Parent Information

Christian Vision – Together in Community

Built on our Christian values, rooted in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37)

Our Vision, Mission and Values are built on our Christian values and the lessons Jesus shared. They are rooted in and inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan;  the role they played in their community, the confidence and independence it took to step in when others didn’t, the kindness and understanding shown in looking after someone else, the effort and endeavour needed to make a difference.  Taken together, our vision, mission and values provide for pupils to leave with an enduring moral purpose, robust academic skills, positive attitudes to learning, and a strong sense of place and belonging at the heart of the community.  

Click here for our full vision and how it was developed.

Useful Reminders

• Access to the playground is from 8:40am. Children can come into school from 8:45am. Registers are taken at 8.50 am. School ends at 3:20pm.
• Children arriving after 8:50am will need to come into school via the front door where they will be met by a member of staff. A parent/carer must sign them in providing a reason for their lateness, which is recorded;
• Please do not park at the front of the school, including the emergency vehicle access area, at any time.
• If your child is absent for any reason, please telephone the school office or email admin@littlegaddesden.herts.sch.uk with details and their expected date of return.
• Children are not permitted to bring in toys from home unless for a specific activity nor sensory items without agreement from the SENDCo.
• Payments can be made via Arbor. If you need help accessing this please contact the office admin@littlegaddesden.herts.sch.uk
• Please ensure all school uniform/PE kit is clearly named. Any items not named are kept for short time then recycled via our pre-loved sales.
• We encourage children to bring a bottle of water to school especially during hot weather, but please ensure these are not breakable, clearly named and contain only water, not squash or fruit juice.

School Uniform

• Click here for a list of our uniform requirements
• Click here for a link to the latest information from our online uniform supplier and price list.

Emergency School Closures

Emergency school closures will be communicated to parents and carers via the Arbor school information management system as soon as possible. Please ensure your contact details are kept up-to-date so you can be sure to receive emails from us. Information on school closures due to snow and severe weather can be found on the Hertfordshire County Council website via the following link: Emergency School Closures

Support for Children

The school works in partnership with parents to support children in every way possible. However, the Children Act 2004 places a clear responsibility on schools to ensure that they work together with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. As a result, if concerns are raised within the School, or if a child or parent reports a situation involving possible abuse, we would not be able to guarantee confidentiality. The situation would have to be referred to Social Services, in line with Government and Hertfordshire policy.

Absence from School

If your child is unable to attend school, please notify the office by 9:20am each day that your child is absent. 01442 842464 or admin@littlegaddesden.herts.sch.uk. Where possible, we ask that routine dental and medical appointments are not made during the school day.

In line with Department for Education guidelines we do not expect holidays to be taken during term time. Any such absence would normally be recorded as unauthorised absence. (Exceptional circumstances should be discussed with the Headteacher) There are recent changes to the law regarding unauthorised absence and penalty notices. The school receives visits from the School Attendance Officer who monitors pupil absence numbers on a regular basis.

Health and Welfare

The school nurse checks hearing, eyesight, height and weight at selected stages. Some children may receive a full medical examination during their time at school. You will always be informed of full medical inspections and invited to attend. The school nurse is always available, by appointment, either at school or home, if you have any concerns regarding your child’s health and welfare.

If you suspect that your child may be suffering from an infectious disease, such as chicken pox, your G.P. will be able to advise you on the length of time he or she should remain absent from school. If children are sick (vomiting), we request that they are kept away from school for 48 hours after the last time they vomited. Click here for NHS guidance regarding common childhood illnesses and conditions.

Please tell us as soon as possible via phone or email, admin@littlegaddesden.herts.sch.uk ,if your child is going to be absent from school. Phone-calls must be followed up either by email or letter as a record of the reasons for pupil’s absence.

After-school Wraparound Care

From September 2024, we are delighted to be able to offer after school wraparound care provided by CASCADE KIDS. Children will be able to attend either from the end of school or after one of our after-school clubs. Snacks and light tea will be provided, followed by a range of activities.

Our After School Clubs are one of a kind. Children can help themselves to a snack as soon as they arrive before exploring a range of activities and games or settling down to get some homework done. We have teatime at 4:15, followed by an optional activity hour led by one of our excellent activity leaders. Activities change weekly and include options such as zorbs, tag games, bouncy castles, mini archery, football, nerf, VR headsets and many more. Children always have the option to participate in other activities too! They can play in the Construction Zone, get creative in the Creative Zone, do some more activities in the Active Zone or get cozy in the Chill Out Zone and read books, draw or do some homework.  

For more information on After School Clubs, visit www.cascadecamps.com or give us a call on 07395 087250. BOOK NOW

Easyfundraising

The Friends of Little Gaddesden School is registered with Easyfundraising. To find out more about the FOLGS, click here. This is a very simple way to raise money for the school at NO extra cost to you.

Every time you shop online with a participating retailer (this includes all the major online stores like John Lewis, Argos, M&S, Just Eat, Tesco, Pets at Home, etc) you can activate the donation and a small percentage of your total spend will go to the Friends. We really urge everyone to participate in this scheme as it is the simplest way for us to raise money for the school.