Safety & Security at Darkley P.S 

Your child’s safety is of paramount importance to us. To enature that your child is working in a safe and uninterrupted learning environment, we must urge that all parents adhere to the following access arrangements. 

During the school day 

Access by an adult to the school is via the main door only.

The entrance porch area is the only designated waiting area for visitors, this also includes parents collecting children.

All visitors including parents MUST in all instances report to the Secretary or Principal and not go directly to classrooms; 

Parents and adults are requested not to loiter outside the Secretary’s office, in the playground or during after school activities.

The car park is not accessible to cars (other than staff) during the school day. This includes home time and during school based events. 

Attendance, Punctuality & Absences 

Classes begin at 9.15am Children should arrive at school for 9 am. Registration opens at 9.15am. Children arriving after this time with no proper reason will be marked late. The EA's Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) monitors absenteeism and so we ask you to send a note on your child's return to school explaining their absence. If a child is to leave school early then please contact the school office. The child must be collected by a parent/guardian. No child will be allowed to leave school early by themselves. 

Lost Property and Responsibility 

The school encourages children to be responsible for their own belongings and does not take responsibility for loss. Parents are urged to label all belongings and encourage their child to be responsible. All lost property is kept in school. At the end of each year items not redeemed are recycled. 

Communication & Parental Partnership

Our school website is a great source of information, particularly for upcoming events. A Parent’s Information board in the school entrance porch displays notices of interest and leaflets on a range of issues. Should you require any other information or documents, please do ask at the school office. 

From time to time things can and do go wrong. However we operate a very open door policy in school. The first person to approach is your child’s teacher, ask in the school office to arrange a time for a quick word as soon as possible—do not let the issue fester– a timely and quiet word often brings about a quick resolution. If an issue or concern continues or is particularly serious, please arrange to speak with the Principal. He will try to resolve your concern as quickly as possible. Some complaints do take longer to solve but we shall work in partnership with you and, if needed, follow the EA Formal Complaints Policy when all other attempts for a resolution have failed. 

Enrolment 

At present there are 103 children from P.1 to P.7 enrolled at Darkley P.S. (Sept 2020) 

Admissions to Darkley P.S, is regulated through the Open Enrolment Procedure of the Education Authority. The Admissions Criteria for Darkley P.S is agreed by the Governors and published each year. 

Information booklets and admission forms for children starting Primary 1 next September will be available from the school office from December 2020.