| Mornings | Stop ‘n’ Drop | From 8:35am each morning |
|---|---|---|
| Reception & Key Stage 1 | 8:55am to 12:00 noon | |
| Key Stage 2 | 8:55am to 12:15pm | |
| Afternoons | Reception, Key Stage 1 & 2 | 1:00 to 3:00pm |
Key Stages 1 and 2 have a 15-minute break in the morning.
Outcome of our school’s consultation on the length of the school day
Just like many schools locally and across the nation, we have consulted stakeholders recently on the DfE’s expectation that all schools should offer 32.5 hours of provision across the school week.
We contacted all parents/carers of children currently attending our school, as well as potential parents/carers, whose children are currently at Datchworth Pre-School or are attending one of the other twelve pre-schools we have welcomed children from in the past five years. Governors and staff were consulted on the Government’s intentions, and so were seven neighbouring primary schools and twelve secondary schools, where pupils from All Saints have moved on to, following their time at primary school. We also consulted with the Local Authority, Datchworth Parish Council, the Datchworth village community via the Parish Magazine, the Parochial Church Council of All Saints Church in Datchworth and its congregation, wraparound care providers, after-school clubs and cleaning contractors, and the wider general public via our website.
Following the six-week period of consultation with the many hundreds (possibly thousands) of stakeholders contacted, governors received only one response, which was taken into consideration at our recent Full Governing Body meeting. After discussion, it was agreed that, in line with the DfE’s expectations, the school would extend its school day to offer 32.5 hours of provision a week.
This will mean that from the start of the new academic year on Monday 4th September 2023, the school day will be as follows:
| Gates Open | Official start of the school day | Lunch | End of the school day |
| 8:35am | 8:45am | 12:00 – 1:00pm | 3:15pm |
Please make a note of these changes – we will not implement any this until September 2023 onwards, but is important to be aware of these new timings to ensure children are promptly and safely dropped off/picked up on time from the beginning of the new academic year.
Extended Provision
All Saints, Datchworth offers extended provision both before and after the regular school day. To find out more about Rising Stars Wraparound Care, please visit our Extended Provision page.
Emergency School Closure Notification
In the event that the school needs to close at short notice, such as adverse weather or snow, here are some guidelines and information about how the school will communicate with our school community:
‘Closing the school may be the right decision where the judgement is that students or staff face significant risk of serious injury in school or travelling to school. But remember that every lesson counts and consider whether it is reasonably practical to keep open.’ (DfE)
‘Unless specifically told otherwise, staff will be expected to use their best endeavours to attend work without putting themselves or others at risk. When the police and motoring organisations, such as the AA, recommend that motorists undertake only essential journeys this is considered to include travel to work and school.’ (HCC)
The Headteacher, Governors and premises staff assess the situation in terms of health and safety. We also consult with other local schools. If conditions pose a significant risk, the school will close. There is a robust system for notifying families which includes:
- Updating the school’s Twitter feed
- Updating the school website www.datchworth.herts.sch.uk (the Twitter feed appears on the homepage on the left-hand side)
- Notifying all parents/carers via an e-mail from the school’s admin account
- Contacting families via an SMS from School Gateway
If a substantial amount of snow falls during the day, Senior Leadership may decide that the school day should be shortened, with an earlier pick-up, so that staff and pupils can leave the site in order to get home safely in the daylight. School day times may be altered during these situation, with registers remaining open longer at drop-off, or either a later start or an earlier pick-up.
When we remain open, risk assessments will be undertaken to ensure the health and safety of staff, pupils and all site users. Our premises staff have an action plan to follow, which includes clearing and gritting paths and walkways.
There are a number of options which may be adopted, in the case of severe weather, to ensure continuity in teaching and learning for example:
- Certain classes may be asked to stay at home in a specific Key Stage.
- The school is closed to all pupils.
- School is open but there is a reduced number of staff. Classes may be reorganised with priority being given to the youngest pupils.
- For pupils not on site, remote learning may be used. In advance, class teachers may prepare work which can be delivered virtually.
The decision to close the school is complicated and not taken lightly. Hopefully the above will show some of the strategies, which will be used in the event of snow or other adverse conditions, for which a school closure may be necessary.