School handbook

If your child is unable to attend school due to illness or a family commitment, you must either call the school or submit a digital leave form via the School Bytes app. Alternatively a signed and dated note can be given to the classroom teachers or school office.

Students must attend school every day, unless:

• they are too sick to leave the house

• they have an infectious disease e.g. chicken pox, mumps, measles or whooping cough, influenza or COVID-19. 

• students are on family holidays which cannot be arranged during school vacations. An application for leave will need to be made via the 'Application for Extended Leave - Travel' form in School Bytes. 

Please notify the school as soon as possible if your student will be absent via the 'Absentee Form' in the forms section of School Bytes.

Students arriving after 9:00 am will be marked as being late on the school roll. Late arrivals can be disruptive for others and should be avoided where possible.

8.35 am gates open

9:00 am classes commence

11:00-11:35 am recess

1:00-1:40 pm lunch 

3:00 pm end of the school day

3.30 pm office closes

If you need to collect your child during school hours, please be aware that the school gates are locked and you will need to call the school office on 6359 5259 so we can arrange for them to leave class and meet you at the gate.

All early leavers and late arrivals are marked on the roll and a reason needs to be provided. 

Late arrivals and early departure is disruptive for other students and should be avoided where possible.

Our school communicates with parents and the community in several ways including newsletters, Facebook, emails, SMS and the School Bytes application. Our main communication is via the School Bytes parent portal.

The curriculum is defined in terms of six key learning areas (KLAs) set by NSW Education Standards Authority:

• Creative Arts

• English

• Mathematics

• Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) (History and Geography)

• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PD/H/PE)

• Science and Technology

Parents are asked to complete the enrolment processes for the following year’s intake by the end of Term 2 or as soon as possible. We ask that you use the online enrolment app. 

If you need assistance, please contact our office on 02 6359 5259.

The online enrolment is for:

• students living in NSW who are:

• Australian citizens

• Australian permanent residents

• New Zealand citizens

• the following types of enrolment:

• local enrolments at NSW Government schools

• out-of-area expressions of interest at NSW Government schools

At Meadow Flat Public school, we encourage students to make responsible choices when eating. Providing your child with nutritious and healthy foods during the day will ensure that their energy levels will remain high and assist them with concentration in class. Please ensure that your child has enough food for both recess and lunch, although please do not overload your child’s lunch box.

Crunch and sip:

We encourage your child to have a clearly labelled plastic drink bottle containing water in the classroom. This encourages healthy drinking habits and enables your child to keep their fluids up! Your child may leave their bottle on their table or in a designated spot throughout the day.

Students have healthy eating breaks during the morning session. We ask that you pack your child some cut up fresh fruit or vegetables to eat at our morning fruit break.

Canteen 

We run canteen fortnightly at a cost of $5.00 per student. A Year 6 Fundraiser canteen day is held once per Term at the cost of $6.00. Orders are placed through the School Bytes portal by 3:00 pm Fridays. Parent volunteers are always welcomed – please contact the office if you are interested in helping with canteen!

Reports are sent home end of Term 2 and Term 4. Parent teacher interviews are held in Term 1. During this meeting teachers and parents share information about the child, note the strengths of the child and discuss areas for development. 

If you would like to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher at any other time during the school year, please call the office and make an appointment. Parents should not talk to the teacher when they are rostered on playground supervision.

Library borrowing occurs on Wednesdays and students are encouraged to borrow a variety of texts from the library. Reading is a very important part of our school curriculum. We encourage you to read with your child, for them to read to you or to read independently. This is intended to be a pleasurable activity and to enhance your child’s interest in reading. Please ensure that your child has their own clearly labelled library bag.

Sometimes it is necessary for medications to be administered to a child at school. Parents are required to completed the 'Medications and health conditions' form in School Bytes before we can administer medications – tablets or creams. Please ensure that the medication is in the original packaging and is clearly labelled with the medication type, student’s name and dosage. If it is an ongoing arrangement please see your local pharmacy to have the medication put into a blister pack.

Asthma Management

All students with asthma must provide the school with an up-to-date Asthma Management Plan available from your family doctor. Parents/ guardians are responsible for ensuring their children have an adequate supply of appropriate asthma medication (including a spacer) with them at school at all times.

Allergies and Anaphylaxis

If your child has a severe allergy or anaphylactic condition, please notify the school as soon as possible and ensure that the school has a copy of your child’s ASCIA Plan and an EpiPen if required. 

Everything sent to the school for the class teacher or office should be in an envelope clearly marked with the child’s name, grade and purpose. We ask that students place their envelope in the mail box inside the door of the office. This will be emptied by office staff by the end of the day.

We prefer online payments using the School Bytes app as it costs us money to have a courier to collect monies sent in to school. 

The Parents and Citizen’s Association (P&C) meets at the school twice a term. The role of the P&C is to be the parent representative body within the school community.

Payments for P&C based activities and fundraising are to be made separately to the school accounts. They are to be made with cash only, clearly labelled with the student’s name and that it is for the P&C. Do not make P&C payments via the School Bytes app. 

Smart or connected devices, including but not limited to smartwatches, mobile phones, wearables, and tablets, are not permitted to be worn or brought to school.

This policy is in place to ensure a focused and distraction-free learning environment for all students. We kindly ask for your cooperation in adhering to this rule.

If there are any exceptional circumstances that require a student to have a device with them, please contact the school administration in advance to discuss possible accommodations. Students that need to have a device at school are requested to deliver it to the school office when they arrive at school and pick it up when they leave at 3.00pm. School staff are unable to monitor these devices during school hours.

Thank you for your understanding and support in maintaining a conducive learning environment for all students.

At Meadow Flat Public School, we hold a presentation in Term 4. This is a great opportunity for the students, staff, families and community to come together and celebrate the success of all our students. 

All students begin school on 1 Feburary in 2024.

Term 1 (Eastern) – Tuesday 30 January to Friday 12 April 
School Development Days 30 and 31 January. Students return 1 February.

Term 2 – Monday 29 April to Friday 5 July
School Development Day 29 April. Students return 30 April.

Term 3 – Monday 22 July to Friday 27 September
School Development Day 22 July. Students return 23 July.

Term 4 – Monday 14 October to Friday 20 December
School Development Days 19 December and 20 December.  Students' last day 18 December.

Meadow Flat Public School has the policy 'no hat = play in the shade' during Term 1 and 4. We have this policy to ensure students wear their school hat whilst outside on the playground. It is also advisable that your child has SPF 30+ sunscreen applied to exposed skin in term 1 and 4.

Transport NSW contracts our school bus services to our local bus operator, Mrs. Sue Brooking. She can be contacted on 0409 712 267. 

Sue will provide you with pick up points, collection and drop off times. Application forms may be submitted here.

Occasional bus travel

If your child’s usual travel arrangements change and you wish to have them travel to or from school via bus, please contact the bus drivers to ensure there is a spare seat available for your child. We also ask that you inform the school of any changes to routine so that we can make sure the teacher on bus duty is aware.

Families that live 1.6km or more from a bus stop are eligible for School Dive Subsidy payments from Transport NSW. 

In 2024, the school uniform us undergoing a review. Please check with the school office about any changes before you order items. 

All students are expected to wear full school uniform. Our uniform polos and fleece jumpers are supplied by Lithgow Workwear in Lithgow. Tunics can be ordered from Grace’s Uniforms.

Hats and backpacks are available to purchase from the school office. Our school hats are numbered so we can track its correct owner. The P&C donate a hat to every new Kindergarten student.  

Summer uniform:

Girls

• Tunic, white shirt, white socks and black shoes

  or

• Black skorts or shorts, red polo shirt, white socks and black shoes.  (Bike shorts or leggings are not acceptable as part of our uniform.)

Boys

Grey shorts, red polo shirt, grey socks and black shoes.

Winter Uniform

Girls

• Tunic, white shirt, black tights/stockings, black shoes and a red polar fleece jumper

  or

• Black trackpants, red polo shirt, white socks and black shoes and a red polar fleece jumper. (Bike shorts or leggings are not acceptable as part of our uniform.)

Boys

Grey trackpants, red polo shirt, grey socks and black shoes red polar fleece jumpers.

Sport - (unisex)

Summer
Black shorts, white polo shirt and joggers.  (Bike shorts or leggings are not acceptable as part of our uniform.)

Winter
Black trackpants, white polo shirt, red jumper and joggers. (Bike shorts or leggings are not acceptable as part of our uniform.)

Lost Property:

Please ensure all items of clothing, food containers, hats and bags are clearly labelled with your child’s name. This will ensure that we are able to return lost items to their correct owners.  Lost property is kept in the classroom or in the office.

Scripture lessons take place 5 times a term for up to 45 minutes. The lessons are given by a church appointed teacher. Scripture is not compulsory and we also run a non scripture class. 

Parents need to opt in to scripture classes.  To change your preferences please visit this page.

Fitness sessions occur daily and consist of short sessions of physical activity. Wednesday is our sports day and students need to wear their sports uniforms. 

Our school is part of the Bathurst Small Schools Association. This is made up of 6 small schools in the Bathurst area. We combine our schools to run our swimming carnival, athletics carnival, gala days, cross country and to form sporting teams. Students who turn 8 years or older are involved in NSW Primary School Sports Association pathways. 

It is vital that student information is kept current. We ask that any changes to address, contact numbers, medical information etc. are provided to the school via the 'Change of details' form in the School Bytes parent portal. 

*Important*

If there is a court order which prevents anyone having contact with your child, please let us know of the details.

Parents can assist in the day to day operations of the school by:

• Contacting the office to leave a message or make an appointment with your child’s teacher to have discussions at a time that is mutually acceptable.

• Ensuring names are on your children’s property (especially school uniforms) so that lost items can be returned to their owners;

• If any issues arise, please contact your child’s classroom teacher first, as they know the day-to-day activities and incidents as they happen; and 

• Supporting school fundraising activities as money raised by the Parents and Citizens Association is spent on supporting our students in their learning. The school welcomes your contribution.

Our students travel to Bathurst Aquatic Centre for lessons via bus. Students participate in two lessons a day over 4 days in Term 4. We are fortunate to have a supportive P&C that donate half of the swimming cost per student, reducing the cost for families. This is reviewed each year. 

School finishes at 3:00 pm and the buses leave at 3:05 pm. Please be prompt in picking up your child if they aren’t catching a bus. Make sure your child knows who will be collecting them each afternoon. Children can get upset if you or someone else picking them up comes late.

No child should leave the school grounds unless accompanied by an adult.

Children who catch the bus will assemble in the bus lines on school grounds and will walk with a teacher to the gate.

Children who are being picked up are walked by a teacher to the gate after buses have left the grounds. Parents are unable to come into the school grounds and collect their children as the school gates are always locked. Children are not to walk by themselves to the cars of their parents or carers. We must insist on this to ensure the safety of the children. 

Parents are asked not to park in the bus turning circle to collect their students. Please park in the road verge along Morell Street and walk your child safely to your vehicle.

Children should arrive at school no earlier than 8.35 am. Teacher supervision of children begins at 8.35 am until the commencement of the school day at 9.00 am. We run a breakfast club most mornings beginning at 8:35. Arrival at school should be ten to fifteen minutes before school begins. This allows children to benefit from the social and play aspects of school life. It is very important that each child is at school ready for the commencement of the school day. Late arrivals cause distractions and can waste time when instructions need to be repeated.