Parents
We work closely with all our parents and value their contributions. All parents are welcome to attend school activities such as class assemblies, celebratory church services, school productions, presentations and sporting events.
EASY FUNDRAISING
DID YOU KNOW?
You can help raise money for St Nicholas School every time you shop online!
HOW?
Through Easy Fundraising. You can download their free app, browser extension or visit their website and start donating for free today whenever you shop online!
WHERE DO I SIGN UP?
Click on the logo below to sign up & start fundraising today!
PARENT VOICE
Please contribute your views about our school at Parent View
View previous Parent Questionnaires below:
Parent View Questionnaire October 2019
ARBOR PARENT PORTAL
LOG IN TO THE PARENT PORTAL HERE :
ARBOR INSTRUCTIONS & HELP GUIDES
ATTENDANCE
Hi I’m Arty the Attendance Aardvark and I’m here to help you improve your attendance at St Nicholas.
Having a good education will help you have the best possible start in life. Arty Aardvark and St Nicholas School wants to help you have good attendance and arrive on time. Let's improve our attendance and aim for above 95%. I will be sniffing out the children and classes with good attendance.
IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT FROM SCHOOLIf your child is absent from school due to illness or any other reason please let the office know as soon as possible by phoning, texting or emailing us using the details below. You must update the office EVERYDAY that your child is absent from school unless confirmed otherwise (in writing) by the Attendance Officer. You may provide confirmation from a GP/Hospital for absences of a long duration (ie Chicken Po, Scarlett Fever etc) instead. Please note that if a valid reason is not given for absence it will be unauthorised. We reserve the right to request medical evidence for any absence due to illness regardless of duration of time spent off school. Examples of medical evidence include doctor's letter, prescription or pharmacy label from medication.
CALL US :
0208 953 3015
TEXT US :
07786 201 169
EMAIL US :
admin@stnicholas610.herts.sch.uk
Below is a useful link if you’re unsure whether to keep your child off school –
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
WRAPAROUND CARE
All children are welcome to come along to Breakfast Club from 7.45am.
The charge is £3.00 per session and includes breakfast. Please book your child's place in your Arbor App.
Please contact the school office for the latest information of after school clubs
THE SCHOOL DAY
The school day begins at 8.45am and finishes at 3.15pm. The school gates are kept locked during the day for security. Please see the table below for opening times. Children must not be left unattended on the school premises before or after school, with no exceptions.
Children should arrive to school on time and ready for the day. Please ensure your child is collected promptly at the end of the school day - staff are not available to supervise children after 3.15pm.
The attendance & dinner registers are taken promptly at 9.00am. Children arriving to school after this time will be classed as late and must enter school through the office. The school day ends at 3.15pm and children must be collected promptly from the classroom doors in the playground.
Please ensure your child is aware of who is collecting them at the end of the day and notify the class teacher and/or school office of any change to your arrangements.
The school gates are opened at the following times :
8.35am - 9.05am
11.30am - 12.00 noon
2.50pm - 3.40pm
A TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY
8.45am - Children arrive
9.00am - Register taken & collective worship
10.20am - 10.35am - Break time
12.15pm - 1.15pm - Lunch time
2.15pm - 2.30pm - KS1 Break time
3.15pm - End of school
SCHOOL UNIFORM
Our school uniform can be purchased from
We do still have some stock available direct from the school office at a discounted rate.
To place an order for school uniform please collect an order form from the school office or download below...
Payment must be made online through your Arbor account.
Uniform Requirements (whole school) :
Navy Blue jumper or cardigan - with embroidered school logo
Light Blue polo shirt - with embroidered school logo or plain
Grey Trousers or Shorts
- Children in the Foundation Stage may wear grey/navy plain tracksuit bottoms
Grey Skirt or Pinafore Dress
Light blue & white check dress - optional in Summer
Grey or white socks or Grey tights
Sensible black shoes
- Foundation Stage children should have Velcro fastening - no laces please
Sandals in warmer weather (optional)
NO TRAINERS OR HIGH HEELS
Wellington Boots - Foundation Stage ONLY - these can be kept at school
PE KIT :
Plain Navy shorts
PE T-Shirt with school logo
Black Plimsolls
Trainers - Key Stage 2 only - for games outside in winter months
PE Bag
In the winter months, parents may wish to provide a plain navy tracksuit for PE outside.
SCHOOL DINNERS
St Nicholas use the ‘Pupil Choice’ system for school dinners.
A 3 week rotating menu is set for each term with three dinner choices (Red, Green, Yellow) for each day. Each pupil orders their dinner choice at morning registration or can bring in their own packed lunch.
PAYMENT FOR SCHOOL MEALS MUST BE PAID IN ADVANCE - WEEKLY, HALF-TERMLY OR TERMLY.
Payment is to be made by ARBOR. Cash is not accepted.
SCHOOL MEAL PRICES
Infant Meal (Rec - Yr 2) - Costs are covered by the Governments Universal Free School Meal Scheme
Junior Meal (Yr 3 - Yr 6) - £3.15 per meal (£15.75 per week)
DINNER MENU - Autumn Term 2023-2024
dinner menu autumn term 2023 2024.pdf
In accordance with Hertfordshire County Council guidelines, children with persistent dinner debts will not be provided with a school meal and a packed lunch must be provided until all outstanding debt is cleared.
A 'Persistent Debt' is a debt that is still outstanding despite chases being sent home; chases can include printed statements, letters, emails or text messages. Please note: any dinner money paid into the school will be allocated towards the debt and will not entitle your child to a school meal.
IF YOU THINK YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS PLEASE CALL OR VISIT :
WWW.HERTSDIRECT.ORG/FREESCHOOLMEALS 0300 123 4048
HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME
Our Approach to Reading Schemes at St. Nicholas School
At St Nicholas School, we encourage our children to read a variety of books and genres. Underpinning all teaching of reading is an emphasis on reading for pleasure, with an aim to enthuse all children with a love of books.
In the early stages of reading, the children focus on letters and sounds, developing reading strategies to help them decode words and sentences. As they become more fluent, we encourage the children to pay close attention to punctuation and expression and focus on the children’s comprehension skills. We inspire analytical readers, who read between the lines and question their reading. A range of reading schemes are used throughout the school to ensure the children experience a wide breadth of texts and genres.
A useful website to help your child with their reading is: Oxford Owl
Please CLICK HERE to download information sheets to support your child with reading at home.
Please CLICK HERE for the Reading Vipers information sheet - KS1 & KS2
USEFUL READING QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD:
Year 1Year 2Year 3 & 4Year 5 & 6
Phonics at St Nicholas School
Letters and Sounds is a phonics resource published by the Department for Education and Skills in 2007. It aims to build children's speaking and listening skills in their own right as well as to prepare children for learning to read by developing their phonic knowledge and skills. It sets out a detailed and systematic programme for teaching phonic skills for children starting by the age of five, with the aim of them becoming fluent readers by age seven. At St. Nicholas School, we use the Letters and Sounds programme alongside a range of resources to supplement the children’s learning from Nursery upwards.
Maths
USEFUL WEBSITES
School Nursing Service :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RoTkp3vkB0&feature=youtu.be
Chat, Play & Read :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovNfiLgmaPY
Internet Safety :
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/Support-tools/home-activity-worksheets/
eSAFETY
The internet is an exciting and fun place for adults and children to explore educationally and socially.
The challenge for parents, carers and teachers is to make sure our children are aware of the need to be safe and understand how to be safe when using the internet and technology.
Below is a list of recommended sites that contain useful information for keeping safe online;
Parent Info- provides high quality information to parents and carers about their children's wellbeing and resilience. Schools can host the content on their own website and use it in any other ways (in letters to parents etc) that they want.
- online Safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe on the internet.
- an organisation working directly with children, parents and teachers to ensure that the issues of online child protection and the safe and positive use of the internet are addressed.
ThinkuKnow - the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre's own website which has been designed and written specifically for children, young people, teachers, parents and carers.
Internetmatters.org - specific help on how to set up internet controls at home. Guidance and articles for parents about keeping children safe online.
Digizen.org - a website designed to strengthen awareness and understanding of what digital citizenship is. It encourages users of technology to be and become responsible digital citizens.
Herts for Learning produces a termly newsletter for parents and carers. which you can read here:
HFL E-Safety Newsletter
USEFUL INFORMATION SHEETS & DOWNLOADS:
Advice HandbookInstagram AdviceFacebook -Magic13Mind the Gap
Please download these helpful resources from Safer Internet Day to help your family stay safe online.
Understanding Safer Internet Day
For further information and advice on internet safety please visit National Online Safety
WELLBEING
The wellbeing of Staff & Pupils as well as the wider school school community is very important to all of us at St Nicholas School.
Here there are links to many websites that offer advice and help on everything from nutritional information to dealing with a bereavement.
We also include links to downloads of booklets that offer information and advice for many different situations.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy
