An estimated one-third of children have a social media account so it is important that trusted adults know what content they are consuming online.

Please take a look at the video below, which shares useful tips about how to make sure your child is safe online over the Christmas period:

i-vengers Christmas on Vimeo

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme - Important Information 

What is the Holiday Activities and Food Programme? 

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF), funded by the Department for Education, provides free holiday club sessions.  The free holiday clubs offer a wide range of activities, including sport, dance, drama, song writing and trips during the Easter, summer and winter school holidays. Children will also receive a nutritious meal whilst at the club. 

Who is the Holiday Activities and Food Programme for? 

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is for school aged children from Reception to Year 11 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

How do I book a place for my child? 

From winter 2023, to book a place on the Holiday Activities and Food Programme you will require a unique code to prove that your child is eligible for benefits-related free school meals.  

We advise parents or carers of children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals to apply for their Derby HAF code before 22 November 2023.  This will ensure you can book your child’s place on the winter HAF programme with ease.  

How do I get my unique Derby HAF code? 

To apply for a Derby HAF code, scan the QR code below or complete the online form available at https://forms.office.com/e/vEzBxnZ7Ck 

What information do I need to apply for a code? 

The online form is easy to complete, and parents or carers will require:  

• Parent’s address and contact information 
• Parent’s National Insurance Number  
• Each Child’s name, address and date of birth 

On completion of the online form, eligible parents and carers will receive an email with their Derby HAF code for each child within 5 working days.  

When can I book a place? 

Bookings for winter 2023 will open in mid-November, more information and the booking page can be found at www.derby.gov.uk/derbyHAF. Places for the Derby HAF programme are limited, and bookings will only be accepted with a Derby HAF code.   

School staff worked incredibly hard last year to improve our pupil attendance and we ended the year on nearly 95% (the national average is 94.9%).

 It is really important that children attend school everyday and I would encourage you to send your child if they are not feeling 100% well—we will always give you a call if we feel they are not well enough to remain in school. Just to reiterate, I cannot authorise any holidays during term time—the government has made school attendance a priority.  If you should need to take time off during term time please complete a leave of absence form available via the school office.

A reminder that school doors open at 8:40am, ready for a prompt start to learning at 8:50am.  There will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team available each morning on the gates to greet you. We ask that any non-urgent messages are passed either through Dojo or via the adult on door duty. Teachers will be busy preparing their teaching sessions and will not have time to deal with these.