EXPECTATIONS 2017-18 FINAL V2 CL

Hebburn Comprehensive School
Campbell Park Road, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, NE312QU, (0191) 4833199
Information and Expectations
2017-18

HEBBURN COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL
INFORMATION AND EXPECTATIONS FOR 2017-18
In order to maintain our high
standards and build on the huge
success of our excellent Ofsted
report, I send the following
information to all parents and carers
to outline the school’s expectations
for the new academic year in
September.
ATTENDANCE
We believe that regular attendance
and good punctuality are essential
factors in pupils achieving their full
potential in school. The link between
high levels of attendance and
maximising learning is undeniable.
EXPECTATIONS OF PUPILS
All pupils are expected to attend
school and all of their lessons
regularly and punctually. Pupils who
experience attendance difficulties will
be offered support from our
Attendance Officer, their
Head/Assistant Head of Learning and
members of the Senior Leadership
Inclusion Team.
RESPONSIBILTY OF
PARENTS/CARERS
Parents/Carers are responsible for
ensuring that their child attends
school regularly, punctually, properly,
and ready to learn. If a child is
prevented, for any reason, from
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attending, or is late, Parents/Carers
are requested to notify the school as
soon as possible, by telephone or text
message.
To ensure the safety and safeguarding
of all pupils, the school has a first-day
contact policy.
FIRST-DAY CONTACT
This is as an essential procedure to
ensure pupils are safe.
Parents/Carers of pupils who are
going to be absent are asked to
contact the school by telephone,
on the first morning of absence,
giving details of the child, reason
for absence and expected date of
return.
When no contact is received, the
school will ring/text the
Parent/Carer via the automated
telephone system. In order for
first-day contact to be effective, it
is essential that we keep pupil
contact information up to date
and that parents/carers inform
school of any changes in contact
details.
If there is no explanation for
absence received within one week,
the absence will be recorded as
“unauthorised”.
If a pupil does not turn up for a
lesson/session and this raises
concerns, parents will receive a

phone call immediately. If there
are any serious concerns, the
school may contact Services for
Young People or the police. This
will also happen if a pupil leaves
the school premises without
permission.
The law states that a pupil is required
to attend the school where he/she is
a registered pupil regularly. The
school is obliged by law to
differentiate between authorised and
unauthorised absence. A letter or
telephone message from a
Parent/Carer does not in itself
necessarily authorise an absence.
Only if the school is satisfied as to the
validity of the explanation offered by
letter/message will the absence be
authorised.
Absence from school will normally be
due to pupil illness. In some
circumstances, the school may
authorise absence for other reasons.
Under the guidelines from the
Department for Education, it is for the
school to decide whether an
explanation for absence is
acceptable.
HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME
Guidance from the Department for
Education prohibits Head Teachers
from granting holidays in term time,
unless there are exceptional
circumstances. Parents wishing to
take their child(ren) out of school
must now complete a Leave of
Absence form. The Head Teacher will
decide whether the criterion for
‘exceptional circumstances’ is met
and a letter will be sent to
parents/carers informing them of the
Head Teacher’s decision. If the Leave
of Absence is not granted,
parents/carers are requested not to
take their child(ren) out of school:
please note that this could result in a
penalty notice from the Local
Authority, if ignored.
PROSECUTIONS BY LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
The school must inform the local
authority of any pupil who fails to
attend school regularly or has been
absent without the school’s
permission for more than 10 days. If a
child of compulsory school age fails to
attend regularly at the school at
which they are registered or at a place
where alternative provision is made
for them, the parents may be guilty of
an offence and can be prosecuted by
the Local Authority. The school will
inform Services for Young People,
who will liaise with the Local
Authority on this matter.
The Department for Education have
issued statutory guidance on penalty
notices, which come into force in
September 2013. Parents/Carers who
fail to ensure their children’s regular
attendance at school or fail to ensure
that their excluded child is not in a
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public place during the first five days
of exclusion must pay £60 if they pay
within 21 days, or £120 if paid within
28 days.
PUNCTUALITY
Being on time for school and lessons
is extremely important. One of the
key things that future employers will
look at is good attendance and good
punctuality. It is crucial that children
develop positive routines from an
early age.
Morning registration starts at
8.50am; therefore, pupils should be in
the school yard for 8.45am. We
operate a late register to monitor
pupils arriving after 8.50am. If a pupil
arrives late to school, their name will
be written into the late book and a
detention will be put in place for the
following morning.
Repeated lateness to school could
result in the following sanctions:
Spoken to by Form Tutor or
Head of Learning/Assistant
Head of Learning;
Parent/Carer contacted;
Detention/morning detention;
Punctuality report;
Interview with Pastoral Staff;
Interview with Parents/Carers
and pupils.
BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING
At Hebburn Comprehensive, we
believe that there is an integral link
between good behaviour, feeling
safe, effective learning and enjoying
and achieving. To ensure the most
effective learning, all children have
the right to work and to learn in an
environment which is safe, secure
and free from disruption.
PRINCIPLES:
Pupils learn best in an ordered and
supportive environment;
Any form of bullying is
unacceptable;
All members of the school
community deserve to be treated
fairly and with tolerance and
respect;
Good behaviour is achieved
through creating a positive
learning culture and ethos;
Pupils need to receive regular and
tangible recognition of
achievement;
Giving young people
responsibilities and autonomy
helps to raise self-confidence,
develop self-esteem and promote
independence;
Pupils should be encouraged to
treat the school’s environment and
each other’s property with respect.
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CODE OF CONDUCT
Arrive at school and to all lessons
on time;
Arrive properly equipped for each
lesson, including homework;
Listen to what other people have
to say;
Work to your best at all times;
Do not say or do anything that
would hurt someone else.
PUPILS SHOULD:
Follow the Code of Conduct at all
times;
Treat all members of the school
community with kindness and
respect;
Speak to all members of the school
community with respect;
Show tolerance towards others,
regardless of religion or faith, race,
sexual orientation, gender, gender
identity or disability;
Be polite, courteous and respectful
at all times;
Ensure a positive attitude to
learning in all lessons;
Get involved in school life in a
positive way;
Follow instructions without
challenge;
Not distract the learning of others
for any reason;
Become actively involved in their
own learning;
Work sensibly and productively at
all times;
Be prepared for lessons with the
correct equipment;
Complete homework on time,
ensuring that it is handed in;
Take pride in their work, aiming for
neat and accurate presentation;
Make positive contributions to class
discussions and any group or pair
work;
Take responsibility for improving
their own learning;
Avoid distractions in lessons;
Behave sensibly in classrooms,
corridors, staircases and in the
dedicated dining areas;
Get to lessons quickly on lesson
changeover;
Keep the school tidy and free from
litter and graffiti, including in
classrooms, staircases, dining areas,
toilets, corridors and the main yard;
Aim to get as many merits as
possible for the big prize draw in the
summer term;
Seek help if required.
Pupils should refrain from the
following:
Eating sweets, lollies or chewing
gum in lessons or around the
school;
Playing with plastic bottles in the
main yard;
Congregating in large groups in the
main yard.
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WHAT HAPPENS IN A LESSON?
Pupils should enter the lesson in an
orderly fashion.
The teacher will have an activity for
pupils to get straight on with, which
is called a starter activity or bell
task.
The teacher will take the register,
then explain the learning objectives
and success criteria for the lesson.
Pupils must listen very carefully to
any instructions given.
Teachers will have designed a range
of learning activities to ensure good
progress. It is important that pupils
actively and positively engage with
these activities and complete them
to the best of their ability.
Pupils may be asked to work in
groups or pairs during a lesson. We
ask that pupils respect and listen to
the views of others in lessons,
particularly in group or pair work.
It is important that all pupils remain
on task, so the learning of others is
not hindered in any way. There will
be sanctions for pupils who cause
distractions in lessons.
At the end of the lesson, the teacher
will review the learning that has
taken place during the lesson: this
informs the planning of the next
lesson and any future intervention.
Pupils are asked to leave the lesson
in an orderly fashion and join the
one-way system to their next
lesson.
Pupils should have their blazer on at
all times on the corridor, including
lesson changeover.
Pupils should follow the one-way
system in a sensible and orderly
fashion.
OFFENSIVE WEAPONS AND DRUGS
There will be extremely serious
consequences for any pupil who
brings drugs or offensive weapons
into school.
The health and safety of all
members of the school community
are of paramount importance and
anything compromising that will
not be tolerated.
Head Teachers, and staff authorised
by the Head Teacher, have statutory
(legal) powers to search pupils or
their possessions, without consent,
where they have reasonable
grounds for suspecting that the
pupil may have a prohibited item.
Prohibited items are:
• knives or weapons;
• alcohol;
• illegal drugs;
• stolen items;
• tobacco and cigarette papers;
• fireworks;
• pornographic images;
• any article that the member of
staff reasonably suspects has
been, or is likely to be, used to
commit an offence, or to cause
personal injury to, or damage to
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the property of, any person
(including the pupil).
School staff can search pupils with
their consent for any item. Schools
are not required to have formal
written consent from the pupil or
parent/carer for this sort of search:
it is enough for the member of staff
to ask the pupil to turn out his or
her pockets or for the teacher to
look in the pupil’s bag.
MOBILE PHONE/ELECTRONIC
DEVICES POLICY
Mobiles phones or electronic
devices should not be taken out at
any point during the school day,
including lunchtime, unless
permission has been given by a
member of staff.
If a pupil has a mobile phone out
without permission, it will be
confiscated and returned at
3.00pm, via the school office. If the
issue is repeated, parents/carers
will be asked to collect the phone
from reception.
If a pupil refuses to hand over their
phone or electronic device, a
sanction will be put in place. Staff do
not have time to deal with defiant
behaviour of this nature. If pupils
are in persistent breach of school
policy, parents/carers will be
contacted to arrange a meeting,
and pupils will be asked to keep
their phone/electronic device at
home.
No photographs or recordings of
pupils or staff should be taken.
Pupils must not post or publish any
pictures or recordings (video or
audio) taken in school on social
media or any other online sites.
EQUIPMENT
Pupils are expected to bring the
correct equipment to school each
day, including:
o pen and spare;
o sharpened pencil and spare;
o ruler;
o eraser;
o pupil planner;
o completed homework;
o school bag (big enough to carry an
A4 folder, exercise books and PE
kit)
o PE kit (on PE days)
Pupils should check timetables the
evening before, so they can pack
their school bag accordingly for the
following day, including:
homework, PE kit, cooking
ingredients, pencil case and
books/folders.
Remember that we have a twoweek
timetable, where lessons are
different in Week 1 and Week 2.
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SANCTIONS
Occasionally, children fail to conform
to our standards of reasonable
behaviour. In the majority of cases, a
word of warning or advice is
sufficient. However, if a child
persistently fails to produce a
reasonable amount of work
appropriate to his/her ability,
deliberately disrupts lessons and the
work of other pupils, exhibits
unacceptable behaviour around the
school, is rude to a member of staff,
or physically threatens others,
sanctions will be applied.
These may include:
repeating or completing additional
work;
completing extra work after the
normal school day in detention;
working in a rescue base;
working outside of the Head
Teacher’s office;
being withdrawn from privileges
such as visits and social activities in
school;
being placed on the school's
monitoring system - (referred to as
being "on report");
being removed from all normal
lessons, for a period of up to 10
days, into the school's Guidance and
Learning Centre (Amber Zone);
being removed from all lessons. for
an extended period in the school’s
Guidance and Learning Centre
(Purple Zone)
being placed on a Pastoral Support
Programme (PSP)
We pride ourselves in being an
inclusive school; however, it may be
necessary to exclude a child from
attendance at school if they are in
repeated breach of the school’s
behaviour policy or for a one-off
incident that is serious in nature.
This is known as a ‘fixed-term
exclusion’, with parents receiving a
phone call and a letter explaining the
reason(s) for the exclusion. This is not
a decision that the school takes lightly
and requires a meeting with
parents/carers following the
exclusion and may result in an
individual Pastoral Support
Programme (PSP) being put in place.
We pride ourselves in being an
inclusive school; however, it may be
necessary to exclude a child from
attendance at school if they are in
repeated breach of the school’s
behaviour policy or for a one-off
incident that is serious in nature. This
is known as a ‘fixed-term exclusion’,
with parents receiving a phone call
and a letter explaining the reason(s)
for the exclusion.
This is not a decision that the school
takes lightly and requires a meeting
with parents/carers following the
exclusion and may result in an
individual Pastoral Support
Programme (PSP) being put in place.
Cases of extreme or dangerous
behaviour or persistent failure to
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follow the expectations set out in our
Behaviour Policy may result in
permanent exclusion. As a school, we
aim to safeguard against this, but any
behaviour that endangers the safety
of anyone in our school community or
hinders the life chances of other
children will not be tolerated.
PROMOTING THE POSITIVE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR PUPILS
We aim to foster a positive attitude to
all aspects of school life; the
acknowledgement of learning – and
of the positive attitudes which
maximise learning – lies at the heart
of all we do.
It is our aim to encourage all pupils to
achieve their potential through a
system which strives to reward
through praise and
acknowledgement of achievement.
This is done through:
Praise in lessons;
Acknowledgement on the plasma
screens around school;
Comments and stickers in exercise
books;
Merits;
Letters or phone calls home;
Celebration Assemblies;
Awards Evening;
Certificates and Prizes.
OUR MERIT SYSTEM
Class teachers may award the
following merits during lesson time.
Class teachers may award the
following merits during lesson
time.
Excellent Work
Excellent Effort
Excellent Progress
Excellent Contribution
Form tutors may award tutorial
merits during form period, on a
weekly basis. 2 merits are available
weekly, if all expectations are met
in relation to:
Attendance
Punctuality
Uniform
Organisation
OTHER MERIT CATEGORIES
Homework Club
Contribution to Extra-Curricular
Activities
Being a Good Citizen
Head of Learning Merit
Head Teacher Merit
MERIT MILESTONES
At the end of each academic year
there is a ‘big prize’ draw, with a
range of prizes that can be won. The
higher the milestone reached, the
better the prize!
Bronze Award – 60 merits
Silver Award – 90 merits
Gold Award – 120 merits
Platinum Award – 150 merits
Titanium Award – 180 merits
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Hebburn Comprehensive School
Campbell Park Road
Hebburn
Tyne & Wear
NE312QU
(0191) 4833199
www.hebburn.net
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