Staff Handbook 2018 - 2019 FINAL

‘How We Do Things Here’: King Edward VI School Staff Handbook 2018-2019 1

CONTENTS 

WELCOME FROM THE HEADTEACHER 

INTRODUCTION 

Our Core Values 

Our Vision 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

About this staff handbook 

The school day 

OUR ETHOS 

Culture of student leadership 

Whole‐school responsibilities 

School Development Plan 

OUR STRUCTURE 

Senior Leadership Team roles and responsibilities 

Tutor groups 

Administration and support services 

Who do I see about …? 

EXPECTATIONS & ROUTINES (A ‐ Z) 

Attendance and absence reporting 

Absence reporting & return to work 

Attendance (for students) 

Appraisal 

Behaviour management 

Break and lunchtime rota 

Bury Schools Partnership 

Car Parking 

Cash in school 

Classroom routines 

Communication 

Communication with parents/carers 

Confidentiality 

Confiscation 

Continuous professional development (CPD) 

Curriculum 

Damage & theft of personal property 

Data Protection 

Disciplinary procedure 

Dignity 

Dress code and general appearance 

Eating & drinking 

Emergency routines 

Exclusion Room 

First aid 

First Base 

Gifted & talented provision 

Grievances 

Health and safety risks 


House‐writing style 

ID Badge (and Site Security) 

Induction 

IT systems and security 

Lateness procedure 

Library 

Literacy Matters! 

Lock down procedure 

Lost property 

Medical & sickness 

Medication 

Minibus use 

Mobile phones 

Out of hours teaching 

Pigeon‐holes 

Policies and procedures 

Prevent 

Pupil Premium policy (disadvantaged students) 

Rare cover 

Registration and reporting student absences/lateness 

Reprographics 

Resources 

Restricted areas 

Retirement 

Rewards and sanctions 

Safeguarding children and those in care / looked‐after children 

School calendar 

Smoking 

Staff meals and refreshments 

Transition to secondary school 

Trips & visits 

Truancy 

Tutors’ responsibilities 

Uniform 

Wellbeing 

Whistleblowing 

TEACHING AND LEARNING 

Assessment and reporting 



Marking and Assessment 

PiXL Edge 

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) 

Induction & newly qualified teachers (NQTs) 

Staff development and training 

Professional Development days (PD days) 

Meeting cycles 

Teaching and Learning 

Appraisal (Performance Management) 

School Map (on back cover) 


WELCOME FROM THE HEADTEACHER 

Welcome to the Staff Handbook for 2018‐19. 

We have collected here a wealth of information in a format which we hope is easy to refer to throughout the 

year, and contains just the right level of detail staff will need on a day to day basis. It is impossible to outline 

every policy and procedure here in depth, so please ask if you get stuck! 

If you are a new member of the team, a very warm welcome and I hope that you enjoy your time here. You will 

already have experienced the kindness and support for each other that is a key part of life at King Edward VI. I 

hope you are feeling excited about working with such a wonderful staff who come together for the benefit of 

the whole community. 

We have spent a good deal of time defining our vision for the school as well as our values. These govern our 

strategic objectives, which are: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To inspire students, and equip them with the skills, confidence and qualifications required to thrive in a 

changing world 

To create a highly skilled and successful workforce by developing and nurturing skills and talents and 

fulfilling our potential 

To provide the best possible pastoral care 

To embed our vision, values and ethos in all of our systems and other aspects of our work 

To develop and strengthen our work with external partners to maximise student outcomes 

To successfully manage our transition to an 11‐16 school 

Our Core Values, and how they relate to life in the school, as well as our vision for the future, can be found on 

the following pages. I hope that you find them inspiring and that they guide your work here. 

As the Schola Buriensis, we have been inspiring young people in Bury St Edmunds since 1550. We are proud of 

our status as a Church of England school, our history and the role we play in our wider community. Thank you 

for the crucial part that you play in helping to maintain and develop this formidable and enviable tradition. 

Lee Walker 

Headteacher 


OUR CORE VALUES 

King Edward VI School has been in existence since 1550. We have always held close to a set of principles – 

standards which govern what we do and how we operate. As a Church of England School, we cherish and 

celebrate life in all its fullness. We actively promote the well‐being, hope and dignity of all members of our 

school and the wider community. 

Below are our three Core Values. These are the things we hold most dear; 

Respect 

As a truly inclusive school, we understand and value the rights, feelings, beliefs and wishes of others. Thus we 

live honestly, with civility, tolerance and social conscience. We are truthful, kind and we care for each other. 

Aspiration 

In an atmosphere which encourages a deep love of learning, we all aim to be the very best we can be. Thus we 

are ambitious, courageous, determined, and resilient and we believe that anything is possible. 

Creativity 

We are an inspirational and outward‐looking community. We seek to create opportunities, both in and out of 

the classroom, for students and teachers to thrive for the rest of their lives. 

OUR VISION 

As a Church of England School, our vision embraces the spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, moral, 

cultural and social development of children and young people. Our vision is rooted in our values of respect, 

aspiration and creativity. 

What follows sets out our vision for the school we will be in 2020. We will achieve this vision through the 

implementation of our Strategic Objectives and School Development Plan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will be a school where, through our creation of opportunities for children and adults to thrive and 

be the best they can be, students achieve the very best outcomes they can 

We will be a school which is proactive in seeking out and developing new and innovative ways to 

attract, retain and develop the very best teaching and support staff. We will enable our staff to 

flourish in their roles 

We will be a school where there is consistency in everything we do. We will recognise and celebrate 

innovation and diversity in teaching practice, whilst setting clear expectations to ensure that students 

benefit from a rigorous and consistent approach to behaviour for learning, information and guidance, 

and pastoral care 

We will be a school where we have successfully completed the transition from a 13‐18 Upper School to 

an 11‐16 organisation working in tandem with a brand new Sixth Form Centre 

We will be a school which nurtures partnerships with local, national and international agencies and 

through this we will have improved the educational opportunities and well‐being of our students and 

staff 

We will be a school which, through our close partnership with local primary schools as well as the new 

Sixth Form Centre, enhances learning throughout our community 


We will be a school which is distinctly outward‐facing and forward looking, helping our young people 

succeed in an ever‐changing world 

We will be a school which has found innovative ways to make the most of our available resources, and 

to create more, in order to deliver the best we can for those in our care. 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

About your staff handbook: 

The purpose of this handbook is to give you information about King Edward VI School, what you can expect 

from us as your employer and, in turn, what is expected of you during your employment with the school. You 

should always ensure that you conduct yourself in accordance with the policies and procedures set out by the 

school. 

Our address is: 

King Edward VI School 

Grove Road 

Bury St Edmunds 

Suffolk 

IP33 3BH 

Telephone: 01284 761393 

Fax: 01284 767474 

Email: admin@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk 

Website: www.king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KingEdwardVISchool 

Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/kevisburystedmunds 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KingEdVISchool 

Type of School: Voluntary Controlled School (mixed comprehensive) 

URN: 124856 

Age Range: 11‐19 years 

School size: 1650 (approx) 


The School Day: 

We have a distinctive day which is designed to promote varied and enjoyable learning. We talk of learning sessions 

rather than lessons. At the heart of each session should be a commitment to clear expectations, pace and a variety of 

activities. 

08.55 ‐ 09.15 Registration 

09.15 – 10.30 Session 1 

10.30 – 10.50 Break 

10.50 – 12.05 Session 2 

12.05 – 13.20 Session 3 

13.20 – 14.20 Lunch 

14.20 – 15.35 Session 4 

It is recommended but not a requirement that staff are on site by 08.40 a.m. (on non‐meeting days). 

There are no bells, and no afternoon tutor period. Students and staff are expected to take responsibility for timekeeping 

without relying on bells. Staff are expected to arrive before students. 

OUR ETHOS 

Ours is a proudly comprehensive school of approximately 1650 students. Since being established in 1550 by Edward VI 

we have been 'Schola Buriensis' – the school of Bury. 

Our Christian character is essential to us, and we are on a mission to prepare our young people to take their place as 

global citizens in a world which is diverse, challenging, and occasionally frightening. It is also full of optimism, especially 

for the young, and we have a duty to help them to be ready to take their place in making the world better, fairer, and 

safer. In our assemblies we talk to them in these terms – as future custodians of the planet who will need a strong 

sense of who they are, what they believe in, and how they will act in the interests of people and places beyond 

themselves and their own. 

We look outwards, aiming to be a truly international school which helps 

students to understand our culture alongside many others. Our 

partnership with a school in Shanghai is in its eleventh year; we were 

the first school to take students to Iraq; we have been linked with 

schools in Rwanda, Finland, Spain, Germany, Poland and Romania – and 

through all of these links we aim in assemblies and via modern 

technology to help students to understand how Christian traditions help 

to prepare us for the responsibilities of an interconnected world. 

In all of this we explore faith, politics, ethics, the differences and 

similarities between people, the art and music that has defined us, the 

sense of what being a modern human entails. Helping our students to develop a coherent value system is integral to 

the way we prepare them. We do this through assemblies, our Personal Development Programme, through lessons 

generally and RE in particular, our school ethos and – increasingly – through different forms of social media. 

Cultural literacy is at the heart of our work – the ability to reflect, analyse, express, argue, listen, change our minds, 

and be humble. Whether it is in assemblies, or in tutor time, our students are encouraged to think precisely and with 

discipline. We want them to tackle big issues. 


We believe that a Church of England school like ours should be about tradition – knowing the terminology of the 

Christian seasons, knowing how to behave in church, knowing why faith matters – and about innovation, finding new 

ways to engage young people, to provoke them beyond the superficialities of a consumer culture, to help them to 

reflect on who they are and what they believe, and to inculcate a strong value system. 

In this way, through what we say and how we act, we believe we have a distinctive and evolving Christian ethos which 

provides an excellent framework for the intellectual, moral and spiritual development of our young people. 

We are delighted that we were judged an 'Outstanding' Church of England school, following our SIAMS inspection in 

2014. This means a great deal to us. Another visit from the Diocese can be anticipated shortly after our next Ofsted 

inspection (which is due imminently). 

So this is us – a comprehensive school on a mission, with Christian values at our heart, and a determination to 

celebrate the achievements, the successes and the distinctiveness of every one of our young people. 

A culture of student leadership 

The world needs more people with exceptional leadership skills – individuals who can analyse what’s needed, take 

decisions, and are driven by a deep sense of what’s right and wrong. Leadership is one of our core activities. Our 

Upper and Lower School Head Boy and Head Girl and Deputies are more than mere figureheads, they lead the student 

body and represent our school at public occasions. Our distinctive six Colleges bring students together in mixed‐age 

tutor groups with a host of leadership opportunities for all. Leadership shows in assemblies, in lessons, on the sports 

field, in our charity work, and in the deep‐rooted way that our older students take responsibility to serve as role 

models to younger ones. 

Whole‐school responsibilities 

We expect all staff – teachers and support staff – to share responsibility for upholding our expectations. In considering 

any progression on the upper pay spine, Governors have said that they would expect evidence of staff supporting 

school standards in terms of students’ behaviour, language and the dress code. This means, for example, that tutors 

are responsible for ensuring their students are properly dressed. We are all responsible for student behaviour around 

corridors, and across the school site. 


OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE 

Senior Leadership Team 

Lee Walker 

Headteacher 

Tom Grey 

Deputy Headteacher 

(Teaching and Learning) 

Beverley Tucker 

Deputy Headteacher 

(Pastoral) 

Peter Wright 

Senior Assistant 

Headteacher 

Behaviour & Standards 

Alex Eaves 

Business Manager 

Stuart Small 

Assistant Headteacher 

Head of Sixth Form 

Peter Hurry 


Curriculum Development & 

Timetable 

Henry Stevenson 


Achievement & KS4 

Interventions 

Mark Hird 


Performance/Arts 

David Gower 


Achievement & KS3 

Interventions 

Role 

To establish the distinctiveness of the school. Involved both 

inward and external leadership for all elements of the school 

community. 

To lead our development of teaching and learning across the 

school and with our local and national partners. 

To lead the school's pastoral system, including school ethos, 

character, culture, behaviour for learning and rewards. 

Designated Safeguarding Officer 

To lead on all pastoral and welfare issues. 

Designated Safeguarding Officer 

Designated Teacher for Children in Care 

To manage finances, premises and infrastructure of the school 

and oversee the Support Staff; with emphasis on consideration 

of the new Sixth Form and possible academisation 

To deliver high quality provision for students in the Sixth Form, 

ensuring recruitment and retention of students 

To develop the curriculum and co‐ordinate the development of 

KS3 curriculum that links effectively to KS2 

To oversee all systems and processes that track, monitor and 

support student performance 

To lead and co‐ordinate whole‐school & BSP Arts programmes, 

and develop our partnerships with local and national bodies 

including St Edmundsbury Cathedral. 

To oversee all systems and processes that track, monitor and 

support student performance for KS3 and liaise with primary 

partnership schools to ensure a smooth transition from KS2 

Please see the Tutor Group document at the end of this folder. 


ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES 

(For a quick guide, see the “Who do I need to see about …” section below) 

You will find most of the information that you need on our website: www.king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk including up‐to‐date 

policy documents. In addition: 

Where to find things around the school: 

Reception Team: Tracy Carr/Nicky Riches/Jess Lee/Charlotte Sharp 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

registers 

staff signing‐in/out terminal 

student absence 

student emergency contact numbers 

student signing‐in/out book 

telephone 

visitors signing‐in terminal 

Medical Services: Kirsty Cooper is Medical Needs Co‐ordinator. Medical room is near to Reception. 

Finance: Sarah Rose and Michelle Tomkins 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ordering 

Invoices 

Cheques/Credit card requests 

Petty cash 

Budget reports 

Internal and external mail 

Minibus keys 

Minibus calendar (also Maggie) 

Transport hire for trips 

Train tickets 

Student Services: Sarah Rose, Michelle Tomkins and Maria Lyle 

 

 

 

 

 

Sales of learning resources and stationary 

Lunch loans 

Temporary bus passes 

Return of reply slips and payments 

Lost Property 

Administration: Emily Cochran, Headteacher’s PA ‐ office is adjacent to Reception. 

Curriculum Support: (A15) Jo Burgess is Senior Administrator in charge of all timetabling issues 

Debbie Dunning (A15) is Senior Administrator dealing with Years 7 – 11 student admissions and 

administration for the Bury Schools Partnership. 


Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick (A15) 

 

 

 

 

absence/cover provision 

trip proposals and trip packs 

calendar 

room bookings 

Sarah Trueman is HR & Training Manager and should be first point of contact for any HR issues. She also organises all 

CPD needs and works with the Professional Tutor supporting trainees on placement. Her office is C4. 

Anne Hollocks is Senior Pastoral Administrator and deals with detentions and exclusions. Her office is A16. 

IT Support: Stuart Whiting is the IT Manager. Others on his team: Jess Reynolds, Nick Springham. Their office is in C 

Block. 

Learning Intervention Team: 

Sharon Scott is Special Education Needs Co‐ordinator (SENCo). Her office is A14C. 

Debbie Quick is the Learning Support Administrator. 

Higher Level Teaching Assistants: 

Clare Pettitt ‐ provides support for English as an Additional Language/Ethnic Minority support 

Daniela Symons with responsibility for First Base, our centre for short term provision and vulnerable students. 

In addition: 

Angela Hahn is co‐ordinator for Careers information and is based in the Library. 

Nickie Young is Family Liaison Leader for pupil premium students and is based in A31a (located next to College Base 

A) 

Pastoral Support Managers are Sue Sweny, Tara Pawling and Adrian Randall. They are based in: 

Sue – College Base A (A31) 

Tara – College Base B (behind Ed’s Place) 

Adrian – College Base C (C6a) 

Facilities Manager and Data Protection Officer is Maggie Shaw located in C3. She line manages the Caretaking, 

Cleaning and Catering teams. Any significant incident, or near miss, should be reported to her and a report completed 

by the member of staff responsible. There is a log book for minor repairs to be notified, in the Staff Work Room. 

Room keys can also be obtained from Maggie and are usually issued as part of staff induction. Any questions or data 

breaches must be reported to Maggie immediately via the email address data.protection@kinged.suffolk.sch.uk 

even if the breach is discovered at a weekend or during a school holiday. 

Examinations Officer is Alison Light based in A25. Her assistant is Caroline Blyth. 


Who do I see about …? 

A Staff Responsible Staff Code Ext No 

Administration Alex Eaves ALE 221 

Admissions Debbie Dunning DD 252 

Arts Award & 

Mark Hird HI 297 

enrichment 

Assemblies Sharon Shelley SY 264 

Assessment Henry Stevenson SV 231 

Attendance Peter Wright WR 203 

Audio‐visual resources Chris Last CAL 205 

B 

Behaviour policy Peter Wright WR 203 

Buses – behaviour on See individual Heads of College 

Buses – liaison with bus Alex Eaves ALE 221 

companies 

Bulletin (weekly & tutor) Emily Cochran ESC 223 

Bury Schools 

Partnership (BSP) 

Debbie Dunning 

David Gower 

DD 

GW 

252 

265 

Administration: 

Liaison: 

C 

Calendar Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick CEF/RLC 295 

Careers, work 

Angela Hahn AHN 276 

experience and college 

co‐ordination 

Caretakers Maggie Shaw MAS 292 

Child protection and 

safeguarding 

Cleaning 

Peter Wright 

Sue Sweny 

Bev Tucker 

Janet Currell 

Maggie Shaw 

WR 

SCS 

TK 

203 

287 

281 

MAS 292 

Coaching Jane Holland HL 217 

Complaints procedure Lee Walker WK 222 

Coursework chasing Subject Leader 

Cover Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick CEF/RLC 295 

Curriculum & 

Peter Hurry HY 248 

timetabling 

D 

Data about student Henry Stevenson SV 231 

progress 

Detentions (whole Peter Wright WR 203 

school) 

Duties – break and 

lunchtimes 

Peter Hurry 

Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick 

HY 

CEF/RLC 

248 

295 

“How we do things here”: King Edward VI School Staff Handbook 2018-19 12

E 

EAL (English as an Clare Pettitt PE 215 

additional language) 

students 

Enrichment (6 th form) Sharon Shelley SY 264 

EPQ Richard Morgan MX 

Events Emily Cochran ESC 223 

Examinations Alison Light UU 206 

Examinations – special Debbie Quick DAQ 241 

arrangements 

Exclusion room – 

administration 

Anne Hollocks AMH 274 

Exclusions – decisions 

Bev Tucker 

Lee Walker 

“How we do things here”: King Edward VI School Staff Handbook 2018-19 13 

TK 

WK 

281 

222 

F 

Finance Sarah Rose SLR 272 

First Base (personalised 

support for vulnerable 

students) 

Daniela Symons DAS 271 

G 

Governors 

Lee Walker 

Emily Cochran 

H 

Healthy eating policy Bev Tucker 

David Gower 

TK 

GW 

281 

265 

Health & safety Maggie Shaw MAS 292 

I 

IT Network Stuart Whiting Stuart 269 

K 

Key Stage 3 liaison David Gower GW 265 

L 

Leadership (students) Danny Burton BX 279 

Library Bridget McMillan/Amy Southerill BMM/AJS 207 

Learning support Sharon Scott SO 226 

Literacy Megan Reynard RD 217 

Looked After Students Peter Wright WY 203 

(LAC) 

Lost property (Student 

Services) 

Sarah Rose 

Michelle Tomkins 

SLR 

MMT 

272 

246 

M 

Medical issues Kirsty Cooper KCR 305 

N 

New staff / NQTs Tom Grey GZ 284 

Newsletter Emily Cochran ESC 223 

Numeracy Robin Woodhouse WD 253 

O 

Ofsted preparation Bev Tucker TK 281 

Old Burian’s Association Stuart Small SL 234 

Oracy (Debating) Mark Crossley CL 217 

WK 

ESC 

222 

223

P 

Parents’ evenings Emily Cochran ESC 223 

Photographs Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick CEF/RLC 295 

Premises Maggie Shaw MAS 292 

Press and publicity Lee Walker WK 222 

Proof‐reading 

Pupil Premium students 

Peter Hurry 

Peter Wright 

Jess Lee 

Bev Tucker 

Nickie Young 

HY 

WR 

JLE 

TK 

NAY 

248 

203 

257 

281 

259 

R 

Reporting Henry Stevenson SV 231 

Revision co‐ordination Henry Stevenson SV 231 

Rewards and Awards Peter Wright WR 203 

Rooming 

Peter Hurry 

Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick 

HY 

CEF/RLC 

“How we do things here”: King Edward VI School Staff Handbook 2018-19 14 

248 

295 

S 

SENCo Sharon Scott SO 226 

Site Maggie Shaw MAS 292 

Sixth Form Stuart Small SL 234 

Special exam 

arrangements 

Debbie Quick 

Alison Light 

DAQ 

UU 

241 

206 

Student database Jo Burgess JOB 250 

Student Services 

(including Finance) 

Sarah Rose 

Michelle Tomkins 

Maria Lyle 

SLR 

MMT 

MCL 

T 

Teaching assistant 

deployment 

Sharon Scott 

Debbie Quick 

SO 

DAQ 

226 

241 

Teaching and Learning Tom Grey 

Ian Startup 

Jane Holland 

GZ 

ST 

HL 

284 

227 

217 

Timetable Peter Hurry HY 248 

Trainee teachers Michelle Hemmings 

Sarah Trueman 

HE 

SJT 

263 

225 

Training 

Tom Grey 

Sarah Trueman 

GZ 

SJT 

284 

255 

Transition evenings David Gower GW 265 

Trips & visits Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick CEF/RLC 295 

Tutor group bulletin Emily Cochran ESC 223 

U 

Uniform queries Peter Wright WR 203 

Union Reps 

ATL ‐ TBC 

Sharon Shelley – NUT 

Bridget McMillan ‐ UNISON 

SY 

BMM 

264 

207 

V 

Vulnerable children See individual Heads of College 

W 

Website IT Team IT Team 

272 

246 

240

EXPECTATIONS AND ROUTINES (listed in alphabetical order) 

Attendance at work and absence reporting 

Your presence at work is fundamental to the delivery of education and care to the students at our school. It is, 

therefore, essential that you attend work every day, in line with your contractual agreement. 

For staff working directly with students: 

Any holidays, medical appointments, attendance at your child’s or dependant’s school, personal celebrations, including 

weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, or any other occasions, must be planned for outside your working hours. Termtime 

absence will not be authorised. 

There are, however, circumstances outside of your control which may need to be attended to during term time. In 

such circumstances, the Headteacher will consider your request for special leave. Any such leave would be unpaid. If 

unauthorised, you will be required to report for work on the day(s) in question. In the unlikely event that you choose 

to ignore this instruction, a disciplinary hearing will be held to determine your commitment to the school and your 

future role within it. 

For Senior Leadership Team: 

Presence of the Senior Leadership at school is essential for its smooth operation. 

It is, however, recognised that the Senior Leadership Team members are expected to work flexible hours throughout 

the calendar year to ensure smooth running of the school. It is routinely expected that they will work beyond the 195 

days a year and the 1265 hours of directed time, frequently attending breakfast and evening meetings and providing 

out‐of‐hours on‐call response and working during the holiday periods. In recognition of that, it is appropriate for a 

degree of flexibility to be allowed for the SLT to attend to matters associated with the above‐mentioned special leave 

during term time. 

Any request for special leave will be considered by the Headteacher, who will decide whether the leave should be 

treated as time‐in‐lieu of worked hours, flexible working with an expectation of working the time back, or unpaid. 

Absence reporting and return to work 

Illness 

If you are ill and unable to work, please inform Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick by 8am at the latest: 

by phone call first followed by email to cef@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk and rlc@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk or 

staffcover@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk 

on the dedicated absence answerphone 01284 716188, only to be used for notifying absence, or in person the 

previous day before leaving school 

messages about absence must NOT be left on the main school answerphone. 

We are required to submit forms to the Local Authority giving reasons for all staff absence. Your Line Manager will 

hold a ‘return to work’ interview with you after all periods of absence. 

When absent (unless too ill), teaching staff have a responsibility for setting appropriate work for students. Please 

remember that the person covering is unlikely to be a specialist. It is useful to begin with a starter activity for students 


that allows the person covering time to familiarise themselves with the work set. A special cover work proforma is 

available for this purpose in school on the staff intranet, and from home on the school website. Cover must include a 

student seating plan (download a Go4Schools PDF version and attach it), there is guidance for this on the intranet. The 

work should be passed to your Subject Leader or to another member of your curriculum team, and the Teaching 

Assistant attached to that class (if you have one) ‐ do not leave it on the answerphone. Please always copy in Claire 

Franklin/Rachael Chadwick on staffcover@king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk in case the person covering your lesson does 

not receive it. 

 

 

 

If illness continues beyond one day, notify the school daily by phone whether you will be returning on the 

following day 

If illness continues beyond two days, please notify the school daily before 8am as to whether you will be 

returning the following day 

When you return to school, you must inform Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick before 8am. 

If illness lasts for less than one week, you will be provided with a self‐certification form; if the absence is for more than 

one week, you must provide a doctor's certificate. You must remain contactable during your absence so that the HR 

Manager, Cover Manager or your immediate Line Manager can contact you. Please note, it is not acceptable to ask a 

third party to phone on your behalf, except in exceptional circumstances. 

On your return to work, all staff must have a ‘return to work’ meeting with your Line Manager (see organisational 

structure for reference to your line manager, if unsure). This must take place within a week of your return. A ‘return 

to work’ form will be completed and returned to the HR Manager for your file. 

Child illness 

We expect that staff will have arrangements in place in case of the illness of a child. In exceptional circumstances 

where no advance warning of illness was evident, Governors allow a maximum of one day of PPR per year to be 

granted by the Headteacher. Any subsequent absence would automatically be unpaid. 

Leaving the school site 

Brief absence from the site for personal reasons (e.g. to go to the bank), or for school reasons (e.g. to visit a workexperience 

placement) must be accounted for in case of an emergency, and you are expected to return to school 

afterwards. Before leaving please: 

 

 

 

check that you have not been used on the cover list 

notify your line manager of your departure and expected return time 

sign out using your ID Badge either at Reception or the A Block terminal. 

You are expected to be on the school site at the end of the day unless specific permission has been sought. 

Calendared meetings are part of teaching staff directed time. If you are unable to attend a calendared meeting for a 

valid reason, this must be notified to your Line Manager and Tom Grey in advance. 

Absence requests for professional development or educational visits 

Green forms are online in J Drive under #Absence and Trips. Requests for in‐service training are dealt with by Sarah 

Trueman and overseen by Peter Hurry. In the light of ‘rare cover’, most external training will not be possible except 

where cover costs are provided. All green forms requesting professional development must be discussed with Sarah 

Trueman before getting them signed by your Subject Leader or Line Manager (whichever is appropriate) and emailed, 


for approval, to Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick at least three weeks before the absence is required. For educational 

visits/meetings/observations etc. your completed form should be emailed to Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick on 

staffcover@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk with your Line Manager/Subject Leader signature, three weeks before the absence 

is required. Please do not go ahead with any arrangements until your form has been authorised. Any costs, either 

course, or travel, should be noted on the reverse of the form. Please see separate CPD guidance for more information. 

PPR (leave of absence for private and personal reasons) 

Red forms are online in J Drive under #Absence and Trips and should be filled out electronically and emailed to 

staffcover@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk. Forms should be signed by your Line Manager unless discussed directly with 

Claire/Rachael. You will need to request a copy of your attendance report from Claire/Rachael who will attach it to the 

back of the form and then hand it in to the Headteacher for authorisation. This is the system for requesting ‘leave of 

absence’. Governors have agreed that emergency medical appointments (not dental check‐ups) and funerals of family 

members and close friends may be granted as paid leave. Any other requests should be submitted on the appropriate 

form in the knowledge that they will probably be declined or unpaid. 

Administration staff who wish to take PPR time as TOIL should get their overtime log sheet signed by their line 

manager for authorisation and then take it to Claire/Rachael who can add the absence on SIMS. 

Attendance (for students) 

We actively support the Local Authority’s activities for reducing non‐attendance and truancy, and work closely with the 

Educational Welfare Officer. In school, we monitor attendance, punctuality and behaviour fortnightly, involving 

parents as necessary. A register must be taken at the start of every session of the day, within 15 minutes of the start 

of the session. The register must be accurately completed, and if a student appears in your session who has been 

marked ill or absent, you will need to override this with a present mark. Students arriving late to your lesson must 

present a signed late‐slip or planner from the person they have just come from. You will need to ensure that the 

register has been changed to reflect this by marking with an L code and adding the number of minutes late. When 

entering an N code, please check to see if a student has previously been in school. If they have been present, please 

report to reception via the reception email: reception_team@king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk. 

As a tutor, it is expected that you will have a conversation with your tutees about their attendance (good and bad) on a 

fortnightly basis. Attendance targets should be set fortnightly in their planners and a return to school conversation 

should automatically take place when a student returns following an absence. Further details on the role of a tutor 

can be found within this Handbook in the section on Rewards/Sanctions and Classroom Routines. You can also speak 

to Nicky Riches, Attendance Officer at Reception. Sixth Form Tutors should refer to the Sixth Form Handbook for 

guidance on attendance monitoring. 

Permission for a student to leave the lesson 

It is a responsibility of the classroom teacher to know where all registered students are during the course of their 

session. Students may only leave a classroom with the permission of the classroom teacher, and once their student 

planner has been signed in the Passport section at the back. Requests from students to visit the toilet must be 

allowed, but students must take their planner and show it to staff once out of the classroom. If you notice a pattern of 

absence emerging or you feel that requests are suspicious or too frequent, discuss this with the student’s Tutor and 

report it to the appropriate Head of College or Head of Sixth Form. 


Appraisal 

All staff complete an annual appraisal and will review this with their line manager prior to the meeting that takes place 

in October with their SLT Appraiser. It is the member of staff’s responsibility to keep a file or update SIMs with 

evidence of the Basic Teacher Standards, as well as any further evidence in order to qualify for Upper Pay Ranges. 

Appraisal reviews are completed electronically using SIMS. UPR forms are available in J:/Appraisal, where you will also 

find our Appraisal and Pay policies. If you are considering making an application for UPR, it is advised that you speak to 

your Line Manager and Tom Grey first, in order to check that you are eligible under the school’s criteria. 

Behaviour management 

Relationships are everything…. 

“Members of Staff who treat their students with discourtesy, impatience or contempt, or are late for those from whom 

they demand punctuality, who scribble illegibly on words which they insist must be impeccably clear and tidy, who will 

not listen to those from whom they demand absolute attention, who bawl their heads off at those from whom they 

demand soft and respectful speech, who hold up to ridicule those whom they instruct to treat all men with respect, or 

who treat any of their own colleagues with anything but courtesy and respect in the presence of any students, are 

suffering a painful and obvious discontinuity of logic.“ 

Lord Elton 

Our school core values are: 

Respect 

Aspiration 

Creativity 

All staff need to understand that the only behaviour they can control is that of themselves. 

Behaviour at our school is generally outstanding, and we operate a non‐exclusion policy where possible. Creating and 

maintaining a calm, orderly ethos is important to us. We believe that effective learning cannot take place without it. 

We therefore place a strong emphasis on respect, courtesy and personal responsibility. 

Our ‘house style’ of behaviour management has, at its core, 4 principles: 

We aim to: 

set out our expectations clearly 

model the behaviour and language we expect from students. 

In responding to challenging behaviour, we 

give students choices, rather than box them into a corner 

avoid public confrontation where necessary by being prepared to defer issues to the end of a lesson. 

In practice this means … 

1. You create the climate for behaviour: the way you greet students, where you stand to speak to them, the 

seating plan, the air temperature, the pace, the sense of structure and order … all of these are important 

2. Emotional feedback is the most powerful type: smiles, “well done”, thumbs‐up, using names 


3. Courtesy isn’t an optional extra: expect and model good manners – remind students about saying “please” 

and “thank you”, holding doors open, listening to others 

4. Lesson planning shapes students’ behaviour: the biggest impact on the group’s behaviour will be the work 

you expect them to do – clear, varied learning styles, good pace, appropriate challenge, strong emphasis on 

the learning objective 

5. Deal with misbehaviour calmly: focus on the effect of the poor behaviour on others; give a choice (“Are you 

going to sit and work there quietly, or do you need to move over here?”); move the student if necessary; don’t 

have a public confrontation – defer it to the end of the lesson when other students have left 

6. Our expectations of students: as a general rule, problems in the classroom should be reported to your Head 

of Department – do not suffer in silence. Ongoing issues may be forwarded to the Head of College. Outside 

the classroom please inform the Head of College of any problems. 

At times, students display challenging behaviour and need support to be able to return to the point where they can 

learn. It is the class teacher’s responsibility to help that student and to record/refer any incidents in the appropriate 

way. If you require any support, please speak to your Line Manager. 

Remember: we are only as strong as the weakest link, which means we must work together to ensure that all staff are 

acting in a manner that leads to success. Consistency from ALL staff is key. 

Behaviour change comes from being shown a better way. Relationships create trust. Learning to “make it right” 

when you’ve done something wrong allows students to reflect and change their behaviour. 

At King Edward VI School, we aim to create an environment in which our students have a strong sense of self‐worth 

and a sense of ownership of the school. 

Acknowledging and rewarding effort and achievement is an essential part of this. We recognise that young people feel 

more secure in a learning environment in which parameters are clearly and firmly set. All staff have a responsibility to 

provide this. 

We recognise that an effective rewards and sanctions policy is one which: 

 

 

 

 

is clearly understood by all, and one which is consistently applied 

recognises that each student is unique and any policy must be flexible enough to reflect this 

is based on positive relationships: mutual respect and trust are essential in our school 

is reviewed regularly, so that it reflects our changing population and also current thinking. 

Further information and detail, see the Behaviour and Rewards Handbook. 

Sanctions 

We have a simple system in place known as Warning ‐ Change ‐ Sanction – (WCS), which has three clear steps. All 

staff can use this system to support classroom and school behaviour management. 

Warning – a student is clearly warned about his/her behaviour and this is recorded on a whiteboard. 


Change – this is effectively a second warning but may be accompanied by a change within the classroom e.g. a change 

of seat. The behaviour of the student is expected to change and this will be recorded on a whiteboard and in 

Go4Schools. 

Sanction – if the students’ behaviour does not change he/she will be given a lunchtime detention to be administered 

centrally. 

A detention issued in Sessions 1 and 2 will take place that lunchtime. If issued in Sessions 3 or 4 it will take place the 

following lunchtime. 

To issue a detention staff must:‐ 

Notify A16 office using GO4Schools 

Place a sticker in the students’ organiser 

For severe incidents: serious defiance, disruption, swearing directly at the teacher or dangerous behaviour a student 

can receive a ‘red’ card. This signals that the WCS system does not apply in this situation and that they will be 

immediately removed by ‘on call’ and taken to either a Sixth Form lesson or the Exclusion Room. 

This system is to be used to support classroom management. Ultimately classroom behaviour must remain a 

teachers/tutors responsibility. 

Break and lunchtime rota 

You are entitled to one lunch break during the day. All teaching staff are required to complete a statutory break duty 

once per week. The break time duty rota will tell you where and when you are expected to be on duty that day, you 

may be asked to go on duty at the end of the day. Please arrive at your duty punctually, if an incident occurs and you 

are not at your post this could be very serious. Your duty team leader will brief you on expectations but if you are out 

of school for a meeting or training, it is your responsibility to ensure that you find a replacement and inform your duty 

team leader. Staff who wish to commit to a paid lunchtime duty need to speak to Claire Franklin, Rachael Chadwick or 

Sarah Trueman. 

Please make sure you ask for guidance on the expectations of your conduct and duties during these important 

sessions. 

Bury Schools Partnership 

The Bury Schools Partnership is a network of schools working together to give the best possible opportunities to 

children and young people and we have a close relationship with all 13 primary schools within the partnership. 

Car Parking 

Access for all staff should be via the Spring Lane entrance. In order to access staff parking you will need to use your 

staff ID badge. Please also see the section on ID Badge and Site Security. 

Cash in school 

The following procedures are for the safe and accurate collection and processing of all money coming into the school 

with, or for, the students. These guidelines are for the protection of staff, and cover legally required proceedings. 


Any money brought into school by students must be placed in an envelope and clearly marked with the student’s 

name and what it is for. The students hand them in to Student Services using the Drop‐off box. Receipts will be issued 

for all income, and these receipts are sent home with the students at the earliest opportunity. 

These procedures apply to all student monies, including lunch money, contributions for trips and specific projects and 

any charity donations. If there is a considerable sum, or a particular query about a payment, then staff can bring the 

money directly to Student Services. Our aim is to encourage parents to use the online ParentPay system for all 

transactions and staff can speak to Student Services for more information on this provision. 

For legal reasons, no monies should have any deductions taken from them to cover any class or trip costs. All trip costs 

must be paid via the finance staff either by way of the petty cash system or by booking and paying in advance. Any 

income towards the cost of the trip must be collected and banked to be offset against any costs. 

Monies spent by staff when out of school, for which reimbursement is required, must be claimed via the petty cash 

system, providing the required receipt(s). Travel expenses for courses or external meetings are claimed via an 

expenses form. Speak to Sarah Trueman about any CPD expenses or enquire at Student Services for information on 

the procedures for making a claim. 


Setting up a good routine to manage students at the start and end of every lesson is important to set the standard. 

Students should learn your expectations, and these need to be consistent for every student, every lesson. For more 

detailed information on our expectations for classroom routines, go to the ‘Teaching and Learning’ section of this 

handbook. 

Communication 

We are committed to the well‐being of all students and staff who work here. In practice this means protecting young 

people and providing a safe environment for staff, free from accusations of inappropriate relationships. These 

guidelines are therefore essential for all staff: 

1. Staff must not give their personal phone numbers to students for phone calls/texting, except in very specific 

circumstances in which a member of the leadership team has been informed (eg on a school trip/residential 

where students may be given the mobile number as an emergency contact number) 

2. Whilst students may email members of staff about issues relating to their work/ progress, it is important that 

staff do not engage in personal exchanges with students via email, text messaging, chatrooms or Facebook. In 

particular, staff must not have students as ‘friends’ or be a ‘friend’ on a student’s Facebook account. Any 

emails from students must be via the school email system rather than to personal email addresses 

3. School laptops must only be used at school and home for school‐related matters. This precludes the use of 

shopping sites, chatrooms and suchlike 

4. Members of staff should not have a meeting alone with a student on or off the school site without (a) being in 

a room where the door is left open/there is a window and (b) informing a colleague that the meeting is taking 

place 

5. Be aware that in working with young people you must never promise to keep anything confidential. 


It is essential that all staff are familiar with our Acceptable Use policy for use of computers, and our expectations with 

regard to responsible use of social networking media for contacting students. This is available on the staff information 

site. 

There is no expectation on staff to: 

 

 

respond to emails between 9 pm and 7 am or 

have your school emails on your phone. 

Induction and CPD includes training in all areas of communication. 

Communication with parents/carers 

Parents can be contacted by Call Parent (a type of text message or official email channels), or by phone or via the 

student’s planner. All Key Stage 3 & 4 students have planners. These are for the use of parents/carers and staff to 

share useful information on a weekly or daily basis (see the Tutor Handbook). 

The use of the planner does not replace personal contact or talking on the phone with the parents/carers or staff. If 

you wish to contact the parents regarding outstanding work or a detention, please write in the students’ planner. 

It is important that the communication is not only professional, but also grammatically correct and spelt without 

errors. 

No formal letters (on headed paper) are allowed to be sent out without formal proof‐reading by SLT. All letters to 

parents, including items about school trips and events, as well as about individual students, should be sent out via the 

admin office. 

Staff may prepare a draft that can be emailed to Emily Cochran who will ensure that it is formatted and printed 

correctly. Call Parent is used solely by administration staff. Speak to your Line Manager to ascertain which 

administrator you should liaise with. 

Confidentiality 

All staff are expected to treat any student or school data in the strictest confidence. No staff member should discuss a 

student with unauthorised personnel, or any person outside the school, unless they are involved in providing support 

for that student. 

Any documentation or other relevant information must be filed as soon as possible. Student information to be kept on 

their files should go to A16. 

Any confidential information that is no longer required must be shredded, or put into the shredding bags kept in the 

administration offices, to ensure it has been destroyed. The shredder is located in Reprographics (A17). 

Any breach of school or student confidentiality will be treated as a disciplinary offence and may lead to legal 

prosecution under data protection laws. 


Confiscation 

You are reminded that if you confiscate items, you must hand them in to the Student Services so that you are not 

personally liable for their safekeeping. Place them in a clearly labelled envelope with the student’s name, tutor group, 

your name and the date. Confiscated items can be collected by students at the end of the day from Bev Tucker’s office 

(A44). 

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) 

All staff will be encouraged to engage in ongoing professional development based on their own research, professional 

reading and reflection. 

See separate CPD staff guidance for a more detailed programme provided for all staff. 

Curriculum 

We seek to address the individual learning needs of all our students and to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. 

Not all of the students will necessarily experience all aspects of the curriculum all of the time. 

The curriculum balance should reflect the needs of students at various age‐related stages of their school careers. 

Students in their teens require a curriculum that emphasises community‐based activity and includes sex education and 

careers guidance. Some students will, for example, benefit from greater support with study skills. 

The subjects of the National Curriculum, together with Philosophy & Ethics, form the basis of the whole curriculum on 

offer at King Edward VI School. These subjects are taught in ways appropriate to the students in the school. 

Key Stage 3 

At King Edward VI School our aim is to offer a broad, creative and challenging Key Stage 3 curriculum that builds on 

students’ prior learning at Key Stage 2 and gives them the foundations they need to be successful learners at GCSE and 

beyond. We have high expectations of all students at Key Stage 3 and constantly evaluate our approaches to teaching 

and learning to ensure that we are stretching our most able and supporting those students who need additional 

intervention. This is overseen by our Key Stage 3 Coordinators who meet every half term to share best practice and 

discuss cross‐curricula links. They are responsible for overseeing the delivery of the Key Stage 3 curriculum within their 

department, ensuring that each year builds on the last, including the development from Key Stage 2. 

Key Stage 4 

For students in Key Stage 4, self‐organisation and independent learning are reinforced through the curriculum. 

Students from Years 7 to 11 attend vertical tutor groups at the start of each day allowing for mixing and socialising 

with students from other year groups. 

A formal review of progress is held half‐termly and there are extended tutorials and five Parents’ Evenings throughout 

the year (for details see the School Calendar). 

Some students are able to experience the life of work through a work experience programme; one week in year 10. 


Students receive in‐house careers advice, as well as independent careers advice and guidance. In addition, we 

organise careers lessons and a careers event in the Autumn term. 

Most of our students continue into our Sixth Form. 

Key Stage 5 (Post‐16) 

The learning for our Key Stage 5 (Post‐16) students is more focussed on improving independence and preparing them 

for life at university. We are one of the top performing Sixth Forms in Suffolk and we pride ourselves on being a highquality, 

outstanding, academic Sixth Form, with many students successfully applying to the top universities in the 

country. We offer approximately 30 A‐level courses, and no longer offer AS levels with the exception of EPQ. All 

students are enrolled on a minimum programme of study of 3 A‐levels constituting no less than 540 hours of provision 

in an academic year. Students should complete a minimum of 5 hours of additional work outside of lessons per subject 

per week. Staff must set this quantity of work as a minimum expectation. 

The Sixth Form has a dedicated tutor team where students are vertically integrated. They follow a broad study skills 

and PSHE curriculum in tutor time, alongside regular discussions with their tutor about their progress and how to 

continue improving. 

Considerable time and energy is devoted to helping students consider their next steps, whether that be university, 

employment or training. 

Damage & theft of personal property 

Cars are parked on the school site at owners’ risk. In the case of deliberate damage to vehicles, we will always 

investigate. The culprit or her/his parents will be asked to pay for the damage. In the case of no culprit being found, 

the school accepts no liability, though the school may, at the Headteacher’s discretion, make a one‐off payment 

towards repair. The same applies to damage or loss of any other personal items. 

Data Protection 

All personal information collected, processed and stored by the school is confidential and must be protected. Our Data 

Protection Policy and privacy notices can be accessed via the school website and Staff Intranet. The school takes 

several measures to protect this data, including encrypting external emails, ensuring electronic data removed from the 

site via an electronic device is encrypted or password protected and hard copies are stored securely. For further 

information regarding Data Protection or GDPR, please refer to Maggie Shaw in the first instance. 

Disciplinary procedure 

The school is committed to being a fair and reasonable employer. Teaching staff are required to demonstrate the basic 

Teacher Standards and at all times all staff should conform to our policies, practices and procedures. Wherever 

possible, we will seek to resolve issues about conduct on an informal basis. In most cases, Line Managers will identify 

any shortcomings in conduct or behaviour via day‐to‐day supervisory performance management processes, providing 

adequate feedback and support. However, there may be occasions where the issue needs to be addressed formally via 

the Disciplinary Procedure. 


Dignity 

The school respects and values the diversity of individuals, and embraces equality and diversity in everything it does. 

Harassment and bullying is unlawful, and failure to comply with required standards of behaviour will not be tolerated 

or condoned in the workplace. As with all issues, you are encouraged and supported to find an informal resolution 

wherever possible. Student dignity can be compromised in many ways, and staff must be aware of the need to 

maintain student dignity at all times. 

Staff are expected to act in a professional manner at all times when discussing confidential information about 

students. Please do not have a casual discussion about a student with another member of staff, where other students, 

or other members of staff, can overhear you. Please check your location, and have your conversation in a discreet 

place. When practical the student under discussion should be present. 

Do not discuss a student in front of other students, even if the student is present. Action will be taken if the 

emotional or physical dignity of a student is compromised. 

Do not discuss other members of staff in front of students or to other members of staff other than your Line Manager. 

If you have a concern about a situation, a decision that has been taken, or a comment made by another member of 

staff, it is expected that you talk to the member of staff concerned in the first instance. If the situation is not resolved, 

then the issue should be discussed with your Line Manager. It is not acceptable to discuss the issue with other 

members of staff. 

Dress code (Staff) and general appearance 

We strive to be role models for the students we teach. Staff working in our school are our ‘business card’. 

The dress code for the school is business‐wear, with no jeans (or other informal equivalents) permitted. Shorts, hot 

pants, low cut vests and T‐shirts, or halter‐neck tops, are not appropriate in this environment. It is expected that men 

will wear ties and that women will wear an appropriate business‐like equivalent. 

Body jewellery and/or body tattoos must be either discreet or covered. Piercings in the nose, tongue, cheek, lip, or 

eyebrow are not appropriate. Staff may, of course, dress in casual clothes for staff training days and are actively 

encouraged to get involved in non‐uniform and fancy dress days. It is not permitted to eat, or chew gum, during 

lessons. 

The Headteacher reserves the right to make a final decision in any matters relating to the above and may request that 

a staff member leaves the premises to change their appearance before returning. 

Eating & drinking 

Le Bistro & ShEd's Place offer breaktime snacks and lunches every day. Hot food should only be carried out in a 

container provided by one of the catering team. We also have a healthy café, Ed’s Place, which is open each day from 

09:30 to 14:30. Students may eat in the Exhibition Hall, Lower Hall and outdoor picnic areas, and in some corridors 

around the site, but must sit on benches provided. During wet break/lunchtimes, classrooms may be made available in 

the Maths/Media building and/or A block and students will be able to eat in these rooms as long as there is 

supervision. Students may not eat or drink on the floors anywhere in the school buildings, for hygiene reasons. Please 

encourage students to use the litter bins provided for all food litter. For any other catering enquiries please speak 

either to Maggie Shaw or Pat Day, Catering Manager. 


The school operates a biometric cashless catering system which can be accessed either by thumb scanner or pin 

number. Staff can top up their account either online or by using the cash machines. Please do not allow your account 

to go overdrawn – we are not allowed to loan money to staff. 

Emergency routines 

Health and safety is a priority, and it is important that all staff and students are familiar with these routines. There is a 

fire practice once per term, and we treat this very seriously. Our target is to evacuate the building and account for all 

students within 3 minutes of the alarm sounding. 

In case of fire: 

Sound the alarm 

Dial extension 800 

Attack the fire, if it is safe to do so, using the appliances provided. 

On hearing the fire alarm: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evacuate the classroom and ensure all students in your class are accounted for 

Leave the building by the nearest route in a quiet and orderly way 

Close all doors behind you 

Assemble in the designated area in tutor groups (see document at the back of this folder and in all 

classrooms). Groups should stand silently in orderly lines 

Teachers not allocated a tutor group and part time teachers should report to Claire Franklin/Rachael 

Chadwick in the area allocated to other staff and visitors. Staff who have covered a register that day 

should remain with that group for the duration 

Support staff, cover supervisors, trainees and visitors should report to Emily Cochran, Head's PA, at the 

designated check point. 

Exclusion Room 

We operate an Exclusion Room. The aim is to reduce the number of external exclusions, as well as having a more 

effective sanction for removing students whose behaviour is unacceptable. These students will be supervised 

throughout the day, including having lunch at different times from other students. A copy of the daily Exclusion Room 

list is available on the staff intranet. You will be required to provide work for students if they have been booked into 

the exclusion room during your lesson. 

The Exclusion Room 'gatekeepers' are Lee Walker, Bev Tucker and Peter Wright with Anne Hollocks (A16) responsible 

for administration. 

First aid 

Should a student become ill during a lesson and require first aid, please contact Reception who will summon either 

Kirsty Cooper, our Administrator (Medical Needs) or a First Aider. Either phone or send a reliable student. In order to 

overcome busy times at Reception, we have created an internal phone number (ext. 700) which will ring on several 

phones for key people who should be able to provide or summon assistance. Please use this number for medical 

emergencies only. Any other requests for first aid should be dealt with in the usual way. 

Details of student medical conditions are held on J Drive or on Go4Schools. 


If a staff member falls ill and requires medical treatment, the same procedures apply. If taken to the hospital, the next 

of kin and personal safety record should be requested from the admin office in a sealed envelope. 

Kirsty Cooper is our Administrator (Medical Needs) who will oversee the process of supporting students. 

First Base 

First Base is an alternative education provision for students who are in most cases are temporarily unable to access 

mainstream education. They may be ill, have special needs, be having difficulties in engaging in mainstream classes, or 

they simply require a different approach to learning. Daniela Symons takes day‐to‐day responsibility for this provision, 

overseen by Peter Hurry. Teachers should ensure that, when requested, work is sent to First Base as soon as is 

practicable to enable a continuation of learning for students. 

Gifted & talented provision – Open Minds 

At King Edward VI School we believe that all students are entitled to educational provision which enables them to 

develop their full potential and to work at the highest level in line with their ability and interest. We believe this should 

take place across all areas of academic achievement, but should also be part of their personal and social development. 

Meeting the needs of our able, gifted and talented students is part of this entitlement, just as we make extra provision 

for students with other special educational needs. We therefore see it as an important role to provide support and 

challenging experiences for our gifted and talented students. More information is available about the experiences we 

provide at: http://www.king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk/menu/open‐minds‐2/ 

Grievances 

The school encourages open communication between you, your colleagues and your Line Manager, to ensure any 

issues are resolved quickly and to the satisfaction of all concerned. If you have any grievance relating to your 

employment you are entitled to pursue it through the school’s grievance procedures. 

Health and safety risks 

All staff have a responsibility to manage and reduce health and safety risks. 

Most often these are general common‐sense decisions, e.g. ensuring the area in which they work is suitable for the 

purpose for which it will be used; ensuring they have been trained on equipment before using it and following basic 

safety management principles e.g. not storing large quantities of materials (particularly combustible materials) in 

corridors; ensuring cables on equipment are undamaged; supervising students’ behaviour etc. 

To enable staff to feel confident they are dealing appropriately with such matters, they must ensure they read and 

obey the Health and Safety Policy and discuss any issues of concern with their colleagues and relevant Subject Leader. 

If you see identify a potential hazard, you must report it immediately to the caretakers or Reception so that it can be 

resolved. Minor problems can be noted in the log in the Staffroom. Speak to Maggie Shaw if you have any concerns. 

All activities that have the potential to cause harm, or damage to property should be risk assessed. This should be 

documented and carried out within your own department. However if you require any guidance with regards to risk 

assessment, please speak to Maggie Shaw. 


House‐writing style 

No official document or letter should be sent to parents or other readers without having been proof‐read by Lee 

Walker, Peter Wright, Peter Hurry or Jess Lee. 

Our house style aims to communicate in a clear, straightforward manner without use of jargon and traditional 

‘teacher‐speak’. The same goes for reports where we try to avoid education clichés and instead write directly and 

positively about what a student has achieved and what s/he needs to do next to improve. 

 

All documents should be written with a focus on the reader: make them crisp, easy to follow and clear. Long 

paragraphs should be avoided. Use of bullet‐points is encouraged 

Wherever possible the school is referred to as King Edward VI School or sometimes King Edward’s but never as 

King Edward VI Upper School or KEGS 

House font: Arial, size 11 

Text format: left justified 

Subjects should always be capitalised (History) to differentiate from concepts (history) 

 

 

 

 

 

In internal documents, use of staff codes should be avoided because it is impersonal, except in cover 

lists/timetable (eg avoid saying “TK and the SLT agreed that WK had dubious taste in music”. Instead, write 

“Bev Tucker and the Senior Leadership Team agreed that Lee Walker had dubious taste in music”). Remember 

the needs of new and part‐time staff to understand references to people: staff codes make this much harder 

Please always put a name at the foot of documents so that we know who it is from 

Underlining is not normally used in school documents: for emphasis use bold 

In bullet points following a heading with a colon, no end‐of‐line punctuation is used, except at the end of the 

last bullet point 

In signs around school, the tone should always be positive and polite (“Please close the windows”, not “Do not 

leave the windows open”). 

ID Badge (and Site Security) 

This will be issued at the start of your employment along with a school lanyard to identify your status. Badges must be 

worn at all times and you will be challenged if not wearing it. This is part of our safeguarding system and therefore 

essential. 

All staff must register arrival/departure by using the terminals which are located at Reception and A block (entrance 

nearest to the Dome). 

If leaving the site during the school day you will also need to sign in/out – again this is part of our safeguarding and fire 

safety procedures. 

Your badge will also give you access to various rooms including the staff workroom, as well as reprographic services. 

Staff must be aware of the importance of this badge and it must be kept securely at all times. Loss of badges must be 

reported to IT immediately and there may be a charge of £5 for a replacement. 


Induction 

An induction programme, conducted in the first term after appointment, is compulsory for all new staff. See the next 

section for further information on this programme. The dates are in the school calendar. 

IT systems and security 

All staff will have a username and password set up for them on their arrival, which will include access to email, 

Go4Schools (our online assessment and recording system) and SIMS. 

Staff need to be aware of, and adhere to, the following policies which can be found on the staff intranet/school 

website. 

 

 

 

 

Acceptable use of ICT 

Online Safety 

Social Media Policy 

Data Protection/School Information Management. 

All staff are expected to login to the email system at least once a day to pick up messages. Access to emails via your 

phone or personal tablet is usually possible. Please speak to the IT department for advice. 

School equipment (such as PCs) and the internet should not be used for personal use. The full guidelines are available 

on the staff intranet. 

The following content should not be created or accessed on IT equipment at any time: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pornography and ‘top‐shelf’ adult content 

Material that gratuitously displays images of violence, injury or death 

Material that is likely to lead to the harassment of others 

Material that promotes intolerance and discrimination on grounds of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, 

religion or age 

Material relating to criminal activity, for example buying and selling illegal drugs 

Material relating to any other unlawful activity eg. breach of copyright 

Material that may generate security risks and encourage computer misuse. 

Please note that all IT systems and internet usage are actively monitored and inappropriate use is logged and will be 

followed up. 

Any portable equipment eg laptops borrowed from school premises are the responsibility of the person using the item. 

Any items should be kept as safe and secure as possible at all times. This includes keeping them out of sight in a locked 

boot of a car; this should be for only a short period of time during transportation to a safe place. Staff are responsible 

for ensuring that they use portable equipment in an appropriate environment when working at home and do not allow 

their family members and/or friends to use work equipment. 

Staff are also responsible for ensuring that their household insurance covers the replacement of school equipment in 

case of loss. 


Usernames and passwords are personal and must not be shared with anyone under any circumstances. Students 

should not be allowed to use the login information for any member of staff. You will be required to sign an 

Acceptable Use policy prior to any access being given. 

Computer facilities for students 

Computer rooms may be booked in advance via Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick in A15. There are also bookable IT 

facilities within the Library that can be booked via Bridget McMillan. 

Memory Pens/Storage 

Memory sticks should not be used to store sensitive data as this will be in breach of our Data Management policy. This 

includes information that could be used to identify staff, students or other individuals connected to the school. 

We would ask that staff regularly delete unnecessary documents/emails – all staff have a storage limit and you will be 

prompted when nearing this. 

Lateness procedure 

Students should be present in the tutor room by 08:55 for the register to be taken by 09:00. If students arrive after 

09:00 but before 09:15, they must be marked as late in the register and the number of minutes and reason recorded. If 

they arrive after Session 1 has begun, they must sign in at Reception and collect a late slip. Students must arrive on 

time to your lesson or if late, with either their planner signed or a late slip. Lateness must always be challenged and 

followed up. 

The Leadership Team will regularly complete a ‘Late Gate’ duty. Students who are regularly late will be spoken to by 

their Tutor in the first instance followed by a Tutor detention if no improvement. If lateness continues, Heads of 

College will issue a college detention and a letter will be sent home. Persistent lateness may result in a Penalty Notice 

being issued to parents. 

Library 

In normal circumstances, the Library is open to staff and students at the following times: 

 

 

 

08.15 am ‐ 16.15 Monday ‐ Friday 

15.45 pm – 17.00 Monday – Thursday Study Club 

16.00 pm – 17.00 Friday – Debating Club 

Students and staff are all registered users. Topic loans and literacy support are available to support teaching and 

learning. There is access to a full set of ‘Issues’ magazines for Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural topics on the staff 

intranet: where you will also find access to the Suffolk CC Library stock. Please discuss your needs with Bridget 

McMillan. 

The facilities of the Library, including the computers and the tables, may be booked for all or part of a session. If you 

wish to book these facilities, please use the on‐line booking system on the staff intranet to book in advance: Log in 

with your school user name and password. 

Details of how the Library aims to support teaching and learning are set out in the Library Development Plan in 

J:/Library. 


We have regular current interest displays and lunchtime workshops. The EdScreen shows Sky News in non‐teaching 

sessions and the library Twitter feed at other times @KIngEdLibrary 

Use of the Library 

 

 

 

 

 

Students may use the Library before school, at break, at lunchtime and after school 

Groups of students may only use the Library during lesson times if the teacher has pre‐booked the tables or 

computers 

Individual students may be sent to the Library to complete independent work. They must have a note in the 

passport section of their planner, giving them permission to be out of class 

A Study Club is held after school for all students. For details about encouraging students to use the Study Club, 

please speak to Peter Wright or Heads of College 

Students must remove their coat in the Library and may not eat. Drinking water only is permissible. 

Please do not simply send individuals or groups of students to the Library without following these procedures, as they 

will be sent back to lessons. 


The development of literacy is vital for students to access the curriculum and achieve their potential. It is the 

responsibility of all teachers to identify specific speaking & listening, reading and writing skills required in the subject 

area and teach these skills accordingly. You’ll find more details on literacy in the Teaching and Learning section of this 

handbook and in the Literacy Strategy. 

Lock Down Procedure 

Securing the site in case of a local emergency 

On very rare occasions it may be necessary to seal off school buildings so that they cannot be entered from the 

outside. This will ensure that students, staff and visitors are safe in situations where there is an intruder or a hazard in 

the school grounds or in the vicinity of the school. 

Notification will be given of these procedures by 5 x 3 second rings of the school bell. Reception will inform PE Staff on 

Channel 10. 

Follow the CLOSE procedure: 

Close all windows and doors 

Lock up 

Out of sight and minimise movement 

Stay silent and avoid drawing attention 

Endure. Be aware you may be in the secured situation for some time. 

1. At the given signal the students and teachers remain in the room they are in. Teachers will ensure the windows 

and doors are closed/locked and screened where possible. Students are positioned away from possible 

sightlines from external windows/doors. Lights and Smart boards to be turned off. Computer monitors to be 

turned off or away from doors and windows if they are needed to take registers and email information. Mobile 

phones to be put on silent mode 

2. Students or staff not in class for any reason will proceed to the nearest occupied classroom and remain with 

that class and class teacher e.g. pupils using toilets when the procedure is engaged 


3. Sixth formers not in timetabled lessons will assemble in the Study Centre where the Sixth Form Co‐ordinator will 

take a register 

4. Classes occurring in the Library and Library staff will move to the Sixth Form Study centre 

5. Classes occurring on the playing fields or outside areas will move immediately to the Gym 

6. Teachers will inform Reception by email of any students missing or changes since registration 

7. All support staff will return immediately to their base rooms and close and lock doors. If their base is too distant 

they will go to the nearest classroom and email their whereabouts to Reception 

8. Reception will move to Student Services and log on to the computers there. ICT will divert the relevant external 

lines to Student Services 

9. If the signal is given during Break or lunchtime then students and staff will go to their next timetabled class and 

the above procedure will be followed and registers taken. 

The All Clear will be given by one 30 second sounding of the school bell. 

Staff Roles 

 

 

 

Headteacher’s PA to ensure that her office is locked and police called if necessary 

Caretaking staff to lock the school’s front doors and entrances 

Individual teachers/ TAs lock/close classroom door(s) and windows. Nearest adult to check exit doors. 

Communication with parents 

If necessary parents will be notified as soon as it is practical to do so via the school’s Call Parent system. Website to 

be updated as soon as possible. 

Parents will be told: 

‘..the school is in a full lockdown situation. During this period the switchboard and entrances will be un‐manned, 

external doors locked and nobody allowed in or out…’ 

 

 

 

 

 

Depending on the type and severity of the incident, parents may be asked NOT to collect their children from 

school as it may put them and their child at risk 

Students will not be released to parents during a lock down 

Parents will be asked not to call school as this may tie up emergency lines 

If the end of the day is extended due to the lock down, parents will be notified and will receive information 

about the time and place students can be picked up from office staff or emergency services 

A letter to parents will be sent home on the nearest possible day following any serious incident to inform 

parents of context of lockdown and to encourage parents to reinforce with their children the importance of 

following procedures in these very rare circumstances. 


Lock down drills 

Lock down practices will take place at least once a year to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do in such a 

situation. Monitoring of practices will take place and staff debriefed for positive reinforcement or to identify 

required improvements. 

Lost property 

If a student loses something s/he should check with their Head of College and at the school Reception to see if it has 

been handed in. Lost property is stored outside the Business Manager’s office before being moved to College Base A. 

Students are responsible for their own property, and we strongly recommend that valuable items and large sums of 

money should not be brought to school. Suffolk County Council has no insurance covering student (or staff) 

belongings, and accepts no liability for them. 

Medical & sickness 

If a student becomes ill during the school day, s/he should first tell the teacher, who should send the student to 

Medical Room/Reception. Appropriate arrangements will then be made. Students must not contact parents directly to 

make their own arrangements. Kirsty Cooper/Reception will arrange for the student to be collected from school and 

taken home, or in serious cases for an ambulance to be called. We do not have a school nurse to take charge of 

students who are ill, however Kirsty Cooper will be able to support unwell students. 

If a student tells you that s/he needs to take medicine or tablets during the school day please refer them to the 

Medical Room/Reception, where appropriate arrangements will be made. 

In cases of emergency we will try to get in touch with parents, but if this is not possible we will act on the advice of the 

medical staff consulted. It is very important to ensure that students have given emergency contact information to the 

Tutor/Head of College. 

Procedures for staff in case of student illness: 

If a student becomes too ill to continue with the lesson then s/he should be sent to the Medical Room/Reception with 

a note on the Planner Passport page (accompanied if appropriate). Arrangements may then be made for the student to 

be collected from school. In an emergency (e.g. the student has collapsed) inform Reception immediately, so that an 

ambulance can be called. In this case, do not move the student. Send a reliable student to get additional adult 

support, if necessary. 

It is a responsibility of all staff to be aware of any special medical, emotional or learning difficulties a student may 

have, and to know what to do in an emergency (e.g. if a student has an epileptic seizure). 

Medication 

Any student who requires medication whilst at school must have a letter from their parents/carers explaining their 

needs. All medication must arrive at school in the original packaging, labelled with the student’s name and dispensing 

instructions. 


Only specific staff can give medication, and details must be recorded in the log. Students are only allowed to receive 

paracetamol from Reception/First Aid and only if parental consent has been recorded on SIMs. Teaching staff must 

not give out any of their own pain killers/medication/cold remedies etc. to students. 

Minibus use 

In order to drive the minibus you must hold a Suffolk CC minibus licence. If you wish to take this qualification you can 

ask the HR Manager, Sarah Trueman or the Facilities Manager, Maggie Shaw, You must be over 21 and hold a full UK 

driving licence with D1 category vehicle allowance. 

As a minibus driver you will be responsible for: 

the booking of the vehicle (at Student Services) 

the checking of the vehicle before driving it 

securing all passengers, purchasing fuel and returning the vehicle in a clean state (inside the minibus). 

ensuring details of your journey are recorded on the forms on the clipboard in the minibus. These forms 

should be presented to Student Services when you return the keys. 

You will be expected to drive in accordance with the Highway Code (any speeding points will be put on your licence). 

You must park in designated parking areas to avoid parking fines. 

The minibus keys are kept in Student Services and need to be signed out and back in. The minibus is an expensive and 

valuable resource for the whole school, and it is the driver’s responsibility to take care of the vehicle and return it 

ready for use by the next group. 

Mobile phones 

Staff may use their mobile phones discreetly during break periods, but are not permitted to use them during lessons. 

Mobiles should be placed on silent mode during the working day. Family members may use the main school number 

to leave messages; notification of these will be sent via email unless it is an emergency situation. 

 

 

 

 

Staff are advised not to give their home telephone number or their mobile phone number to students, except 

in very specific circumstances in which a member of the leadership team has been informed (e.g. on a school 

trip/residential where students may be given the mobile number as an emergency contact number). Mobile 

phone communication should be used sparingly and only when deemed necessary. Photographs and videos of 

students should not be taken with mobile phones 

Staff are advised not to make use of students’ mobile phone numbers either to make or receive phone calls or 

to send to or receive from students’ text messages other than for approved school business 

Staff must only communicate electronically with students from school accounts on approved school business, 

e.g. coursework 

Staff must not enter into instant‐messaging communications with students. 

If any of your contact details change, including telephone numbers, you must inform Sarah Trueman. 

For all students: 

 

Mobile phones and music players must be kept switched off and out of sight at all times on the school 

premises. Any use of phones outside of lessons is prohibited – this includes making or receiving calls, text 


messages, photographs, videos, listening to music and checking the time. In case of emergency, or a particular 

need, students should ask a senior member of staff for permission to use their phone in an office 

Music players must also be kept switched off and out of sight on the premises 

Phones and music players seen or used in school will be confiscated. The only exception for music players is 

Sixth Form students who may use them in study areas and, with teachers’ permission, in certain lessons. Once 

confiscated phones should be handed to Student Services who will log the details and co‐ordinate its return. 

For a first offence, phones are returned at the end of the day from A44, Bev Tucker’s office. Any subsequent 

returns will go to parents/carers. 

Students may only use mobile phones for educational purposes during lessons when indicated by the teacher 

by way of the sign at the front of the classroom. 

The school does not accept any responsibility for the loss, theft, damage or unauthorised calls on staff or students’ 

mobiles. 

Out of hours teaching 

The school values the work done by teachers to provide extra tuition and revision sessions outside normal term time 

or school hours. These can be a very valuable part of the learning path taken by the student and are delivered as part 

of the dedication our teaching staff have to the achievement of their classes. 

Whilst there is no expectation that staff will run extra sessions, the school has a duty to run these activities in the 

interests of the students whilst meeting our duty of care. Accordingly all sessions to be run during term but outside of 

normal school hours should normally be planned a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. Sessions run outside normal term 

dates must be planned at least 4 weeks in advance. This will enable the following conditions to be met: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the school will be open and the chosen rooms available 

access to a Safeguarding Lead will be available – this may take the form of telephone contact as for trips and 

visits 

a trained First Aider will be on the school site 

the school’s IT infrastructure will be available (if required) 

students and families will have been invited to attend and, in the case of students in years 7 – 11, their 

acceptance recorded. This will enable families to plan holidays around the study provided and for the school 

to know who should be on site 

A register of all students must be taken on the day and supervising staff are responsible for evacuation if the 

fire alarm sounds. We must contact the parents of any expected students that do not attend. If the session 

includes a lunch break, supervising staff will need to make arrangements for supervision during this time. 

If, for any reason, these cannot be achieved then the session, regrettably, cannot be run. 

Pigeon‐holes 

The pigeon‐holes in the staff room are used to hold external mail e.g. magazines and wage slips, and internal 

communications. Staff are expected to check their pigeon‐hole daily and dispose of any unwanted items on a regular 

basis. 


Policies and procedures 

The school policies and procedures can be found on the King Edward VI School Website. Please refer to these on a 

regular basis and do not rely on paper copies, as these can quickly become out of date. Any queries should be directed 

to Emily Cochran, the Head’s PA. 

‘Prevent’ 

The purpose of the government’s ’Prevent’ strategy has three objectives, one of which is to prevent students and staff 

from being drawn into extremism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support. You must attend our 

school safeguarding and prevent training and it is a requirement that you keep up to date with changes in legislation as 

it occurs. If you are not sure if you need training, please speak to Sarah Trueman or Peter Wright. 

Pupil Premium (disadvantaged students and students in receipt of the Bursary) 

Every student eligible for Pupil Premium support is individually monitored, and detailed records are kept of all 

interventions and support, academic progress, attendance, participation and well‐being. You can find details of the 

students in Go4Schools or SIMs. It is expected that these students are identified in some way on your seating plans for 

lessons, Go4Schools can help you with this. The school follows a SMARTER strategy with our Pupil Premium students. 

All teaching staff will receive a copy of the SMARTER strategy at the beginning of each school year. 

Rare Cover/First Day Cover 

Although every effort is made to avoid using teaching staff for cover, in rare cases of emergency you may be asked to 

cover a colleague’s lesson. Wherever possible, and to minimise the inconvenience, we will endeavour to only use you 

where it is identified on your timetable and it is unlikely to happen more than once in any half‐term or four times a 

year. 

Registration and reporting student absences/late arrivals 

Accurate recording of attendance is a high priority in our school. It is also a legal requirement that a register of 

students is taken accurately. The register should be taken at the beginning of each session within 15 minutes of the 

lesson starting. Students arriving late to your lesson should arrive either with a late slip (recorded on SIMs) or a note in 

the planner (not recorded on SIMs). It is your responsibility to ensure that the absence mark is changed to present on 

your register as soon as possible. We use TruancyCall in the morning for all students who are unaccounted for once 

the registers have been completed. 

Reprographics 

Chris Last, Reprographics Technician, oversees reprographics and audio/visual resources: Room A17. A wide range of 

services and facilities is available – from photocopying and laminating to borrowing laptops, cameras and digital 

projectors. 

Resources 

Resources to support class topics are available throughout the school, and most are available from the Library. Please 

speak to the relevant Key Stage Leader for specific resources or for your own subject area speak to the Librarian, 

Bridget McMillan or Assistant, Amy Southerill. 


Restricted areas 

The front entrance and the corridors from the Staffroom to Reception are not to be used by students. Students should 

use the corridor from A39 for the purpose of reporting to Reception or visiting Student Services. 

Retirement 

We believe that employees of all ages have valuable contributions to make to the organisation and, for this reason, we 

do not enforce a specific retirement age to allow people to continue to work for as long as they are willing and able. If 

you wish to retire at 65+ years of age you are entitled to do so, but there are also options if you want to retire early or 

ease into retirement gradually. Please see Sarah Trueman or your line manager for an initial conversation. 

Rewards and sanctions 

At King Edward VI School, we aim to create an environment in which our students have a strong sense of self‐worth 

and a sense of ownership of the school. From September 2017 we will use the Warning – Change – Sanction system as 

outlined under Behaviour management. 

Acknowledging and rewarding effort and achievement is an essential part of this. We recognise that young people feel 

more secure in a learning environment in which parameters are clearly and firmly set. All staff have a responsibility to 

provide this. 

We recognise that an effective rewards and sanctions policy is one which: 

 

 

 

 

is clearly understood by all and one which is consistently applied 

recognises that each student is unique and any policy must be flexible enough to reflect this 

is based on positive relationships, mutual respect and trust are essential in our school 

is reviewed regularly so that it reflects our changing population and also current thinking. 

We know that students behave well within a climate that emphasises success and achievement, underpinned by clear 

expectations. We aim to praise much more than we criticise, using formal and informal approaches. As well as the 

merit system detailed below you may include: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulating an individual publicly or privately 

Saying “well done” to the whole class 

Giving a positive written comment on a piece of work 

Writing a positive comment in the student’s planner 

Issuing a ‘well done’ sticker 

Phoning the student’s parent to say how pleased we are with progress 

Work on display 

Sending home a letter or postcard of congratulations 

Inviting the student to see the Head or Deputy Headteacher for personal praise 

Public praise in assemblies 

Attendance awards 

Termly achievement assemblies. 


Rewards: 

As a subject teacher… 

You can award students merits as below: 

Contributing in group work 

Excellent piece of homework (for effort more than attainment) 

Insightful questioning in lesson 

Consistent hard work 

Giving an informative presentation. 

You will record merits awarded on Go4schools using the ‘record group behaviour’ function. 

You can also send home praise postcards which will automatically give the student merits. 

Their attitude to learning which you put on Go4schools each half term will also be used to award merits. 

As a tutor… 

When you have the half termly progress conversations with your tutees you will award merits as below: 

Contributing in group work and tutor activities 

Consistently exemplary personal presentation (uniform etc.) 

Attendance at clubs on a regular basis 

Going out of their way to help others 

Contributing to wider school life 

Punctuality. 

Again, merits will be recorded on Go4schools using the ‘record group behaviour’ function. 

Students will also receive merits for 100% attendance (on half‐termly basis) that will be automatically awarded 

through SIMS. 

Students need to know the boundaries of what they may and may not say or do. We have an agreed tariff of sanctions 

in our Behaviour Policy. It must always be treated with care. There will be circumstances surrounding, say, swearing, 

where the situation may not be as clear cut as we might hope. 

Range of formal sanctions: 

 

 

 

Our Exclusion Room is used for poor behaviour across a number of subjects, or to isolate students after a oneoff 

event (eg swearing at staff). Students are placed in there by Lee Walker, Bev Tucker and Peter Wright. They 

are then supervised throughout the day, including at break and lunchtimes. It is part of our strategy to reduce 

disruption through an effective deterrent and sanction, and to reduce the number of external exclusions 

Fixed‐term exclusions are used for serious intentional defiance/aggression 

Permanent exclusion is used for physical violence/specific offences (eg. Involving drugs) and continued 

breaches of our behaviour policy. 


Report Cards 

We use a Green – Amber – Red report card system. Green report cards can be used by tutors or teachers to monitor a 

students progress across the range of subjects or in a specific lesson. If a student's behaviour or progress is a cause for 

concern he/she may be placed on report to a Subject Leader or Head of College. A student receiving numerous 

lunchtime detentions would be placed on this amber report card. If these interventions fail to make an impact a 

student may be placed on a Red report, monitored by a member of SLT. 

All report cards are kept with Subject Leaders or Heads of College. 

Safeguarding children/child protection and children in care/looked after children (LAC) 

All children should feel safe and protected. It is the responsibility of all staff to safeguard and protect the welfare of 

the children in our care. Students have the right to personal safety and the staff have a duty to protect that right. Any 

member of staff who has a concern about the welfare of a child has a duty to pass that concern on to the Designated 

Person for Child Protection. 

If a student discloses information about possible abuse, then you need to listen and provide reassurance but avoid 

‘putting words into the student’s mouth’. 

Concerns may be about a number of issues: 

Verbal disclosures/accusations 

Physical Injury 

Neglect or failure to thrive 

Inappropriate behaviour‐ with sexual or suggestive overtones 

Unusually withdrawn behaviour 

Sudden changes in behaviour. 

It is the duty of the Designated Person for Child Protection to collate all information and make a judgement about any 

necessary action. Confidentiality should be respected at all times. 

Reliable and effective communication is essential at all levels to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to safeguard 

the well‐being of staff and students. 

You will be offered a session during your induction to the school which will follow this crucial topic in more detail. 

Please see the Safeguarding Children Policy for full detailed guidance. 

Designated teachers for Child Protection: 

Beverley Tucker, Deputy Headteacher or Peter Wright, Assistant Headteacher 

Sue Sweny, Pastoral Support Manager 

Designated teacher for Children in Care/Looked‐After Children: 

Peter Wright, Assistant Headteacher 

Designated Governor for Child Protection and Children in Care: 

Mr Jon Swift, Governor 

It is our policy to safeguard the welfare of all learners by protecting them from physical, sexual and emotional harm. 

YOU MUST REFER, YOU MUST NOT INVESTIGATE 


All staff are required to hold a Safeguarding Certificate renewable on a two yearly basis. 

School calendar 

The school calendar, showing key dates throughout the school year, can be found on the Outlook Calendar (please ask 

Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick for access), SIMs and the website: http://www.king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk. Key dates are 

in your teacher planner but changes can be made so use this for reference purposes and cross‐check with the school 

calendar. 

Smoking 

Smoking (including e‐cigarettes) is strictly forbidden anywhere on site for all students, staff and visitors. This includes 

the school driveway, car parks and smoking inside vehicles parked on school property. We request that staff do not 

smoke in the vicinity of the school gates. If you see a student in our school uniform smoking outside the school, please 

inform the relevant Head of College. 

Staff meals and refreshments 

Sandwiches, salads and hot meals can be purchased at lunchtime from Le Bistro, Ed’s and ShED’s Place. A hot meal 

costs £2.90 plus VAT, (main meal and dessert), whilst prices for sandwiches and salads vary. Drink‐making facilities and 

a microwave are available in the staff kitchen. Please note staff are responsible for keeping this area tidy. 

Transition to Secondary School 

It is extremely important to us that new students start Year 7 feeling safe, secure, happy and enthused to be part of 

their new school. This not only applies to students; we would also like parents and carers to be happy and wellinformed 

about the move their child will make from primary to secondary school. We have a number of measures in 

place to make sure that this important change is handled in a friendly, caring, organised and effective way, minimising 

the worry for students, parents and carers. We see the transition between primary and secondary as a crucial period in 

a child’s education and we will implement a number of procedures to ensure every child is catered for. 

Transition from primary to secondary school does not begin in Year 6 and end in Year 7. We ensure that our primary 

liaison and transition work begins as early as Year 4 and continues into Years 5 and 6, through a range of activities and 

opportunities. 

Our aim is to create a smooth transition from primary to secondary school for children within the Bury Schools 

Partnership and beyond. 

In January, Year 6 pupils from our feeder primary schools are invited to attend our Move Up Monday sessions. These 

take place on three consecutive Mondays after school and students select three different taster sessions to take part 

in. This allows them to meet some staff, meet some of our students, work with peers from other schools and become 

more familiar with our school site. 

Trips & visits 

This procedure is overseen by Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick. Requests for trips must be made at least six weeks in 

advance using an electronic trips and visits form found on J:\#Absence and Trips and ideally, prior to the school diary 

being published in June prior to the next academic year. It would be advisable to check your proposed date with Claire 

Franklin/Rachael Chadwick before emailing your form to staffcover@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk as they have the most up‐ 


to‐date calendar information. Forms are approved by SLT on a weekly basis and will be returned to you by Claire 

Franklin/Rachael Chadwick. Once your authorised form has been returned to you, a Budget Plan must be completed 

and submitted to the Business Manager. Once both these forms have been authorised you can start to make 

bookings/send letters. 

The educational visits pack is available on J:\#Absence and Trips and contains full details for you and your 

administrator to use when planning and delivering a trip/visit. If you have any questions please see Claire 

Franklin/Rachael Chadwick in A15. 

Risk assessments should be completed well in advance of any trip/visits with Maggie Shaw and should be reviewed in 

the days before the trip commences. A student medical/SEN list should also be produced in advance and any issues 

discussed with Sharon Scott/Debbie Quick in Learning Support as some students may need additional support. 

Truancy 

From school 

Truancy is rare in our school: there is usually an explanation if a student fails to turn up to your lesson. Always 

investigate a student’s absence from your lesson especially if it is clear from SIMs that they were in school earlier in 

the day. If you suspect that they have decided to truant, please ensure that Reception is immediately informed. If a 

student leaves the school site, please advise Reception who will contact home. If you see a student out of lessons or 

attempting to leave site, try to talk to them but do not ‘chase’ them. If unsuccessful, please contact the Reception. 

From a school trip: 

In the unlikely event that a student goes missing during a trip or visit, follow the protocol for reporting a missing 

student. Immediately contact the school (if during office hours) or the named SLT person on your trip documents. 

Tutors’ responsibilities 

We believe that the role of the tutor has a significant impact on our students. Registration and tutor time is at the 

start of every morning and sets the tone for learning for the rest of the day. We have a vertical tutoring system for 

Years 7 to 11 designed to stabilize and provide positive role models for students who may lack this at home. Please 

read your Tutor Handbook and the section on Behaviour Management and Classroom Routines as it will outline our 

expectations of how to fulfil the ‘wider professional responsibilities’ required in the Teachers’ Standards: evidence 

required for your appraisal. 

Uniform 

Students are expected to wear school uniform and to present themselves well at all times. No student may attend a 

lesson without school uniform (eg wearing trainers), unless s/he has a medical explanation signed by a Head of 

College. 

All Key stage 3 & 4 students: 

UNIFORM 

White shirt with embroidered school crest 

GUIDANCE NOTES 

The white crested shirt (not polo shirt) must be tucked 

in by boys; the girls’ is designed to be tailored and worn 

outside the top of trousers/skirts 


Black v‐neck pullover with embroidered 

school crest. All students are expected to 

possess this item and to wear it to school 

Black sensible shoes with black soles worn 

with black or white matching socks. Girls 

may wear black or neutral tights 

Plain black tailored trousers 

No other pullover, cardigan or sweatshirt may be worn 

Trainers may not be worn at school, except when 

playing sport, or when specified by a doctor (which in 

our experience is very rare) 

Not denim or corduroy; not cut away at the bottom; no 

stitched‐on pockets. Trousers should not drag on the 

floor 

In addition for girls … 

A plain knee‐length, pleated black skirt may 

be worn instead of black, plain, tailored 

trousers 

Not denim or corduroy; not cut away at the bottom; no 

stitched‐on pockets. Trousers should not drag on the 

floor or be stretchy leggings‐style. No other type of skirt 

may be worn (eg ribbed, puffed, body‐con, nor those 

made from stretchy fabric) 

Winter Uniform 

Between September and May half‐term, school jumpers must be worn at all times around the school (with the 

exception of the school playing field at break and lunchtimes). If there is unseasonal hot weather during this 

period the Headteacher will make a decision as to whether jumpers may be removed for the day. Jumpers 

may be removed within the classroom, (if permission is given by the teacher) but must be put back on again at 

the end of every lesson, before leaving the classroom. 

Coats 

Coats can be worn in the corridors around the site but may not be worn in classrooms, meeting rooms, Sixth 

Form areas and the Library. Hoodies, non‐uniform jumpers/sweatshirts/cardigans etc. worn ‘as a coat’, are 

not allowed. 

Jewellery 

Jewellery is not encouraged. However, students may wear one stud OR small earring (no larger than 1 cm 

diameter) in each ear. One small traditional metal chain or necklace may be worn, but no other jewellery 

(including rings, coloured necklaces and heavy chains) 

No other piercing is allowed (i.e. nose‐, tongue‐ and eyebrow‐studs) 

Hairstyles which attract undue attention are not allowed – e.g. dyed hair, shaven styles such as tramlines, 

patterns, Mohicans, and so on. It is important to contact your Head of College before having a hairstyle which 

may be considered excessive. Hats, caps and other headgear should not be worn inside the building. 

Sixth Form Dress Code 

Part of being in a Sixth Form is preparing to work in a professional environment, to understand the expectations of 

academic institutions and employers. Our Sixth Form students are also role models to younger students. We expect 

them to uphold our values and high standards, to take pride in what they do. 

To that end they are expected to remember that school is a professional environment where they must dress smartly, 

modestly and with the respect of others in mind. Our policy aims to give students maximum choice whilst setting the 

tone for learning. 


All Sixth Form students must wear their lanyard and identity badge when on the school site. If a student appears at a 

lesson without their lanyard they should be sent to reception to print a temporary identity badge. 

ALL STUDENTS: 

Clothing should be modest reflecting our professional environment 

No words or images (except a small manufacturers’ logo) on clothing 

Shoes should be smart and appropriate for lessons (open toed cannot be worn in Science lessons for example). 

Flip‐flops and trainers are not permitted 

Hair must be neat, of a natural colour and not shaven 

Trousers or jeans must be smart, full‐length and not ripped, faded or frayed 

Jewellery may be worn as long as it does not compromise health and safety standards 

No piercings are permitted with the exception of one piercing per ear lobe 

Sportswear is not permitted 

Hoodies should not be worn 

Boys: 

 

 

 

Girls 

 

 

 

 

Boys must wear a collared shirt or polo 

Tailored shorts are not permitted before a defined point in the summer term 

Shirts must be buttoned up at all times 

Cleavage, midriffs and underwear should not be on show, including visible bra straps 

Skirts and dresses must be close to the knee 

Leggings should only be worn with a skirt in place of tights 

Spaghetti straps, playsuits, shorts and strapless tops/dresses are not acceptable 

SANCTIONS: 

We hope that all students will be able to conform to this dress code and we believe it is a fair expectation that still allows 

a large amount of choice. However, where students do not adhere to the dress code we will need to take action: 

First offence: A conversation will be had with a tutor/teacher/Sixth Form Team member. The student will be asked to 

dress appropriately and this will be logged on Go4Schools so parents are aware. 

Second offence: Some items of clothing (shoes and cardigans) are held by the Sixth Form and the student will be asked 

to wear it. The incident will be logged on Go4Schools and a letter will be sent home to warn that further offences will 

result in a formal sanction. 

Third offence: We will decide either to isolate a student in school or to send them home. If the latter, we will call home 

first. 

If a student loses their lanyard and identity badge there is a £5 charge for replacing it. 

Well‐being 

We are actively committed to the emotional and physical well‐being of all students and staff. Everyone here is of equal 

value regardless of their gender, age, race, ability or background. All staff are equally important, whatever their role 

and whether they are members of the support staff team or teachers. We subscribe to the Suffolk Schools’ Choice 

employment assistance programme, Lifestyle Support, which entitles all staff to access financial, legal and counselling 

services for you and your family, confidentially and for free. See Bev Tucker or Sarah Trueman for details (or look for 

the cards/posters in the Staffroom). 


Staff well‐being and personal development are central to our ethos. We have a Staff Well‐being Forum and we aim to 

organise the calendar and training days to reduce bureaucracy and stress on staff. Staff with problems and concerns 

should talk to the Wellbeing Committee, their Line Manager, Sarah Trueman or any member of the Leadership Team. 

An anonymous telephone counselling service is also available for all matters, whether work‐related or personal the 

number is: 08081682143 or by accessing online: 

https://suffolkcc.lifestylehub.co.uk/login.php 

You will need to register initially using your payroll number and Sarah Trueman can give you this information if 

needed. 

We aspire to be an outstanding organisation for staff training and development, for all staff whatever their roles. We 

therefore provide a range of regular personalised training. Developing future school leaders is a central part of our 

work. 

We believe that staff are entitled to a civilised working environment and continue to work to improve the facilities 

available for staff as well as students. We are also committed to training, evaluation and continuous improvement. 

Student well‐being 

Students are at the heart of the school and we are committed to the principle that ‘every child matters’. 

All students are entitled to high quality, well planned and well organised teaching throughout their time at 

school, irrespective of their background, gender, race or circumstances. 

The narrow concept of ‘ability’ is too often a limiting one. We see all students as having a range of gifts, talents 

and abilities. Our aim as a school is to help each child to do her or his best across a spectrum of skills. 

The education offered to students should contribute towards their emotional, moral, intellectual, social and 

spiritual growth and should enable them to develop and test their own personal values. We are not an exam 

factory, and we aim to promote positive emotional health and the development of social and spiritual 

dimensions in all our students. 

We believe that effective learning takes place in and beyond the classroom. We therefore welcome and 

promote opportunities for students to attend residentials, go on trips and visits, take part in conferences, work 

in different age groupings, and participate in out‐of‐hours learning. 

Whistleblowing 

The school’s whistleblowing policy ensures that you are able to raise concerns of any reasonable suspicion of illegal or 

improper conduct without fear of recrimination. 

Concerns of illegal or improper conduct include: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

safeguarding vulnerable people, for example, abuse or neglect 

neglect of duty and maladministration 

fraud 

health and safety issues 

anything troubling staff about working practices 

anything else that causes staff worry or concern. 

A copy of the school’s Whistleblowing policy is available on the staff intranet. 


TEACHING & LEARNING 

Teaching & Learning Principles 

Teaching at Kind Edward’s should be developed to form an effective ‘Climate for Learning’ that leads to ‘Achievement 

for All’. Teachers should engage with the ‘Plan – Teach – Assess’ process outlined to provide consistently high quality, 

enriching learning experiences for our students. 

A full and detailed explanation of the ‘Plan – Teach – Assess’ is available in the separate document: Teaching & Learning 

Principles. 

Plan 

Ensure that when you plan, you understand the purpose of this process. Planning is completed differently by different 

teachers but should always be focussed around the below concepts. Wherever possible planning should be completed 

in collaboration with colleagues. Teachers should not plan in isolation. 

Objectives – be clear and explicit about the knowledge/skills that you want students to learn. You may also wish 

to outline tasks although these are outcomes. 

Differentiation – this should be planned for over time and to address the individual needs of all students. 

Pace & Challenge – ensure that lessons are planned with plenty of ranging activities to develop learning. Ensure 

that you set the challenge level high for all students of all abilities. 

Home Learning – consider the continuation of learning at home. How is this structured to enable students of all 

abilities to learn without the specialist present? 

Teach 

Teaching is a craft developed over many years. “Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, 

but because they can be even better” (Dylan Wiliam). There are many bespoke facets of teaching that will work for you 

and not for others. With this in mind, aim to always consider the below. 

Learning Climate – the teacher should establish a ‘high‐challenge’ atmosphere and a space where students are 

free to take risks and immerse themselves in learning. 

Questioning – a range of appropriate questioning techniques are utilised to test understanding, probe deeper 

thinking and engage students with dialogic practice. 

Assessing Learning – provide systematic opportunities in the lesson to see if the ‘learning has stuck’. Use a range 

of techniques to check this and then reshape the lesson (or the next lesson) to adapt for this. 

Literacy – we are all teachers of literacy. What provision have you made to identify subject‐specific (Tier 3) and 

high utility (Tier 2) vocabulary, reading opportunities, application of effective SPAG. 

Memory and Metacognition – consider how you can revisit previous knowledge/skills for earlier in the lesson 

or in a scheme of learning. Do students reflect on how they learn and other ways they can do this? 

Assess 

Marking should consider how we can help students to improve and also inform our planning for future lessons. This 

should generate a ‘Learning Dialogue’ between the teacher and student. Subject specific marking policies are available 

within each department but must always be inclusive of the below. 

Formative – the majority of marking should be formative and provided within a scheme of learning. Formative 

assessment should not have a grade/number given. Feedback provided should allow students to improve on 

their work. This will be within the feedback process of WWW (What Went Well), EBI (Even Better If), and FF 

(Feed Forward). 


Summative – marking made at the end of a series of lessons to assess learning using the above feedback process 

(WWW/EBI/FF). 

Learning Dialogue – assessment of learning can be made by self, peers and teachers. Consider how this can be 

structured within teacher planning. 

Frequency – marking should be completed regularly at intervals that develop the learning of all in accordance 

with department policy/guidance. 

Selective – marking may be selective when assessing for a particular aspect of learning. Not all work needs to 

be marked. 

Marking Code – this must be applied when marking students work. 


Examples of WWW (What worked well) style comments 

Developing 1.You use good vocab to describe 

what it means to be a human being 

2.You correctly identify religious and 

other ideas in the images 

3.You describe some religious 

ideas about why humans are here 

Secure 

Advanced 

Excelling 

4.You explain how some of the 

images differ from each other in 

their view of humans 

7.You use your knowledge to 

5.You explain the view of humanity 

shown in one or more pictures 

8.You are able to compare and 

thoughtfully compare different ideasanalyse the ideas shown in the 

about humanity 

pictures 

10. You are able to show the link 11. You show that you understand the 

between beliefs about humanity and impact of different views of humanity 

the way we live our lives 

6.You explain religious ideas 

about why humans are here in 

detail 

9.You analyse the differences 

between scientific and religious 

views 

12.You show awareness of 

important questions about 

humanity raised by these images 

Examples of EBI (Even better if…) style comments 

Developing A… you used a wider range of 

vocabulary 

B… you made more specific references to C… you explained what one religion 

the key religious and scientific ideas teaches about humanity 

Secure 

Advanced 

Excelling 

D… you went into more detail about 

the differences between the images 

G… you compared different theories 

about what it means to be a human 

being 

J… you explain how our beliefs affect 

the way we live our lives 

E… you explained more about the F… you made more detailed 

meaning of the symbolism in the pictures reference to religious beliefs about 

humanity 

H… you compared and analysed I… you analysed why some of the 

some of the ideas in the pictures images of humanity differ from each 

other 

K… you explained why there are different L…you identified further questions 

ideas about what it means to be human and areas of investigation raised 

Examples of Feed Forward tasks (Be prepared to research these using text books, computers, phones etc) 

Developing ffA Draw a spider diagram of key ffB Write a list of the four pictures ffC Make a list describing what 

vocabulary + the meanings that you including the key 

The Bible says about human 

could have used 

religious and scientific ideas shown beings 

Secure 

Advanced 

ffD Bullet‐point three differences 

between the images 

ffG Bullet‐point three comparison 

points different ideas about what 

it means to be human 

ffE Briefly explain three symbols from ffF Write a short paragraph 

any of the pictures 

explaining what Christians and 

Hindus believe about human 

beings 

ffH Bullet‐point three comparison ffI Write a short paragraph 

points between the ideas shown in the explaining why some of the 

pictures. Why are they the same or images of humanity differ from 

different? 

each other 

Excelling 

ffJ Make a list of four ways our 

beliefs about ourselves might affect 

the way we live 

ffK Write a paragraph explaining why 

there are different ideas about 

humanity – give two specific examples 

from the images 

ffL Write three questions that the 

four images raise that could be 

researched further. 

OR…as feed forward, you may choose to add questions to the work you are marking for students to answer 


Assessment and reporting 

The school uses Go4Schools for all reporting and assessment. 

Formal Assessments 

Outside of formal examination periods, as of September 2018, each department can choose when they will have their 

assessments. There is an expectation that departments will state when these are planned for (in the subject notes on 

Go4Schools and within their department handbook). Departments must also ensure that these assessments support 

the reporting cycle of the school so that information reported is truly ‘current’. 

Reports are produced to ensure that we are giving accurate and useful information to parents and students. It is 

important (to the school, the students and the parents) that what we report is not only timely and accurate, but also 

informative and useful. The teacher judged ‘Attributes’ (such as Attitude to Learning) gives both the school (Heads of 

College, SLT and tutors) and the parents a sense of how the students are working at the school – and can be used to 

inform of necessary tutor/Head of College interventions or identify students deserving praise. We have historically 

collected this on a half‐term basis across the school but as of September 2018, there will be 4 Progress Reviews 

(reporting points) per year. There will be no formal written reports for any year group (except for Year 12 which is 

used to inform the reference writing in Year 13). 

As of September 2018, in each reporting point, staff will have a two‐week window in which to: 

1. Ensure any assessment information is up‐to‐date 

2. Review and update predictions (Years 10‐13) 

3. Check/Discuss within the subject teams/further amend the predicted grades for each student in Years 10‐13 

4. Select appropriate ‘Attributes’ (Attitude to Learning, Progress Indicator, Organisation and Quality of 

Homework). 

The report will be published to parents at the end of the two weeks and results analysed, used over the next two 

weeks by HoC and SLT. 

The ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING calendar outlines the key dates for reporting for 2018‐2019, these are given to staff 

and laminated copies should be in all offices. 

All parents will have, the opportunity to see subject teachers once per year: 

Structure of Parents’ Evenings: 

All 7 evenings are directed time for staff at 3 hours per evening (pro‐rata for part‐timers) 

Parents’ Evenings are carefully placed in the calendar to suit the needs of the students and the school 

Each evening has a year group ‘focus’ but is also open for all year groups so teachers can target students 'out 

of year' 

Parents are made aware at the start of the school year of the parents’ evening structure and key dates 

The school uses the 'Parents’ Evening' online booking system 

Teacher bookings can be made before the online booking system is opened to parents 

For each evening, teachers can and are expected to pre‐book (through the admin team) a maximum of 10 

appointments for targeted/underperforming students (initially but not limited to the ‘focus’ year group) 

It is the teachers’ responsibility to book in suitable breaks during the evening, before the system goes live to 

parents (two weeks before the evening) 

Parents’ online booking system is usually open for almost two weeks 

Parents can select which subjects they wish to have appointments for and can make as many/as few as they 

wish (subject to staff availability) 


If a parent is unable to make a booking due to appointments being unavailable, they can join a waiting list 

All appointments are 5 minutes. 

Classroom Routines 

This will be in poster form for each classroom: 

Classroom Expectations 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have the correct equipment 

Have your student planner on the desk 

Listen carefully and follow directions 

Pay attention, participate and ask questions 

Always do your best work 

Always treat others with respect 

We have shared classroom routines in which we: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

arrive at the room before students arrive and set up the SIMS register and any resources ready. Stand at the 

door as the students come in: Meet and Greet. Be a positive presence, face greeting & smiling at students as 

they enter. Students not demonstrating the expected behaviour or with incorrect uniform should be asked to 

wait to one side. Speak with these students after the rest of the class has entered so that they may also enter 

the room appropriately 

leave the door to the classroom open for five minutes. Any students arriving after this time are officially late 

and should hand you their planner. Record the late and any comments on the SIMS register. See these 

students at the end of the lesson, having made a note in the ‘notes and comments’ section that they were late 

to your lesson. Their tutor and parents will then become aware. Also record the late and any comments on 

the SIMS register never ignore lateness 

consciously decide upon and plan the seating arrangements for students, rather than leaving them to decide 

where they wish to sit. It is school policy that all classes have a seating plan on Go4Schools which will 

automatically identify all the different groups 

ensure that coats have been taken off, books and equipment quickly taken out, and bags placed on the floor. 

Planners should be on students’ desks 

take a register within the first fifteen minutes of the lesson (this is electronic and if it has not been completed 

fifteen minutes into the lesson, a senior member of staff will visit to see if there is a problem). Update it with 

changes as they occur 

make the learning objectives clear, usually by putting them on display, and return to them at the end of the 

lesson 

aim to praise students as much as possible, formally (using Go4Schools) and informally (verbal) 

give thinking time after asking a question (eg “Have 5 seconds to think what your answer is”) 


ask fewer questions, using more open‐ended styles of questions (“Explain to me HOW/WHY this happens ...”; 

“What are the three main ingredients in this process ...?”; “How do we know what the author thinks ...?”). 

Additional guidance on questioning is available in the Teacher Toolkit: Questioning 

 

 

 

 

 

 

limit the use of hands‐up (whereby the same small number of students often answer most of the questions); 

instead say “Discuss what your answer will be for 30 seconds, then I’ll ask people to tell me – no need to put 

hands up”. Target specific questions to specific students. Have a reason to target a student with a question 

promote active student participation in learning, with them leading starters, plenaries, chairing meetings, 

giving feedback on each other’s performances, and so on 

make it clear to a misbehaving student how this is affecting the class (focusing on the misdemeanour, not the 

person); ask the student whether s/he would prefer to move to sit nearer to the teacher; if necessary, move 

the student. If problems persist, it is advisable to speak with the student outside of the classroom dealing with 

the issue in private (Use: Warning, Change, Sanction). Students are expected to make positive adjustments to 

their behaviour when this has been identified as being inappropriate by an adult 

build in time for students to review what they have learnt, referring back to the learning objectives; make 

homework tasks clear to students and ensure this is set formally on Go4Schools 

expect students to pack away quietly when told to, tidying the furniture (chairs on desks at the end of the day) 

and picking up any residual litter; please leave the board clean 

dismiss the quietest row / groups first (rather than all at once or by gender), preferably standing at the door as 

they leave. 

Our expectations for lessons are communicated to students in this form: 

Start of lessons: 

quietly enter the room with or after the teacher 

put your planner and equipment for the lesson on the desk 

your teacher will provide the lesson’s learning objectives 

listen carefully and follow instructions. 

During lessons: 

your teacher will decide on seating arrangements and will regularly change groupings 

always work to the best of your ability 

your teacher will provide you with a range of activities to develop your understanding 

remain silent whilst the register is taken 

listen to whoever is speaking without interrupting 

always be polite and respect others 

with your teacher’s permission you may drink water in class (no other drinks), provided there is not a health 

and safety risk 

use the ‘Passport’ page in the planner if you need permission to leave the room. 

By the end of lessons: 

You will be asked to review and reflect on what you have learned 

Ensure homework is set (every lesson) 


Pack away and wait to be dismissed on the instruction of the teacher 

Leave the room neat and tidy. 

Classroom Routines/Checklist: 

Start: 

1. Greet students at the door as they arrive 

2. Ensure students sit according to your agreed seating plan 

3. Uniform check as entering – coats off, no trainers, shirts tucked in, bags on floor 

4. Planner / books / equipment out on desk 

5. Formal register in silence at start of lesson 

End: 

6. Plenary / review of learning 

7. Check homework has been recorded in planner 

8. Students stand behind chairs 

9. Check room is tidy 

10. Dismiss students in an orderly fashion 


The development of literacy is vital for students to access the curriculum and achieve their potential. It is the 

responsibility of all teachers to identify specific speaking & listening, reading and writing skills required in the subject 

area and teach these skills accordingly. 

Speaking & Listening 

Aim to use this with a “No‐Hands Up” strategy where appropriate to foster wider oral participation. Encourage 

students to discuss answers in smaller groups and highlight the role of listening as part of discussion 

Use seating plans to facilitate group talk; seat the word‐rich with students who have poor literacy skills to 

enable peer collaboration 

In questioning, encourage students to agree, build on or challenge others’ contributions. 

Reading 

Model reading aloud, especially new or challenging text, to assist weaker readers 

Teach students the skills of skimming, scanning and close reading, model where appropriate and identify the 

skills needed for a particular task 

Writing 

Provide written models for students which demonstrate expectations; either annotated from previous student 

work or by modelling the writing process 

Use a variety of structured supports including sentence starters and writing frameworks to support students 

who struggle with writing 

Expect a high standard of presentation; encourage proof‐reading and give time for this. 

Spelling & Vocabulary 

Teach strategies to learn the spellings of key terms in your subject area 

When marking students’ work, highlight spelling errors and expect students to respond by writing the 

correction three times; encourage students to self‐correct where appropriate. 


Frequently asked questions: 

What if I share a group with another member of staff? 

You should discuss marking and feedback together and agree who is responsible for what. If students use the same 

exercise book, this will need organising carefully. If they use different books, each person is responsible for following 

the marking code and frequency above. 

What if there is a supply teacher covering long term in my department? 

Subject Leaders should check that agreement has been sought with the agency that the teacher will mark. If they have, 

please monitor in the usual way. If not, a solution will need to be found within the department to ensure the books are 

marked. 

What if students need a new book? 

You must ensure they have a tracker stuck into their new book, and have transferred their target grade and current 

grades from their old tracker. 

What should I do if a member of my team is not marking their books? 

In the first instance, see them to set out your expectations. Explain why it is important to mark books (see above) and 

that we all have a shared responsibility to maximise student progress. If the problem persists, seek the support of your 

SLT line manager. 

What are the expectations regarding presentation? 

Students must get into good habits with this from the start. Titles and dates should always be underlined with a ruler. 

Students should use pen for all written work and pencil for diagrams (which will be labelled in pen). Work should be 

ruled off when completed. All feed forward tasks / corrections / answers to teacher questions must be written in 

GREEN pen. The feed forward task will be the title for this follow up work. There must be no graffiti, folding of pages, 

tearing out of pages or excessive crossing out. 

PiXL Edge 

Launching first with Year 8 in October 2017, PiXL Edge is intended, over time, to develop and accredit the life skills and 

attributes that employers are telling us they need – leadership, organisation, initiative, resilience and 

communication. The scheme will give students a qualification, which runs alongside their academic successes and 

recognises what they can do as well as what they know. 

In order to gain the qualification at ‘Apprentice’, ‘Graduate’ or ‘Masters’ level, students need to complete a range of 

activities from an approved list. The activities can be many and varied and can be undertaken in normal lessons, in 

extra‐curricular clubs or outside of school. For Year 8, the scheme is launched at the ‘Apprentice’ level with the 

opportunity to progress to ‘Graduate’ in Key Stage 4 and ‘Masters’ in Key Stage 5. 

Progress on the scheme will be managed by students, using a specially designed on‐line application, with tutors and 

Heads of College providing an oversight and awarding credits towards achieving the qualification. 

For more information about the scheme speak to David Gower. 


CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) 

Induction and NQTs 

In addition to our new staff induction day in July, we have five induction meetings taking place in the Autumn Term 

and a condensed induction programme at the start of the Spring and Summer Terms called ‘Staff Induction Lite’. New 

staff are expected to attend all sessions. 

All colleagues are welcome to attend if relevant to CPD needs. See Sarah Trueman or Tom Grey. 

For our NQTs, staff should attend the five induction meetings as well as the additional six NQT training opportunities 

offered through the year. The NQT programme is delivered by Ian Startup and bespoke provision will be offered to 

ensure that teachers have opportunities to share experiences and practice. 

Staff development & training 

We place staff development at the very heart of everything we do. There is an expectation for all staff to be involved 

in, and keep a record of, continuous professional development (CPD). At the start of the year staff can either be given 

an A4 folder or choose to upload documents onto SIMs. It is advised that you keep this up‐to‐date with all aspects of 

your professional development and this will also help provide your evidence for the appraisal process. 

For 2018‐19, our whole school priorities for teaching and learning are: memory & knowledge, metacognition and 

independent thinking. These are framed around the challenge question of "with a new approach to curriculum, how 

can we develop learners to make knowledge stick?" 

Training and development is devolved mainly to subject teams in order to ensure relevancy to your specialist subject. 

However, key generic and whole‐school priorities will remain the focus of all Professional Development Days and the 6 

twilight sessions held across the year. 

The following members of staff are responsible for training, with Tom Grey (Deputy Headteacher) having overall 

responsibility for in‐school staff training: 

Title Name Responsibility 

Professional Tutor Michelle Hemmings Trainee Teachers 

Lead Practitioners Danny Burton 

Jane Holland 

Ian Startup 

Student Leadership 

Coaching and Goodin8 

NQTs/New Staff Induction 

HR & Training 

Manager 

Sarah Trueman All HR arrangements and 

CPD co-ordination 

Professional Development (PD) days 

There are 5 Professional Development (PD) days per academic year, and these are tailored to the needs of staff during 

the course of the year. Dates for these training days are in the school calendar, and it is expected that all staff attend 

as part of their directed time. If you are working part‐time and you do not usually work on one of the scheduled days, 

please speak to Tom Grey so that he can provide you with the materials/resources given out on that training day. Parttime 

staff are expected to attend pro‐rata to their contract and this will need to be negotiated at the start of the year 

with your Line Manager. 


All teaching staff have the opportunity to attend termly update sessions, scheduled on the school calendar. The 

sessions provide staff with a forum to share good practice and improve their craft. 

Workshops will include: 

Safeguarding children 

using Go4schools to challenge low performance 

shortcuts on SIMs 

Behaviour for learning 

If you have a particular aspect of teaching that you would like to share with others, please speak to Tom Grey about 

offering some training. Alternatively, you can submit this via the CPD Request online form. 

For additional information relating to CPD at King Edward VI School, see document: Continuing Professional 

Development, Teaching Staff Guidance. All documentation relating to CPD is available on the CPD SharePoint site. 

Meeting cycles 

For a full breakdown of all the calendared meetings, there are two places to look: your yellow Key Dates booklet and 

the online School Calendar. Most after‐school meetings and other events such as Parents’ Evenings take place on 

Thursdays from 4 pm – 5pm and are considered directed time. In other words, you will need to complete a red PPR 

form if you are unable to attend for any valid reason. In an emergency, please speak to Tom Grey. 

Staff briefings are every Monday morning at 08:40 in the PAC for all teaching and support staff. It is expected that all 

teaching staff attend as part of directed time. If you are unable to attend for a valid reason, please inform your line 

manager. 

Subject Leader briefings take place every Friday morning at 8.30 in A21. 

Staff Induction is for all new staff and will take place on a series of Tuesdays from 4 – 5 pm. A full programme will be 

given to all new colleagues. 

Department Team meetings are for all members of a department, led by the Subject Leader. These take place on 

Thursdays, approximately twice per half term. 

College Team meetings are for all tutors, led by the Head of College. These take place on Thursdays, once per half 

term and the week before an extended tutorial week. 

Teaching and Learning Group – meet approximately twice per half term. Anyone who is keen to develop the quality 

of their teaching (and others) is welcome to get involved with this group. Speak to Tom Grey for more details. 

Teaching and Learning Group 

The big question for all schools is how to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Here, we firmly believe that all 

teachers in the school should have the opportunity to provide some input into improving the standards across the 

school. 

The purpose of the Teaching and Learning Group is to drive forward improvements and all staff are welcome to attend 

the groups if they wish to have some input into a particular strand of school improvement. 

Meetings are scheduled in the school diary. These groups will be essential for formulating policy and procedure in 

these key areas for the school but more crucially focusing the teaching staff on what makes teaching great and passing 

on that enthusiasm to the rest of the staff. 


Currently the group are looking to share practice, pedagogy and reading relating to aspects of teaching and learning. 

Additionally, they are looking at key areas of T&L identified within the Teaching and Learning Plan below. All 

information, research and training materials will be available on the new T&L Chalkboard SharePoint Site. 

Professional Development Pathways 

In order that we continuously develop our teaching and support staff, a range of professional 

pathways and bespoke CPD opportunities are created at King Edward VI School. 



Appraisal (Performance Management) 

All documentation for appraisals (including policies) can be found on J:\Appraisals\Appraisal 2018‐2019. New staff can 

request a folder to assist in the collation of evidence during the course of the academic year, or evidence can be added 

electronically into SIMs in readiness for appraisal meetings in October 2018. Training on using SIMs will be provided by 

Sarah Trueman throughout October for staff requiring it or who simply like to have support whilst completing their 

online documentation in preparation for their appraisal meeting. 

Threshold applications for 2018‐19 will be on a form that requires evidence based on the ‘wider school responsibilities’ 

section of the Teachers’ Standards and the documentation can be downloaded from J:\Appraisal\UPR. If you think you 

may be eligible for threshold, please discuss with Tom Grey before applying. Only hard copies for UPR will be 

acceptable in 2018. These will need to be signed for when handing in to Emily Cochran and completed by the appraisal 

deadline of 31 October 2018. 

For further information relating to the appraisal process and pay, please consult with the below documents: 

Appraisal Handbook 2018‐19 (available on the network J:\Appraisals\Appraisal 2018‐2019) 

Appraisal Policy (available on the Intranet > Staff > Policies) 

Pay Policy (available on the Intranet > Staff > Policies) 

The appraisal process is structured around three targets (for teaching staff) and four targets (for TLR holders & staff 

with leadership responsibility). These have an individual focus and should be considered developmental for the staff 

member. 

Target 1 ‐ Student Progress 

Target 2 ‐ Whole School Priority (T&L focus for 2018‐19) 

Target 3 ‐ Professional Development 

Target 4 ‐ Leadership 


WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL: 

We are due an Ofsted inspection in the very near future. However, this is what they said about us last time 

they visited in December 2013: 

“Students are eager to take on responsibilities and fulfil leadership roles. For example, sixth form students act as highly 

effective mentors to younger students. Students also greatly appreciate being consulted by leaders about school 

developments. They feel valued, respected and able to influence the direction of the school. They express their 

appreciation for the excellent range of additional activities and educational visits on offer. 

Throughout the school students' attitudes to learning are exemplary. Students are consistently enthusiastic and 

committed learners who are ambitious to do their best. They are eager to join in discussions and thoughtful and 

reflective in the way they present their ideas. 

The curriculum and an excellent range of additional activities contribute well to students' spiritual, moral, social and 

cultural development.” 

QUICK Q&A: 

The essentials at a glance 

As a new member of staff, what will I need? 

Staff Handbook – ‘How we do things here’ 

Staff information booklet (yellow booklet, telling you who’s who) 

Calendar (electronic version on Outlook) 

Timetable 

Lanyard with name badge (please wear this at all times in school and on Parents’ Evenings) 

Who should I see if I don’t have any of these? 

Sarah Trueman, HR Manager 

What are the timings of the school day? 

The week begins with a full staff briefing on Mondays, at 8:40am in the staffroom. This is directed time. For students, 

each school day starts at 08:55 and ends at 15.35, although of course we expect out‐of‐hours participation from them. 

What time am I expected to be here? 

Punctually, before the students arrive in order to meet and greet them by 08:55 or by 08:40 on a Monday. 

Where do staff have lunch? 

Many staff eat lunch in the main dining hall: Le Bistro, but there are also take away containers available and a great 

salad bar. In Ed’s Place there is a deli bar service from which you can pre‐order baguettes, sandwiches and rolls. 

ShEd’s Place also offers food to go. Special diets can be catered for, please talk to Pat or Kay in Le Bistro. Payment can 

be made by paying money into the machines outside Ed’s Place or near C5, using the biometric system. 

Staff are encouraged to take part in a paid lunchtime duty to help maintain a calm and orderly ethos at lunchtimes, 

and we are grateful to all who do. See details below if interested. Those who run lunchtime clubs may also claim a 

free meal: see Maggie Shaw or Anne Hollocks for details. 

What are the behaviour expectations in school? 


These are listed earlier in this guide, but are generally very simple. The basic rule is ‘behave’. We all have the 

expectations that students will behave well. You should expect high levels of courtesy and politeness. Where you do 

not get these, behaviour should be challenged. Some students need to learn from us how to speak and behave 

appropriately. We aim always to model appropriate standards of behaviour, and therefore avoid sarcasm, group 

punishments for individual misdemeanours, and shouting at students. Most students here are very well behaved, but 

this comes from the atmosphere we create. 

Do I treat Sixth Form students differently from main‐school students? 

Sixth Form students are expected to be role models for younger students. With the exception of the way they dress, 

and some additional freedoms they are given, they are expected to behave as all other students behave. They are also 

expected to complete all work on time. If they don’t, again please make an issue of this – e.g. sending them away to 

complete the work and seeing you with it at the end of the lesson. Sixth Form students have a right to expect that we 

will start their lessons on time and not finish them early, they must have proper cover work set and where possible we 

will send a Cover Supervisor to the lesson when the teacher is absent. We aim to maintain a Sixth Form ethos which is 

purposeful, business‐like and enjoyable. With regard to setting cover check the school website on procedures. 

How do I get materials photocopied? 

There is a photocopier for staff to use (and print/scan to) in the Staff Workroom. For bigger projects, the 

reprographics room is A17. Speak to your Line Manager or buddy on how to go about using this facility. 

What do I do if I’m going to be absent? 

To arrange cover, speak to Claire Franklin/Rachael Chadwick in A15 or phone the absence line. If in school, ask to talk 

in private if necessary. Be aware that apart from absence through illness, we only grant paid leave for emergency 

medical appointments and funerals of family members and close friends. Any other requests for leave of absence 

should be submitted in the knowledge they are unlikely to be agreed. 

Teaching staff have a responsibility to set high quality cover work when absent. Be aware that cover supervisors are 

not trained teachers, and activities therefore need to be varied, clearly outlined, and appropriately challenging. The 

cover proforma is available from the staff intranet and website. You should leave a class list, a lesson context sheet and 

a seating plan printed from Go4Schools. Read the section in this handbook on staff absence carefully and put the 

absence line number into your contacts on your phone. 

What are my responsibilities as a form tutor? 

Your role each day is to ensure that students are fully prepared to learn; to know them as individuals; to have an 

overview of their academic progress and their involvement in wider opportunities inside school and beyond. A record 

of each child’s broad progress should be maintained via the Award Scheme. There is a separate Tutors Handbook 

containing further information about the role but each morning you must send a reliable student to A16 to collect any 

messages/documents from the Tutor Tray. 

What if I suspect a child protection or safeguarding issue? 

You must immediately inform Beverley Tucker, Deputy Headteacher or Peter Wright, Assistant Headteacher. They are 

our named persons for safeguarding. It is essential that you speak to one of them at once if you have any concerns 

about a child’s welfare. Note that you are not allowed to receive any information in confidence from a student, and 

need to always make this clear to a student who wishes to confide in you. 

Please take exceptional care when using social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc), thinking how any comments 

would be perceived by students, parents and governors. As a rule‐of‐thumb, do not post anything which you would not 

wish to see on the front page of the Daily Mail and do not be tempted to make a comment to your friends on how your 

day went! All new staff will receive training in this area. 


Is there a dress code for staff? 

Yes, we believe that all staff are role models for our students. The manner in which teachers and other staff present 

themselves will be reflected in the conduct of the students, and the respect given to us and the school environment. 

To this end, staff are expected to be appropriately dressed for a professional environment. It is important that Sixth 

Form students see this distinction: that the way we dress for a working environment is different from casual situations. 

In practice this means that colleagues are expected to wear professional and business‐like clothing (which generally 

means such things as: a shirt and tie; no ‘strappy’ tops; no jeans or chinos; formal footwear, and so on). Piercings in 

the nose, tongue, cheek, lip, or eyebrow are not appropriate. Staff may, of course, dress in casual clothes for staff 

training days and are actively encouraged to get involved in non‐uniform and fancy dress days. 

All staff must wear a lanyard with a name badge at all times. As part of site security you will need your badge to enter 

and leave the site. This is part of our safeguarding and fire safety procedures and makes it easier to challenge 

unidentified adults on site. If you lose yours, notify IT at the first possible instance. Please be aware that these badges 

have electronic chips installed and there are costs associated with replacing them. 

Am I expected to be on duty? 

Yes, you will receive a copy of the duty rota, with a weekly early morning, breaktime or after‐school duty. Duty is 

designed to maintain supervision of students. Please be prompt and proactive. We view duty as an essential way of 

modelling our behaviour expectations to students: it isn’t about being authoritarian. Please therefore use duty time to 

talk to students as much as possible, so that they get into the habit of talking to adults in contexts other than lessons. 

You are also invited to take on a weekly lunchtime duty of 30 minutes. For this you will be paid one hour and receive a 

lunch voucher. Working as part of the lunchtime team, you will be allocated to a specified area, have a walkie‐talkie, 

and help to keep an eye on student conduct over the lunch break. If you are interested in this, please have a word with 

Claire Franklin, Rachael Chadwick or Sarah Trueman. 

Our most effective duty staff: 

 

 

 

 

 

See duty as an opportunity to interact with students, chatting with them, asking them how they are 

Keep a close but informal eye on what is happening 

Informally but authoritatively enforce our uniform policy 

Challenge poor behaviour without creating confrontations 

Enjoy the experience of being with young people. 

Are there lunchtime activities? 

Yes, these are actively encouraged, and we would be delighted if you felt able to run a club or group. A list of all such 

activities will be issued to students at the start of term. You may receive a free lunch in return for running an activity: 

please make sure you are on the ‘official’ list so that you receive vouchers for your free lunch. 

Any final hints to a newcomer? 

Get to know our house style on behaviour: it’s a key ingredient of the way we work, built on talking to students, setting 

clear expectations, staying calm, and dealing with problems ourselves rather than passing them on to someone else. 

For your own protection, know procedures on safeguarding children and acceptable use of ICT. 


Feedback 

 

 

 

How helpful was this guide? 

How could we improve it? 

Was any essential information missing? 

Please pass any comments to Tom Grey (gz@king‐ed.suffolk.sch.uk). We will build your suggestions into the next 

edition. 


FIRE EVACUATION AREAS 

SIXTH FORM 

AL BD BI CK GH HE LD LN ML MN MR MT SW SZ YE 

Astroturf 

ELVEDEN 

WYKEN 

ICKWORTH 

KENTWELL 

BX DW FE JJ MI TI TO WX 

YE 

BG BY HL KN OA OR PM TT 

YE 

Foot path 

CB CH EW HS JH NM PR TD 

BU DA HX LS MY PZ RE VW 

CL DT FR HW NZ RH TZ WJ 

HENGRAVE 

West Wing 

Other Staff & 

Visitors 

EY FZ NX PN PX SI ST WZ 

YE 

MELFORD 

Gym 

Tennis Courts 

Art Centre

Staff Handbook 2018 - 2019 FINAL

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