A - Z FOR PARENTS 2018 – 2019 An outstanding Church of England Academy ACADEMIC YEAR 2018-2019 AUTUMN TERM Inset Days Monday 3 September 2018 – Tuesday 4 September 2018 Academy Starts Wednesday 5 September 2018 HALF TERM Monday 29 October 2018 – Wednesday 7 November 2018 inclusive Inset Day Friday 5 October 2018 Academy Starts Thursday 8 November 2018 Last Day of Term Friday 21 December 2018 SPRING TERM Academy Starts Tuesday 8 January 2019 HALF TERM Saturday 16 February 2019 – Sunday 24 February 2019 inclusive Academy Starts Monday 25 February 2019 EASTER HOLIDAY Monday 8 April 2019 – Monday 22 April 2019 inclusive SUMMER TERM Academy Starts Tuesday 23 April 2019 BANK HOLIDAY Monday 6 May 2019 HALF TERM Saturday 25 May 2019 – Sunday 2 June 2019 inclusive Academy Starts Monday 3 June 2019 Last Day of Term Friday 19 July 2019 September 2018 Dear Parents and Carers, RE: A – Z for Parents 2018-2019 I am delighted to introduce this A – Z for Parents for this academic year 2018–2019 which provides you with the essential information about our Academy. Here at The Kings of Wessex Academy, we are proud of our reputation for excellence and commitment to providing an exciting and challenging education for our students in a happy learning environment. We have high expectations of all our students and are keen to nurture the whole child. Experience shows that the needs of young people are best served if there is a positive and involved partnership between parents and teachers and we look forward to working with you this year. In supporting our policies, I assure you we will strive to ensure that your son or daughter achieves their personal best in their schooling at Kings; and has an enjoyable, rewarding and happy education. Please keep in contact; and our staff look forward to meeting you at our various Parents' Evenings and other events throughout the academic year. Thank you, once again, for reading this guidance and for referring to it during the academic year and I would ask that you check our online version as updates may be made as necessary from time to time. Thank you for your support and I wish your child a happy and successful school year here at The Kings of Wessex Academy. Yours sincerely, GAVIN BALL Executive Headteacher Follow us on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Summary of Contents Page No Page No. Able Students 1 Leaving Academy Premises 18 Absence 1 Living Separately 18 Academy Colours 1 Local Shops 18 Address 1 Lockers 18 Admissions 2 Lost Property 19 Alcohol 6 Lunch Time 19 Ambassadors 6 Marking 19 Appointments 6 Medical 19 Assemblies 6 Mentoring Plus 20 Assessment 7 Mobile Phones 20 Behaviour 7 Moped/Scooters 20 Bicycles 7 Music Tuition 20 Books 7 News 20 British Values 7 Nurses Drop in Clinic 20 Bullying 7 Out of Bounds 21 CCTV 8 Parent Teacher Association 21 Careers 8 Parents Evenings 21 Catering 8 Performances 22 Charging 8 Personal Equipment 22 Cheddar Valley Schools 9 Photographs 22 Chewing Gum 9 Physical Education 22 Christian Leader 9 Police Surgeries 22 Church of England Status 9 Post -16 22 Citizenship 10 Punctuality 23 Complaints 10 Racial Discrimination 23 Computers 10 Religious Education 23 Curriculum 10 Respect 23 Daily Timetable 11 Rewards 23 Deodorants 12 Road Safety 24 Detention 12 Safeguarding 24 Discipline 12 Sex Education 24 Drugs 12 Skates & Skateboards 24 Duke of Edinburgh Scheme 12 Smoking and Vaping 24 Eating Outside or Out of Bounds 12 Social Networking 25 Electronic Equipment 13 Sports Clothing 25 Email 13 Student Reviews 26 Emergency Closure 13 Student Welfare Inclusion Centre 26 Energy and Sugary Drinks 13 Swimming 26 Enrichment 13 Target Grades 26 Equal Opportunities 13 Teaching Groups 26 Equipment 13 Telephone 26 Examinations 13 Toilets 26 Extended Day 14 Top 10 27 Extended Project Qualifications 14 Toys 27 Fire Alarm 14 Transport 27 Firefly 14 Tutor Groups 28 Governors 15 Uniform 28 Grade Reviews and Grade Reports 15 Useful Numbers 35 Headphones 15 Valuables 33 History 15 Values 33 Homework 15 Vandalism 33 Houses 16 Visiting 33 Identity 16 Visits 33 Insurance 16 Volunteers 33 Internal Exclusion 17 Water 34 Jewellery 17 Wessex Learning Trust 34 Kings Fitness and Leisure 17 Work Experience 34 Learning Resource Centre 17 Learning Support 17 ABLE STUDENTS The academy identifies those students who are gifted or talented through teacher assessment and examination results. The academy makes use of a number of strategies which support and challenge able students in their learning. These include setting arrangements, differentiated tasks in class and triple sciences at GCSE. Students are encouraged to take part in courses for the exceptionally able and there are opportunities to become involved in challenging enrichment activities. Teaching also takes into account the needs of the most able by providing opportunities for enrichment and extension work. ABSENCE Excellent attendance is essential to good progress. It is also a legal requirement that your child attends school. The only acceptable reasons for absence are student illness or family bereavement. If your child has an absence for one of these reasons then it must be reported to the Academy by telephoning the Absence Hotline before 9.00am on 01934 745304 or by emailing [email protected] on each day of absence explaining the reason. This enables the academy to keep their records up to date and helps alleviate the fear of missing children. In the case of extended or chronic illnesses, please liaise with the Year Leader for the relevant support and advice and we will be pleased to assist. In line with Department for Education regulations we do not authorise term time leave or holidays. Leave during term time may be unauthorised under very exceptional circumstances which includes illness or a family bereavement. As an Upper School all students are involved in preparation for public examinations, Year 9 students start their GCSE courses on arrival and there is a direct link to underachievement and increased anxiety for examinations where attendance is poor. Where families do take leave including holidays in term time a fixed term penalty fine may follow for each parent or carer of £60 per child. Where there is a poor attendance record students may be withdrawn from educational trips or enrichment activities to catch up on lessons missed. We would also ask that you think carefully before you remove your child from their lessons even for a dental or orthodontic appointment. ACADEMY COLOURS Academy Colours are awarded to students who have made a special contribution to enrichment activities and are awarded to Juniors (Years 9 and 10) and Seniors (Years 11, 12, 13). Students are presented with a badge and certificate in the End of Term Achievement assemblies held in individual House groups for the Autumn and Spring Terms, and together as a whole Academy at the end of the Summer Term. Students wear their badges on the blazer lapel. ADDRESS The Academy address is: The Kings of Wessex Academy, Station Road, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3AQ Telephone 01934 742608 Fax 01934 742757 E-mail: [email protected] and website: www.kowessex.co.uk Twitter and Facebook 1 ADMISSIONS The Wessex Learning Trust is a forward-looking family of academies working in partnership to provide the highest quality of education within an environment that promotes care, respect and responsibility. It sets high standards in all aspects of school life. Admission applications are welcomed on behalf of any child. Every admission application received will be administered in a fair and equitable way, in strict accordance with published policy and practice. The ‘day to day’ management of school admissions is delegated to an Admissions Committee established within each academy. Who can apply for a school place? A parent, registered carer, or other person/organisation that has responsibility for the child concerned may submit a school admission application on behalf of that child for any United Kingdom (UK) state funded school. The Child Any child aged four and above who resides within the UK has a right to receive full-time education at a United Kingdom (UK) state funded academy/school. The child/young person must, at the time of applying for a school place, have European Economic Area Citizenship (this includes British citizenship), or hold an appropriate Home Office Visa entitling him/her to reside in the UK. The Home Address For admission purposes, the Wessex Learning Trust considers the home address to be: The address at which the child concerned is living at the time of application, with his/her parent(s) for more than 2.5 school days per week. This address should be clearly stated on the application form. If the child will be moving to a new home address and the parent wishes this address to be used for admission purposes, one of the following documents must be made available in conjunction with the Admission Application Form: • A legal ‘exchange of contract’ which confirms the purchase of the property • A copy of a formal tenancy agreement (minimum six-month term) signed and dated by the applicant and the Landlord for the property • Where the property is/will be owned by a person other than the parent (for example; extended family member, emergency or public accommodation) - A formal written letter, signed and dated by the person responsible for the address in question, which confirms the residential/care arrangements for the child. This must state how long these arrangements are expected to remain in place. For Children of UK service personnel with a confirmed posting to the area or Crown servants returning from overseas, an official letter confirming a relocation date and Unit postal address or quartering area address should be submitted with application.