News and events
Please see our monthly newsletter for this academic year so far:
Newsletter - Autumn Half Term 1
The Bannatyne Gym Carpark
The Bannatyne Gym (next to The Edith Borthwick School) believe that parents/carers are parking in their carpark whilst waiting to drop off/collect their child/children from The Edith Borthwick School.
Please do not park in the Bannatyne Gym carpark as their carpark is strictly for their customers only. If parents/carers continue to park in their carpark, Bannatyne Gym have said that they will start to lock the gates.
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Parking
Welcome back to you all and thank you for your support and patience with our car parking.
We have a number of new parents dropping off, so I thought it would be helpful to send information regarding the process.
- Bus drop off is 9.10am and pick up at 2.45pm
- Parent drop off is 9.20am and pick up at 2.55pm
Please DO NOT get here earlier than 9.15am or 2.50pm, as there will not be space for you to park at these times and it causes congestion in the car park and on the industrial estate. Anyone arriving before these times may be asked to leave the car park, to ensure the safety of staff and learners.
We pedestrianise our car park once all buses are parked, and no vehicles will be able to move during this time, so that pupils can be collected safely. The red and white barriers show when the area is pedestrianised.
Once buses leave, we will invite parents to park their cars. Please, where possible, park your car on the side of the car park next to the school building (left side when coming in). If that is not possible, please park on the right and wait until a space becomes available and then move across to the building side.
Our staff WILL NOT be able to collect your child from the other side of the car park. We can only collect learners from the building side. It is your responsibility to stay with your child until they are collected by a member of staff, unless an alterative has been agreed with your child's teacher.
Please DO NOT ever let your child get out of the car if it is not parked in a bay. This is too dangerous due to the amount of moving traffic. Pedestrian crossings must be used to cross the car park, as drivers are required to stop at these. Please do not park over the pedestrian crossing.
Please be patient with us. We will always try to collect your child or bring them out at the end of the day as quickly as possible but have a large building and will be bringing children out in a way that is safe.
Whilst it is very rare, abuse towards any of our staff will not be tolerated and may lead to a verbal warning, written warning or a ban from the school car park.
The safety of our learners is always our main priority. Thank you so much again for your support with the start and end of the day.
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Car Park Safety
I want to raise several concerns regarding keeping our car park safe.
Firstly, vehicles are coming in too fast to drop off, and pick up, children. The site has a 5 mile per hour restriction. Parents and carers cannot come into the car park until 9.10am to drop their children off, and they cannot come in until 2.45pm in the afternoon to collect them. There have been many days recently where the car park is full and is causing traffic to back up along the estate. We will be asking any parents who arrive earlier than this to leave the car park.
There are pedestrian crossings at both ends of the car park. Cars do not always stop at the first one, due to the speed that they are going. This is incredibly dangerous.
Drivers need to turn their engines off when parked in the car park. It is a legal requirement, to ensure that learners and staff are not inhaling fumes.
Finally, children are still being walked across the car park from the other side, not using the crossings. Please either use the crossing, or wait until a space is available and move your car across to the building side of the car park. Our staff will not collect or drop learners off on the other side.
Thank you for working with us to keep the car park safe.
Ofsted report
I am pleased to announce that our Ofsted report has now been finalised.
To assist you in understanding the gradings, please watch the ‘Ofsted: new school report card’ video, which provides a clear explanation of the new framework and the scorecard. The report confirms that Edith Borthwick has achieved the Expected standard in all areas, which is a reflection of the consistent dedication and commitment across our school community.
The report offers a valuable insight into what it is like to be a learner at our school. It describes a typical day as beginning with a warm, well-organised arrival and continuing with calm, clear lessons that help learners settle and succeed. This predictable rhythm is of paramount importance, as it fosters a strong sense of belonging and enables learners to feel safe and ready to learn. Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of each learner’s unique ways of learning, including those with profound and multiple learning difficulties. They are attentive to the smallest signs of discomfort and respond swiftly with thoughtful, often subtle adjustments that allow learners to engage fully alongside their peers. This approach not only supports improved attendance and respectful behaviour, but also ensures that any setbacks are met with sensitive support to help learners move forward.
Lunchtimes at Edith Borthwick reflect the same level of care and consideration. Some learners eat in the hall whilst others dine in classrooms, as staff carefully accommodate what works best for each individual. Dietary and medical needs are met with meticulous attention, and learners enjoy the freedom to chat with friends or simply appreciate each other’s company in a relaxed environment.
Whilst the report recognises our many strengths, it also highlights areas for development:
1) Leaders are encouraged to ensure that teachers build securely on learners’ prior learning by checking progress carefully, thereby maximising achievement through consistently effective teaching.
2) There is a need for more effective management of part-time timetables, with clear goals to facilitate timely review and support learners’ prompt return to full-time education.
3) Additionally, strategic planning, including the learner premium strategy, should be refined by employing clear measures to evaluate whether actions are improving outcomes across the school.
4) Governors are also advised to strengthen and formalise their approaches to monitoring and challenge, ensuring that identified priorities translate into clear actions, consistent follow-up, and sharper accountability.
We remain committed to continuous improvement and to providing an inclusive, nurturing environment where every learner can thrive. Your ongoing support is invaluable as we work together towards these goals.
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Important update regarding school meal prices
I am writing to inform you of an important change concerning the cost of school meals at Edith Borthwick.
After a thorough and careful review of our current pricing structure, it has become clear that the existing
prices no longer adequately cover the increasing costs associated with ingredients, staffing, and the overall
provision of high-quality meals. At present, our meal prices remain considerably lower than those of many
other schools in the region, but to continue delivering nutritious and well-balanced meals that support the
health and well-being of all our learners, a price adjustment has become necessary.
We fully understand and empathise with the financial pressures many families experience, and this
decision has not been taken lightly. We have explored every possible alternative to avoid increasing costs,
however maintaining the quality and sustainability of our meal service requires this change. Our
commitment to providing wholesome, carefully prepared meals remains our utmost priority, and we
believe these adjustments will enable us to uphold these standards.
To minimise the impact on families, we have decided to implement the increase in two smaller stages
rather than a single larger rise.
Primary learners
For primary learners, the price of a school meal will increase to £2.50 starting from 1st April 2026,
followed by a further adjustment to £2.75 on 1st September 2026.
Secondary learners
For secondary learners, the meal price will rise to £2.75 from 1st April 2026, with a subsequent increase to
£3.00 on 1st September 2026.
We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support as we make these necessary changes
to ensure that our learners continue to enjoy nutritious, high-quality meals every day.
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School Day - Lateness
I am writing to you with regards to students arriving late at the start of the school day and leaving early at the end of
the day, and to clarify the routine.
Students should arrive at school no later than 9.25am to obtain their attendance mark. Whilst we appreciate that
some students struggle entering the school when it is busy, our guidelines mean that students arriving after 9.25am
up to 9.40am will receive a late mark on their attendance record (this will not affect their overall attendance
percentage), which will give students who struggle in busy times to be in class by 9.40am. Students arriving after
9.40am will receive a ‘U’ code, which means an unauthorised absence, which will affect their attendance
percentage; it is also very distracting to the other learners and staff who may need to be taken out of class to
support late arrivals.
If students arrive after 9.25am, they must be brought through reception to be signed in (for fire regulations). Staff
will not be outside after 9.25am, as they need to be in class to supervise the other learners.
At the end of the day, students being collected by parents should be collected at 2.55pm. Any early collections must
be arranged in advance and agreed by the Headteacher or Senior Leadership team.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
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School Procedures
Please can I remind all parents and carers that due to safeguarding procedures, you are not allowed to enter the
school building via any entrance other than the front office, and once signed in by Tracey.
On occasion, we may invite a parent into the main school but this would only happen if they are accompanied by a
member of staff who knows them.
No parent or carer should ever take their child into class, unless this is part of an agreed plan and authorised by
the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
Thank you for your understanding.
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Post-16 Transport - Reminder
Since September 2023, Essex County Council have required families to pay for Post-16 transport. All applications
must be completed and submitted online.
Please complete the form on the following website under 'How to apply' before the start of summer
term: https://www.essex.gov.uk/school-transport/post-16-transport.
If you feel that you may need some support applying for Post-16 transport, please contact Tasha or Paula in our
Family Worker team.
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Warmer Weather, Application of Sun Cream
As the weather is getting warmer, it is important that we keep the learners as comfortable as possible.
Please ensure that you put sun protection on your son/daughter before they come into school, as well as sending
in a sun hat, which is clearly labelled with your learner’s name, and sufficient drinks for the day.
It is advisable to also send in a bottle of sun cream, clearly labelled with your learner's name. If you would like staff
to apply it during the day, please complete the Application of Sun Cream permission form.
Please note that we are unable to apply any sun cream that has not been sent in specifically for your son/daughter.
If at any time you wish to change your decision, please download a ‘Withdrawal of Consent’ form from the school
website or they are also obtainable from the school office.
Sickness/diarrhoea
If your child has sickness/diarrhoea, please not send them into school for 48 hours (2 days) after their last bout of sickness/diarrhoea and have been able to eat something.
We know that sometimes after being ill, your child may seem fine however, we have very vulnerable students in the school and by adhering to this request, it will help to stop any bugs.
We will try and do everything that we can in school to continue to keep our hygiene standards high however, we have many learners who struggle to understand this, so vigilance is the key to keeping everyone well.
Many thanks for your support.
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