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Parent Information

Booklet

2018-19

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Westwood Road, Leek, ST13 8DN

Telephone: 01538 714740 Principal: Mr. T. Hutchinson

http://stedwards.academy

Principal’s Message I am very pleased to welcome you to St Edward’s Church of England Academy, Leek. Our Academy is a mixed school for students aged 9-13 and is proud to be a Christian community. We aim to provide the highest quality of education to the young people in our care within a community whose ethos, vision and mission are based on the teachings of Jesus and the belief that every person is loved and accepted by God. This is summed up in our motto: Learn for Life. At St Edward’s, we want all our pupils to achieve well and take great care to ensure that we have an appropriately broad and balanced curriculum together with pastoral structures to support this. The links between the pastoral care, academic achievement and enrichment opportunities are designed to enable every pupil to reach their potential. To develop the whole person, a myriad of extracurricular and out-of-classroom experiences are available from chess club and our vegetable garden to rugby and musical productions. Such activities foster a team spirit and help to nurture those characteristics that set St Edward’s pupils apart. They are also a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of our staff to provide a setting where each child can flourish. The school opened in 1981, in buildings formerly occupied by a boys’ high school and since then various alterations and extensions have been made to improve the premises. The latest developments have involved the construction of two new classrooms, the complete refurbishment of one of our labs, new roofing, renovation of the gym into a Sports hall and, most recently, the refurbishment of the library. We are part of the Leek Education Partnership, a partnership of 17 local schools, and we also have a collaboration agreement with the Talentum Learning Trust which consists of Churnet View Middle School, Westwood College and Leek High School. I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to meet with both the staff and pupils, who will demonstrate the outstanding education St Edward’s Church of England Academy, Leek has to offer to your children. God Bless

T Hutchinson Principal

St. Edward’s Church of England Academy

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Contents: Page(s)

Principal’s message (2)

Contents (3)

Ethos and Values (4)

The Academy Prayer and The Academy day (5)

Who do I contact and other methods of communication (6)

Uniform (including PE kit and equipment) (7-9)

St Edward’s House Systems and RESPECT (10)

House Tutors and House Leaders (11)

Praise and Rewards and Behaviour for Learning (12-15)

Anti-bullying (16 - 18)

Attendance and punctuality (19 - 23)

School Terms and Holiday Dates (24)

Teaching and Learning (25)

Homework (26 - 27)

Assessment (28 – 29)

Friends (30)

Emergency Closure (31)

School Calendar (32)

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St Edward’s Church of England Academy Ethos and Values The ethos and values of St Edward’s Church of England Academy are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and underpin everything that we are and do, which is encompassed in the word ‘RESPECT’. Each letter links to the Academy motto – Learn for Life

‘Learn for Life’

Recognise and Encourage - everyone’s potential, individual skills and talents

Strive to be the best we can be

Prepare for the challenges of life

Empathise - promoting the values of respect, kindness, compassion, fairness, forgiveness, love, honesty and trust

Christian – a community where we learn from the teachings of Jesus so that we can contribute to the family of St Edward’s and beyond

Teamwork – an environment where we work together so we can all achieve our potential

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The Academy Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this day.

Let us pray that throughout this day you will remain with us.

Help us to find peace in this world.

Let misery, bullying and suffering be things forgotten forever.

May our school be a place where everyone matters and we are kind to one another.

From the rising of the sun to the evening, let us pray to you our Lord.

We bless you and your son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

The Academy Day

8.45am – 8.55am Tutor Group time & registration/ Collective worship

8.55am – 9.45am Lesson 1

9.45am – 10.35am Lesson 2

10.35am -10.55am Break

10.55am – 11.45am Lesson 3

11.45am – 12.35pm Lesson 4

12.35pm – 1.30pm Lunchtime

1.30pm – 2.20pm Lesson 5

2.20pm - 3.10pm Lesson 6

3.10pm – 3.40pm Tutor Group time & registration / Collective worship

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Who do I contact? If you wish to report an absence, please contact the school office on 01538 714740 giving your child’s name

and tutor group.

If you have an issue regarding academic or pastoral matters, these should be raised with the appropriate

House Leader so that they have the full picture of any pupil within their tutor group.

The House Leader will then liaise with the necessary staff and decide who then needs to follow up with

parent(s) / carer(s).

Telephone numbers: House Leader Newton Mrs R. Ball 714762 House Leader Elgar Mrs L. Mountford 714746 House Leader Nightingale Mrs C. Mulroy 714756

Other Methods of Communication The pupil planner is often a good way for the home and Academy to communicate. The House Tutor checks

the planner weekly, but a pupil can show their planner to their House Tutor during any tutor group period

if there is a note from home.

The Academy regularly informs parents(s) / carer(s) of forthcoming events. This is usually by letter which is

sent out as an e-mail (if the email address has been given to the office). Hard copies are sent home if no

email address has been submitted.

The Academy website has copies of all letters that are sent home and it also contains other valuable

information such as curriculum, policies and useful links.

In addition to this, the Academy also has a Facebook page. This is used to give match results and to keep

parents informed when pupils are on residential visits. Photographs are regularly posted here.

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Uniform Personal Appearance

Pupils should always present themselves in a smart, respectable manner within the Academy, and when

travelling to and from it.

All clothing and equipment should be clearly labelled with the pupil’s name to avoid them misplacing or

confusing their possessions with those of other pupils.

Trousers must be grey or black with no stripes or flecks. They should be classic style and loose fitting with

no exposed zips, external pop-rivets or pockets. Tailored pockets are allowed. Jeans, fashion shorts or other

fashion items are not allowed.

Skirts must be grey or black with no stripes or flecks. They should be a classic style, loose fitting and no

shorter than 1 inch above the knee, with no exposed zips, external pop-rivets or pockets. Tailored pockets

are allowed.

Belts - only narrow plain black or navy belts may be worn.

Shirts - the school open-neck style polo shirts in gold must be worn.

Socks - only navy blue, black, white or grey socks should be worn. Black tights may be worn with skirts.

Footwear - sensible plain, all black leather (or leather like) shoes which cover and protect the toes are to

be worn. There must be no logos or ‘features’ (such as the Adidas three stripes, Nike tick, the New Balance

NB, Puma form strip, Converse star/circle, etc). Even if such shoes are sold as part of a ‘back to school

range’, they will not be allowed. In bad weather, boots or wellingtons may be worn to travel to the Academy

and then exchanged for normal school wear upon arrival. Any medical conditions requiring the use of

alternative footwear should be referred to the Academy.

Examples of Acceptable Shoes

Please see the uniform letter on the school website for clearer pictures.

Examples of Unacceptable Shoes

Sweatshirts - if wearing a sweatshirt, this MUST be the official Academy sweatshirt (see Academy website

for further information).

Hoodies are not allowed. Academy hoodies are only to be worn during sporting fixtures and PE lessons;

they are not to be worn at any other time, including break and lunch time.

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Hair must be a natural colour (and may include natural coloured highlights or lowlights). Hair must be at least 7mm long (a number 3). Long hair (i.e. below shoulder length) should always be tied up. Fashion cuts are not allowed, including ‘dip-dyed’ hair, ‘tram lines’, ‘patterns’,’ shaved heads’, ‘Mohicans’, etc. Dark coloured ‘bobbles’ are to be used when tying hair back. Hair bands are permissible but should also be dark in colour. ‘Holiday braids’ are not permissible. Jewellery, valuables and earrings (other than one small stud on the lobe of the ear) all piercings are not

permitted on the grounds of Health and Safety. A simple wrist watch or ‘fitbit’ may be worn (SMART

watches are not allowed).

Make-up and nail varnish must not be worn.

Coats and jackets must be plain in colour and suitable for unstructured time. They must not be worn in the

building. In the winter months, high visibility bands may be worn.

Summer wear, such as the authorised gingham dress may be worn during the summer term. Smart shorts

(of the colours and style described under ‘trouser’ section above) may also be worn. Tight shorts (including

cycling shorts, ‘hot pants’ and ‘wheelies’) are not acceptable.

Large amounts of money or items of value (including personal audio equipment such as MP3 players, iPods,

iPads or other tablet devices, electronic games or jewellery) must not be brought into the Academy. Such

items will be confiscated by staff and must subsequently be collected by parent(s)/carer(s) from reception.

Dress Code for non-uniform days (or educational visits)

Discrete and respectful clothing must cover the ‘trunk’ of the body from the neck to the knees, including

the shoulders (tight shorts are not acceptable, including cycling shorts, ‘hot pants’, ‘wheelies’, etc.).

Sensible and appropriate clothing and shoes must provide adequate protection and not include anything

inappropriate for a school setting (unsuitable captions, motifs, etc. are not acceptable).

Jewellery and hair must conform to ‘within the Academy’ requirements.

Face painting or fancy dress is not permitted (unless a letter has been sent home explicitly authorising it

for a special event).

The Principal reserves the right to make the final decision on what is or what is not appropriate.

Pupils who do not comply with uniform rules will be removed from lessons and break/lunchtime routines until they do so. A uniform pass to allow a temporary exception to uniform requirements can be applied for and issued at the Academy’s discretion should there be a need. The Academy accepts no liability for lost or stolen items. All items must have a name label and pupils

must take care of their own property at all times.

We are aware that it is sometimes difficult for parents to identify what is acceptable and wish to work with you to ensure that we are consistent in our approach to dealing with this matter. If you are unsure, please contact the school.

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Equipment In terms of equipment for school, our pupils are expected to bring each day:

Their school planner

A suitable sturdy school bag – examples of appropriate bags are on the school website

A pencil case

Two pens/biros (black or blue)

A pencil

A ruler

Headphones / ear-buds (for Computing)

A reading book

Other items that are useful: A green pen

A pencil sharpener

A rubber

A calculator

Coloured pencils

PE kit list: St Edward's Academy PE shirt or St Edward's Academy blue polo

St Edward's Academy shorts / skirt

St Edward's Academy socks

Short white sports socks / trainer socks

Trainers (not pumps)

Football boots

Shin pads

Mouth guard

St Edward's Academy reversible rugby shirt (optional)

St Edward's Academy hoody (optional)

Navy base layer (optional)

Track suits/ fleece / other warm clothes (preferably navy in colour) may be worn in bad weather at the discretion of the PE staff

Swimming (Boys and Girls) Year 5 only:

Swimming trunks or costume (one piece) in any sensible colour

Swimming cap must be worn by all pupils who have long hair

Where to buy our uniform and sports kit

We have two outlets available for our school uniform, Supersport and Tesco Online with their F&F brand. To view the ranges from each supplier, please contact them.

Supersport (Leisure Shirts) Ltd, Hope Silk Mill, Macclesfield Road, Leek ST13 8JZ Telephone: 01538 386226

Tesco Florence and Fred – visit Tesco Online and select Staffordshire and then St Edward's CE Academy from the drop down lists

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St Edward’s House System and Respect

The House system creates competition, promotes good work and behaviour, encourages

teamwork, provides opportunities to take on responsibilities and brings everyone in the

school together. The system also helps us to focus on our values and ethos.

The House names are as follows:

Newton (House colour: Blue)

Elgar (House colour: Yellow)

Nightingale (House colour: Red)

These people and their fields of expertise and experience encompass all of our faculty areas at St Edward’s.

Within each year group there are two tutor groups in each of the houses, i.e. in Year 5

Newton: 5Isaac and 5Newton

Elgar: 5Edward and 5Elgar

Nightingale: 5Florence and 5Nightingale

As can be seen, in Years 6, 7 and 8 the year group that your son or daughter is in precedes the tutor group name. Each House has a House Leader who oversees all matters regarding pupils.

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House Tutors and House Leaders

Newton Elgar Nightingale

House Leader: Mrs R Ball

House Leader: Mrs L Mountford

House Leader: Mrs C Mulroy

Form Isaac Newton Edward Elgar Florence Nightingale

Year 5 Mrs V Cooper

Rm 207 Mrs M Loughran

Rm 114 Miss K Ashcroft

Rm 210 Mrs R Smith-Ruscoe

Rm 112 Mrs E Salmon

Rm 204 Mr C Burrows

Rm 202

Year 6

Mrs S. Breen and

Mrs T. Dickinson Rm 110

Miss L. Broadhurst Rm 108

Mrs R Rose and

Mr T Ellis Rm 101

Miss L. Newport Rm 123

Mr J. Renshaw Rm 102

Mrs R Aggett Rm 122

Year 7 Mrs L Harrop

Rm 104 Mrs M Collier

Rm 205 Mrs J Ibbotson

Rm 106* Mr R Salmon

Rm 116* Mr P Jones

Rm 203 Mr D Cooper

Rm 119

Year 8 Mr M Massey

Rm 121

Miss H Swinson and

Mrs S Johnson Rm 120

Miss H Jones Rm 103

Mr L Braxton Rm 124

Miss L Batigan Rm 208*

Mrs L Jeffery Rm 206*

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Praise and Rewards and

Behaviour for Learning

Please refer to the Praise and Rewards Policy on the Academy website for full details.

What is Behaviour?

Behaviour is the way we act and respond to people and to situations in which we find ourselves. Good behaviour is a necessary condition for effective teaching and learning and for pupils to make progress.

Poor behaviour blights the learning and, possibly, the life chances of pupils. For any Academy to operate

successfully, therefore, we need agreed standards of behaviour which are well known to pupils and to

parents, and which are applied consistently and fairly by all staff. At St. Edward’s, we expect high

behavioural standards of all pupils, supported by our parents.

Definitions of Positive Behaviour

Good / Excellent Effort

Good / Exceptional work

Good / Excellent Improvement

Showing a mature attitude / Exceptionally good attitude

Extremely helpful

Representing the school

Sustained attendance or involvement in an extracurricular activity

100% attendance over a half term or term This list is not exhaustive and there are many other types of positive behaviour that may be praised or rewarded.

Our Approach to Positive Behaviour A common culture of RESPECT including praise and rewards is employed throughout the school. Clear rewards will be consistently applied:

Subject staff record a pupil’s Attitude To Learning (ATL) for every lesson using the 4 to 1 scale where 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = needs to improve, 1 = inadequate

All staff record all positive incidents on SIMS

Pupils are rewarded for identified milestones in positive behaviour and attendance, including end of half term certificates / subject prizes, other special recognition prizes and eligibility for end of year or term activities / trips

Special responsibilities / privileges

Texts / Letters / phone calls home / parents invited into school

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Our Code of Respect

We should show the following at all times:

Self-respect which includes showing a commitment to try our very best in all that we do

Consideration and respect for others and of their right to learn, demonstrating politeness and good

manners

Respect for property and the environment

Regular attendance and punctuality

Academy Ethos

All adults encountered by pupils at the Academy have an important responsibility to model high standards of behaviour, both in their dealings with the pupils and each other. As adults, we uphold the ethos and values of our Academy. Learn for Life:

Recognise and Encourage everyone’s potential, individual skills and talents

Strive to be the best we can be

Prepare for the challenges of life

Empathise - promoting the values of respect, kindness, compassion, fairness, forgiveness, love, honesty and

trust

Christian - a community where we learn from the teachings of Jesus so that we can contribute to the family

of St Edward’s and beyond

Teamwork – an environment where we work together so we can all achieve our potential

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Expectations of Pupils

The Academy aims to seek “to encourage and expect from each pupil the very best in personal achievement, attitude and behaviour, and thereby to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life both now and in the future.” Our expectations of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are founded on RESPECT and this may be summarised as follows:

Self-respect and self-esteem - this includes showing a commitment to try their very best in all that

they do

Consideration and respect for others and of their right to learn, demonstrating politeness and good

manners

Respect for property and the environment

Regular attendance and punctuality

Expectations of Parents and Carers In order for a young person to achieve their potential, it is vital that an effective and respectful relationship exists between the Academy and home and it is one where an open dialogue exists. If a parent or carer has a concern, we will always listen and seek to address the matter. Government guidance states that parents and carers:

are under a legal duty to ensure that their child receives a suitable full-time education and that

they attend regularly and punctually

have a clear role in making sure that their child is well behaved at the Academy

If parent(s) / carer(s) fail in their duty to do either of the above, then they may be asked by the Academy or the Local Authority to sign a parenting contract or a court-imposed parenting order. In addition to this, should a parent or carer be abusive or threatening, further action will be taken to ensure the safety of all members of St Edward’s Academy, including pupils, staff, other parent(s) or carer(s) and visitors to the Academy.

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Our approach to Inappropriate Behaviour

A common culture of RESPECT including praise and rewards will be used where pupils are encouraged to do even better. Clear consequences will be consistently applied. Primarily, staff record in SIMS any incidents where pupils’ behaviour / work falls below the standard expected of them. Staff then implement appropriate consequences, where necessary, to encourage the pupil to modify their behaviour and thus want to succeed.

The Academy may use one or more of the following sanctions in response to unacceptable behaviour:

A verbal reprimand

Expecting work to be completed at home, break or lunchtime

Detention at break, lunchtime or after school

Referring the pupil to a more senior member of staff, e.g. Faculty Leader or Leader of Pupil Engagement

Letters or phone calls home to parent(s) / carer(s)

Academy and parent(s) / carer(s) meeting

Placing a pupil on ATL report

Agreeing a Positive Support Plan

Off-site behaviour Sanctions may be applied where a pupil has misbehaved off-site when representing the school, such as on a school trip or whilst travelling to or from school on the bus. Where pupils display behaviour outside the Academy that could have a detrimental effect on the smooth running of the Academy and the welfare of its pupils or staff, this Praise and Rewards Policy will also be implemented.

Anti-bullying Our aim is to create RESPECT for one another in a Christian, caring and equal society, promoting the moral,

mental, physical well-being and development of all pupils by providing a healthy social learning

environment. The Academy rejects all forms of bullying and intends to provide an atmosphere of safety

and happiness for all pupils. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our Academy. If bullying does occur, all

pupils should be feel confident to inform the appropriate member of staff, and know that incidents will be

dealt with promptly and effectively.

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Definition, Types and Practices

Bullying takes many forms and in determining whether bullying has taken place, the views of the victim

must be taken into account.

Definition

Bullying is a deliberate attempt to make someone feel uncomfortable, unwanted or intimidated. It may

take place over a period of time and it can be carried out by an individual or a group. Examples of types are:

Direct Verbal - name calling, taunting, mimicking, insulting or hurtful comments, including

references about looks, ability, accent, families, race, gender or sexual orientation

Indirect - spreading unpleasant stories about someone, electronic messages, e-mails and

comments or photographs on web-sites, malicious texting or phone calls, excluding someone from

a group, writing hurtful comments, etc.

Physical - hitting, pushing, barging, tripping up, kicking, pulling hair, sexual harassment, taking and

hiding belongings, damaging property, etc.

Bullying is not when people have an occasional fight, disagreement or they have fallen out of friendship.

Practices

It is important to recognise that bullying can take place in various situations, such as, between children,

children and adults, or between adults. It can involve individuals or groups and be face-to-face, indirect and

use a range of cyber-bullying methods.

Signs of Bullying

Parents and teachers should always be alert to signs a pupil may display if being bullied:

A change in character, becoming withdrawn, anxious, nervous or alterations in eating habits

‘Loses’ money, possessions or has property damaged

Has unexplained marks, bruises or cuts

Is reluctant to come into the Academy or truants

Becomes aggressive, disruptive or is bullying other children or siblings

The Role of the Academy The House Tutor's Responsibility The House Tutor is the ‘front line’ of the pastoral care system and is responsible for creating a good relationship with individuals so that pupils feel they can discuss personal issues, including bullying with them if necessary. Tutors need to be vigilant in assessing the wellbeing of pupils, especially if they are particularly vulnerable for any reason.

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How the Academy responds to any incident that is reported (suspected) incident of bullying St Edward’s Academy will establish and maintain the following activities to combat bullying behaviour:

The role of an identified Anti-bullying Lead as part of the roles and responsibilities of the Vice

Principal

An appointed Link Governor for safeguarding and anti-bullying

The establishment of a record through which all incidents are collated, periodically reviewed and

reported in appropriate quarters

Ensure that where appropriate, the Academy fulfils its legal responsibility by reporting incidents to

identified authorities, including the police, e.g. racist incidents

Communication of the policy and its periodic update, in order to ensure that staff, pupils, parents

and governors are continuously aware of the policy and also of their individual responsibilities

Examination of preventative measures such as alteration to the Academy environment, procedures

and practices, in an effort to reduce the risks of bullying occurring

Please refer to the flow diagram for a full overview of how the Academy deals with incidents that are witnessed, suspected or reported as bullying.

Role of Parent(s) / Carer(s)

If parent(s) /carer(s) suspect bullying is taking place (whether in school or outside school), please

contact the Academy immediately - the easiest and quickest way is to telephone*

If you wish to speak to a member of staff in person, you may ask for an appointment with the House

Tutor or House Leader*

Encourage your child to inform the Academy, or allow you to contact us if they are being bullied*

The Academy will keep parents informed of any investigation by telephone and notify them of the

outcome in writing

Role of Pupils The most important action is to TELL someone. If there is immediate danger, tell the nearest adult or older pupil. Otherwise the following will help:

House Tutor

House Leader

Any member of staff whom you find approachable

Your friends

You should also tell your parent(s) or carer(s)

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*Please refer to our Anti-bullying policy for full details and appendices mentioned in this diagram.

An appropriate sanction is put in place. This is dependent upon the

gravitas of the incident and whether this type of behaviour has

occurred before. It can include detentions, removal, inclusion, police

involvement, fixed term exclusion or even permanent exclusion.

A letter is sent to the parents of both the person/s affected (Appendix

2) and the ‘bully/ies’ (Appendix 3/4).

Follow up conversations with person/s affected and ‘bully/ies occurs

for the next four weeks and are logged using the anti-bullying log.

This may include restorative justice.

If there are no further issues, then at the end of the four week period

letters are sent to the parents of both the pupils affected (Appendix

5) and the ‘bully/ies’ (Appendix 6).

The details are also recorded in SIMS.

The parents of the both parties are contacted

and the details of the conversations are

recorded in the communication log.

The details of the incident are recorded in the

anti-bullying log.

The reported / suspected / witnessed incident is dealt with

immediately by the member of staff involved.

A clear account is recorded by the member of staff using Anti-

bullying Incident Log (see Appendix 1). This MUST be completed

as soon as possible.

The Anti-bullying Incident Log is given to the Anti-bullying Lead

(Vice Principal) or Deputy Anti-bullying Lead (Pastoral Leader).

The incident is fully investigated with statements being taken by

person/s affected, ‘bully/ies’ and any witnesses present.

The parents of the pupil/s affected and the parents of the ‘bully/ies’

are contacted and the details of the conversations are recorded in the

communication log.

Details of the incident are recorded in the anti-bullying log.

If there are any further issues in the four week

period, the Academy behaviour policy will be

followed due to the repetitive nature and

seriousness of these events.

Parents of both the ‘person/s affected’ and the

‘bully/ies’ will be contacted and further

strategies/consequences will be discussed.

It has been deemed that bullying HAS taken place It has been deemed that bullying HAS NOT taken place

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Attendance and Punctuality

Did you know? 90% attendance = 19 days off school (equivalent to a day off every 2 weeks) 85% attendance = 29 days off school (equivalent to missing a whole half term) At St Edward’s Academy we are aiming for 100% attendance as we recognise that attendance is essential if a child is to make the most of the educational opportunities available to them and to help children achieve more. We also acknowledge that irregular attendance seriously disrupts continuity of learning, undermines educational progress, can lead to underachievement and low attainment. It can also impede the pupil’s ability to develop friendship groups within the Academy. Statistically, there is a 60-70% chance that a pupil will fail to make the expected standard if their attendance is below 90%. Sometimes pupils are reluctant to attend school. Any problems that arise with attendance are best resolved between the Academy, the parent(s)/carer(s) and the pupil. What is expected of pupils:

To respect others and themselves

To do all they can to attend the Academy regularly and punctually

To inform a trusted adult if they feel they have concerns or issues which may make them reluctant to attend the Academy or be punctual

To encourage friendship and build a sense of community

To be happy and encourage others to feel happy What is expected of parent(s)/carer(s):

Parent(s)/carer(s) have the prime and legal responsibility for ensuring that their child attends the Academy regularly and punctually. They also must ensure that their child remains in school for every lesson following registration.

Parents/carers should also make sure that their child arrives on time, properly dressed, with the correct equipment and in a fit state to benefit from the education offered to them.

Parents/carers whose children are experiencing difficulties with maintaining attendance and punctuality should contact the Academy immediately. Working together we can help to resolve any problems.

If a child is ill, parents should contact the Academy and inform them of their child’s absence daily. Parents may be prosecuted if a child does not attend school regularly and punctually under the 1996 Education Act, Section 444. It aims to ensure that parents carry out their duty to secure suitable education for their children. The maximum penalty on conviction is a fine of £2500 and/or three months imprisonment.

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What is expected of the Academy:

To create a positive Academy ethos that pupils want to be part of

To encourage open communication channels between home and the Academy with the emphasis on support and promoting positive attitudes

To develop procedures that enable the Academy to identify, follow up and record unauthorised absence, patterns of absence and parent condoned absence with effective monitoring and intervention

To consistently record authorised and unauthorised absences within the guidance of the 1996 Education Act

In following up attendance the Academy will follow the procedure below: If not informed of absence the Academy will contact home. Stage 1 Below 97% Text parents if a pupil’s attendance falls below 97% Stage 2 Below 95% Write to parents for a second time if attendance falls below 95% Stage 3 Below 93% Invite parents into school and / or have a telephone conversation if

attendance falls below 93%. Agree an action plan which includes no further authorised absences unless a medical note or appointment card is submitted to the Academy – EHA offered

Stage 4 Below 91% Phone call to parent/carer to inform them that if their child’s attendance does not improve, then the matter will be escalated to the Leader of Pupil Engagement.

Stage 5 Below 90% Letter sent informing parent/carer that if there is no significant improvement in their child’s attendance within 10 days, then the issue will be referred to the EWO, where more formal action will be taken, up to and including the issue of a Penalty Notice

Stage 6 Where attendance fails to improve Prosecution will be pursued by the Local Authority.

Punctuality

In following up punctuality the Academy will follow the procedure below: Over a school year, five minutes late every day is equivalent to three days absent Pupils who are late to school often find themselves disorganised for the rest of the day and this has a huge impact on learning. It is vital that pupils arrive at school before the bell at 8.45am

Stage 1 5 late marks Sticker in planner. Lunchtime detention issued. Warned of after school detention.

Stage 2 6 Late marks Phone call to parents and follow up letter sent. After school detention issued 3.40-4.30.

Stage 3 Every late mark after Phone call to parents and follow up letter sent. After school detention issued 3.40-5.00.

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Guidance Notes for Parents requesting Leave in Term Time

Parents who want the Academy to consider granting leave of absence in school term time should read these notes carefully and complete the attached form. This form should be sent to the Vice Principal well before the desired period of absence. Parents are strongly advised not to finalise any booking arrangements prior to receiving the Academy’s decision regarding their request. The Academy will not authorise any leave of absence unless the request is received before the period of absence begins. The Department for Education makes it clear that head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Head teachers also determine the number of days a child can be away from school should the leave be granted. There is no automatic right to any leave in term time.

Staffordshire County Council understands the challenges that some parents face when booking holidays, particularly during school holidays. However, we believe that, in order to ensure children receive the best education and prospects, they should be in school during term time. Each case will be considered individually and on its own merits. In considering a request, the Academy will take account of the following:

the exceptional circumstances of the request the stage of the child’s education and progress together with the effects of the requested absence

on both elements the overall attendance pattern of the child the frequency of similar requests whether the parent made the request in advance

Please note: pupils on examination courses or due to take SATs will not normally be granted leave of absence.

Where parents have children in more than one school, a separate request must be made to each school. The head teachers of the schools concerned will make separate decisions based on the factors relating to the individual child. However, head teachers may choose to liaise with each other as part of their decision-making process.

Should the Academy decide to grant leave of absence, but the child fails to return to school at the

expected (i.e. following the expiry of the granted leave of absence period) and no further information has

been provided, the continuing absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

Any pupil removed from school without the appropriate authorisation will receive a mark of unauthorised

absence, which may be subject to a Penalty Notice fine of £60 per parent* per child. This fine will increase

to £120 if not paid within 21 days. Failure to pay the £120 fine within the period 22 to 28 days may lead

to Court proceedings.

The Local Authority will continue to monitor all school absences during term time and support head teachers in challenging parents who ignore the law. * Generally the DfE states that parents include all those with day to day responsibility for a child. Should the parent/carer decide to appeal against the decision made by the Vice Principal, they may have the right to appeal using the template in Appendix 4

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Request for leave during term time

To: The Vice Principal of St Edward’s Academy

Date…………………….......... I request consideration of a grant of leave of absence from the Academy

during term time for:

my child (full name) …………………………………………………………………………….......................................

for the period from (date) ..…………………............... to (date) …………………..............................................

The exceptional circumstances and reason for this request are:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I have another child/other children in another school/other schools:

Child(ren) (full name(s) ) ………………………………………........ School(s) attended .…………………………........................ ……………………………………………………………………………………. ..................................................... .......................................................................................... .....................................................

Signature of parent(s)/carer(s)……………………………………. Print name...............................................

Please return completed form to the Academy office. The Academy will write to you and inform you of their

decision.

For Office Use Only

Current Attendance……………………….% Last Year’s Attendance……………………..…%

Number of Academy sessions taken as leave during term time …………………………....(this academic year)

Agreed/Not Agreed

Request for leave is agreed/is not agreed for the above student to take leave during term time between the above

dates.

Rationale to decline request: ………………………………………………………………………………

Mr J Parrish

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Authorisation procedure for request of leave of absence during term time Please refer to our Anti-bullying policy for full details and appendices mentioned in this diagram.

Leave is authorised because exceptional

circumstances are accepted

Letter is issued by the Academy to parent.

(SEE APPENDIX 4 – Academy letter leave authorised)

The Vice Principal will inform parent / carer in writing that the request

has been denied giving the reason why, also that if the absence occurs it

will be unauthorised and a Penalty Notice may be issued. (SEE

APPENDIX 5 – Academy letter – leave not authorised).

If a parent wishes to appeal against the decision then the template in

Appendix 6 should be used

School must be aware that they may be called as a witness in court.

Where unauthorised leave of absence occurs, the Academy must

determine whether or not the case meets the criteria for issuing a

Penalty Notice. The EWW may advise the Academy if needed

Pupil returns to the

academy on

agreed date

Attendance is

monitored

Pupil does not

return to the

Academy on agreed

date

Does the student meet criteria for Penalty Notice?

Unauthorised absence occurs

NO YES

Record absence as unauthorised and

monitor for any future unauthorised

absences with a view to future action

if appropriate

School complete Penalty Notice

request paperwork as detailed on

page 3 of the Code of Conduct and

sends to LST inbox with

accompanying Request for Service

Form

LST responds to the Academy regarding the request within 10 school days and outlines to the

Academy the next steps

Absence is recorded as

unauthorised and reported to

the LST via the Request for

Service Form

Parent / carer requests absence at least one month before start date of request.

The Academy ensures that the request is made in writing (SEE APPENDIX 3).

Academy make decision regarding written application (school may wish to liaise if there are other children

in the family in other schools).

Leave request denied – circumstances are

deemed not to be exceptional

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St Edward’s Academy School Terms and Holidays 2018 / 2019

Autumn Term 2018:

Inset Day: Monday 3 September Inset Day: Tuesday 4 September Term starts: Wednesday 5 September - Friday 26 October Holiday: Monday 29 October - Friday 2 November Inset Day: Monday 5 November Term starts: Tuesday 6 November - Friday 21 December Holiday: Monday 24 December - Friday 4 January

Spring Term 2019:

Inset Day: Monday 7 January Term starts: Tuesday 8 January - Friday 15 February Holiday: Monday 18 February - Friday 22 February Term starts: Monday 25 February - Friday 12 April Holiday: Monday 15 April - Friday 26 April Easter Sunday: Sunday 21 April

Summer Term 2019:

Term starts: Monday 29 April - Friday 24 May May Day: Monday 6 May Holiday: Monday 27 May - Friday 31 May Term starts: Monday 3 June - Friday 19 July Inset Day: Monday 22 July Holiday: Tuesday 23 July - Friday 30 August

School Visits

During their four years at school, pupils may be invited to take part in a number of educational visits. The

Governors of St. Edward’s Academy reserve the right to refuse participation in any educational, sporting

or leisure visit because of Health and Safety issues related to behaviour. A contract for good behaviour

will be signed for residential visits.

When the number of places for a visit is restricted, it may be necessary to use a method of selection. In

this case, details of the selection system will be included in the initial letter to parent(s) or carer(s).

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Teaching and Learning

At St Edward’s Academy, we are committed to providing a high standard of education for all children. This education provides them with the necessary skills for each subject and engaging and creative experiences to enhance and embed learning. Teaching and Learning are the central activities of the Academy and our success is judged against the quality of our children’s learning, progress and outcomes. We subscribe to Plutarch’s maxim that “…the mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited”. So it is our ambition to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to learn, grow and flourish within the family environment of our Academy. At St Edward’s this ambition is enshrined and embedded in a Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy which seeks to ensure that:

There is a high standard of teaching and learning in all classes across all years

There is consistency of practice between year groups to facilitate consistency of outcomes

There is a shared belief across the Academy in the way teachers teach and children learn

Everybody in the Academy is clear about the roles they fulfil in facilitating excellence in teaching and learning

There is equality of access and opportunity for all children regardless of ability or starting point

The Academy is committed to providing teachers with the highest quality of training and development to accelerate rapid and sustained standards in the classroom

In our Academy, we believe passionately in our core business of teaching and learning. Our children, and their parents, should expect and demand a high quality of education that demonstrates the Academy’s commitment to achieving high standards of excellence including academic, personal, cultural and spiritual development. Pursuit of excellence, the development of good habit and contribution to the Common Good are honourable and dignified endeavours. These are central to our understanding of a Christian education. We maintain that the key to our success as an Academy and to developing high standards of teaching and learning, are based upon development of positive and respectful relationships between staff and pupils. It is our purpose to ensure that the highest standards of teaching and learning are at the centre of Academy life. Every member of staff has a duty to ensure that every child, under their tutelage, fulfils their undoubted and God given potential allowing them to become the best they can be. In addition, every pupil has the responsibility to participate fully in the learning experience, giving their best consistently. This successful teaching and learning relationship is enhanced when the attitude of all is positive, the behaviour of all is exemplary and co-operation of all is necessary. “The mediocre teacher tells The good teacher explains The superior teacher demonstrates The great teacher inspires”

William Arthur Ward

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Additional Needs

Inclusion underpins the ethos of St Edward’s Academy to ensure that all members of its community are valued, have high aspirations and ultimately achieve. The Additional Needs Team, led by the Assistant Principal for Personal Development Behaviour and Welfare and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, work together with individual class teachers and the pastoral staff to provide appropriate interventions/support for those pupils who experience varying levels of difficulty in their learning. By liaising with parents, other relevant professionals and the pupil themselves, we aim to meet the education, social, emotional and physical needs of all pupils and are dedicated to enabling all students to achieve their potential.

How we achieve this in the classroom:

Quality First Teaching - whereby teachers adapt resources and the environment in which they teach so that all pupils can make progress. Information Sharing - pupil profiles are compiled, detailing strengths as well as highlighting areas of need and appropriate strategies to support the pupil identified with an additional need. Ongoing training - for all staff, ensures that we maintain a current skills and knowledge base to enable us to meet the needs of those with general and specific learning difficulties. Teaching Assistants - work closely with teaching staff, enabling students to access the curriculum alongside their peers, and supporting them to overcome barriers to learning and develop independent learning skills. The Additional Needs Team Our team of teaching assistants have a wealth of experience in supporting pupils with a wide range of needs, including specific learning difficulties, dyslexia, autism and visual and hearing impairments.

Homework Following consultation with pupils and parents regarding home learning (June 2017), the following has been written to confirm the Academy’s expectations. St Edward's Academy believes that home learning is an integral part of the learning process. We set home learning regularly to enable all pupils to fulfil their potential by:

Encouraging good work habits and independent study skills

Encouraging a self-disciplined and self-motivating attitude to study

Practising and consolidating skills learned in the classroom

Extending work begun in the classroom

Making greater use of materials and sources of information which may not be available in the classroom

Involving parents / carers to oversee their child's learning and progress, offering support where necessary

Pupils in all year groups are expected to complete home learning tasks. Teachers will set a variety of exercises to build on the learning taking place in the classroom or to prepare pupils for new learning. Activities may include spellings, reading, practicing skills or researching a topic.

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To help pupils, parent(s) and carer(s) monitor home learning, we use a web based platform: 'Show my Homework'. This allows you to see what task have been set, find out the due date, see a copy of any resources and access any web links. Both pupils and parents will receive a log in to access the site, although it is possible to see the homework calendar without logging in. A 'Show My Homework' app is also available. Each day, a computer room is available at lunchtime for pupils to check their tasks and complete any online activities, such as 'My Maths' or 'Timetables Rock Stars'.

Expectations Pupils are expected to write their home learning in their school planner (the task and deadline date); to

complete their home learning to the best of their ability; and to hand it in on the given deadline.

Teachers are expected to set appropriate home learning that will challenge, extend or consolidate the

learning from the classroom; provide feedback on submitted pieces; and award merits to reward excellent

effort and quality of home learning.

Parents/carer(s) are expected to monitor their child's home learning and to sign the pupil planner; provide

a suitable quiet place for their child to work; encourage full engagement and effort in the home learning;

helping their child to manage their time in order to complete their home learning and meet given deadlines;

and to inform the subject teacher of any concerns via the pupil's planner.

House Tutors are expected to monitor and sign pupils' planners (checking that home learning is being

recorded); and follow up any concerns with pupils, parent / carers and subject teachers.

A Home Learning timetable is issued at the start of the academic year for every pupil; this can be found in each pupil's planner.

KS2 Home Learning (up to 30 minutes per evening)

In Years 5 and 6, pupils are expected to learn, revise, practise and consolidate their learning from the KS2 English and Mathematics curriculum in order to be fully prepared for their external SATs examinations. There will be home learning set by other subjects, where appropriate, but not at the detriment of time allocated for English and Mathematics.

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Changes to Assessment at St Edward’s Academy

As you may be aware, the government has announced radical changes to the structure and assessment of GCSE qualifications. The grades pupils receive have moved away from the familiar A*-G to a new system that employs numbers 1-9, where 9 is the top score. In addition to the changes to the structure of the examinations, the government is also raising the grade that will be considered as a ‘good pass’. To prepare pupils and you (as parent(s)/carer(s)) to use this new grading structure, we are also moving to this more simplified system for September 2018 with regard to all our assessment tracking, target setting and reporting. Parental sessions will be run explaining the new system in September so that you can support your children in their learning. What do the new numbers mean?

Each pupil will be assigned a target and then a grade associated with their chronological year group. As illustrated above, a child targeted to achieve 5.5 by the end of the year will begin that year at 5.2 with a view to making progress towards their target throughout the academic year. If a pupil falls behind their expected progress, interventions will be put in place should they be required. It is important to note that pupils can exceed their expected/target grade. When a pupil subsequently transitions to the following year, Year 6 in this example, they will begin that year at 6.2 and work towards 6.5 as their end of the year target. Grades will be appropriately adjusted for those pupils who exceed their targets.

There are five assessment windows over an academic year. Therefore, pupils may remain on the same grade at some point in the year. GCSEs may seem a long way off; however, to prepare pupils for this revised process, we will be adopting the 9-1 grading system. We have included an explanation sheet from OFQUAL on the back page. This provides further information

concerning the proportions of pupils that receive each new GCSE grade compared with the old system, which

will now be reflected in our internal tracking.

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THE FRIENDS OF ST EDWARDS

Registered Charity 1058569

Dear Parents/Carers/Guardians ‘The Friends of St Edwards’s Academy’ is a small group of parents, carers and teachers who usually get together once per half term for an informal chat about ways to raise funds for extracurricular items and activities for the Academy. You may be more familiar with the term ‘PTA’ at your child’s first or primary school. Our aim is to organise social activities that our children and their families will enjoy, as well as raising funds to supplement the Academy’s regular budget and help enrich their education. Our hope is that the children will remember their school days fondly, particularly the fun after-school events. To give you an idea of what we have achieved in previous years, currently, we have raised an average of £5,000 per year. This has been used to fund additional reading and maths materials, sports, music and IT equipment, to name but a few. Holding regular discos and family events such as a Summer Fayre and Christmas Raffle have all helped us to achieve this. These events have been thoroughly enjoyed by everyone: the children, their families, their friends and teaching staff. If you are able to help support us when you child starts at St Edward’s Academy in September, please contact the Academy office so you can be included in the Friends List for updates about meetings and the latest events being organised. Please provide your name, your email address and telephone numbers. Helpers are always needed, and we welcome new faces and fresh ideas. Welcome to St Edward’s Academy!

The Friends of St Edward’s

June 2018

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Emergency School Closure

In adverse weather conditions or other emergencies, it is our usual policy to send pupils who travel by bus

home early. The appropriate buses will still be used to transport pupils to their regular drop off points. All

remaining local pupils will stay in school until 3.40 pm.

However, in some emergencies or in severe weather conditions, we may need to evacuate the whole

Academy early.

Parents, carers or those with parental responsibility are therefore requested to complete the closure form

to provide the Academy with their instructions should an emergency closure arise. This form may be

obtained from the Academy office.

In the event of adverse weather, a text message will be sent to the mobile phone number of the primary

contact for a pupil. A message will also be displayed on the Academy website and our Facebook page. It is

important that any change of mobile phone number, email address or other details be reported to the

Academy at the earliest opportunity.

We also advise parents to listen to:

Radio Stoke (94.6FM, 104.1FM) www.bbc.co.uk/england/radiostoke

Signal Radio (102.6FM) www.signal1.co.uk

Moorlands Radio (103.7FM) www.moorlandsradio.co.uk

When a decision is made to close the school, these radio stations are immediately notified and will make

regular announcements.

You can also visit the Emergency Closure page on the Staffordshire.gov.uk website for more information

about school closures.

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St Edward’s Church of England Academy

Key Dates:

Autumn Term 2018 Wednesday 5th September Pupils start Thursday 6th – Tuesday 11th September Year 5 drop in to speak with House Leaders 4.30pm – 5.30pm Wednesday 17th September School photographs Thursday 20th September Open Evening Monday 1st October Y5 Parents Evening with House Tutors and House Leaders Friday 26th October End of Autumn half-term 1 Tuesday 6th November Pupils start Autumn half-term 2 Monday 12th November Start of antibullying week and Primary Maths Challenge this week Year 5 English and Maths Evening Friday 16th November Reports to parents Friday 23rd November Y5 Theatre trip Friday 14th December Christmas lunch Tuesday 18th & Wednesday 19th December Christmas Concert Friday 21st December Celebration assembly/Church am or pm and last day of Autumn

term

Spring Term 2019 Tuesday 8th January Pupils start Spring term Friday 18th January Reports to parents Wednesday 13th February Solo’s Concert Friday 15th February End of Spring half-term 1 Monday 25th February Pupils start Spring half-term 2 Friday 8th March Reports to parents Tuesday 9th –Thursday 11th April Academy Production Friday 12th April Celebration assembly / Church am or pm and last day of Spring

term

Summer Term 2019 Monday 29th April Pupils start Summer term Friday 3rd May Reports to parents Monday 6th May May Day Bank Holiday Friday 24th May End of Summer half-term 1 Monday 3rd June Pupils start Summer half-term 2 Friday 7th June School team photos (Day 1) Thursday 13th June Y5 Parents Evening Friday 14th June School team photos (Day 2) Tuesday 2nd July Sports Day Thursday 4th July Summer Concert Monday 8th July Awards Evening Tuesday 9th – Thursday 11th July Transition Week Wb Monday 15th July End of year trips Friday 19th July Celebration assembly / Church am or pm and last day of Academic

Year

Please refer to the Academy website for a full and up to date list of events