Drop-off and Pick-up Arrangements

Our Burlington Road pedestrian gate (by Champion Timber) opens in the morning at 8.25am. Nursery children start at 8.30am and Reception to Year 6 children can enter school between 8:35am and 8:55am for a 'soft start'. Parents and carers are asked to wait in the playground with children attending nursery to year 5. Year 6 can be given permission to walk themselves to and from school but they cannot be responsible for younger siblings.

To ease congestion in the playground we operate a one-way system. Parents and carers are asked to enter through the Burlington Road gates and exit through the car park gates. Please stay inside the sectioned-off pedestrian route which avoids the barrier and any vehicles moving in the car park.

Gates are closed at 8.55am promptly and any arrivals after this point must report to the school office. Registers are taken at 8.55am and closed at 9.00am. Any child who arrives at the office between 8.55am and 9.00am receives a green card to hand to their teacher to say they have been registered at the office. Children arriving in class between 9.00am and 9.30am will be marked as late. Anyone arriving after 9.30am will be given an unauthorised absence for the morning session.

In the afternoon the gates will open at 3:10pm for a 3:15pm finish for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Year 3 to Year 6 finish at 3.20pm and Nursery finishes at 3.30pm. We ask everyone to help us by clearing the playground promptly as the gates will be locked at 3.30pm as the front playground is used for after-school clubs.

Children will only be dismissed to their parents/carers or the adults who normally collect them. Pupils must not leave their teacher until they and the teacher has seen the adult who is picking them up. Please notify the school office if if someone else is allowed to pick your child up on a regular basis or for a one-off. Teachers cannot speak to parents over the phone in the playground about alternative collection arrangements. This is to safeguard your children.

Children who have not been picked up by 3.30pm will wait in the medical room. Please collect them from the office. If children are not collected by 3.40pm they may be placed in after-school club and parents will be charged accordingly.

School Opening Hours

The school day for Reception to Year 6 is 6.5 hours a day and 32.5 hours a week.

The school office is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Do you drive to school?

• There is no access to Sacred Heart's Car Park for parents/carers at drop-off and pick up unless this has been agreed in advance with the Headteacher for exceptional circumstances.
• There are painted zig-zag and double yellow lines along Burlington Road and there should be no stopping or parking in these areas.
• Our neighbours at Champion Timber have asked us to remind parents not to use their car park as it is not a safe place for children and is for customers only.
• If you do park in local streets, please park considerately and do not block access to residents’ driveways.

Please set a good example to the children by obeying these rules. We appreciate that it can be difficult to park near the school, but parking irresponsibly puts children at risk. Please allow extra time to park away from the school and walk round with your child.​

We understand that driving children to school is often necessary for parents with busy lives, but if you are driving a short distance and walking is a real option we would urge you to consider walking to school. It is an opportunity for children to develop vital road safety skills, build up confidence and learn the ability to manage risk walking around their local community.