School life
Frequently asked questions
Our reception team field hundreds of phone calls each week. Before dialling the school, please check these FAQs, as your question may well be answered below.
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Children can arrive from 7.45am The Refectory opens at 8am for breakfast, the Library opens at 8am. Reception is open from 8am – 4pm. The school day runs from 8.45am – 3.15pm. After school clubs usually finish around 4.30pm, however it does depend on the club. Have a look at the clubs list for full details.
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Please contact Reception by 8.30am on 020 8780 1244 or reception@saintcecilias.london, stating the reason for absence. Your child will be marked absent for the full day—we don’t allow children to return for the afternoon session unless this is part of their Health Care Plan. If your child has vomiting or diarrhoea, they must stay off school for 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
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Pupils and students arriving after the first bell are marked ‘late’ and given a 30-minute detention the same day, unless we receive a valid reason from a parent/carer via phone or email by midday.
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Please try to schedule appointments outside school hours. If this is not possible, email Reception reception@saintcecilias.london (not your child’s mentor) at least 24 hours in advance with appointment confirmation (e.g. an email from the doctor or a photo of an appointment card). Let us know if your child will be collected or is allowed to leave school alone. Children should return to school after the appointment - a full-day absence for a routine appointment is not acceptable.
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Requests for term-time absences are usually declined unless there are exceptional circumstances. Email reception@saintcecilias.london, copying in your child’s Year Leader, at least two weeks in advance, explaining why the absence cannot take place during the holidays. Each request will be considered by the Headteacher on a case-by-case basis. Unauthorised absences may result in a fine from the local authority.
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Your child’s mentor is the first point of contact and will keep you updated. You can also use the Contact Us form. to get in touch.
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Email your child’s mentor with the teacher’s name and the reason for contact. They will help arrange a suitable time for a meeting or call. You can also use the Contact Us form.
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Reports are sent home twice a year. If you need a copy, email info@saintcecilias.london or contact your child’s mentor. Parents’ evenings take place once a year. They are virtual, except for Years 11 and 13, and appointments are booked via SchoolCloud.
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We use Satchel:One, a simple online homework calendar. Pupils receive login details when they join the school, and parents can also request access. To use Satchel:One at home, pupils and students must first log in at school.
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You will need to complete a Health Care Plan and return it to Reception or email it to reception@saintcecilias.london. A staff member will contact you to discuss how we can best support your child. Contact Reception to ask to be sent the relevant Health Care Plan for you to complete.
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This information is available on the SIMS Parent app, which can be downloaded for iOS and Android or accessed online. Parents receive login details when their child joins the school. For assistance, contact info@saintcecilias.london.
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Lost property is stored at Reception. Unclaimed items are donated to charity at the end of each half term, so speedy collection is advised. Please ensure all uniform and equipment are clearly named.
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Yes, second-hand uniform is available through The Friends of Saint Cecilia’s, our parent association. Email uniform.friendsofstcecilias@gmail.com for details.
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Yes we do and they are in every girls’ and accessible toilet. If there are none there, ask your child to come to Reception to collect what they need.
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The lunch card is essential for building access, borrowing library books and purchasing food. You can order and pay for a replacement on ParentPay. Printing a new card cannot be done ‘while you wait’ so please pay for a replacement card as early as possible and ask your child to notify Reception during first break that you have paid. Reception will print a new card later that day.
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If you require paper copies of any documents, please contact Reception. These will be provided for you free of charge.
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