The safety of pupils is paramount in the arrangements we make for the dropping off and collection of pupils at both of campuses, Bahari Beach and Masaki. Parents and guardians are asked to work with us to ensure that your children stay safe.
No parking is allowed in front of the school gates or in the bus parking place immediately to the left of the gate. Those bringing children to school should supervise them to the gate. All drivers should exercise caution in the vicinity of the school. Drivers must follow the instructions given by school staff about where to drive and where to park
Drop Off and Pick Up Vehicular Access
There is no access inside the school premises for vehicles. Parents/Drivers should pull in away from the main pedestrian gate and should not, in any circumstances, leave their cars parked, even for a short time, directly in front of the pedestrian gate. There is plenty of parking on either side of the gate. Parents should accompany young children and enter through the pedestrian gate. Please do not pull in from the main road and stop at the main gate.
Dropping Off Pupils at the Start of School
Pupils may be delivered to the gate and seen safely onto the premises. Pupils will not be allowed to enter the school premises before 7.15am. Pupils will be able to be inside the school grounds from 7.15am until 7.45am when the teacher on duty will supervise their entry to class.
Picking Up Pupils at the End of School
School finishes at 3.15pm and pupils should be picked up at 3.20pm. Unless a pupil has been authorised to walk or cycle home, everyone picking up a child should park safely and enter through the pedestrian gate.
Those picking up children at the end of the school day will not be admitted to the premises until 3.20pm. Anyone picking up children must show a Parent ID Card at the gate.
You are requested to arrive no later than 3.30pm to pick up your child. If, on the rare occasion, you are delayed, please ensure that you phone the school office and give an expected arrival time.
School Security
As part of our safety procedures, all families are issued with ID passes, one for each parent. These are for all adults who come onto school premises to collect their children including parents, carers, family members, domestic helpers and drivers.
If an adult comes to collect a child at any time of day, they must wear this ID card and show it to the security guard at the main entrance. Without an ID card, the security guard will not allow access to the main perimeter entrance and will need to contact a member of staff to confirm identification. Lost or misplaced ID Cards will be replaced for a small charge.
We will automatically provide all our families with ID cards in the first few weeks of term, but would appreciate it if you could spend the time to inform your child’s teacher of the other adults whom you wish to give permission to collect your child/children from school. This will help us to ensure we only ever hand over your child to someone whom you trust and have identified to us. On the rare occasion the regular person is not able to collect your child, it is essential that you phone the School Administrator and inform her of the name of the substitute person, who the person is i.e. uncle, gardener and whether your child knows this person. If it is at all possible, you should provide this person with one of your school ID cards.
If an adult comes to collect a child at any time of day, they must wear this ID card and show it to the security guard at the main entrance. Without an ID card, the security guard will not allow access to the main perimeter entrance and will need to contact a member of staff to confirm identification. Lost or misplaced ID Cards will be replaced for a small charge.
The main perimeter entrances of the school will remain closed until 3.20pm. At 3.20pm, only adults with an ID card will be allowed through the main entrance.
At other times of the school day, parents who enter the main school building should report to the School office and state the reason for their visit, before proceeding.
Parents/carers are not allowed access to the school classrooms unaccompanied – either the school receptionist or another member of staff will accompany non-school employees, where appropriate.
School Buses
The Latham School facilitates a bus service to and from the school to provide a sustainable transport option, which can ease the burden on parents of transporting children to and from the school in Bahari Beach. The bus service operates independently of the school. The form to book a place on a school bus can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page, or may be picked up at the School Office. The buses operate on the primary principle of minimising the time children spend on the bus, thereby using the shortest and most direct route to and from the school as possible.
The bus service is available to all children. Spaces on the bus are limited, and parents wishing to use the service are advised to apply for, and reserve, a place as early as possible to avoid being disappointed. Parents can make direct contact with the bus service providers. Telephone numbers will be provided at the beginning of the school year.
Pupils who use school transport will be supervised to and from the school buses. If you wish to use this service, please complete and return the Bus Enrolment Form to the school.
The school buses are an extension of school and the same high expectations are still in place for all the pupils using them. There is often a wide range of ages present on a bus and the older children, especially, need to take care of how they behave and what they choose to talk about.
Each bus has a Bus Monitor to supervise the children and to ensure that behaviour/safety is acceptable.