we can to seek out the reason or reasons for unhappiness and work hard to ensure that your child is supported fully.

If your child is feeling low or unhappy, please let their Form Tutor know. If there is a special cause of the unhappiness, we can often resolve it quickly and discreetly. Please do not sit on a problem. Although you may regard it as being trivial, it might be very significant to the child.

 

Friendship Problems

Enjoying and understanding relationships is an important part of a child’s development - and one which is often the source of anxiety. Pupils learn to become social beings within the school environment, and as with all learning, they will make mistakes and possibly fall out of friendships as a consequence. We emphasise the importance of friendships at the Junior School, and work hard to ensure that we support children within their peer group. Working closely with parents is important. If your child has friendship problems please let us know as we can offer very effective support and advice.

 

Reporting Pastoral Concerns

Parents who have a pastoral concern about their child should follow the path below in order to resolve the issue.

Step 1 – Contact Form Tutor - meeting / phone conversation should take place.
Step 2 – If the issue has not been resolved by the Form Tutor then a meeting should be arranged with the Head of Year (and Form Tutor as appropriate).
Step 3 – If the situation has not been resolved by the Head of Year then a meeting should be arranged with the Deputy Head.
Step 4 – If the situation has still not been resolved, then a meeting with the Head Teacher can be requested.

 

Monitoring internet usage and texts

The world has changed in the last few years and junior aged children are increasingly exposed to the online world and can communicate with their friends using a variety of means. Please be aware of what your child is doing online and the time he is spending on ‘screen time’ to ensure a good balance of activities and discuss it with him. Should your child have a smartphone, please monitor your child's text messages. Whilst we advise pupils regarding appropriate online and texting behaviour, it is important that parents monitor usage to avoid upset.

 

Other Personal Problems or Family Difficulties

It is very rare that we are presented with an unfamiliar or unique family circumstance. Consequently we can often give advice and support from a position of experience. If you feel that there are home circumstances that may be affecting your child, please share it with us so we can best support them.

There are varying levels of confidentiality that you can request such as Headmaster and Form Tutor only. With the possible exception of issues relating to safeguarding, discretion and confidentiality are assured.

 

School Counselling Provision

When required, the Junior School is able to offer pupils counselling sessions to support with a range of issues that commonly affect junior-aged children including; parental separation, family difficulties, family illness, bereavement, low self-esteem and anxiety.

School may recommend that a pupil has some sessions but parents are also welcome to make a request should the need arise. Requests can be made via Form Tutors or by contacting Miss Mellor directly, who co-ordinates the provision. If there are no places immediately available then pupils will be placed on a waiting list and parents informed when a slot becomes free.

 

Academic Concerns

If you have a concern regarding the academic progress of your child, you should contact their Form Tutor in the first instance. The Form Tutor will research the concern and meet with you to discuss the findings. Parents of an Upper School pupil may wish to contact their child's Maths or English teachers directly.

In the unlikely event that the matter is not resolved satisfactorily, you should contact the Headmaster of the Junior School. As previously mentioned, it is preferable to deal with matters as they arise rather than wait until they become major issues.

 

Start of the Year Evenings

These meetings are held at the start of each Autumn term and are an opportunity for staff to explain what the children will be doing during the course of the year, the routines and expectations for the year group and how best you might support your child from home. The meetings take the form of several presentations by your child's year group teachers and the Headmaster. There will be opportunities later in the school year to discuss your child’s academic and social progress.

A copy of the termly curriculum overview will be emailed to parents by the end of the first week.

 

Reporting Schedule

Reports are issued at various points in the school year. A full report, including subject comments, Form Tutor and Headmaster’s comments is sent to parents once a year. At other points in the year, grades and Form Tutor comments are sent to parents. All year groups receive reports at the end of the Summer Term including comments from Form Tutors and the Headmaster. The reports also include marks from the summer exams against averages for the year group or form.

 

End of Year Exams

After the May half term, end of year examinations are completed by all year groups. Pupils are given a revision pack in the weeks before half term to help them prepare and revise, whilst taking into account the need to achieve a balance and allow plenty of time for them to enjoy their holidays.

 

Parents’ Evenings

Parents’ evenings are held twice a year. Parents of Year 3 pupils have the opportunity to meet Form Tutors before half term in the Michaelmas Term. There will also be parents’ evenings before half term for Year 6 pupils. This meeting will provide an opportunity for parents to speak to their child's English, Maths and Science teachers.

After half term in the Michaelmas Term, parents’ evenings are scheduled for Year 4 and Year 5 pupils. In the second half of the Lent Term, Year 6 parents and their children meet with Form Tutors to review progress and look ahead to the future.

In the Summer Term a parents’ evening will follow the school exams for Years 3-5, before the publication of the end of year report. This provides an opportunity to receive feedback from the summer exams. Parents are welcome to make contact with teachers during the normal course of events, and meetings can always be arranged to discuss specific issues. Please do not dwell on a concern; we can help in the vast majority of cases.

 

Requests for Leave of Absence

Parents should provide a note to explain all absences from school. Detailed records of attendance are kept as a statutory requirement. All requests for holiday leave in term time will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. The school discourages family holidays during term time. Such absences can be very unsettling for a child and result in anxiety and a burden to catch up with their peers. Requests for work to cover such periods will do little to offset work that has been missed.

Should parents wish their children to be absent from school, they should request a leave of absence, by emailing the Headmaster, at least 3 days prior to the trip. Consent for such absence is at the discretion of the Headmaster.

 

Out of Hours Contact Provision

The school office is unmanned from 4.30pm each day. From 4.30pm onwards, calls are directed to the Library. The Junior School office telephone number is 01926 776418. A telephone answer machine service will record all calls received after 6pm.

 

Weekly Newsletter

The Warwick Junior School weekly newsletter keeps parents up to date with life at school. It is used to pass on information that might assist parents in the day-to-day organisation of their children and to keep you informed regarding developments that might be taking place. We are also keen to include news of the pupils’ activities outside school. The Headmaster is always pleased to recognise a range of successes and celebrate achievements. The newsletter is emailed to parents every Friday afternoon.

 

Chapel and Assemblies

The week begins with the Headmaster’s Monday assembly. Assembly themes are varied. Often they reflect the school’s Learning Strengths or may respond to news stories and world events. On Wednesday pupils attend chapel led by the Foundation Chaplain. The pupils are encouraged to bring a small amount of change to give as part of the weekly offering. The money raised is sent to support the Myton Hospice.