A warm welcome to parents and carers of children who will be starting with us this September. We will use this page to share useful information regarding your child's transition into St Helen's, including introducing you and your child to our classrooms and staff.  Please return the acceptance letter to school as soon as possible to secure your child's place with us. 

There are two online forms listed below that we would like you to complete in order for us to communicate with you in the coming weeks and beyond via a website called Tapestry. This information will also enable us to get in touch with your child's current nursery or pre-school and arrange to visit them as part of the transition process. 

Tapestry is an online learning journal that we will use to introduce you and your child to life at St Helen’s before the summer holiday. We will continue to use Tapestry throughout the year to keep you updated with the learning that your child does with us at school. You will be able to access Tapestry with a username and password that will be shared with you once you have submitted your email address to us using this Google form and by completing GDPR permission form here. 

Tapestry can be accessed on a computer, tablet or mobile phone at www.tapestryjournal.com or via the free Tapestry app which you can download from your App Store. You will then be able to get regular updates, so we can keep in touch before September when your children will join us. If your child already attends St Helen’s nursery there is no need to complete either of the forms. 

During the next few weeks you and your child will be invited to attend sessions in school to meet your child's new teachers and classmates. 

Please make a note of the following dates for your diary: 

Wednesday 22nd May at 4.30pm- Parents are invited to an information session at school. This will introduce you to the adults, routines and expectations ready for September and give you the opportunity to ask any questions. We ask that children are left at home for this if possible please. 

Wednesday 12th June- PM-  Pupils who are new to St Helen's will be invited with one adult to meet the teachers and play in the outside area- Please see the confirmation letter that was emailed to confirm your child's time during this afternoon. 

Tuesday 18th June- Trial school lunch for current St Helen's Nursery children 10:50am- 12:15pm    

OR

Wednesday 19th June- Trial school lunch for children who are new to St Helen's 10:50am- 12:15pm

 One adult may join your child so they can try a school lunch at 10.50am, followed by time to explore the Reception classrooms. Parents must pre-order their child's meal in order to take part in this. 

Wednesday 26th June- PM- Following the above visits, children will be placed into their classes and they will be invited into school for a brief ‘meet the teacher’ session in the afternoon. Adults are encouraged to leave their child for this visit. Exact timings for this session will be confirmed at a later date. 

If you have any concerns or questions about your child joining school. You will also receive an information pack with details of all the important information to help you prepare for September.  

Free school meal applications - As a school, we can receive additional funding if your child is entitled to free school meals. Please follow this link to go to the Suffolk local authority website where you can make an application to see if you are eligible for free school meals. Even if you are unsure of your eligibility, we would very much appreciate your application, as it could generate extra income for the school.