Transport General
The Education Authority has a policy of providing free transport to all primary pupils who live more than one mile from the school, by the recognised shortest route. This policy is more generous than law requires. This means the provision of transport could be reviewed at any time. Parents who consider they are eligible should obtain an application form the school office or the education department. These forms should be completed and returned before the end of February for those pupils commencing school in August to enable the appropriate arrangements to be made. Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year but may be subject to delay whilst arrangements are made.
The Area Education Officer has direction in special circumstances to grant permission for pupils to travel in transport proceeded by the authority, where spare places are available and no additional costs are incurred.
Pick up Points
Where free transport is provided, it may be necessary for pupils to walk a certain distance to the vehicle pick-up point. Walking distances in total, including the distance from home to the pick-up point and from the drop-off point to the school in any one direction, will not exceed the authority’s limits (see paragraph 14). It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure the
child arrives at the pick-up point in time. It is also the parent’s responsibility to ensure the child behaves in a safe and acceptable manner while boarding, travelling in and alighting from the vehicle. Misbehaviour could result in your child losing the right to free transport.
Medical & Health Care
From Primary 1 to Primary 7 there is a constant review of children’s health care. Eyesight and hearing tests along with height and weight checks are carried out periodically, by a School Nurse, throughout the Primary school years. Parents wishing to see the School Medical Officer should call the school where arrangements will be made.
A Dental survey is carried out periodically also. Any child found to be in need of treatment is given a card to take home on which parents state whether they wish to have the treatment carried out privately or through the School Health Service.
When a child is taken ill or has an accident at school, simple First Aid is administered on the premises. Where there is any doubt whatsoever about the child’s accident or condition, the parent is contacted immediately and the child escorted home or taken to hospital either by
school staff or parents. It is in the child’s best interest in circumstances such as these that the school should have an emergency address or telephone number where a parent or relative can be reached if necessary.
Should a child have a particular medical requirement this should be made known to the Head Teacher as soon as possible.
Information in Emergencies
We make every effort to maintain a full educational service, but on some occasions circumstances arise which lead to disruption. Schools may be affected by severe weather, temporary interruption of transport, power failures or difficulties of fuel supply. In such cases we shall do all we can to let you know about the details of closure or re-opening. We shall keep you in touch by using letters, notices in local shops and community centres, announcements in local churches, in the press and on local radio.
Child Safety/Child Protection Policy
All educational establishments and services must take positive steps to help children protect themselves by ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum and should have in place a curriculum that ensures that children have a clear understanding of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour on the part of another person, no matter who.
As with other years of the curriculum, you will be kept informed of the health and personal safety programme for your child’s establishment.
Schools, establishments and services must create and maintain a positive ethos and climate which actively promotes child welfare and a safe environment by:
- Ensuring that children are respected and listened to.
- Ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum.
- Ensuring that staff are aware of child protection issues and procedures.
- Establishing and maintaining close working relationships and arrangements with all other agencies to make sure that professionals collaborate effectively in protecting children.
Should any member of staff have concerns regarding the welfare or safety of any child they must report these concerns to the head of establishment. The head, or the person deputising for the head, after judging that there may be grounds for concern regarding the welfare or safety of any pupil must then immediately advise the duty senior social worker at the local social work services area office of the circumstances.