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The School Day

Timings of the Day

For children in Years Reception to Year 6 the school gates open at 8:30am.  Children can arrive any time between 8:30 and 8:45am, when the class register will be taken.  Members of the senior leadership team and our home school link worker are at the gates during this time to welcome the children.

Where to drop off and collect your children

Nursery children should come through the EYFS gate by the picket fence and turn left.  The slope will take you up to the Nursery garden where the Nursery team will welcome your child.

Reception children should come with their parents through the double wooden gates into their outdoor area.  These gates will be opened by Reception staff at 8:30am and closed at 8:45am.  The teachers will welcome the children through the main classroom doors.

Key Stage 1 - Years 1 and 2 - children should come through either the main or middle gates and walk round the outside of the building to the classrooms.

Key Stage 2 - Years 3-6 - we encourage children to come into school independently from Year 3 onwards as soon as they are ready and confident to do so.  School staff are on duty on the main gate every morning to welcome children and ensure that they make it safely round to their classrooms.

At the end of the school day, all children with downstairs classrooms (Nursery, Reception, Years 1-4) will be dismissed at 3:15pm from their classroom doors.  Please collect your youngest children first and older children can either wait for you in their classroom or you can arrange for them to meet you at your youngest child's classroom.  Please let individual teachers know what your would prefer.

Year 5 children will initially be brought to the playground by their teachers and Year 6 will be dismissed from their classrooms.

PE and the 1k run

We vigorously promote an active lifestyle at Dorchester Primary.  In addition to 2 or 3 PE sessions for every class per week.  On days when the children don't have a PE lesson, they take part in the 'Daily K', aiming to run 1 kilometre around our school playground.

Forest School

Each year group has a timetabled Forest School session with our Forest School leader.  Year leaders will share specific arrangements for this with their year groups.  For Forest school, weather appropriate clothing in addition to PE kit may be needed throughout the year, for examples Wellington boots, hat, gloves, "old" clothes etc.

Willow Club - Breakfast and After School care

We run a very popular Wrap Around Care provision.  The Breakfast Club starts at 7:30am and After School Club runs from the end of the school day until 6:30pm.  The children enjoy a range of different activities including board games, crafts, outdoor play, sports activities and lots more.

Willow Club is available to all children attending Nursery to Year 6.  Please book online in advance of your session.  For same day bookings, please telephone the school office to confirm.

Co-Curricular Clubs

Since the pandemic we have steadily regrown our list of after school clubs, and are working hard to ensure it continues to grow, providing an excellent range of activities whilst offering extended childcare.  Clubs for the autumn 2021 term, including Chess, Football, Hockey, Netball and lots more, will be confirmed shortly.

Play Dates and different collection arrangements

If your child is having a play date or being collected by someone they are not normally collected by, please telephone or email the school office so that class teachers can be informed in good time.  Please do not email teachers directly during the school day.