School Prospectus
We are incredibly proud of every single one of our children here at St Clare’s. We truly feel blessed and privileged that parents choose us to take care of their most precious gift.
We aim to create an exciting, challenging, safe and happy learning environment. Our dedicated staff work together to ensure that every child is valued and supported to achieve all they can, both in their learning and development as young people. We firmly believe every child has the potential to achieve great things. Through working together with our families, every child’s educational journey will be a success – filled with lots of happy and lifelong memories.
Above all we pride ourselves on our achievements and as a family school we offer:-
- Educational and adventurous activities
- We are inclusive, not exclusive – welcoming all faiths
- We offer support for those with special needs
- We encourage children who are able, gifted and talented to develop their strengths
- We create fun and memorable experiences with school trips
- We are fully accessible for children with disabilities
- We are an eco-friendly school
- We like to get involved with our local community
Of course, we would usually welcome everyone to come and visit our school but as you can imagine we are having to run things differently this year. We hope you find the virtual tour helpful and enjoy seeing our children. Please feel free to contact the school should you need any further information.
Does my child have to be Catholic to come to St Clare’s?
No, your child does not need to be a Catholic to join our family. As a Catholic school, we welcome children of all faiths and backgrounds into our community in accordance with our Admissions Policy.
What is the criteria to get into St Clare’s?
You can download our Admissions Policy which details this criteria. Click here.
How does St Clare's support a child’s transition into school?
In the May/June before your child is due to start school, parents are invited to attend a meeting. This provides an opportunity for you to meet Mrs Charnley, the Headteacher, the Staff, and the Parents of the other children who will be starting school with your child. Following this, we hold three sessions where your child will come and visit us, spending time getting to know staff and the other children. These sessions are spent in the Reception classroom, so that the children gain confidence in their new surroundings. Staff will then visit your child at their home so that they can meet your child in a familiar setting. In September, we operate a phased-entry, which helps the children settle into school life. For the first few days, half of the class attend morning sessions, whilst the other half attend afternoon sessions and vice versa for the following days. At the end of the second week, all Reception children start school full-time. We aim to do this on a Friday as they are often very tired and it then gives them the weekend to recover from all the excitement.
How do you settle a child if they seem upset?
We do understand that this can be an unsettling time for parents too. If you feel that your child is experiencing any difficulties, or is particularly upset, please let us know and we will do everything we can to make their start as enjoyable as possible. Generally all children settle quickly after their parents drop them off, but if you are at all worried, then please pick up the phone and call us. We would rather check on your child and reassure you, than have you worrying about your child. When your child starts at St Clare’s they will have a buddy from Year 6 who will play with them at playtimes and sit with them when we go to church. Its amazing how all the children in school remember their buddy from when they started school and many lasting friendships have been formed.
Are there any before and after school clubs?
Here at St Clare’s we feel that complete wrap around care for all children is extremely important; that is why we run our own Before School Club and Mrs McCauley runs an Afterschool Club solely for the use of our school. As the club is owned and run by the school we can ensure excellent value for money whilst keeping the cost to parents as low as possible. Our Before School Club opens at 7:45am with Mrs Donaldson and her team ensuring that the children are well looked after at the start of our busy days. The After School Club runs from 3:20pm to 5.30pm with a snack being offered to all children. You can find out more about Mrs McCauley’s club by contacting her on this number 07879 241099.
