Mrs. D Smith, is our Pupil & Family Support Manager.

Mrs. Smith works Tuesday - Friday  and is based in an office adjacent to the hall.

Every first Friday in the month, drop in for a friendly chat or for any advice and support needed.

Pupil and Family Support

At St John Southworth we endeavour to support not only our pupils but also the families within our school community.

Sometimes, you or your children may need extra support and we can help you with any worries you may have about your child’s education and wellbeing.

Please contact myself in person, via telephone or email if you would like advice or just a chat.

I work very closely with the class teachers, Senco and senior staff so whether it’s to discuss your child or help on filling in forms or maybe what’s in the community that can help families e.g. help with uniforms, food banks, housing.

Any advice and support that I offer will be confidential, although concerns relating to the safe guarding of children will always be dealt with in accordance with school’s safe guarding and child protection policy.

Early Help

Early Help, helps you to recognise what’s going well for you, where you may benefit from extra help, and who is the best person to work with you and your family to make this happen.  This may be through an early help process, school can support and also signpost pupils and families to external agencies in order to access more specialist support.

I am a DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) and Medical and First Aid lead and can refer to our school nurse so again you can contact me about these concerns.

Keep a look out for my super savers on Facebook and if you know of any current deals let me know and I will share them.

Attendance

Mrs. Smith monitors the attendance of pupils and contacts parents if there is a concern.

Pupil Attendance – Leave in Term Time

The Government has amended key legislation relating specifically to the authorisation of leave in term time which comes into force on 1st September 2013. This decision has been made to encourage schools to take a firmer stance on unnecessary absence and to dispel the myth held by many parents that there is an entitlement to time off school for holidays in term time.

As of 1st September 2013 Head teachers cannot authorise any leave of absence during term time unless they are satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances to warrant the granting of leave.

Unauthorised leave may result in a penalty notice being issued.

However an application form for leave must be completed for any leave requested.

Persistent Absence

Schools are 'measured' on their whole school attendance rate, and the level of persistent absentees within school. A persistently absent pupil is one whose attendance is at or below 85% at any point during the academic year. Schools should aim to intervene to improve a pupil's attendance prior to them becoming a 'persistent absentee'. The following thresholds are intended as a guide as to when a pupil may be classed as a persistent absentee and are roughly equivalent to an attendance rate of 85% at certain points throughout the year:

Half term 1: 10 sessions of absence

Half term 2: 22 sessions of absence

Half term 3: 30 sessions of absence

Half term 4: 38 sessions of absence

Half term 5: 46 sessions of absence

Past Team

Pupils with poor attendance may be referred to the PAST team.

PAST workers work directly with pupils and families to support schools in improving the attendance of individual pupils, when existing school strategies have failed to make an improvement.

Penalty Notices

Penalty notices are fines that can be issued to parents by the Local Authority for their child’s irregular school attendance. The notice will state the fine payable and the timescales for doing so (if paid within 21 days £60/ £120 if paid within 28 days). All payments are made to the Local Authority.

Penalty notices provide an alternative to prosecution and enable parents to discharge potential liability for conviction for an offence by paying the penalty.

How do I apply for free school meals?

Free_School_Meals_Form.pdf