Communication

Communication at Ravenstone

The purpose of this document is to outline exactly how we communicate with parents and other stakeholders in the Ravenstone community. The table below details all of our communication methods and what it tells you. Below this we explain how we gain permission for trips and what we ask from parents.

Key Source of information	How you find it	What it tells you
Weekly newsletter	Sent out every Friday via parent mail and is stored on the website	· All dates for the whole term · Weekly update from Headteacher · Any specific messages from office · A special mention of success · Attendance update · Update from a leader · Stars of the week (same children who are announced in assembly)
Parent mail	Via email	· Specific information that relates to an event/change an additional piece of information that we need to share with you
Website	www.ravenstoneschool.co.uk	· All key dates (same as newsletter) · Contact information for all staff · Curriculum information · Club information (same as sent out termly) · Weekly review from teachers (same as home learning book) · All policies The website is a fountain of knowledge, but no changes or extra information needed will be added to the website without informing people
Home learning book	Weekly by class teachers	· The weekly update (same as on website) which has everything covered · Homework activities · Parent voice ( a space to write in)
Ravenstone entitlement document	Sent out via parent mail at the beginning of every term (also stored on website)	· The dates for trips, internal visit and themed days taking place that term and contribution cost
Club document	Sent out via parent mail at the beginning of every term (also stored on website)	· Club offer taking place that term
Teachers and support staff	When needed	· Everything classroom based · Academic progress and attainment · Social and personal development · Curriculum questions
Minor accident	If your child has an accident and needs minor first aid you will receive an email with details from an online program we use called medical tracker.	· An update on if a minor injury occurs
Head or serious injury	Phone call	· To inform you of the situation
Twitter	As and when	· To provide pictures and updates of our wonderful school in action
Text messages	A text sent to the primary phone number supplied to the school	· We will use text messages for a number of reasons. This could include reminders about school uniform, punctuality and alerting you to a behaviour incident.

Protocol for gaining information and who to talk to when

Type of Query	Who to contact
Complaints	Mr O'Kane
Safeguarding	Miss Stanislaus
Any issues relating to your child	Class Teacher - All staff emails can be found on our website under contacts
As above if you do not feel the issue has been resolved or you need more advice	Stage 1 – Head of Phase Stage 2 – Mr Whitehead – Deputy Head or Miss Stanislaus – Assistant Head Stage 3 – Mr O'Kane
Any issues relating to other children in the class	Class Teacher or Phase Leader as applicable (please do not approach other parents regarding concerns)
Admissions	Mrs Gilroy
Parent mail, Payments/Finance, attendance (including requests for leave)	Mrs Patel – Front Office
Nursery 30 hour code, DBS clearance	Front Office
Information around the hive (our autistic hub)	Geraint Davies - Assistant Headteacher
Inclusion/special needs	Assistant Head – Inclusion (Miss Stanislaus)
Specific curriculum questions	Mr Whitehead or lead teachers: Mr Westland (maths), Miss Duckworth (reading), writing (TBC)
Fundraising suggestions	Chairs of Friends of Ravenstone
Parent reps	Parent reps are linked to Friends of Ravenstone and are useful contacts to make in order to help strengthen the community. Parent reps often set up class Whatsapp and email groups which parents can join.

Response times and expectations around communication

All staff will endeavour to respond via email, book a meeting or get back to you as soon a possible however this could take up to 5 working days.

As per out wellbeing and workload policy staff are also not permitted to respond to emails at the weekend, during school holidays or after 5:30. They are also not permitted to hold unplanned meetings in the playground after school where a parent wishes to raise concerns or ask in depth questions.

Payments

At Ravenstone we aim to be a cashless school for many events and payments. Our main payment system is via parent mail https://www.parentmail.co.uk/services/online-payments

Parents will need to set up an account via the school office and make all payments via this system. Cash to the school office should not be sent in and will be returned.

Payment item	Details
School dinners	If you choose for your child to have school dinners, this payment will be made via parent mail.
Ravenstone entitlement	At the start of every term teachers will organise all trips, themed days and internal visits and will associate a cost to fund this. This optional charge will be set up on parent mail.
School journey	During year 3 and 6 the children will experience a residential. Payments will be organised by the school office
Charity events	Occasionally we will organise charity events where cash will be used
FoR events	All FoR events organised will be cash based

Trips and Ravenstone entitlement

As a school we base our school trips around guidance from Wandsworth that can be found here http://www.ravenstoneschool.co.uk/curriculum/ravenstone-entitlement/

Key parts to this policy and our practise are below;

For the majority of trips we will not be asking parents to complete a written consent form for children to go on trips. We take the view that all children will be attending trips unless you opt out.

We will continue to outline the dates so you know when trips will take place at the start of term

We will risk assess it fully (this is signed off by governors and the local authority)

At times we will write to you with any specific instructions.

If at any point you do not wish for your child to attend an external trip, please do let the class teacher know.