Parent Handbook

Anna O’Kane (Parent Governor) Following my Masters' Degree in
Special Education, I worked as a teacher with a wide age range in a
variety of settings creating, presenting and implementing Individual
Education Plans. For the past eleven years, I am grateful to have
stayed home with my children. Now that all three are thriving in
SAF, I am honoured and delighted to return to my path in
education as a Parent Governor. I am passionate about Steiner
education and am committed to supporting this evolving school as
it guides all children along their unique journey towards positively
shaping our future society.

Clare Hein (Governor) After 40 years in teaching I decided stop! I
have worked in mainstream and special schools, across all ages
and ability groups, including SAF as SENCo. My abiding
professional passion has been to support children with Special
Educational Needs and Disabilities but now I find myself drawn
back to an earlier thread and indeed passion. Handwork – be it
knitting, sewing, patchwork and more recently weaving. I am
inspired to explore the creative and therapeutic aspects of
handwork and of course the educational benefits. I am delighted
to have been asked to become a Governor and trust that I will carry out my duties
with a creative passion that weaves two aspects of my life together.

Lara Ellender (Parent Governor) I was recently elected as a
parent governor at SAF. My first task has been to really find out:
‘What is the role of a parent governor?’ I was elected to this role by
the parents at SAF and I bring my views and experiences as a parent
to the governing body, but this does not mean that I necessarily
represent all the parents’ views. Therefore, once elected, the
responsibility of a parent governor is directed towards the school:
we make decisions according to what we think are in the best
interests of the pupils and the school; to ensure, along with the
other governors to set the strategy of the school and that the school does what is says
it is going to do in terms of policy, education and direction.

Agnes Javor (Governor) Agnes was born in 1947 in Hungary. She
switched to teaching after a longish spell at the BBC External Services in
London. Agnes has both state and Steiner teaching qualifications as well
as a BA and a MSc. She has also trained in child and adolescent
psychotherapy. Agnes taught in several Steiner schools and state schools
during her teaching career including Hamburg Nienstedten, Edinburgh
Steiner School, Brighton Steiner School, Philpots Manor Special School,
St Francis Primary (Peckham), and Wey House Special School (Surrey).
After taking voluntary retirement from Philpots Manor, Agnes moved to
Peasedown to help look after grandchildren. She freelanced for a while with FAST
(Families and Schools Together), a family programme in schools primarily in deprived
areas to help develop better relationships between parents and teachers as well as
parents and children. Agnes has been supporting, in a voluntary capacity, the Save
Childhood Movement and one of its initiatives National Children's Day UK. Currently
she is a trustee at Laurel Farm Kindergarten and a voluntary helper in her older
grandson's school.

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SAF Term Dates 2017-18
Autumn Term 2017

5th September ~ 19th December
Half-Term: 23rd October ~ 3rd November

Inset Days: 4th September & 3rd November
Spring Term 2018

8th January ~ 28th of March
Half-Term: 12th – 16th February
Inset Days: 5th January & 19th February

Summer Term 2018
17th of April to 20th July
Half-Term: 28th May – 1st June
Inset Days: Monday 16th April & 4th June

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SAF TERM DATES 2018 – 2019
Autumn Term 2018
5th September to 21st December
Half-term ~ 29th October

to 9th November
Inset Days ~ 4th September & 9th

November
Spring Term 2019

9th January to 5th April
Half-term ~ 18th to 22nd February

Inset Days ~ 8th January
& 25th February

Summer Term 2019
24th April to 19th July
Half-term ~ 3rd June to 7th June
Inset Day ~ Friday 28th June
(Please note bank holidays are
on the 6th and 27th May)

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Home-School Agreement

Pupil’s Name

---------------------------------------------

The relationship between home and school is crucial to the success of your child’s
education here at Steiner Academy Frome.

In order to offer your child an effective educational experience, the school undertakes
to:
 Care for your child’s safety and well-being;
 Value your child, both as an individual and as a member of the school;
 Provide a programme of teaching and learning founded on the Steiner curriculum

framework;
 Maintain high standards of work and behaviour, always aiming to help your child

reach his/her potential within the opportunities and constraints of the educational
context;
 Observe, monitor and support your child’s progress and keep you regularly
informed, for example, through Parents Evenings, individual consultations and
reports;
 Keep you informed about relevant Academy activities and developments;
 Communicate effectively and reasonably with parents and pupils, as necessary;
 Offer opportunities for you to learn more about the education;
 Provide opportunities for parents and carers to become involved in, and offer
support for, the life of the Academy;
 Foster a community founded on respect and an appreciation of the uniqueness of
the individual, in which every person is able to work and learn alongside each
other without prejudice;
 Provide regular and appropriate opportunities for colleagues to engage in
professional development and learning in order to develop and enhance the
educational provision for your child.

Signed on behalf of the Academy by (print name):

Designation:

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Signature: Date:

As the parent or guardian of …………………………......................

I/We undertake to support my/our child’s learning and wellbeing by:

 Taking a keen interest in what my child is doing at school;
 Ensuring that my child attends regularly and on time;
 Making the Academy aware of the reason for any absence, and of circumstances

that might affect my child’s work and behaviour;
 Ensuring that my child is suitably dressed, equipped, and properly prepared for the

day, including break and lunch snack;
 Ensuring that my child is well-nourished and rested though sufficient sleep and not

overstretched by out of school activities;
 Attending parents evenings and discussions about my child’s progress;
 Reading the Parents Handbook, school newsletters, pupil reports and other

information sent out by the Academy;
 Supporting the school in its aims and helping in fund-raising activities, class-related

activities, workdays and so on;
 Being open to participate in a dialogue regarding any recommendations for

assessments of my child and/or for additional support to enable the school to
better meet his/her needs;
 Protecting my child from unsuitable, unwarranted and unmonitored access to
media such as television, computer games, the internet, social networking sites and
so on. (Further reading: ‘Remote Controlled’ by Dr Aric Sigman & ‘Toxic
Childhood’ by Sue Palmer, amongst others);
 Communicating effectively and reasonably with members of staff as appropriate
(Reminder: please do not take the teacher’s time before the school day starts as
preparing for the day and receiving the pupils must be the teacher’s focus at this
time);
 Acknowledging the aspirations of the Academy’s behaviour statement, and
recognising the role parents and carers play in helping to achieve those aims by
establishing a consistent and reliable home structure appropriate to the age of the
children in our care. I have read and agree to abide by and support the
Academy’s policies on behaviour and discipline.

Signature __________________________ Name_____________________________

Date____________________________

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HOME-SCHOOL AGREEMENT

Re: finishing school at lunch time

I/We have chosen to send our child to the Steiner Academy Frome and we
understand and support the view that the learning experience can be tiring for young
children and that young children benefit from a gradual introduction to the full school
day.
I/We acknowledge that this gradual introduction of a full day school means that:

 Kindergarten ends at 13.00 every day.
 Class 1 ends at 13.00 three days a week.
 Class 2 ends at 13.00 two days a week
 Classes 3, 4 and 5 end at 13.00 one day a week
I/We also understand that afternoon play and enrichment activities are available for
children whose parents are working.
I/We agree to educate our child at home on afternoons when the school day finishes
at lunch time.
I/We _______________________________________ (parent/s) agree that we will
home-educate our child ____________________________________________ (child’s
name) on days when our child comes home at lunch time.

Teacher (Print name) ___________________________________________

Sign: ______________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________

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Food & Free School Meals

The school is working with a wonderful catering team, the Natural Food School,
providing organic hot lunches for the children at a cost of £2.60 per day (Lower
School) or £2.75 per day (Middle School). Menus are sent out fortnightly in advance
with their Newsletter, which also contains ingredient lists, news and seasonal ideas.
Lunch is served at 12.30 for the Kindergartens (served in their own classrooms) and
Class 1 and at 1.00 pm in the hall for Class 2 upwards.

“We are Carol Kenward and Cally Herbert
and we prepare deliciously nutritious lunches
for your children from the start of their
school life at Steiner Academy Frome.

We are fully trained Naturopathic
Nutritionists with a desire to encourage your
child to explore our appetizing and
wholesome meals in a supportive ‘family’
type setting.

Our menus are largely vegetarian & we have introduced more organic meat and fresh
fish. All of our food is freshly produced, organic, seasonal and locally sourced
(wherever possible) with old favourites and a variety of new and exciting flavours for
your child to try. We are very happy to accommodate dietary needs and allergies and
will be regularly available to discuss any issues with you. Please speak to the Office to
book and pay for your lunches.

We also open a snack shop every morning at 10.45 for 15 minutes where children
from Class 1 upwards can buy healthy snacks.”

There is a sample lunch and snack menu attached from our catering team. Please refer
to our School Lunch Policy Document for further information.

Please Note: From September 2014 all children who are in the Kindergartens and
Class 1 will be given a free healthy school lunch. Children in older classes will also be
entitled to a free school lunch if their parents are on a low income and receiving
welfare benefits. Registering could raise money for SAF as registering for free meals
can raise an extra £1,300 to fund valuable support like extra tuition, additional
teaching staff, equipment or school activities.

This additional money is available from central government for every child whose
parent is receiving one of the welfare benefits listed in the form. It is therefore
important to sign up for free school meals, even if your child is in reception, year 1 or
year 2, in order that the school receive as much funding as possible. For details of
whether you qualify for this visit http://www.somerset.gov.uk/education-learning-
and-schools/school-life/free-school-meals/ or contact the school office
([email protected]) for more details.

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Monday Steiner Academy Frome
Sample Menu

Whole-wheat pasta
Tomato and basil sauce

Cheese
Chocolate Beetroot cake

Fruit bowl

Tuesday Homemade Veggie loaf
Rooty mash
Gravy

Fruit Compote with granola topping

Wednesday Golden Butternut Squash/Leek and Potato soup
Sourdough Rye bread
Fruit yogurts
Fresh fruit

Thursday Jacket potatoes

Cheesy beans/ Boston baked beans/Mild chilli beans

Fresh fruit salad

Natural yogurt with honey

Friday Homemade Cheese and Tomato Pizza
Veggie sticks

Lemon drizzle cake

Menu will be varied according to seasonal availability.
Gluten free and vegan alternatives will be available.

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Snack Shop Menu

Apple/pear 30p Ginger biscuits 20p
Kiwi/grapes/banana 40p Yogurt raisins 30p
2 savoury rice cakes 30p Liquorice 40p
2 rice cakes & honey 30p Sesame snaps 30p
2 rice cakes & butter 25p Fruit bar 40p
2 savoury rice cakes Zoom balls 30p
& butter 35p Banana choc bar 30p
2 savoury rice cakes Fruit/cheesy oatcakes 50p
Honey & butter 40p (pack of 5)
Juice 40p

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