Welcome to our starting school page.
 

On this page you’ll find some useful information to help your child be ready in September.  It is a strange year and we are adapting things as we go, so please check back here to see the page expand. 

Frequently Asked Questions.

What is the start date for new F2 in September 2021?

Each child will have their own start date. We will provide this information as soon as possible but will only be able to accept children on their given date.  
 

We need to bring children into school in small groups, so we can help them get used to the environment and show them the routines. We will be doing it quicker, this year, as we have a slightly later start date for F2.  All children will be in school by the end of that week. 

Will the children be wearing school uniform?
 

Yes, we expect all children to wear school uniform.  It would be useful and safer it it can be cleaned more regularly, so have at least one spare uniform ready to go. 
 

Do all children have a free lunch?

Yes. From foundation 2 to year 2 children are currently entitled to a free lunch.
 

It is still hugely important that all parents complete our online free school meal eligibility checker. If you are entitled to it then you get free milk, trips at a reduced cost (right across school) and our school also benefits too (with extra funding).  If there is another lockdown then you will also receive a voucher to pay for meals (Asda, Tesco, Iceland etc). You won’t if you don’t fill in the form and have your application accepted. 

Fill in the form via this link, asap:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims-wirral

You will receive an answer very quickly and we can automatically add you to our list. 
 

Even if you have a job then you should complete the online form as it will continue to check until you become eligible or your child leaves school. We never know what the future holds. 

My child is in a different class to his friends, will he get to see them?

There are 60 children in the foundation unit and it runs in a continuous provision format, so children can move around the areas freely (when in a normal routine). The children will be able to play together and create together. Sometimes there are more formal sessions led by staff, which require certain children to be in groups, so at that point they may not be together. 
 

Will do my child be full time when they start school?

Yes. All children will attend school full time from their ‘given starting date’.  Letters have been posted out to all children informing them of their start date and which class they will be in.  

The two Foundation 2 classes are:

F2C – Mrs Caldicott 

F2D – Mrs Davies with Miss Evans

If you have misplaced your letter, please email the school office

schooloffice@bidstonavenue.wirral.sch.uk and we will be able to notify you of your child’s starting date.  

As of the start of the autumn term, you will also be to contact the school office: 0151 652 1594 

What are the times of the school day for Foundation 2 children?

Currently, children in F2 will attend school from 8:45am – 3:10pm.  

Which entrance should my child use to come into school?

F2 children will need to enter school via Tollemache Road; coming into school past the main school office and around to the YELLOW DOTS at the infant yard gate.  F2 children will then come into the Foundation Unit through the gate of the F2 outdoor area.  

Parents/carers will then exit school via the sloped path, back onto Tollemache Road.  

At the end of the school day, F2 children will leave school through the gate of the F2 outdoor area and exit via the sloped path onto Tollemache Road. Parents will queue in the same way they rought the child in. Please note that 2 metre distancing will be in place.

Will there be a transition visit for my child before they start school in September?

We are very much hoping to arrange transition visits before our new F2 children start attending school in September 2021.  Currently, we aim to arrange visits for small groups of children in the weeks commencing 5th July 2021 or 12th July 2021.  During these visits, the children will be able to meet the F2 team, have a look around the Foundation Unit and the outdoor area.

Unfortunately, we are only able to allow our new F2 children to attend these transition visits. 

Please bear in mind that this could be subject to change due to Department for Education guidance.

Where can I buy my child’s school uniform?

If you wish your child to have school sweatshirts, cardigans or polo shirts with our school badge on, then these can be purchased from the Wirral Uniform Centre in Princes Pavement, Birkenhead.

Here, you can also buy the P.E. kits and school book bags or rucksacks.  

However, plain white polo shirts and red sweatshirts, or cardigans from supermarket chains and high street shops are absolutely fine too.  

Please can you ensure that all items of uniform are clearly labelled as this can cause much distress for young children when they are changing after P.E. lessons. 

What will my child need to bring to school on their first day?

Your child will need a clearly labelled water bottle (which they will have free access to throughout the day) and a school book bag or rucksack.  Although your child will not be bringing home independent reading books as soon as they start school, book bags or rucksacks are extremely useful for carrying home important letters, homework tasks and their own work, which little hands find hard to keep hold of!

Another adult is picking my child up after school, what should I do?

There may be occasions where you are unable to pick your child up after school.  Please inform a member of the F2 team who this will be at the start of the school day or ring the school office before hometime. 

We will ask you for a password before your child first starts school.  The F2 staff will ask for this password if another family member or family friend comes to collect your child after school.