A 'Soft Start' trial to the School Day

At Dorney School, we are always looking for ways to improve our provision and make the school the best that it can be for each and every one of our pupils.  As part of this drive to be the best, we are going to trial a ‘soft start’ for all pupils.

A ‘soft start’ means that the external classroom doors from the playground will open for pupils at 8:30 am. when the school gates open. The children will immediately enter the cloakroom and classroom via the playground, where their teachers will be waiting with early morning work for them to complete prior to the formal start of school at 8:45 am.

To assist with this, parents will be asked to leave their children at the gate (next to the Year 6 classroom) onto the playground, where a senior leader will be on duty to pass on any messages to teachers.

October 2019

The School Day at Dorney is as follows:

School Day: 8.45 a.m. - 3.15 p.m.

Whole School Morning Break: 10.15 a.m. - 10.30 a.m.

Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 Lunch Break: 12.00 p.m. - 1.00 p.m.

Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 Lunch Break: 12.00 p.m. - 1.00 p.m.

End of School Day: 3.15 p.m.

Children should not arrive at school before 8.30 a.m. unless attending the Early Morning club or are specifically requested to do so.

Pupils arriving after 8.45 a.m. must report to the school office via the front door where an appropriate adult should sign them in. (Parents should endeavour to be on the playground with their child between 8.30 a.m. and 8.40 a.m.) Once again, this is for safety reasons.  Our registers must be accurate at all times, in case of fire and emergency procedures.

Arriving after 8.45 a.m. makes a significant impact to the start of your child’s school day.

We expect pupils to arrive and to be collected punctually at the start and end of each day.

We do not have the facilities, and cannot accept responsibility for children who stay after school unless they are attending a school club.