FAQS

What should I do is my child is ill?

First of all, assess whether your child is well enough to come to school. Might they feel better if they are distracted by their friends and have some fun? If you decide to keep your child at home it is vital that you telephone school and let us know that your child won’t be attending today. Please keep us up to date on a daily basis – (0113 2535253 or attendance@morleyvictoria.org.uk). If you do not make contact with the school office, a phone call will be made regarding the absence.

If your child has been sick or has diarrhoea, they must be kept off school until 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. If you suspect chicken pox, measles or impetigo, the children should not come to school and you should seek advice from the doctor. For more advice and information go to www.nhs.uk.

What should I do if my child is going to be late?

Please contact the school office if you are going to be late (beyond 9.00am) for any reason, then we know your child is on their way. You will need to call at the school office to confirm your arrival and to choose a school dinner should you need to. Depending on the time we may ask you to escort your child to their classroom if they are in the Foundation Stage or Key Stage One.

What should I do if my child has an appointment during the school day?

Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to take your child out of school for an appointment during the school day – we do understand that some of these are unavoidable. If the appointment is local and the time is appropriate, please return them to school afterwards. You could send a note or contact the school office.

How do I contact the class teacher?

As you know, we have an open door policy at Morley Victoria and we are happy to welcome you into school at any time. Our staff are often incredibly busy, especially on a morning (many staff run early morning groups) so after school is usually the best time to see us if the matter can wait that long. Should you wish to speak with your child’s class teacher as a matter of urgency on a morning, please come to the school office and they will find out if the teacher is available. You may be asked to wait for a short while if necessary. The same applies if you would like to see Mrs Wood, Mrs Smith, Mr Precious or Miss Northfield.  Alternatively please email the school office and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Who should I contact if I have concerns about my child?

Your first point of contact is always your child’s class teacher. It is very important that they are kept up to date of any changes or anything that may be happening at home that may be having some effect on them in school. We are always here to listen and help where we can. If the issue is around learning then we can address the matter quickly.

If you feel that you need to discuss any family matters and you would like some help and advice, Miss Northfield (our attendance and safeguarding leader) will be more than happy to spend some time with you. If your concern is around special educational needs or disabilities, please ask to speak to Mrs Bode (our SENDCo)

If you wish to speak to any member of staff, please ask at the school office.

 How much are school meals?

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 they will be entitled to a school meal free of charge under the current Government policy. Our delicious menu is available to view online and if you would like to change from bringing sandwiches to having a school meal, please come and discuss this at the school office as the kitchen will require a week’s notice and there is a form for you to complete. All of our meals are cooked fresh every day in our school kitchen. The staff prepare three choices of main course and a dessert.

If your child is in Key Stage 2 a school meal costs £2.55 each day. This is payable via ParentPay. You should have your log-in details already but should you need any further help or advice, please contact the school office. 

What should I put in my child’s lunch box?

One of the goals we have as a school is to raise awareness of what is involved in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and we do a lot of work around this subject. Healthy eating is a large part of this and we encourage our families to pack healthy, nutritious lunches that will enable their children to fully participate in the afternoon session of the school day.

We like to encourage savoury snacks such as sandwiches and wraps, salad, fresh/dried fruit and yoghurts as part of a healthy diet. We would prefer crisps and biscuits to be kept to a minimum. Sweets and chocolate bars are not appropriate in school lunch boxes so we ask that these ‘treats’ are saved to eat at home. Please note that we ask for water only throughout the school day and we do not allow fizzy drinks in school. We thank you for your support with this.

Where can I buy school uniform?

Please have a look at our uniform page on the website, under the ‘Parents / Carers’ tab. In short, you can purchase all basic need items such as skirts, trousers and t-shirts from local shops or supermarkets. If you would like to purchase a school jumper with a Morley Victoria Logo on it, please visit the ‘Price and Buckland’ website at www.pbparentsonline.co.uk/morleyvictoria or pay a visit to ‘The Uniform Centre’ on Queen Street in Morley. The school office does still have a small stock of book wallets and pump bags if you would like to buy one of these useful items. Please remember that all school uniform, including PE kit should be named so we can return lost property to its rightful owner.

How do I pay for trips, school meals and music lessons?

We use a cashless system in school called ParentPay. Each family receives a set of log in details. When you access your account, it will list the outstanding balance in an itemised list. We may combine the cost for some smaller amounts to reduce transaction fees on our account. We rely on families looking out for letters (that often come via email now) regarding trips and visits and logging on to ParentPay on a regular basis. We ask for a voluntary contribution towards trips and visitors coming to school but without this, events may not be able to go ahead as planned. As a school we do everything we can to reduce costs for our families by subsidising events where possible, making sure that our children take part in exciting events that enrich the curriculum.

School dinners, and Basement Buddies must also be paid for via ParentPay.

 Is there a before and after school provision?

As part of our whole school provision we aim to help our families with their child care, not only before and after school, but also on school training days. Our club is called ‘Basement Buddies’ and children aged between 3 and 11 are very welcome. Doors open at 7.30am and close again at 6.00pm but please note that there is a charge for each session. You can find this and further information on the school website under the ‘Parents / Carers’ tab. 

Basement Buddies is required to provide the children with exciting and stimulating but fun activities that will enhance their learning and their social skills. All elements of the Early Years Curriculum must also be provided during this time. The staff will also make provision, with the support from class teachers, for the older children to complete their homework. The children who attend Basement Buddies have a super time!