Withycombe Raleigh C of E Primary School
Headteacher Mrs E Jones
Withycombe Village Road, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 3BA. Tel: (01395 263397)
Frequently Asked Questions
Adult Volunteers
Adults play a vital role in the life of the school, which is highly valued by the teachers. You will be required to complete an Application Form and DBS check, and can assist in school when this has cleared. Please enquire at the School Office. You may also be asked to read other Policies. You can find the volunteer handbook and application form on our Vacancies page.
Applying for a school place
Allocation of places are handled by the Local Education Authority. See the LA website for further details: www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline. The school has a policy of admitting rising fives in line with Devon’s regulations. Children begin their induction into school in September. Priority is given to children living in the school’s designated catchment area and those with a sibling who will be attending the school at the time of admission.
Breakfast Club
The club is excellent value for money at £3.20 per session, starting at 7:30am including a healthy breakfast for children who arrive before 8.00am. The Breakfast Club is very popular and numbers are limited. Booking is made via your ParentPay account and must be made two clear days in advance. Fees are non-refundable.
Children being dropped off for breakfast club can use the side gate to access the Hall. Please note that for security reasons this gate will be locked after 8.15am so any arrivals after this time will be via the school reception. Please advise the Breakfast Club Leader if your arrival will be after 8.15am.
Contact Details / Change in Personal Circumstances
It is vital that we have up-to-date contact details for the parents/carers of all children, in case of illness, accident or emergency during the school day. Please ensure that the School Office is advised of any change in contact details, including home address or mobile phone number. You can find a link to an contacts update form on the right hand side of this page. We also encourage you to make sure the school is kept informed of any changes that might affect your child’s attitudes and behaviour in school, such as family bereavement.
Charges for School Trips and Activities
A charge will be made for residential activities as permitted under legislation. Where parents are in receipt of Income Support it may be possible to remit charges for aspects of residential activities. Please make any application for remission to the Headteacher. Where parents/guardians are asked to make voluntary contributions, trips or events may not be able to take place if there are insufficient contributions.
The total cost of Educational Trips and Visits is calculated then divided by the number of children taking part. Our trip information will be on ParentPay and we ask parents to make the payment using their account.
Parents may be asked to pay for breakages/damage casued as a result of their child’s behaviour. This will be dealt with by the Headteacher.
Cool Milk
Cool Milk is the UK’s leading school milk supplier, working in partnership with local authorities to supply free and subsidised school milk to children in pre-schools, nurseries and primary schools.
If you would like your child to have milk at school, you can register and select the days you would like them to have this. Please visit the cool milk website for more information and to register.
http://www.coolmilk.com/
Education Inclusion Service
The Education Inclusion Service provides a statutory, but impartial service for parents and carers, school governors, headteachers, school staff and other agencies about inclusion, reintegration and exclusion. Please see this link for more information: https://new.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/school-information/education-inclusion-service
Lost Property
We can return lost property to children as long as it has a name in. Please name everything!
You can use permanent laundry markers, or name tapes and labels. Don't forget to name shoes, outdoor coats, gloves, trainers etc. Delicate items such as glasses will be handed into the school office.
Clothing which is not labelled will be put into the lost property box, and if it remains unclaimed, will be sold at one of the PTFA pre-loved uniform sales. We have a Facebook Group for Lost & Found items which you may find helpful.
Reporting Absences
Please inform the School Office by 9.20 a.m. on the first day of absence with a courtesy note to the Class Teacher on your child’s return. Where your child has been unwell during the night, please keep him/her at home for at least 24 hours afterwards; any child who is not well is better off at home rather than trying to cope with schoolwork. If in doubt about your child’s fitness, please do not send them to school as this creates problems in providing adequate care on the school premises. In the event of sickness/upset tummy, a 48 hour period of absence is required. If you suspect that your child may have coronavirus, or if they have had a positive test result, please explain this to us as we may need to isolate their class bubble.
School Opening Times
We are currently operating staggered times to reduce congestion during the pandemic.
Please refer to the table on the Home Page for a list of current start and finish times.
Our standard times are: Morning school 8.50 am - 12.10 pm, Afternoon school 1.10 pm - 3.15 pm.
We encourage children to be punctual, ensuring lessons can begin promptly.
Transfer to Secondary Education
Most children normally transfer at 11+ to Exmouth Community College at the beginning of the Autumn Term, having reached their eleventh birthday by 31st August. Applications are encouraged online and must be made within a designated timeframe. Should you have plans to send your child to an alternative secondary school, it would be helpful if you could inform the Headteacher so we can liaise with them.