Good communications are a common feature of all successful schools. Three important sections of any school community are the staff, parents and, of course, the students.
The way school communicates with parents includes:
a) The parents’ newsletter, which is sent home every Friday throughout the school year.
b) E-portal
c) The Web Site
d) Automated Call Parents Facility
e) Regular Parents’ Evenings – to discuss children’s progress with teachers.
f) Annual reports.
g) By individual meetings with parents in school.
h) By telephone when appropriate.
i) By home visits where this is mutually helpful.
j) Through the homework planner.
k) The parental calendar (on the web-site)
We try constantly to maintain close links with our parents and keep them informed about their child’s progress at school. Contact between home and school is a two-way process and parents are encouraged to make contact with our school whenever they wish.
During Period 6 on a Friday, teachers issue a copy of the Friday Letter to each student to take home for their parents. It contains important information such as future dates as well as reports of events in school such as sports’ fixtures, Masses, special Assemblies etc. It features prominently the names of students who have achieved something worthwhile during the week. Please pass on any nominations plus anything else you’d like included to Mr A Beckett by the end of school on Wednesday.
Letters and circulars which are sent out to groups of parents must be authorised by the Head teacher.
Parents are always welcome in school but are asked to make an appointment with the appropriate member of staff. It is also helpful if parents can give a general idea of what they wish to discuss so that useful information may be gathered prior to the meeting. The safety of students and staff is of prime importance. If an appointment has been made with a parent it must be entered in the appointments’ book in the School Office.
If parents arrive at school without an appointment they may be asked return at a future time or else be invited to see one of the SLT.
We offer a variety of opportunities for parents to join in school activities:
a) Offering help with school teams and supporting matches.
b) Accompanying children on school trips.
c) Attending school assemblies or school Masses.
Parents are accessing information about their children via the CMIS E-portal system and about the school in general through the web-site.
The way school communicates with teachers includes:
a) Staff briefings are held daily at 8.35 am in the Staff Room. Attendance is mandatory unless the teacher is on duty or has another – prior agreed – appointment.
b) The Daily Bulletin which is published via email by 8.30 am. It may be updated during the course of the day. All staff need to ensure their laptops are already logged onto the system to receive this and also to carry out registration during Period 1.
c) Each Friday the Weekly Staff Briefing is via email.
d) Other emails as appropriate. It is important that the school email is used as effectively as possible. Staff should try to use appropriate email groups where possible rather than sending emails to every member of Staff.
e) CPD every Wednesday from 3.30 until 5.30
The way school communicates with pupils includes:
a) Assemblies – these are help in house groups one per week per house group.
b) Announcements in lessons – typically DEAR sessions.
c) Email
d) Friday letter
e) Web-site
f) Direct interaction with teaching staff during lessons.
