School policies

For the complete list of our policies please see the schools policies.

If you require further information about a specific school policy please contact Mrs Wren tel: 01454 868025.

Anti-bullying

We believe that students can only learn and achieve their full potential when they feel secure and happy at school. Our policy sets out clear definitions of bullying and the principles and procedures that we follow when addressing it. Staff deal with the issues sensitively, consulting parents and keeping them fully informed. Students who are guilty of bullying others are dealt with appropriately.

Complaints

The school has an approved complaints procedure which offers parents and others a formal route to pursue any complaint about the school curriculum and related matters. Download the general complaints policy and summary leaflet (Pdf, 240Kb) or alternatively copies are available from the school office.

Special educational needs (SEN)

The objectives of the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy are:

To ensure all children have full access to the National Curriculum
To ensure all children are integrated into the life of the school and are able to contribute to the life of the school
To ensure children with SEN make consistent and clear progress and attain high levels of achievement
To define roles and responsibilities in respect of special educational needs and to outline the monitoring, evaluation and review processes.

The school has restructured provision for students on the Code of Practice so that each key stage now has a team of staff, overseen by a co-ordinator. Each year group has trained teaching assistants assigned to it, who are able to gain a detailed knowledge of the students they work with by liaising with teachers and tutors. We have opened a Skills Centre to support the special needs of students of all abilities. Students receive one-to-one and small group support in a well-equipped environment.

We have also increased provision for students with emotional and behavioural difficulties. A multi-agency review group meets regularly to ensure good communication between the school and external agencies and an inclusion centre has been opened as an alternative to external exclusion for students needing sanctions.

In these ways the school has increased the resources that it is devoting to students with the full range of special needs.

Drugs education

This policy explains the school’s commitment to the health and safety of all of its members and clearly states that students will be educated in a substance free environment. Alcohol, cigarettes and non-prescribed drugs must not be brought onto the premises, consumed during the school day, to or from school or whilst on educational visits. Smoking is not allowed on any part of the school site by students or adults. The policy describes our drug education programme and our commitment to work closely with parents and the police. It states that all medicines, apart from asthma inhalers, must be kept at the student services office.

Sex education

Since 1994 schools have been required by law to provide sex education for all students, including education about sexually transmitted diseases. At SBL, sex education is delivered both through the National Curriculum-based schemes of work for science and through the Personal Development Curriculum. Parents have the right to withdraw students from any sex education that does not form part of the National Curriculum. We cannot provide an alternative curriculum for students whose parents wish them to be withdrawn; instead, supervised private study is arranged. The policy on sex education covers at length the aims of the provision and its content in terms of pupils’ knowledge, social skills development and examination of attitudes and values. It also gives clear guidance for teachers on giving advice to individual pupils.

Religious education

Religious education is part of the core curriculum for all students. It is in sympathy with the locally agreed S.A.C.R.E. syllabus. Whilst alternative special teaching arrangements cannot be made for students whose parents wish to exercise their right to withdraw them on grounds of conscience, they can undertake supervised private study in the learning centre.

Equal opportunities

The school operates a rigorous equal opportunities policy which applies to all areas of the school’s organisation and curriculum. The policy promotes and affirms all students’ entitlement to equality of access and treatment in all areas of the school. It aims to encourage students to value themselves and others and to recognise the strengths and richness of diversity. We have an Equalities, Diversity and Cohesion Implementation Plan which details steps that we are taking, for instance to make our buildings more accessible to users with physical disabilities.

Home-school agreement

As a parent I undertake to:

See that my child attends school regularly, on time, and with the right equipment
Provide written notes to explain absences
Make the school aware of any concerns about my child’s work or behaviour
Support my child with extended work and check their organiser at least once a week
Support the school’s policies and guidelines for dress and behaviour
Attend parents’ evenings and discussions about my child’s progress

The school undertakes to:

Care for your child’s safety and well-being
Ensure that they have opportunities to achieve their full potential through a balanced and challenging curriculum which meets the individual needs of your child
Provide opportunities for extra-curricular activities and regular extended work
Involve your child fully in their learning through prompt feedback on their work and clear targets for improvement
Achieve high standards of work and behaviour through building good relationships and developing a sense of responsibility to the school community
Keep you informed about school matters and about your child’s progress through regular, detailed reports and through the student organiser
Be open and welcoming at all times and offer opportunities for you to become involved in the daily life of the school

As a student I undertake to:

Attend school regularly and on time
Follow the school dress code
Bring the books and equipment I need every day
Show my parents and teachers comments that have been written in my organiser, and make sure that they receive letters, reports and other communications
Do all my classwork and extended work as well as I can
To be polite and helpful to others, and follow the baseline expectations
Respect the school environment and keep it free from litter

Responsibility for the online safety of students

The school takes the online safety of students very seriously, however, we are unable to investigate any student involved in the misuse of online communication tools ie. Social Networking Sites (Facebook, Bebo, MySpace), Blogs, MSN, YouTube etc.

The misuse of mobile phones for sending and sharing inappropriate text messages, images, videos etc, is also not investigated by the school.

These issues need to be reported directly to the Police.

The school’s policy is that learning takes place within an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, therefore, we will continue to ensure that any friendship issues are investigated and dealt with sensitively.

INFORMATION