SBL Online • School Information

Bus Routes to SBL

Below is a list of bus-routes which operate both to and from The Sir Bernard Lovell School. More information and bus timetables can be found at www.firstgroup.com.

41	Kingswood, Cadbury Heath, Park Estate, Cherry Gardens
42a	Kingswood, Cadbury Heath, Park Estate, Cherry Gardens
43a	Kingswood, Warmley, Park Estate (Cadbury Heath)
44	Hanham High Street, Park Estate (Cadbury Heath)
45	Hanham High Street, Park Estate (Cadbury Heath)
319	Bath, Bitton, Oldland, Park Estate, Warmley, Kingswood, Staple Hill, Downend

Insurance

Parents are reminded that the Council does not provide personal accident insurance cover for students in school. Parents who require the provision of such benefits need to make their own arrangements for this.

Lost Property

Students can report lost items to their tutor and the school student services office. Items found are handed in to the student services office and returned to their owners as quickly as possible: this works best when the items are clearly named. Unmarked items are displayed regularly for students to claim. The Council and Governors provide no insurance cover against theft or damage to personal possessions. Parents of students who leave expensive musical instruments in school, or bring other expensive items such as bicycles to school, will need to arrange any necessary insurance cover themselves.

Lunchtime Arrangements

The School Meals Service provides a wide range of healthy hot and cold meals each day; a standard lunch currently costs £2.25 for a main course and pudding or £1.75 for a main course only. Lunch cards are on sale from the restaurant at a cost of £22.50 for 11 lunches, i.e. one lunch free of charge. We encourage all students to eat healthily and in a calm and orderly atmosphere. Students who bring sandwiches can eat them in the pavilion covered area. Some students who live nearby prefer to go home for lunch and have a pass to allow them off the school site. Students who stay in school for lunch remain on the premises unless special permission is given for them to go off site by parents and the school. Students with lunch passes are expected to go straight home at the start of the lunch break and to remain at home throughout the lunch break; they are not allowed to buy lunch from local shops and takeaways. A hot and cold breakfast service is also provided in the school cafeteria from 8am each day.

Medical Care

We have the services of a school nurse for a few hours per week for health checks and counselling. Trained members of the support staff help care for sick students and administer first aid when required. Should a student be taken ill or be involved in an accident at school, parents will be informed immediately and advised on the appropriate course of action. For this reason it is important that we are kept up-to-date with emergency contact numbers.

Absence

We ask parents to contact the school as soon as possible if a student is absent for any reason. A written note is requested for our formal records when the student returns to school. If we have not heard from home when a student is absent or we are concerned about unexplained days off school, we will contact parents. The Education Welfare Officer might become involved in cases where there is a problem over attendance. Special forms are available from school if it is essential to take a family holiday during term time, though we discourage term-time holidays.

There is a close link between good attendance and high levels of achievement at school, so we encourage parents to work closely with us to maximise attendance and reward students. Please call Student Services on 01454 868035 if you need to report an absence.

Holiday Absence during Term Time

The school discourages parents from asking for their children to go on holiday during term time. South Glos Council has produced the following guidance for parents:

Parents are strongly urged to avoid taking family holidays during term time.
Requests for leave will not be authorised in term 1(September/October) when students are settling into the new academic year, or in term 5 (April/May) when national assessments are taking place.
Leave will also not be authorised at any other time when internal school assessments are taking place - these times will vary and dates will be published in advance.
Parents requesting leave must do so in writing prior to departure, usually 4 weeks. The parent must include specific reasons why the leave is requested during term time.
Schools may authorise up to 10 days leave within an academic year provided there is no other concern about the child’s attendance. Where there is concern, the leave will not be authorised.
Leave for longer than 10 days will not normally be authorised. If such leave is requested then the Governing Body will consider the application and may authorise it only in exceptional circumstances.
It is important for parents to be aware of an individual school’s policy on leave in term time, which may vary from Local Authority guidance.

The School Day

8.45 - 8.55	AM Registration
8.55 - 9.55	Period 1
9.55 - 10.55	Period 2
10.55 - 11.15	Break
11.15 - 12.15	Period 3
12.15 - 1.15	Period 4 / Lunch A
12.50 - 1.50	Period 4 / (Lunch 12.15 – 12.50)
1.50 - 2.50	Period 5
2.50 – 3.15	PM registration / personal development time (PDT) (2.50 – 3.00 on Wednesdays)

There are 25 lessons each week and each lesson is one hour long. We operate a flexible end to the day, with year groups leaving at different times according to their PDT schedule. Students stay until 3.15pm on days when they have assemblies, or mentoring with their tutors. They may also be asked to stay until 3.15 to see subject teachers or for a brief detention. It is therefore essential that students are not collected from the school site until 3.15. Staff are on duty to supervise students as they arrive in the morning and leave at the end of the day.

Hot and cold food is on sale before school and during the morning break. We encourage students to take part in after-school activities and the learning centre is open before and after school as well as lunchtimes.

Term Dates

Term 1
Begins	Thursday 3rd September 2009 - INSET
Ends	Friday 23rd October 2009 - INSET
Term 2
Begins	Monday 2nd November 2009
Ends	Friday 18th December 2009
Term 3
Begins	Monday 4th January 2010
Ends	Friday 12th February 2010 - INSET
Term 4
Begins	Monday 22nd February 2010
Ends	Thursday 1st April 2010 - INSET
Term 5
Begins	Monday 19th April 2010
Ends	Friday 28th May 2010
Term 6
Begins	Monday 7th June 2010
Ends	Friday 23rd July 2010 - INSET

SBL Ski

Contact Information

For information relating to the ski trips please contact John Sweet, at the school.

Upcoming Ski Dates

Our first ski information evening is from 7:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesday 30 June in the Main Hall. It is extremely important that you and your son/daughter attend. There will be presentations and a video relating to the trip. You will be asked to provide essential information and you will also be given important information. Attached to this newsletter is a form that you will need to complete and bring with you to this meeting.

There will be a second ski information evening on Tuesday 24 November when we will be inviting a representative from the ski clothing company Sub32. We have been using this company (formerly known as SkiWest) for several years and have found them to be both competitive on price and reliable. Ski jackets and trousers can be hired from them and additional equipment may also be purchased.

We have also booked a session at the Tamworth Snowdome for Thursday 28 January, leaving school at around 2pm and returning between 7pm & 8pm. (Further details to follow at the second Ski Evening on 24 November). It is strongly recommended that all beginners attend this session on artificial snow as we find that it saves almost a day when they get onto the real snow.

Latest Newsletters

Cortina, Italy 2010 Newsletter 3

Cortina, Italy 2010 Newsletter 2

Cortina, Italy 2010 Newsletter 1

Ski Trip Photographs

Click here to view a collection of photographs from the 2010 Italy Ski Trip.

Click here to view a collection of photographs from the 2009 Switzerland Ski Trip.

Ski Guides