Safeguarding

Our prime responsibility as a school is to ensure that all children in it are safe. Safeguarding can be defined as ‘The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring that they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully'. School obviously plays a very important role here. 

Please see our website for our school's safeguarding policy. 

Our designated safeguarding leads are Mrs Rachel Rice, Mrs Sarah Webb, Mrs Natalie Parsonson, Mrs Lynne Mildren.

Signing-in

All visitors to the school must sign-in on the screen located in Reception.

Communication

Open communication is very important to us.

Parents/carers are encouraged to respectfully share any concerns/questions with the school, however big or small they may seem, directly rather than via social media sites. A phone call to the school office, an open exchange on the school gate or an email should provide the information that you require if indeed the information is not on this website. There is a 'post box' just outside the school office for  other comments; these can be left anonymous if you prefer.

Parents/carers receive newsletters every two weeks via Arbor; these are also posted on the website.  Additionally, we send regular messages and updates via Arbor. Our admin team supports the    setting up of this information system. Families can request hard copies of any information.

The Home/School diary is another useful tool to support communication. A full list of staff emails is in the diary so that you can directly  contact us in this manner if you would like.

We have an extremely active and supportive Parent and Teacher Association (PTA). They meet regularly to discuss and organise fun and exciting activities for the children and parents to enjoy at the school. They also raise funds to provide special events and extra resources for the school. Each year the PTA arrange numerous activities for the children such as colour runs, magic shows and discos, a quiz night for parents and in June 2018, we even had a circus!

If you would like to become actively involved with the PTA or volunteer your help at any of our events, please contact the school office, where your details will be passed to Elaine York  – Chairperson of the PTA and Jennie Harris - Vice Chair of the PTA. New members and ideas are always gratefully received.

School Uniform

School Dress Code 

We expect our students to wear their uniform with pride and look smart at all times. Please ensure that it is fully labelled as soon as you buy it – we end up with a lot of lost property and would love to be able to return it. 

Items marked * are available embroidered with the school logo and may be ordered from School Trends, Maisies or Tesco. Once you get on to their website, type in our school to start the ordering process. Alternatively, you can buy unbranded items from any supermarket with a school section or an alternative supplier. 

Modifications to the school uniform are always considered for various reasons - these might include black jogging bottoms, top of differing materials and braces with trousers or skirts.  Religious and cultural items of clothing or jewellery are welcomed. 

Autumn / Winter 

• White polo shirt*, or other plain white blouse or shirt (not t-shirts) 
• Black ‘formal’ trousers (not skinny jeans or leggings), skirt, gym-slip knee-length culottes or ‘skorts’. 
• Red sweatshirt* or sweatshirt-cardigan* embroidered with the school logo (optional)
• Black, low-heeled shoes or boots  
• Grey, white or black socks or grey/black/red tights 
• School tie for Year 6 only - to be worn with a white shirt or blouse (these are available from the school office)

Any colour and style school coat  
 

Spring / Summer 

As above, and also:

• Black ‘formal’ shorts 
• Low-heeled black or white sandals 
• Summer red and white dresses - striped or gingham

P. E (Not needed for Foundation Stage Children)

• White or red T-shirt* 
• Black shorts 
• Black or white plimsolls for indoor games
• Tracksuit and trainers for outdoor use in cold weather 

Footwear

• plain black trainers with black laces and no coloured designer labels or,

• plain black school shoes 

• black winter boots can be worn on a daily basis

• Wellies may be worn to and from school and in the playground but not inside the building

The reasons for allowing black trainers and shoes are as follows -

• We want the children to be active at break and lunch times and this type of footwear is better suited to active play.  We recognise that you spend a lot of money on school shoes and understandably don't appreciate it when they get scuffed in play.
• Wherever possible, we want our children to use the school field for play, and again trainers are better suited.
• The government's agenda is all about tackling obesity and access to physical activity. We are currently focusing on the structure of our play and lunch times and have other plans afoot to enrich the types of play available. 
• Many children and families like the formality of black school shoes and can continue wearing them.

• We are also keen to ensure that our uniform list/policy makes it clear that reasonable adjustments are always considered in all areas of the school uniform and this includes wearing black joggy bottoms for some children.

Earrings

Only small stud earrings should be worn - not hoops. 

Children with pierced ears should tape these for PE if they are yet unable to remove the earrings. If the period of not removing earrings has passed (ie, 3 months max), then these should be taken out at home for PE days. We would prefer that children do not take them out at school simply because we worry about them being dropped or lost, but we will request this if needed.

*(Slogans, football club affiliations or ‘designer labels’ are not permitted)

Forest School

• Wellies or sturdy boots
• Waterproof jacket and trousers

We are always happy to recycle all unclaimed and unlabelled uniform items.

Families that receive Pupil Premium funding can use their annual school voucher to purchase school uniform. 

Useful links for uniform below:

https://myclothing.com/deanshanger-primary-school/11427.school

https://www.schooltrends.co.uk/uniform/DeanshangerPrimarySchoolMK196HJ/?c=10439

Hairstyles

Whilst we enjoy seeing the children looking smart in their school uniforms, we do not have any restrictions on hairstyles. It is good to see the children express their personalities in their own unique way, this includes top knots, braids, short hair, long, hair and short mohicans. We do, however, ask our families to reserve hair colours for the holidays.  

In order for the children to see their work easily, it is best to have long hair tied back and this is a requirement for PE simply for health and safety reasons. Tied back hair also avoids head lice spreading!

Governors

We work in partnership with our dedicated team of governors. They are visible in the school and have a strong understanding of our school improvement plans and hold us account to these.

Our Chair of Governors is Mr David Aaronson.

chairofgovernors@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk