Park Street, Thame, Oxford OX9 3HU
Tel: 01844 212291


JOHN HAMPDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

School Staff and Daily Life at John Hampden Primary School

Jump to:

  • Music Teacher: Mrs. Esther Stanway-Williams
  • French Teacher: Mrs. Magali Wheeler
  • Peripatetic Teachers: Lisa Paterson (Violin), Lorna Waters (Woodwind), Phil Heard (Drum), Caroline McMaster: (Piano/Recorder), Esther Stanway-Williams (Piano)
  • Special Needs Coordinator: Mrs. Katherine Rose
  • Wellbeing Practitioner: Mrs. Sarah Weston
  • Lunchtime Supervisors: Mrs. Sarinya Arthurs, Miss Alison Bowdrey, Mrs. Joanne Ensol, Mr. Justin Eyre, Mrs. Shirley Bowler
  • Premises Team: Mr. Kevin Sayers (Caretaker), Mrs. Joanne Ensol, Mrs. Avril Herreros
  • Catering Team (Aspens): Mrs. Avril Herreros, Mrs Tina Large

The Daily Routine – Nursery

We have two nursery classes at the school and the sessions are split as follows:

Class One:

  • Monday – 9am-3pm
  • Tuesday – 9am–3pm
  • Wednesday – 8.45am-12pm

Class Two:

  • Wednesday – 12.30pm-3pm
  • Thursday – 9am – 3pm
  • Friday – 9am-3pm

Children gather with their parent’s outside the Nursery classroom before the Nursery opens and will be welcomed by staff from 8.45am or 12.30pm depending on the session. This is where parents and carers also pick up their children at the end of a session.

Lunchtimes on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are between 12.20pm-1.20pm. Children are asked to eat at home on a Wednesday.

Before School – Reception-Year 6

Gates open at 8.30 am and a member of staff will be on duty from this time. Children should gather in the playgrounds before the school and a whistle is blown at 8.45am.

After the whistle, children are asked to line up in the designated area nearest their classroom to wait for the class teacher. Your child will be told where to line up for class. Children are walked into class with their class teacher.

Parents are asked to ensure that children are brought to school on time. You should notify the office by 9am if your child will be late or absent from school. If the weather is wet or very cold, children are permitted to go straight to their classroom.

During the Day – Reception-Year 6

All school classes start at 8.45 am after the morning register. Lessons continue until morning break.

For children in Key Stage 1 and 2, morning break is from 11.00 to 11.15 am.

Fruit is supplied free of charge to children in Foundation Stage and KS1. Children in KS2 are welcome to bring their own healthy snacks and children in KS1 can also do this if they prefer.

The morning session continues from 11.20am until 12.20pm when the children break for lunch. Lunch lasts for one hour and afternoon lessons begin at 1.20pm. Lessons continue from the end of the lunch period until 3.10pm.

Children in KS1 may have a short break between 2.30 and 2.40pm.

This is at the discretion of the class teachers. Children in Reception have access to a play-based learning curriculum and therefore they can access learning opportunities taking place both indoors and outdoors for the whole day.

Lunch for Reception children starts at 12.10pm.

The lunch break is between 12.20 and 1.20 pm.

Each day, the children will be asked at roll call whether they will be having packed lunch or school dinner. For children in Key Stage 2, School dinners are available to all children at a cost of £2.20 per day.

Our school meal provider is Dolce.

Children aged between 4 and 7 (Reception-year 2) are entitled to a free school meal. This includes the option of being provided with a packed lunch when their class is out of school on an educational visit.

Some children in Key Stage 2 will also be eligible for free school meals. Please ask at the office if you think your child might be eligible.

John Hampden School actively promotes healthy eating, and your children will have plenty of opportunities during the school year to learn about healthy diets. This is reflected in the meals that we provide. Menus are planned to provide children with healthy meal options, including plenty of fresh fruit, salads and vegetables.

School dinners are served in the Vernon hall, where children sit at shared tables. Children bringing packed lunch will eat it in the Vernon or Jackson Hall. In fine weather, those with a packed lunch can eat at the benches outside.

We ask that parents not send sweets or fizzy drinks as part of a packed lunch. We would also like to ask parents not to send nuts in to school (including peanut butter) as we have children with nut allergies on our school roll.

At John Hampden we encourage our students to feel part of a community.

School assemblies are an important part of school life. They provide an opportunity for individual and group achievements to be recognised and celebrated.

They are also an opportunity for social and civic development subjects to be discussed in a shared environment. Sometimes speakers will be invited to assembly to address the school on specific issues.

Assemblies take place each day, either whole school or individual class assemblies. Parents may be asked to participate at special assemblies by invitation. Unfortunately, space and numbers prevent us from involving parents on a more routine basis. Typical weekly assemblies are as follows:

  • Monday: JIGSAW – PSHE-based class assemblies
  • Wednesday: Whole school assembly with visiting speakers monthly
  • Thursday/Tuesday: Singing practice with our music teacher
  • Friday: Achievement assembly, at which individual and group achievements are celebrated

Parents or guardians should collect their children from the door of their classroom at 3.10pm. Parents should notify the school office if they expect to be delayed. Teaching staff stay in their classroom for a short period to look after children who have not been met. Staff will make appropriate phone calls if there is an unusual or unreasonable delay in the children being collected. If you will be delayed by more than 15 minutes, the teacher will take your child to the school office to wait for you. Once your child is in Year 6, you may feel that they can walk home alone or with younger siblings. You will need to write to the school to let us know that your child has your permission to walk home without an adult.

Energy-Kidz are a company providing breakfast club and an after-school club on our school premises. Both clubs take place in the Vernon Hall. The hours are 7.30-8.45am (breakfast club) and 3.15 – 6pm (after school club), Mondays to Fridays during term time. Staff are appropriately trained and qualified. Please see the energy club website for more details (https://www.energy-kidz.co.uk).

A fee is charged per child for after school club. For more information about fees, policies and activities, please contact the school office.

John Hampden School actively encourages its pupils to become responsible and caring members of the school community and the community at large. The school operates a Buddy system (from year 1 to year 6) to help foster friendships across the school years.

Each September, your child will be given a ‘buddy’ from another year – this might be someone older or younger, someone your child might not have a chance to know otherwise. Each Friday is designated ‘buddy day’ when your child will spend time with their buddy-reading and/or playing.

The scheme has been hugely popular, and has helped to foster a feeling that all children are part of the one school community.

The school also has a School Council, which includes representatives from each class. The council discusses a variety of issues about school life and activities, and in some cases the council will have a budget to transform ideas into reality.