The office is open between 08:30 and 16:30. It is staffed by:

Mrs D Markwardt - Office Manager

Mrs G Bastin - Administration Assistant

Mrs T Hatton - Administration Assistant

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How do I register my child to start school?

Parents are advised to begin thinking about the admission of their child to school as soon as possible after their third birthday has passed. To register your child at Benhurst, you are required to call in to complete a form at the school office (forms are not sent out). The office is open between 8.30am to 4.30pm.

2. Who do I inform of a change in contact details?

It may be necessary to contact you urgently. Please make sure that you keep the School Office informed of any change of address, telephone number, place of work, hours of work and work telephone number.

3. What do I do if my child is sick?

On the first day of absence, parents should telephone the school giving the reason for your child?s absence. There is a dedicated absence message line where you can leave information. It is also important that you confirm the reason in writing when your child returns to school.

4. How do I request leave of absence for a holiday?

We hope that family holidays will be arranged in the school holiday periods. Absence for holidays during term time is not an entitlement, but up to 10 days may be authorised at the discretion of the Head Teacher. A ?Holiday Form? must be completed for each child at school and is available from the office to be returned to your child?s class teacher. Requests should be made at least 14 days before the period of absence. In Years 2 and 6 no holiday absence will be authorised during the week of the national tests and should be avoided in the weeks leading up to the tests.

5. What do I do if my child is late for school?

Your child?s punctuality is very important and you may be issued with a Penalty Notice if your child is continuously late. Make every effort to get your child to school on time. Arriving late is disruptive and unsettling for your child and sets a bad example. ALL late arrivals must report to the school office where the parent will be required to complete a form giving reasons for your child?s lateness. This also complies with Health and Safety regulations which require us to record any child arriving on the premises who may have missed registration.

6. What do I do if my child has an appointment during school hours?

If your child has any appointment with an outside organisations, e.g. medical, dental, etc. please inform their class teacher in writing well in advance. Before leaving for an appointment and on return, please report to the school office.

7. What do I do if somebody else is collecting my child?

The school will not release a child to a person who does not normally collect them, unless we have been informed by the parent in advance either by telephone or in writing. We cannot accept verbal messages from the children.

8. If I need to speak to my child?s class teacher, when is the best time?

Parents evenings are the formal occasions, held twice a year in the Autumn and Spring Term, for teachers and parents to exchange information about your child. Should you feel it necessary to speak to a teacher at any other time, please call the school office to make a suitable appointment. Please try to avoid catching teachers just before school or on the classroom doorstep as this is often an extremely busy time. Wherever possible, office staff can convey a message to teachers who will contact you if necessary.

9. How do I obtain school uniform?

Items of uniform bearing the school logo can be obtained from KINDAS SCHOOLWEAR , 23 Station Road, Upminster (tel. no. 01708 223421). Orders can also be placed for these items via the school office at the end of every half-term and are usually available for collection and payment within a week. In the Summer Term we hold a uniform order facility at Open Evening at which the various sizes of uniform are displayed. Items such as trousers, skirts, shirts, blouses and summer dresses can be obtained from a variety of high street shops.

10. How do I obtain lunch tickets?

Lunch tickets are on sale from the Canteen from 8.45am to 9.15am on Monday and Thursday mornings. You may buy as many tickets as you wish ? they do not have an expiry date. Cheques are no longer accepted by Catering Services. You should write your child?s name on tickets immediately as any lost or mislaid tickets will need to be purchased again. Each day you should send your child in with their named lunch ticket in an envelope or named purse, indicating on the ticket which meal they require. If you are unable to purchase tickets directly from the canteen, you can ring 01708 433119, the dedicated dinner ticket line, and pay by debit card. Ticket orders will be e-mailed to the school canteen and tickets will be sent home with your child.

11. How do I find out about after school clubs and provision?

A list of out of session time clubs can be found on the school website under the ?children? section. This list is updated annually and you are advised to speak directly to the member of staff responsible to check availability.