School Hours

School hours are:

Younger/Middle Groups	8:00 am to 12:15 pm
Grade R	8:00 am to 12:30 pm

I would appreciate greatly your co-operation in keeping them.

Arrival Routine
The School Gate opens officially at 7:45 am and closes at 8:00 am SHARP.

Parents must leave their child in the care of a teacher on arrival at School - at the gate or in his/her classroom. CHILDREN MAY NOT BE DROPPED IN THE ROAD AND ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WALK DOWN TO THE SCHOOL GATE UNATTENDED.

Please encourage your child to walk in to the School and carry his/her own school bag, to enhance the development of independence and self-management.

However, certain children may need to be admitted prior to this time, if BOTH of their parents work. Permission for such an earlier arrival is to be sought from the Principal. In these instances, the Domestic Staff receive arrivals earlier than 7:30 am The Teachers receive children between 7:30 am and 7:40 am In both cases, the children shall be "buzzed" through the Church and School Gates and shall congregate in the Big Room until they are taken into their own Home Base areas by their Class Teachers at 7:40 am
The School Gate is closed between 7:40 am and 7:45 am to facilitate this dispersal and no other children will be admitted at this time.

Please do not linger in the mornings, as this tends to unsettle the children . Also, a quick and efficient early morning routine cuts down on the “morning melee” of too many bodies in the locker areas!

Home Time Routine
The School Gate opens at 12:15 pm for the Younger (Yellow and Purple Groups) and Middle Groups (Blue and Green Groups) and at 12:30 pm for the Grade R (Red and Orange Groups).

Please make every effort to collect your child on time, as many children become anxious if they feel they have been left behind.

It is recommended that parents with children in the Grade R classes and siblings in the other classes, collect their younger children at approximately 12:25 pm Siblings will be able to rest quietly, with some of their classmates, in the Home Base until this time.

Should you choose to come before 12:25 pm, please wait on the Church Patio, not on the Cycle Track or in the areas outside the Classrooms. This will prevent noise and distractions for the Grade R classes who are busy until 12:30 pm.

IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY AND SUPERVISION, PUPILS AND SIBLINGS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PLAY ON THE OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT AT ARRIVAL OR HOME TIMES.

Absentees

Please notify the School by 9:00 am on the days that your child is absent, giving reasons. Although pre-primary schooling is not compulsory, children benefit from consistent attendance in terms of their emotional, intellectual and social development.

Medical Inspection

We are fortunate to have the services of a Doctor and Dentist who see each child once per year. If treatment is required, you shall be referred to your own Doctor or Dentist.

Similarly, all of the children will have a screening hearing, conducted by an Audiologist, during the year.

The children in Grade R are also examined by an Optometrist.

Medication

Please note that, in accordance with Education Department regulations, we are not permitted to administer any medication, with the exception of those required in life-threatening situations. However, if your child goes to After-Care and is taking a medically prescribed course of antibiotics, the After-Care teacher may give the midday dose, provided that a Medical Indemnity Form is signed.

Lift Clubs

Please ensure that the School is notified of lift club arrangements, via the Notebook. Please help us by keeping lift club arrangements as simple and unchanging as possible.
The School must be informed in writing of changes to lift club arrangements.
The other adults in the club must be informed of changes or additional charges, i.e. illness or friends to play. THIS IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SCHOOL.
Be prompt in fetching your group.
Limit the size of your lift club - for physical safety and the emotional welfare of your children!

School Fees

School fees are due within the first two weeks of the commencement of each term and are determined annually. You may make arrangements to pay fees monthly or by term. In each instance they are payable within the first two weeks of each month/term.

Please complete the Fee Payment Form according to your choice.
Please note, post-dated cheques are allowed. Fees may also be paid directly into the bank account; these details are provided on the Fee Statement.

One FULL term's notice of withdrawal is required, in writing, in lieu of which a full term's fees are payable. In the event of withdrawal during the year, the Acceptance Deposit is forfeited.
Should payment for the whole year's school fees be received by mid-February a discount of 5% will apply.

As St Martin’s Pre-Primary is a private school, and pre-primary education is non-compulsory, parents are liable for fees without exception. Therefore, School Fees must be paid timeously, i.e. within two weeks of the start of the term or month. In the event of School Fees being more than 60 days in arrears, your child will be asked to leave the School.

Fees are receipted by the School Secretary. Cheques may be put into the child's Notebook, but please write a message in the book to this effect and lift the green "Message Enclosed Flag" at the back of the Notebook.
All receipts relating to fees are stuck into the back of the Notebook.

Insurance

Each pupil shall pay a compulsory insurance levy in the amount of R85.00. This School Insurance Scheme is provided by Alexander Forbes Commercial Services Kwazulu-Natal. Details will be circulated at the beginning of the school year.

After-Care

St Martin’s offers both After-Care and Holiday-Care facilities, under the capable leadership of a qualified teacher. Please speak to the Principal or the School Secretary if you would like to enrol your child.

During term-time there are two possible After-Care sessions; from 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm and from 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm. Casual attendance is also provided.

Children are required to bring their own lunch; parents are asked to provide similar food to that suggested for Snacktime. (An After-Care lunchbox will be debited to your account.) Juice will be provided at lunchtime. A mid-afternoon snack will be served.

Casual After-Care Fees are debited on a monthly basis.

Holiday-Care will be available during the school holidays from 7:30 am - 12:30 pm or from
7:30 am - 5:00 pm.

Holiday-Care is open to pupils of the School. Their siblings, up to the age of 9 years, may be considered in the event of availability of spaces.

It should be noted that the Holiday-Care facility will be closed for the first week of the July school holidays and from mid-December to early-January each year.

Parents' Association

Parents become members of the St Martin's Pre-Primary School Parents' Association when their children enter the School and are invited to attend all meetings and functions.

Volunteers are invited to serve on the Parents' Association Committee. The primary purpose of the Parents' Association Committee is to raise funds for special projects and the purchase of additional equipment.
In turn, the executive of the Parents’ Association Committee serves on the Governing Body of the School.

However, it should be noted that, although, parents are urged to become involved actively in the life of the School, emotionally and in terms of time and fundraising, they are under no duress or pressure to give beyond that with which they feel comfortable or able.

Newsletters

The School sends home regular Newsletters informing you of "what's on the go". In many instances these are accompanied by Reply Slips to establish anticipated attendance and numbers at School and Parents' Association functions.

Please ensure that these are completed and returned to the School timeously, even in the case of nil returns. Our Secretary appeals (urges, begs, cries out!!) to you for assistance in this regard, chasing up late returns is frustrating!

The “Did You Know Board”, situated on the Church Patio, will also keep you abreast of school news and other interesting matters.

Security

Please note that the Church and School Gates are kept locked during the mornings. Parents visiting the School should use the intercoms to gain admission. The Secretary shall answer the intercoms and/or come to the gate. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU CLOSE THE GATE FIRMLY ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN "BUZZED IN", IN THE INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN'S SAFETY.

No child will be allowed to go home with anyone other than his/her parents unless the School is notified via the School Notebook. Emergency arrangements may be made telephonically.

Requirements

1.	A hard-cover notebook, which is used for messages to and from home. Please initial all notes, Newsletters, etc. sent home from School. The Notebook shall be provided by the School and debited to your account.
2.	A standard lunch box. This shall be provided by the School and debited to your account. A second lunch box shall be provided for children in the After-Care Programme.
3.	A school bag. This shall be provided by the School and debited to your account.
4.	Self-help clothing. Each child should be able to dress himself/herself independently. Please avoid clothing with back fastenings, dungarees or the like.
5.	School clothing. You will be debited for a School T-Shirt, Sweat-Shirt and School Hat.
6.	A pair of panties/underpants, in case of accidents. CHILDREN SHOULD, HOWEVER, BE TOILET-TRAINED.
7.	A jersey or top with long sleeves.
8.	A pair of shoes (with velcro fastenings), sandals or slip-slops with an elasticised ankle strap. Shoes must be worn to school everyday, in the interest of independence and self-management. Lace-up shoes are only permissible if your child can tie his/her own laces or the shoes must be threaded with elastic to allow the child to put them on himself/herself. SHOES WITH PLATFORM SOLES, SLIP-SLOPS WITHOUT BACKS AND “HEELIE” ROLLER SHOES ARE NOT ALLOWED. GUM-BOOTS MAY ONLY BE WORN ON RAINY DAYS.

All garments and shoes must be clearly marked with your child's name. The Lost Property Box is situated outside the Big Room door.

Toys

Please do not allow your child to bring toys to School as this causes arguments and heartache! Special toys may be shown to the teacher before Early Morning Ring Time but must be taken home immediately, by parents or the lift-club.

Morning Snack

Your child shall bring his own food to School - please follow the guidelines for a small, healthy snack. The School shall serve juice.
Sweets, chips, popcorn, chewing gum, sweet biscuits and cakes are not allowed.

Please note, the School has a number of "water breaks" included in the Routine, when the teachers ensure that all of the children have a cup of water.

Open Days

There are "Open Mornings" during the first term and fourth term, when parents can visit the School to see what we are doing. A special Grandparents’ Day is set aside in the third term, as is a Helpers’ Day (for your domestic staff) in the fourth term. These days are announced in the Newsletters.

Programme Organisers

An educational theme is selected each term and this is explored in various ways in the School Programme: through lessons, creative activities, etc.
Literacy/Discussion, Life Skills and Numeracy/Discovery Displays relating to the theme are mounted every two weeks.

Parents are encouraged to help with the collection of materials, the loan of appropriate books and pamphlets, or with a little expertise ....

Outings

The Programme Organisers are extended through visits to places of interest in and around Durban. Parents are invited to assist with supervision and transport. Notification of the outings shall be posted in the first Newsletter of each term.

Each child is required to wear shoes and a School T-Shirt/School Sweat-Shirt and a School Hat on outings.

Birthdays

Parents and grandparents are invited to attend their child's special Birthday Ring. This may or may not be on the child’s actual Birthday. It will, however, be on the closest day convenient for the School. Your child's teacher shall contact you to arrange a date and time.

Cup cakes/savoury snacks and chips may be provided as a special treat for your child's group. (1 x cup cake/snack per child and two packets of chips are the usual provisions!)

The Secretary is prepared to distribute party invitations via the Notebooks. Please send them to School timeously, as they will be put into the books on Wednesdays only. Regrettably, we are unable to send out Birthday thank you notes.

Library

The children take home puzzles and books on alternate weeks. Puzzles/Books are returned to the School on TUESDAYS and issued on WEDNESDAYS. Please help your child to remember to bring his/her Library Bag on Tuesdays. (And the Art Bag too!)

Charity Day

A few cents brought to School on FRIDAYS helps us support local charities. Each year the PA Committee chooses a cause for us to support and 10% of all fundraising monies, as well as the charity collection, is donated to the identified charity.

Monday: Anti-Waste Day

As most of our handwork activities depend on the use of anti-waste materials, we would appreciate if you could save the following articles for us. Please bring them on MONDAY MORNINGS.

Cigarette boxes (large and small), match boxes, any "produce" boxes, paper, silver/gold paper, cardboard off-cuts, milk bottle tops, corks, small yoghurt cups, polystyrene trays, apple box packing, egg boxes, washed egg shells, dried tea leaves, Purity bottles, plastic ice cream containers with lids (both 5 lt and 2 lt), Christmas cards, odd pieces of material, wool, buttons, cotton reels, etc.

Anything else that you think may be useful .... Should you know of a factory with interesting
off-cuts/waste items, please let us know.

Re-Cycling

The School has recycling bins for glass, paper, tins, tetrapack and plastic. Items should be thoroughly rinsed before placing them in the bins. Re-Cycling also takes place on MONDAYS.

Creative Opportunities

The School Programme offers your child many opportunities to develop aesthetically through artwork, musical experiences and creative problem-solving; you can enhance this growth and progress through the provision of fine muscle activities. Please allow your child to cut, stick, paint and draw at home ....

Please note, the clothing your child wears to School must allow for this creative process - we explore different paint and art techniques and encourage spontaneous and uninhibited participation. Please take this into account when dressing your child!

Creative activities will go home in your child’s Art Bag on THURSDAYS. Please return the empty bag to the School on TUESDAYS, with the Library Bag.

A point to ponder The St Martin's staff are dedicated to the education and care of your child and we always go that "little bit further". So, please, hand out bouquets as well as brickbats. Constructive criticism is always welcomed in our School but sometimes parents forget to say the "thank yous" too, e.g. for Mother’s and Father’s Day gifts - they would not happen without the thought, planning, organisation and motivation of your child by the staff!. We are only human and we also like to feel appreciated ....

Please speak to any of the Staff if you require further clarification.

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