The Ark Prospectus 2017

St Peter’s Ark After School Club Prospectus March 2017 Contact us:- 01253 734658 (During the school day: 8.15am-3.30pm)

The Ark Mobile Number: 07519 333162 – (3pm-6pm) E-mail us at ark@st-peters-pri.lancs.sch.uk Introduction We hope you find this short guide useful. It has been put together to answer some of the questions that you may have. However, if you are unsure of anything or would like to ask any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Club opening times will be Monday – Friday 3.15pm until 6.00pm. Term time only. When there is an early finish at the end of the Autumn and Summer Terms the opening times will be 2pm-5.00pm.

The club is open for St Peters Catholic Primary School children and St Peters Kindergarten children aged 3 to11 years of age.

We decided to call the after school club “The Ark” as we want all the children to feel welcome and cared for in a safe environment.

Our Staff Mrs Angela Heyes (Head teacher) Mrs Michelle Freeland (Afterschool Club Supervisor) Mrs Rebecca Gratrix (Head Play Leader) Mrs Carol Hayhurst (Play Leader) Mrs Susan Stracken (Play Leader/ Cover Supervisor) Mrs Kath Newman (Play Leader) Mrs Carey Thistlethwaite (Play Leader) Mrs Sharon Wilkinson (Play Leader)

Our Aims To provide your children with the very best care possible whilst attending The Ark. To provide a healthy snack (which is not intended to replace the children’s evening meal).      

We will provide a variety of healthy options including fresh fruit, salad and yogurt.

Wraps and crackers are available and the children help themselves to the buffet style snack.

We can provide hot food as in soup or pasta.

We have a selection of cereals as an alternative.

We will provide milk, fruit juice and water to drink.

There will be occasional birthday cake Please ensure that any food allergies or intolerances or special dietary requirements are recorded on the Medical Form and explained to a member of our staff team. Additionally ensure that you give details of symptoms that will be evident and procedures to be followed in an emergency.

To give the children an opportunity to do their homework. 

We wish to give the children the opportunity to complete homework and a quiet place will be set up each session for this. This of course will not be compulsory, and we understand that parents may wish this to be completed at home. Just let us know.

Encourage the children to take part in outdoor activities and get as much fresh air as possible. 

We will provide outdoor equipment to encourage exercise.

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The children will be supervised at all times when playing outside.

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The School Trim Trail can be played on as long as it is deemed safe to do so.

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In the Summer months we can use the school playing field.

To give the children an area to relax and read or just have a rest after a busy day at school. 

We will provide cushions to create a ‘chill out’ area for the children to relax and read in.

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We will have story time to encourage the love of reading and books.

To provide exciting and stimulating areas of creative play both indoors and outdoors. 

We aim to have available on a rota basis the following areas of play.

1. Construction actives: Lego, Knex, Meccano, Duplo, forts and soldiers, track and cars.

2. Small World: Dinosaurs, Barbies, Peppa Pig, Toy shop 3. Craft Table: for painting, drawing, model making, card making etc 4. A Selection of board games/Play dough/crazy sand 5. Dressing up box, den making.

6. We have a Wii console and have access to the school lap tops and I pads.

7. During the Winter months we use the school hall for indoor games and dancing.

We aim to mark special days throughout each term. 

We would like to celebrate your child’s birthday. Every half term we have birthday cake and sing to all the children whose birthdays fall in that period the children get to blow out the candles.

Prayers We aim to encourage the Catholic ethos of the school by providing a prayer box. This is a wooden box that the children have decorated. If the children have any special intentions they would like to pray for they can write it down and post it in the box. We pass all the prayers on to Fr Burns to ask him to pray for the children’s special intentions.

Timetable for “The Ark” A typical session will be as follows: 

We will collect KS1 children from their classrooms and escort them to the Ark class room. The KS2 children will make their own way.

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3.20 Registration.

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3.30 Relax and free time outside play weather permitting or homework

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4.00 Snacks

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4.30 Activities, games, crafting outdoor play

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5.45 Tidy up.

This itinerary is subject to change.

How to register your child/children Admission/application forms can be collected from the school office or downloaded from the school website during normal school times. Booking Forms will be available in advance direct from the Club, or through the school office/website.

The price of each session is £6.50 per child.

Places must be paid for promptly in advance of the new term commencing along with the Booking Form.

Payments can be made by cash, cheque, voucher scheme or School Cash Office online payments. Any additional sessions to those stated on the Booking Form should by paid directly to the club on that day when collecting your child by cash or cheque only.

All booked places must be paid for unless they have been cancelled within one month.

Cancellations can be received at the School Office and on the Ark email address. The School Office will notify the Club of such cancellations.

Safeguarding We are required to know each day if different arrangements are to be made regarding the collection of your children.

A call to the school office that day or a call to “The Ark” direct within the club opening times or a text to the Ark phone will be necessary.

Each child will have a password decided by the parents/carers.

Any person collecting your children will be required to give us the relevant password. If this is not known then we will phone one of your contact numbers to confirm we can let your child leave the club. Please help us in this area by informing “The Ark” of your collection plans if they change.

Parents/Carers must collect their child using the hall door via the KS1 Playground. If the children are using the playground then the gate will be staffed.

Staff Training Our staff have a responsibility to keep up to date with changes in legislation, training and guidance given by OFSTED and the Local Education Authority. They will regularly attend training and development courses to ensure they are always aware of current practices.

Summary We hope you find this guide useful.

If you have any further questions please contact us.

Michelle Freeland Supervisor St Peter’s Ark After School Club