Home / School Communication
At Christian Brothers' Grammar School we aim to sustain effective school-home communication.
A key method of communication with our parents/ guardians, will be via Sims Parent App.
Once your son is enrolled in the school, you will receive an Invite from Sims Id to register for the Sims Parent App. Please follow the instructions in the email to register.
Attendance / Reporting an Absence
Attendance
At Christian Brothers' Grammar School, we recognise that good attendance is essential for pupil success and wellbeing. We promote a culture where pupils feel valued, supported and motivated to attend school regularly.
Attendance and punctuality are monitored closely, and we work in partnership with parents to encourage high levels of attendance in line with Department of Education guidance.
Role of Parents/Guardians
- It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their sons attend school, and arrive in good time for class each morning.
- A student should only be absent for an unavoidable reason which would usually mean ill-health.
- Except in exceptional circumstances, medical and dental appointments etc. should not be made during school hours.
- If a student is unfit to attend, parents should contact the school on the first day of absence by ringing the school and leaving a message as prompted on the school’s absence line
- The practice of parents withdrawing students during term time to go on holidays is very strongly discouraged. The school is not permitted to authorise family holidays during term time.
- Where a student’s attendance falls to 85% for reasons other than long term illness, then the school will avail of the services of the WELB Education.
Canteen
School Meals
Our school canteen provides a high-quality meal service throughout the day, offering breakfast, breaktime snacks and a wide range of lunch options. Meals are freshly prepared with a focus on balanced nutrition and choice, supporting pupils’ wellbeing and concentration in lessons. The canteen operates in a welcoming, well-organised environment and meets the highest standards of food safety, having been awarded the highest possible food hygiene rating. It caters for a variety of dietary needs and, where required, purchasing can be restricted to support pupils with allergies or specific medical or dietary requirements, ensuring a safe and inclusive dining experience for all.
Menu Choice
There is an extensive range of meals and snacks available daily through a series of rotating weekly menus.
All main meal choices and pastries are cooked onsite from fresh ingredients.
The Sandwich Bar enables your son to choose the sandwich, bagel or toastie of his choice from a range of freshly prepared fillings.
These can be pre-ordered for easy collection at lunchtime.
Promoting Healthy Eating
At the Christian Brothers’ Grammar School our aim is to promote child health and wellbeing through the Nutritional Guidelines set out by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.
To maintain a healthy body you should choose:
- Plenty of fruit and vegetables for vitamins A, C and E as well as fibre and with every few calories. Aim for 5 servings a day.
- Plenty of bread and cereals, preferably wholegrain, potatoes for starchy carbohydrate, iron, calcium, B vitamins and fibre.
- Lower fat varieties of milk and dairy foods - for protein, calcium and vitamins A, D and B12.
- Lean and lower fat varieties of meat products, and all varieties of fish in moderation - for protein, iron and B vitamins.
Our Menus
Some pupils may be entitled to free school meals. Check if your child is eligible.
iPayImpact (Cashless system)
The school has a Cashless System called iPayImpact.
For parent/guardians to use the iPayimpact web site you will need to register by following the instructions below:
- If not previously registered on the site. Go to https://www.ipayimpact.co.uk
- Click on the Register button
- Enter the Child Account Ref of your child (this will be communicated to you via letter when your child is admitted to the school).
- Username – enter a username that you will remember. This will be required each time that you login to your account
- Email – enter a valid email address
- Confirm Email – must be the same email address as entered in the previous box
- Password – enter a password
- Confirm Password – must be the same password as entered in the previous box
- Maths Test – please insert your answer
- Agree to Terms – Please tick this box. You can view the terms as required.
- An email will be sent to your email account. ACTIVATE your account by clicking on the link provided in the email. This will allow you to Login using the credentials you entered during the registration process.
- LOGIN to your account
- Update your profile (personal information) and please save
If you have other children at this school or other schools and you have received a similar letter to this, you can link them to your new parental account:
- LOGIN to your account
- Click on the Child Accounts tab
- Click the Link a New Child Account button
- Enter the Child Account Ref for the child – see this letter or other similar letter
- Click Find School and Account – select the school from the list (if offered)
- Click the Link Account button
Making A Payment
- From your Home Page – simply click on Add to Basket
- You can amend the amounts you wish to pay
- Proceed to Checkout
You will receive an email receipt of your payment once it has been authorised.
There are 2 ways money can be added to your son’s account
- Use one of our 2 Reval machines; simply place your finger on thepad to activate the account and insert coins/ and or notes.
- Online e-payments via your IPayImpact account.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS: If your child is entitled to free school meals, their account will automatically be credited with the allowance (currently £3.34 per day) on a daily basis. If your child needs to ‘top-up’ this amount, you will need to ‘credit’ their account in any of the two ways described above. The cashless catering solution ensures anonymity for your child.