There are many ways you can help in school. What you actually do depends upon what staff need at the time and also your own interests or skills. Some of the activities you may be asked to be involved with are:

• General help around the art areas, paint mixing, preparing dough, pencil sharpening, sticking work in books, photocopying, repairing books
• Talking and listening activities with individuals or small groups
• Assisting groups of children with teacher directed activities
• Hearing children read
• Swimming, cookery or games lessons
• Outings

When you will help
Your help is welcome at many different times of the day but obviously will be most beneficial if it can be on a regular basis and arranged in advance with the teacher. It is probably best to start with a short time each week and increase this if you have more free time. It doesn’t have to be a whole morning or afternoon, an hour a week can be very helpful. If it is always the same time, this makes it easier for you to remember and easier for the staff to plan. If for some reason you can’t come to school as arranged, please let staff know, giving as much notice as possible.

Working With Children
When you are working with children you will always be under the supervision of a member of staff who will let you know what you, and the children are to do.

Like all other adults in the school you will have high expectations of the children’s behaviour. They should be courteous, use polite language and listen when others are speaking. Please encourage them to address you by your full title i.e. Mr/Miss/Mrs. If difficulties arise in your relationship with a child, please speak to the class teacher.

Confidentiality
All adults working in school are in a position of trust. Please ensure that you maintain that trust by treating in the strictest confidence anything which you may learn about a child, or another adult, while working in school. Please remember that what you overhear or notice is confidential too and must not be shared with other parents or your own child.

Helping in the Computer Suite
Children use the computer suite on a weekly basis and parental help is valuable during these sessions.

The school has a policy on the use of the ICT suite and we ask all parent helpers to be aware of these guidelines – a copy is enclosed in this booklet.

It is also important that parents do not use the suite except under the direct supervision of their class teacher.

Security/Health and Safety
For security reasons we ask you to enter the school via reception and to sign in and out of the visitors book.

Please make yourself aware of the procedures for fire drills. The secretary will check that all visitors have evacuated the building by referring to the visitor’s book.