TTS Infant Parent Handbook

Tanglin Trust School Infant School Parent Handbook 2020-2021

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CONTENTS Welcome from the Head of Infant School

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Infant School Leadership Team (ISLT)

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Absence from School

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Uniform

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What Should Children Bring to School?

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Lunchtimes and Snacks

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Lost and Found

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Infant School Daily Routine

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Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

15

School Buses

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Changes to Going Home Arrangements

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Communication with Parents

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Reporting to Parents

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Open Morning Sessions

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Outdoor Education

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Co-Curricular - CCAs/SRCs

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Birthdays

22

Parent Volunteers

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The Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

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Health Centre

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Library

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Welcome from the Head of Infant School Dear Parents, I am delighted to welcome you to the Infant School and I hope that you and your family settle in as quickly as possible. As a Junior and Senior parent myself, I am conscious of how overwhelming it can be for both children and parents when starting a new school. I hope this guide will help answer some of your questions.

Our children are exposed to an abundance of amazing opportunities at Tanglin. In order for you to keep up to date with all of the important announcements and messages, please read our newsletter In Touch which is sent out each Friday via email. Reading the Infant School section will ensure you do not miss any important upcoming activities or events.

Once your child has started at Tanglin, your class teacher will send home a bookmark which will explain which books your child will come home with and which days they need to be returned. This will also include information about PE lessons, so you will know which days to send your child with the appropriate kit.

You may hear us refer to the Early Years or EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) which refers to Nursery and Reception. We sometimes refer to Year 1 and Year 2 as Key Stage 1.

I hope you enjoy being part of the Infant School and I look forward to seeing you around the school.

Paula Craigie Head of Infant School

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Infant School Leadership Team (ISLT)

Ms Paula Craigie Head of Infant School paula.craigie@tts.edu.sg Mrs Jo Osman Deputy Head of Infant School jo.osman@tts.edu.sg Miss Angela Dawson Assistant Head of Infant School angela.dawson@tts.edu.sg Mrs Victoria Thomas Head of Nursery victoria.thomas@tts.edu.sg Miss Sonya Stevens Head of Reception sonya.stevens@tts.edu.sg Mr Fraser Brill Head of Year 1 fraser.brill@tts.edu.sg Mrs Rebecca Whelan Head of Year 2 rebecca.whelan@tts.edu.sg Mrs Pauline Van Eyk Head of Learning Support pauline.vaneyk@tts.edu.sg You can email any member of staff by using the following email structure: firstname.surname@tts.edu.sg Infant School Office: +65 6778 5577 or email infant.school@tts.edu.sg.

Absence from School

If your child is absent due to illness, please email your child’s class teacher before 7.45am or the Infant School office if after 7.45am.

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Uniform

All Infant children wear a uniform which can be purchased from the School Shop, on Level 3 of the Nixon Building. All uniform items should be clearly labelled with your child’s full name.

All of the following items (apart from shoes) are available to buy in the School Shop: Boys’ Uniform • Cotton seersucker shirt in Tanglin plaid design, worn outside shorts • Dark blue knee-length shorts • White socks • Black or dark blue leather shoes (not trainers or sports shoes).

Girls’ Uniform • Cotton seersucker dress or skort in Tanglin plaid design • White socks • Black or dark blue leather shoes (not trainers or sports shoes) • Simple hair accessories, ribbons or clips in black, blue, red, green or Tanglin plaid (available from the School Shop).

Jewellery (other than for religious significance or a simple analogue watch), nail polish and temporary tattoos should not be worn.

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PE • Red cotton Tanglin PE T-Shirt, worn outside shorts • Blue cotton shorts • Trainers (white or coloured but must not have flashing lights).

Swimming One or two piece (top and shorts) SunSmart swimsuit (not compulsory for Nursery).

Your child will also need: • Red brimmed hat (which stays in school and is sent home at the end of term) • Tanglin backpack • Lunch bag • Reading folder – to protect books.

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What Should Children Bring to School?

• Red brimmed school hat and reading folder • Official Tanglin backpack • Nursery children should also bring in spare underwear in a Ziploc or similar bag (with their name on) in case it gets wet at school • Lunch and healthy morning snack in lunch box / bag which is clearly labelled with the child’s name *Please note that Tanglin has a no nuts and no sesame seeds policy

Children are not required to bring water bottles to school as water is provided in individual cups in the classroom. However, children are permitted to bring in an empty, named water bottle if preferred.

Please apply mosquito repellent and sunscreen to your child before school.

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Lunchtimes and Snacks

Infant children should bring a snack for mid-morning and a packed lunch.

Meals / snacks are not provided by the school.

Parents of Year 2 students can opt for their child to receive a school packed lunch. These should be ordered and purchased in advance via the online Parent Portal.

We encourage parents to send their child to school with a healthy snack and lunch and we do not encourage sweets, chocolate or sugary items as snacks.

Instead, parents should consider fruit, cheese, crackers, raisins, yoghurt or sandwiches. Foods which could be considered as a choking hazard when whole, such as cherry tomatoes or grapes, should be cut into smaller pieces.

Please note that Tanglin is a no-nuts zone. We urge everyone to ensure that no nuts, nut products, or products containing sesame are brought in from home.

If your child has any food allergies, please advise your child’s class teacher and the Infant Health Centre at the beginning of term.

Lost and Found

Please ensure that all items your child brings into school are clearly labelled with your child’s name so that lost property can be returned. Any unnamed items will be taken to the Lost Property Office, located opposite the Junior School Office.

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Infant School Daily Routine Nursery School hours for children are from 9.00am until 1.50pm, although Nursery children have the option to finish at midday. The children can stop for snack between 9.00-10.30am. Each Nursery classroom has adjoined toilet facilities and children are encouraged to use these as and when they need to. All Nursery children must be toilet-trained before they join Tanglin.

From 8.45am Children may proceed directly to classrooms on arrival 9.00am Day begins with registration 9.00-10.30am Children are able to stop to eat a snack 12.00pm Children going home for lunch can be collected from their classrooms where a Teaching and Learning Assistant is supervising.

12.00-1.50pm Lunch and playtime 1.50pm Teachers lead children to 1.50pm buses. Children going home by car should be collected from their classrooms at 1.40pm where a TLA is supervising

Reception – Year 2 School hours for children are from 7.55am until 1.50pm - with a mid-morning break between 9.30am and 10.10am, and a lunch break between 12.10pm and 12.50pm.

From 7.30am Children proceed directly to classrooms Children arriving before 7.30am should wait with an adult until the doors to the Infant School open at 7.27am 7.55am Day begins with registration 8.00am Lessons begin 9.30am Reception and Year 1 Year 2 9.45 / 9.50am – Reception and Year 1 10.05am 9.45am Year 2

Snack time Outdoor play Outdoor play Return to class and commence snack

10.10am Lessons resume 12.10pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2:

Lunch and outdoor play

12.45pm End of lunch time 12.50pm Lessons resume 1.50pm Teachers lead children to buses. Deputy Headteachers and TLAs lead children to Gate C Drop Off 1 and supervise pick-up.

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Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

Nursery children can be dropped off at class from 8.45am. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 may be dropped off from 7.30am.

Children who arrive by car are greeted by the Deputy Head of School.

Children who arrive by bus are met off the bus by the Head of School and Assistant Head of School.

Nursery children are greeted by the TLAs and escorted to their classrooms in small groups.

Parents collecting their Nursery child at midday should wait by the benches outside the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) playground for a teacher to bring the children outside.

Nursery children who stay for a full day may be collected from their classroom at 1.40pm.

Parents collecting Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 children should wait in the Infant Walkway outside of the Early Years playground.

School Buses

Every school bus has a "bus aunty" who ensures the safety and wellbeing of children on the bus during their journey to and from school. Bad language and any misbehaviour will be reported to the school.

The school bus service is provided by KAL Transport and they should be contacted directly to arrange your child’s bus transport.

Transport Service Provider (KAL Transport Pte Ltd) KAL Transport Office is located on the ground floor of the Infant School.

Open Monday to Friday: 7.00am - 4.30pm Email: KALtransport@tts.edu.sg Tel: +65 6776 7371 (no messages please) Tanglin Transport Services Manager (Helen Edmonds) Email : transportservices@tts.edu.sg Tel: +65 6770 3503 A list of bus routes can be found on the Tanglin Trust School website (www.tts.edu.sg) under School Life/Transport/Bus Handbook.

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Changes to Going Home Arrangements Communication with Parents

If you would like to make a one-off change to your child’s going home arrangements (if they are being collected by car instead of their usual bus journey, for example) then please use the Change of Transport Form, which can be found on the homepage of the Parent Portal. This should be completed and sent into school with your child on the day of the change.

Every family is emailed with a username and password for the Parent Portal once they have joined the school. A one-stop shop for all information regarding Tanglin, it features "Quick links" to the school calendar, contact directory, and other relevant sections. Training sessions for the portal are run by the Marketing and Communications Team at the beginning of each term.

In Touch This e-Newsletter is "everything you need to know about your child’s school" and is sent out every Friday. In Touch includes a key message from the CEO, Heads of School or other staff members, as well as links to in-depth information about each school and year group. This newsletter covers important dates, whole-school announcements, and community news and events.

Parents should check In Touch each week for announcements regarding their child's year group.

The Voice This biannual magazine celebrates Tanglin and is published in Term 1 and Term 3. Free to read, it is available from magazine stands around the campus.

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Reporting to Parents

Mid-way through Term 1 and Term 2, parents will be invited to a Parent Teacher Conference (PTC) where they will have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress and next steps one-on-one with the teacher. At the end of Term 1, Year 1 and Year 2 parents will receive a progress report for their child. In Term 3, all parents will receive a full report of their child’s progress across the year.

In the Infant School, children use an app called Seesaw to record and reflect upon their learning. As a parent you will receive login details so you can share this learning journey with your child at home.

Open Morning Sessions

Once every term, parents will be invited into their child’s classroom to see their child’s learning journey (Year 1 do not have an Open Session in Term 2 due to their concert performance). This is an opportunity for parents to participate in an activity with their child and spend time in the classroom.

Infant School children are introduced to the world around them through a variety of imaginative and exciting opportunities outside of the classroom. At

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Outdoor Education

At Tanglin, we believe children benefit socially, physically and even academically from spending time amongst nature.

Due to travel restrictions in Singapore related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently unable to confirm outdoor education experiences for the upcoming academic year. However, opportunities in the previous year have included: Nursery – Labrador Park (Term 1) and Chinese Garden (Term 2) Reception – Ghim Moh Wet Market (Term 1) and Singapore Zoo (Term 3) Year 1 – West Coast Park (Term 1) and Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden (Term 2) Year 2 – Sungei Buloh (Term 1) and Boat Quay (Term 2).

Heads of Year will notify parents of any upcoming Outdoor Education trips via In Touch (the school's e-Newsletter sent out each Friday), including details of what the children should bring with them. The dates of the trips are also available to view on the calendar of the Parent Portal.

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Co-Curricular - CCAs/SRCs

There are a range of lunchtime and after-school activities for Tanglin children to take part in.

Activities facilitated by external providers are called Sports and Recreation Clubs (SRCs) and are available for children from Nursery to Year 2. Some of these activities are onsite and some are off-site. To view the activities, please log on to the Parent Portal and click on Co-Curricular / Sports & Recreational Clubs.

Activities facilitated by Tanglin are called Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) and are available for children from Year 1 onwards.

In Year 1, children are given the opportunity to take part in the Taster Choir during Term 3, so they can experience a choral activity before entering Year 2.

In Year 2, children are given the opportunity to take part in a Balls Skills and Games CCA after school. Year 2 children are also offered lunchtime music ensembles each term. Towards the end of Term 3, Year 2 children are able to sign up for taster CCAs which form part of the transition programme to the Junior School. You can read more details about CCAs on the Parent Portal under Co-Curricular / Infant Activities Once CCAs are open for registration, parents will be notified via In Touch.

Registration then takes place via our online booking system called CHQ. CHQ is accessed by logging onto the Parent Portal and clicking the CHQ button on the homepage.

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Birthdays

Children can bring in cut fruit, small cupcakes or iced biscuits to share with their friends on their birthday. Teachers / TLAs are happy to distribute party invitations if every child in the class is invited.

Parent Volunteers

There are many opportunities for parents to help within the classroom and your child’s teacher or class representative will inform you of these at the beginning of each term. When visiting the school, all parents should wear their Parents Community ID Card on its blue lanyard to gain entry to the campus.

Friends of Tanglin

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Friends of Tanglin brings together the Tanglin community in an international expatriate setting. Friends of Tanglin welcomes new families to the school, organises community events such as the Summer Fete and the Christmas Fair, liaises with class representatives and facilitates Parent Voice forums; these give parents the opportunity to raise issues or make suggestions for improvement and development. There are regular opportunities for parents to get involved with the school so please do keep your eye on In Touch if you would like to volunteer your time.

ParentWise

Health Centre

Tanglin's ParentWise Programme was established to enable our community to connect with the school and provide a toolkit for Tanglin parents and carers to gain knowledge, increase confidence and seek assurance.

ParentWise courses, information sessions and workshops cover four main themes: Educational and Curriculum Support, Parent and Student Wellbeing, Hot Button Topics and Inspirational Speakers. Sign up to ParentWise events is via the Parent Portal.

The Infant Health Centre is open from 7.30am-2.30pm and a School Nurse is available at all times should a child fall sick or have an injury. If a child becomes unwell at school, they will be taken to the Health Centre by their Teacher or TLA. If the Nurse feels it is necessary, the parents will be contacted to collect the child.

The Health Centre will alert parents if there is an illness circulating around a particular year group.

If your child is ill or has a temperature of 37.5°C or higher, please keep them at home until they are fever-free without the use of medication for 48 hours.

Library

The Infant Library is on the second floor of the Infant School and is open from 7.30am till 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and on Friday until 3.30pm.

Children are able to change their books before school each morning and Year 2 children are welcome to visit the Library in their morning break playtime from Monday to Thursday.

Parents and helpers are welcome to come along with their children between 1.50pm and 3.00pm to share stories, help with home learning or to borrow new books.

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95 Portsdown Road Singapore 139299 t: +65 6778 0771 f: +65 6777 5862 w: www.tts.edu.sg

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