BE RESPECTFUL

• Respect others by allowing learning to take place
• Respect others by listening when someone is talking
• Respect everyone by speaking politely
• Respect the belongings of others as well as all school property

PROFESSIONAL

• Attendance is crucial to success – be here!
• Arrive to school and lessons on time and in full uniform
• Have the correct equipment to allow learning to take place
• When in uniform your conduct should reflect the ethos of the school
• Take responsibility for your own learning and challenge yourself to do your very best
• Conform to the school’s jewellery expectations

AND MAINTAIN A CARING, CONSIDERATE COMMUNITY

• Move around the school in a safe, orderly and quiet manner showing awareness of those around you
• Line up quietly and sensibly for lessons
• Always consider the feelings of others
• Take an active role in supporting the other members of the school community
• Respect your environment

Click here to view our uniform list

EQUIPMENT LIST:

Provided:

• Pencil case
• Black pens
• Green pen
• Pencils
• Ruler

Compulsory:

• Angle Measurer/Protractor
• Scientific Calculator (we recommend the Casio fx-83GTX)

Optional:

• Pencil eraser
• Coloured pencils (NO felt tip pens)
• Highlighters
• Glue stick

Items should be named or marked for identification.

Please help us to achieve a safe travel plan, to access the school by foot, bicycle, public transport and to help discourage single-occupant car journeys, where possible.

Parking access and safe walking routes.

We have three pedestrian access gates into school, and we would like to encourage students to walk and cycle to school.

• Pedestrian access gate from public footpath, leading to York Rd and St Lawrence Rd

• Pedestrian access gate from St Lawrence Road

• Pedestrian access gate from Coney Hill Rugby Club, Metz Way. With the rugby club's kind permission, we have an agreement to allow parents to drop off and pick up from the car park in Metz Way. The access gate will be open at the start and end of the school day only. We would appreciate your support to please use this facility.

It is crucial that we reduce as much traffic as possible, parking on St Lawrence Road and the surrounding roads for the safety of our students as well as being good neighbours.

We will work with local police and local enforcement officers to maintain road safety.

Student safety

St Lawrence Road, in the vicinity of the school entrances, has ‘school keep clear’ markings:

• It is prohibited to park or drop children off where these restrictions are.

• When dropping off/picking up, parent/carers must consider student safety at all times.

• Please park legally and avoid causing an obstruction to other drivers, and please avoid parking across dropped kerbs and driveways.

• Please always give consideration to our neighbours and others.

Drop-off for parents/carers is not available on-site unless you have a ‘permission to drive on the premises’ pass. These are usually granted for specific access arrangements only. Parking in the school car park by parents is prohibited.

When dropping off/picking up, parent/carers must consider student safety at all times.

Cycling

We provide safe, secure covered cycle parking within the confines of the site for over 50 cycles. We offer cycle proficiency training as part of the curriculum. For safety, please ensure your child wears a properly fitted helmet and dismounts the bike as soon as they are on site.

Bus service

A public bus runs from a stop where St Lawrence Road connects with Metz Way. The Stagecoach No8 service route is Gloucester – Abbeymead – Hucclecote – Brockworth.

Further details of bus routes and timetables are available on www.stagecoachbus.com

Where possible please think about reducing solo car journeys or ‘doing away with the car’, and consider walking or cycling, which is a more healthy option.

Please also refer to the GCC Road Safety leaflet ‘A new journey ahead’

Please report any concerns or comments to The School Travel Plan co-ordinator Email: admin@barnwoodpark.co.uk

To view a road safety travel planner & road safety advice please click here.

Good school attendance is one of the main factors in determining your child’s future and opportunities in life.

One of the most important things you can do for your children is to make sure they attend school regularly, as the more school work they miss the harder it will be to catch up and the less they may want to try. Also, the longer they are away, the harder it may be for them to fit back into school life and form friendships.

Setting good attendance patterns from an early age will also help your child later on. Employers want to recruit people who are reliable. So, students who have a poor school attendance record may have less chance of getting a good job.

The government (and the school) expect students to maintain an attendance record of 96% or better.

Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, the teacher, and other children in the class. Students should arrive at morning greeting by 8:40am and a register will be taken at 8:45am. If they arrive after 8:45am they must sign in with the Attendance Officer and will receive a late mark. An unauthorised absence mark will be given if a student arrives after 9:15am. A 20 minute lunchtime detention will be issued for any student that is late to school 3 times, and this will be notified to parents. Persistent lateness will result in further sanctions. If a student arrives late and fails to sign in, it is likely parents and carers will receive a text message or phone call from our Attendance Manager.

As a parent, you are committing an offence if you fail to make sure that your child attends school regularly, even if they are missing school without your knowledge.

If you do have to keep your child off school, please remember it is only the Headteacher who can authorise your child’s absence… even when you contact school, bring a note or request holiday.

We encourage parents/carers to ensure their child achieves a maximum attendance. However, should your child be absent for any reason, please telephone 01452 530389 by 8:30am on each day of absence or contact us via email at attendance@barnwoodpark.co.uk If a message has not been received, the school may contact you via text/telephone.

These reasons for being absent from school are acceptable:

• My child is too ill to leave the house.

• My child has a hospital appointment.

• One day of religious observance.

• My child has a toothache and has an emergency appointment.

These reasons for keeping your child away from school are not acceptable:

• To mind the house.

• To look after brothers, sisters or other relatives.

• To go shopping/celebrate a birthday.

• Dental check-up.

• Sleeping in.

• One child is ill, so all are kept off.

• Minor ailments such as tummy ache or headache.

• Because it is the end of the week or term.

Did you know?

What can I do to help?

• If you suspect that your child may be missing school or is unhappy at school, you should contact the school as soon as possible so that you can work with us to resolve any difficulties.

• Make sure your child understands that you do not approve of them missing school, but be on the alert for any particular reasons for non-attendance, such as problems with school work, and discuss these with the school.

• If your child is ill or absent for any other reason, contact the school on the first day of absence and keep us regularly updated.

• Follow the school’s procedures for notifying absence, and always let the school know of any days that your child is unable to attend.

• Make sure your child arrives at school on time for both the morning and afternoon sessions.

• Take an interest in your child’s education. Ask them about their day, and praise and encourage their achievements at school.

• Co-operate with any support.

• Ensure regular positive routines in what time students go to bed and wake up.

Always keep the school updated with any change of contact details

What about holidays in term time?

There are 190 school days in a year, leaving you 175 days in which to take holidays!

You should not expect your child’s school to agree to an absence for a holiday in term time. Taking a holiday during term time means that students miss important school time - both educationally and for other school activities. It will be difficult for them to catch up on work later on.

Parents do not have a legal right to take children out of school on holiday. Headteachers are no longer able to grant up to ten days authorised absence in a school year. Requests for absences during school time will not be authorised unless there are extreme circumstances. Applications should be made to the Headteacher. Fixed Penalty Notices may be issued by the L.A. for unauthorised absences.

• If you think you should request time off for your child, you should do this as soon as possible;
• Never ask for time off during an exam or test ;
• Do not book travel for holidays in term;
• Remember that the school will not agree to authorise the time off.

If you are concerned about your child’s school attendance please contact us to discuss the matter further on:

Telephone: 01452 530389

Email: attendance@barnwoodpark.co.uk

For all out of hours concerns please email: concerns@barnwoodpark.co.uk

Click here to view our Attendance page

*We are planning to move to MCAS which works in the same way as Edulink. Further communication will follow.*

Edulink is an online tool which allows you to access a range of information about your child in one place. This includes your child’s attendance, records of their achievement and behaviour, a copy of their timetable and the homework they have been set.

It is also used to notify parents of any detentions your child has been given.

In September, your child will be provided with login details to their personal account, ready-linked to your child’s homework calendar, you will also receive parent login details.

When you receive your login information, you will be able to access the login page by clicking on the 'Quicklinks' drop down at the top of the website homepage.

1. Homework Rationale

We want you to love your learning. Not because your parents and teachers want you to, but for you. We want you to want to learn, want to find out more, want to take your studies way beyond the classroom and out in to the ‘real world.’ We want you to gain and practice the skills that will make you successful and lifelong learners; we want you to be able to think for yourself, work things out, be resilient and have a ‘can-do’ attitude. That is why we set homework. Ensure your child has a quiet place to work at home and a regular routine of doing homework or encourage them to attend homework club in school.

2. Why do you get homework?

• To help you really learn what you are studying in class
• To encourage you to love your learning
• To help you to learn on your own
• To allow you to spend more time learning things you really like
• To prepare you for future learning
• To prepare you for assessments
• To get you ready for the next stage of your learning
• To give you chance to get your learning right – and wrong!
• To take your learning further and in a direction you want it to go in.

3. What should your homework be like?

Sparx Maths, Sparx Reader and Carousel Learning will be the online platforms we will use to support learning at KS3. By using online platforms, the tasks set will be purposeful and will ensure students receive regular retrieval practice and support learner progress by adapting and personalising tasks to ensure the work set is accessible for all learners. This approach to homework will ensure consistency between subjects, enabling staff to identify and address any gaps in understanding or misconceptions.

In Year 10 and Year 11 homework will be set on a variety of online platforms including Sparx Maths and Seneca as well as more traditional homework tasks including portfolio work, exam questions and longer pieces of written work where appropriate. The tasks set will be purposeful and will ensure students receive regular retrieval practice and are developing their knowledge and understanding in order to be equipped to make more progress as they prepare for their GCSE examinations. This approach to homework will always ensure consistency between subjects enabling staff to identify and address any gaps in understanding or misconceptions.

4. How long should you spend on your homework?

• At Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) students should expect to spend up to 20-30 minutes per subject per week.
• At Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and 11) students should expect to spend 40-60 minutes per subject per week.

We are very pleased to be able to offer cashless purchasing. You can make online payments for Trips, Music Tuition and other resources in addition to the purchasing of food from the dining hall, which is quicker and more secure for both parents and students.

In order for you to do this we require the following action please:-

• Register for online payments

Details of your secure access login to the online payment system will be sent to you by letter following the Induction Days.

The same login can be used for Trips & Visits, Music Tuition, Revision Guides, Equipment and Catering etc.

When making payments, you will need to click on each basket and authorise each basket separately.

The online payments will be added to student’s account, for students on Free School Meals (FSM) a daily FSM allowance will be put onto their account for them to use on that day.

• Biometric consent required

We require your permission for your child to use the fingerprint biometric system, we can then arrange for your child to be registered.

Students will be informed when this will happen.

Permission is required for ALL students including those on Free School Meals. Please ensure you tick the consent box on Page 1 of the Data Information Sheet.

NO CASH WILL BE TAKEN AT THE FOOD TILLS

The system improves the services we are able to offer students, with benefits including:

• Making it easier in the dining hall to pay for food.
• Improved security for handling cashless catering cash transactions in the school dining hall.
• Reduces opportunities for bullying, as monies cannot be used by another student.
• Free School Meal students will have a daily FSM allowance on their account.
• With biometric fingerprints students will not have to remember a PIN. (We prefer that you sign up to the biometric system however if, upon consideration, you wish to opt out then they will be issued with a PIN code. Please put your request for a PIN in writing to the school.)
• Reduction in queuing time.
• Parents will be able to view what is being purchased.

Biometrics and security

Students, parents and staff can rest assured that the fingerprint images cannot be used by any other source for identification purposes. The system uses an image of the finger to create a mathematical algorithm and then discards the finger image; only the numbers remain and these cannot be reinterpreted back into a finger image.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need to take my child’s finger image?

By taking an image of your child’s finger, we can turn this information into a digital signature.

Can finger images be used by any other agency?

No, the software we use turns your child’s finger image into a mathematical algorithm. The image of the finger is then discarded. The information that is stored cannot be used to recreate an image of the child’s finger.

What happens when my child leaves the School?

When a student leaves school, the biometric data will be permanently deleted.

How does it work?

When the child places their finger on the scanner, the software matches their finger image with the unique digital signature held in the database.

The school will not use the biometric information for any purpose other than that stated above. The school will store the biometric information collected securely in compliance with the Data Protection Act. The school will not share this information with anyone else and will not unlawfully disclose it to any other person.

Should you agree to the processing of your child’s biometric information, it is important that you tick the consent box on the Student Data Information Sheet, Page 1, under Lunchtime Arrangements.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please contact the school.

Each November we remind parents and carers that the deadline for the Pupil Premium Plus self-declaration is in early January, when our school census is completed. If your child was previously in care, is adopted, or living with you under a special guardianship order the school will be able to claim £2300 each year to support the social, emotional and academic needs of this group of children.

If you would like the school to be able to do this, you must declare your child’s status directly to us at school. This can be done by contacting Miss Nicola Young, the Designated Teacher for children in care or previously looked after. The Department for Education requires you to provide evidence of your child’s status; this will allow the school to complete a tick box on our census to obtain funding. Please be reassured that such evidence and information will be treated in the strictest confidence and the names or details of children are not part of the census.

Please be aware that you must make this declaration each time your child moves to a new school, so if this is your child’s first year with us, we would be grateful if you could let us know. If you have previously made a declaration then you are not required to make it again.

This information is used for funding purposes only. If you wish school staff to know about your child’s status in order to better understand and support them, we would welcome a discussion. Miss Young is our named member of staff with lead responsibility for children who have been previously looked after, adopted or who are living under a special guardianship order.

How is the funding used?

It is important to understand that the Pupil Premium Plus is not ring-fenced funding for individual students but can help us to identify their individual needs and any obstacles to their progress. This gives the school flexibility to decide how the additional funding can best be deployed to have the maximum impact. Schools can, for example, decide to train their staff in recognising and responding to attachment-related issues, or provide tailored support for an adopted child that is in excess of the value of the individual premium. As a school we welcome discussions from parents and carers on how the Pupil Premium Plus is used to support your child and are transparent about our spending of this funding - please see our annual Pupil Premium Strategy Statement on our website.

To contact Miss Young, please email nyoung@barnwoodpark.co.uk