General Information for Parents

Transport

Responsibilities and Procedures

Bus or taxi transport is provided for the children to and from school by the Department of Education and Skills, through Bus Éireann.

When starting school, your child will be assigned to a bus route and will be given a bus ticket. The bus/ taxi contractor will contact you to arrange morning collection time. Please note, the bus or taxi can only collect and drop children to the address on the bus ticket. The driver is strictly not allowed to leave a child at a different address unless special arrangements are made in advance through Bus Éireann.

Responsibilities

The School

  • submits applications for transport for each new entrant to the Special Educational Needs Officer (SENO), stating number of wheelchair users

  • employs the bus escorts, as sanctioned by Department of Education

  • informs Bus Éireann of a new home address or other changes

  • pass on reports of any safety concerns to Bus Éireann Inspector

Bus Éireann Inspector

  • gives contracts to bus companies to provide school transport

  • assigns children to bus routes and gives contact details to the contractors

  • contacts parents if a child’s behaviour is causing ongoing danger to himself or others. In this case, parents will be asked to make their own arrangements for getting the child to and from school, until the situation is resolved

The Bus Contractor

  • assigns a driver to the route

  • informs parents of the time of morning collection

The Driver

  • safe transport of those on board the bus/ taxi, informing the school for any dangers due to behaviour or for other reasons

  • wheels wheelchairs/ buggies up the ramp and secures them safely

  • time-keeping: a 5-minute wait period only is allowed at each house. If a child is not brought to the bus within the 5-minute period, the driver must drive on to collect the next child and parents/ guardians will need to make their own transport arrangements that day

  • safe delivery home: if a parent/ guardian is not at home to receive the child in the afternoon, the driver is obliged to leave the child at the nearest Garda Station

The Bus Escort

  • ensure compliance with the school’s child protection policy

  • meets the parent and child at the bus entrance

  • assists the child to board

  •  secures the child’s seatbelt

  • watches over the safety and well-being of the children

  •  informs the school if aware of a child causing danger to themselves or others on the bus journey

The Parent/Guardian

  • provides a booster seat if required for a child’s safe travel

  • brings the child to the bus each morning

  • receives the child at the bus in the afternoon

  • informs the escort/ driver in advance if their child will not be attending school so the bus does not make a wasted journey

  • informs the escort/ driver in advance if their child will not be returning home on the bus, i.e. when a child is collected from school

NOTE: Please note that, for safety and insurance reasons, both driver and escort are not allowed to leave the bus to knock on your door or to deliver your child home

Bus Transport: Changes or Concerns

  • If you need to change transport arrangements for any day, please contact the school office well in advance and your request will be forwarded to Bus Éireann.

  • If there is a family emergency, you must arrange with the school that a named adult will be at your home to meet your son or daughter when the bus arrives.

  • If you are planning to move house, please let the school know as soon as possible and they will contact Bus Éireann. It can take Bus Éireann six weeks to arrange transport to and from the new address.

  • Pupils’ schoolbags and equipment necessary for their school day should be secured safely for the journey to and from school. School buses cannot accept responsibility for the transportation of other equipment or bags to and from school.

  • If you have any concerns about the safety of your child when on the bus/taxi, please speak first to the driver. If you are still unhappy, please contact the school. Pupils may use mobile phones in the bus/taxi to let you know if they are going to be late but phones must not be used in any threatening way. Taking photos on phones is not allowed.

Home-School Communication

[Information about Aladdin etc.]

Nursing

Nursing staff are present on site and they help support and facilitate children attending the Enable Ireland Sandymount School as well as providing advice to parents on topics such as Health Promotion and prevention of illness. The nursing staff are an important link between parents and the child’s educational setting. There is a nursing bay fully accessilbe that is availed by the students in case of any medical need or emergency.

 

Pupil Illness Policy

Parking

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN – SANDYMOUNT SITE

IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY ON SITE, ALL PERSONS MUST COMPLY WITH TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY.

Pedestrians

  • Enter/exit via pedestrian gate

  • Pedestrians should use designated walkways/footpaths only

  • Pedestrians must use designated crossing to safety barriers

  • Users should refrain from walking on internal roadways

Cyclists

  • Enter/exit via main vehicular gates

  • Normal rules of the road apply

  • Cyclists must take extreme care and be alert to pedestrians and vehicles

  • Cycle slowly and especially around corners of buildings

  • Use bicycle shelter to park located at main car park area

Motorists

  • Enter through IN gate. Exit through OUT gate

  • Max Speed limit 5kph

  • Normal rules of the road apply

  • Motorists must take extreme care and be alert to pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists

Vehicle Parking

  • ONLY DESIGNATED PARKING AREAS SHOULD BE USED

  • Motorists should park in a safe manner and do not block/obstruct any other user and/or thoroughfares, gates, entrances/exits, on corners, footpaths or anywhere that may affect safety on site

  • Motorists should check that all other users are able to get in/out because of your parking

  • Motorists should if possible and appropriate, reverse into parking areas

Car Park Areas

  • Main Car Park:
    Enter through main gates, continue to the right and pass Garden & Craft Store. Follow road to enter main car park areas

Traffic Flow

  • School Buses: Enter via main gates and exit via school gate

  • All other vehicles/cyclists: Enter and exit via main gates

  • ALL USERS MUST USE NORMAL RULES OF THE ROAD REGULATIONS

  • All motorists/cyclists must not exceed 5kph speed limits anywhere on site

Loading/Unloading of Passengers of Buses

  • Buses are permitted to pass traffic cones/pedestrian crossing to set down outside school

  • Buses should not block entrances/exits to/from any building including fire exits

  • Buses should set down in a safe location and must not obstruct or hinder pedestrian walkways

  • Bus drivers are reminded to turn off engine and apply handbrake whilst loading/unloading passengers

  • EXTREME CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN LOADING AND UNLOADING OF PASSENGERS AND OF OTHER MOVING VEHICLES

  • Where possible, no vehicle should reverse towards any building entrance/exit

  • Where possible, assistance should be used to help direct traffic during loading/unloading and if reversing

Disabled Parking

  • Only disabled parking permit holders may park in designated disabled parking spaces

  • Disabled parking permits should be displayed whilst parked

Set Down Areas

  • Garden & Craft Store Customer Parking Only may be used for set down only

  • Disabled Parking Bay to the right of SeatTech entrance may be used for set down only

  • After loading/unloading, vehicles must move to parking areas/exit

Deliveries

  • Deliveries should be arranged between the following times and staff who order must be available to accept the delivery:                                                                                       

  •            08:00 – 09:00 hrs        Monday to Friday

  •           10:00 – 12:00 hrs        Monday to Friday

  •           15:30 – 17:00 hrs        Monday to Friday

  • Other deliveries may be made by arrangement and relevant staff notified

Temporary Parking along Wall with Railings (adjacent to waste land) and denoted with single yellow line from Yellow Clothes Containers to Bus Bay Only

  • In the event of all car parks being full, motorists may park temporarily along this wall but only within denoted area (Max. 3/4 cars only)

  • No parking permitted on bend in road to car parks

  • Once parking becomes available, motorists should move to designated parking spaces

Exceptions

  • Temporary arrangements for parking may be made from time to time where the need arises

  • These exceptions must be requested in advance and relevant persons notified of arrangements

Events on Site

  • From time to time events are arranged on site that may impact on normal operations

  • Staff should make necessary arrangements so as to minimize risks to services, and notify relevant personnel

  • If using premises/site after 17:00 hrs, please inform Caretaker/Security of event IN ADVANCE

Closed Circuit TV Cameras

  • 24hr CCTV monitoring is installed on site

ALL PERSONS USING THIS SITE MUST EXERCISE DUE CARE AND ATTENTION TO REDUCE RISK OF ACCIDENTS AND NEAR MISSES. ALL ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS MUST BE REPORTED TO STAFF AS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Uniform

The school uniform is mandatory at Sandymount School. The uniform consists of:

  • navy trousers/ skirt with a navy jumper and white shirt

         or

  • navy tracksuit with plain white or light blue polo type shirt

The uniform may be purchased anywhere of choice.

A school crest is available from the school at a cost of 5 euros for two. These crests should be sewn on the left side of the tracksuit top/ jumper. The crests can be reused from year to year.

Please provide a change of clothes for your child which will be kept in their school bag.

Fees

[Information about school fees and any relevant arrangements.]