Stratford upon Avon Grammar School for Girls

CHILD PROTECTION

Stratford Grammar School for Girls recognises the responsibility it has under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Through their day-to-day contact with pupils and direct work with families, staff at the school have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect and referring them to the appropriate agency, normally the Safeguarding Team.

This Policy sets out how the school’s Governing Body discharges its statutory responsibilities relating to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.

To read an electronic document of the policy in full, please click here. Please note, you will require Adobe Reader to view the PDF document.

HEALTHY SCHOOLS POLICIES
The Healthy Schools policies can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

Draft Confidentiality Policy	Click here
Draft Physical Activity Policy	Click here
Draft Whole School Food Policy	Click here

Please note, you will require Adobe Reader to view the PDF documents.

FAIR PROCESSING

Fair Processing Notice: School Census 2009 - Layer 1 summary (issued
September 2008)

Our school processes personal data about our pupils and is a "data controller" in respect of this for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. It processes this data to support its pupils' teaching and learning; monitor and report on their progress; provide appropriate pastoral care, and assess how well the school as a whole is doing. This data includes contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information, characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information.

This data may only be used or passed on for specific purposes allowed by law. From time to time the school is required to pass on some of this data to Local Authorities, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), and to agencies that are prescribed by law, such as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), Ofsted, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Department of Health (DH), Primary Care Trusts (PCT),ContactPoint and other organisations that require access to data in the Learner Registration System as part of the MIAP (Managing Information Across Partners) programme and Connexions. All these agencies are data controllers in respect of the data they receive, and are subject to the same legal constraints in how they deal with the data.

The governing body of a maintained school in England is also required by law to supply basic information to ContactPoint*. This only includes the name and address of the child, contact details for their parents or carers (with parental responsibility) and the contact details of the school.

For pupils of 13 years and over, the school is legally required to pass on certain information to Connexions service providers on request. Connexions is the government's support service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in England. This information includes the name and address of the pupil and parent, and any further information relevant to the Connexions services' role. However parents, or the pupils themselves if aged 16 or over, can ask that no information beyond name and address (for pupil and parent) be passed on to Connexions. If as a parent, or as a pupil aged 16 or over, you wish to opt- out and do not want Connexions to receive from the school information beyond name and address, then please contact the school.

Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act, including a general right to be given access to personal data held about them by any data controller. The presumption is that by the age of 12 a child has sufficient maturity to understand their rights and to make an access request themselves if they wish. A parent would normally be expected to make a request on a child's behalf if the child is younger. If you wish to access your personal data, or that of your child, you will need to apply in writing to the school.

Your attention is drawn to (Layer 2) of the Fair Processing Notice, which gives supplementary information about the processing of pupil data by the organisations mentioned above, and gives greater details of how the pupil data is processed and the rights of parents and pupils. This can be obtained by accessing the following website:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/ims/datamanagement/fpnpupils/

Further advice about Data Protection and access to your personal information can be found on the Information Commissioners website at:

http://www.ico.gov.uk/

The school has an anti-bullying policy, which is available on request.

ASSESSMENT

Regular assessment of the girls' progress and setting of targets for improvement are an integral part of our teaching. In order that parents, staff and pupils can effectively work in partnership, communication is essential. Throughout the school there is at least one parents' evening and one report or profile each year; in most year groups there is at least one point of contact - oral or written - each term. Parents are also very welcome to make an appointment to come into the school to discuss their daughter's progress at other times in the year.

Individual Progress Reviews take place with Form Tutors twice a year for girls in Years 7 – 11, and termly in the sixth form. Each girl who leaves in Year 13 (or Year 11) has a Progress File.

The whole school assesssment policy has recently been revised and is available on request.

BEHAVIOUR POLICY

A new behaviour policy was produced in 2006 and has been regularly revised since. The policy includes the school's Code of Conduct and outlines the behaviour expected.
For a full version of the Behaviour Policy, please click here.

The main rule for all is that we act with courtesy and consideration for others at all times. The school takes a positive approach to discipline, working on a praise and reward scheme wherever possible. Pupils are commended for academic work and other achievements. In certain cases girls are required to do supplementary work at lunch time.

For pastoral purposes the school is sub-divided into three units: Years 7-9 (Key Stage 3), Years 10-11 (Key Stage 4), and Years 12-13 (Key Stage 5). The Headteacher, Deputy Head, Head of Sixth Form and her Deputy and the Leaders of Key Stage 3 and 4 take responsibility for the curriculum, pastoral welfare and general discipline of these groups.

CHARGING POLICY

Activities
Voluntary contributions are requested for activities such as school trips. No pupil will be denied participation in activities on the grounds of financial difficulty, although such activities can only take place if enough parents are willing to pay.

External Examination Entry Fees
School should pay for all GCSE and A-level exam subject entries with the following exceptions:

a)	when coursework is not fully submitted through lack of effort;
b)	when a Subject Leader considers a girl is not putting sufficient effort into the subject and does not recommend entry in consultation with the Headteacher, parents and girl at appropriate stages;
c)	following withdrawal of exam entry without a valid reason;
d)	following absence from an exam session not through illness.

Additional Exams
School will pay for:

AEA examinations (Special Papers/World Class Tests)

Parents/girls will pay for extra external examinations such as Young Enterprise, etc.

Charges for breakages in Science Lessons
We have started to charge pupils for accidental breakages of glassware. Full replacement costs are not charged. Apart from off-setting the financial burden, a nominal charge serves to persuade pupils to become more careful and to work more seriously.

The Governing body has agreed the above as part of its policy on charging.

What is homework?
Homework refers to any work or activities which girls are asked to do outside lesson time.

The purpose of homework?
The purposes of homework are:

	to encourage girls to develop the skills, confidence and motivation needed to study effectively on their own;
	to consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding developed during lesson time;
	to extend school learning through a variety of methods;
	to plan and manage particular demands eg GCSE course work.

The amount of homework
All girls have regular homework.

YEAR 7	25 minutes per subject (maximum three per night)
YEAR 8	30 minutes per subject (maximum three per night)
YEAR 9	35 minutes per subject (maximum three per night, four at weekend)
NB: Science sets two homeworks a week in Years 7, 8 and 9.
Homework will not be set to Years 7, 8 and 9 in the school holidays.
YEARS 10/ 11	2 x 40 minutes per subject per week by negotiation, and 1 x 40 minutes for each Science. In Year 10/11 there is a degree of flexibility because the workload varies depending on the time of the academic year.

Key points

	Homework timetables are co-ordinated across subjects by the form tutors and Heads of Key Stages. The total amount of homework set on a regular basis must be consistent and manageable.
	The student planners are essential in the homework process. Girls should record details of homeworks set and completed in the planner. Parents and form tutors/form prefects should check and sign the planner to monitor homework.
	Girls unable to meet homework deadlines should talk to the subject staff concerned. Failure to meet homework deadlines without a good reason will result in a warning. Late work may not be marked. Those who persistently fail to meet deadlines will be referred to the Subject Leader and be dealt with as appropriate.
	Subject Leaders experiencing problems with homework completion will consult with the girl’s form tutor followed and then, if necessary, the Head of Key Stage, to look at appropriate strategies to resolve the problem.

The role of parents
To be effective, homework needs to be part of the parents/school partnership. Parents are encouraged to:

	provide a suitable place in which girls can complete homework;
	make it clear to girls that they value homework and support the school in explaining how it can help them make progress at school;
	encourage girls and praise them when they have completed homework. Recognise the award of merit stickers or commendations;
	expect deadlines to be met and check via the planner that they are;
	inform school if there are problems, temporary or long-term, so that a joint effort can be made to resolve them;
	inform school if there appears to be too much or too little homework regularly set.
	Parents should contact the form tutor if there is any problem.

Appropriate tasks for homework
Tasks should have a clear objective linked to schemes of work. A range of homework activities is encouraged which should differentiate according to the girl’s ability. Regular use of homework time for "finishing off work classwork" is discouraged.

Feedback for girls
Girls will be given prompt and appropriate feedback on the homework completed.

Departmental marking/assessment policies include details on the timing and character of feedback which will be provided.

Monitoring and evaluation of homework
The homework policy will be monitored and evaluated on a regular basis.

	Heads of Key Stage will monitor the setting of homework and other aspects in accordance with the annual implementation schedule, which will then be reported to the Senior Leadership Team.
	Heads of Key Stage 3/4 will be responsible for checking samples of homework from time to time in consultation with Subject Leaders.
	Form tutors will check homework diaries regularly.

ICT Network and Internet User Agreement

The ICT network is owned by Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls and is made available to students to further their education and to staff to enhance their professional activities including teaching, research, administration and management. The following user agreement has been drawn up to protect all parties: the students, staff and school.

The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use as determined by the Headteacher may result in a revocation of the privilege. All computer access is monitored regularly so misuse of the system can be identified and dealt with.

The school reserves the right to examine or delete any files that may be held on its computer system and to monitor any internet sites visited.

The user agreement is as follows:

1. All internet activity should be appropriate for an educational environment.

2. Access to the ICT network and the Internet should only be made via the authorised account and password, which should not be made available to any other person; using another person's account without their permission is illegal.

3. Activity that threatens the integrity of the school ICT system, or activity that attacks or corrupts other systems, or activity that damages system hardware is forbidden and illegal.

4. Users are responsible for all e-mails sent and for contacts made that may result in e-mails being received.

5. Use for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden.

6. Copyright of materials must be respected.

7. Whole websites should not be copied or printed; sections and images can be copied and pasted for academic purposes.

8. Posting anonymous messages and forwarding chain letters is forbidden.

9. As e-mails can be forwarded or inadvertently be sent to the wrong person, the same professional levels of language and content should be applied as for letters or other media.

10. Transmission or viewing of any material in violation of UK laws is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyright material, threatening, racist or obscene materials (as determined by the Headteacher), or material protected by trade secret. Use for advertising of any kind or political lobbying is strictly prohibited.

11. Any faults or maintenance issues should be reported to a member of the ICT department.

Emergency Action e.g. severe weather or flood

The school’s policy in situations where emergency action might need to be taken to ensure the health and safety of members of the school community follows. It is our policy to remain open if at all possible as long as we can provide heating, meals and a safe environment. However, there were two occasions last year on which we took the decision to close the school for health and safety reasons. Both were extreme situations, when severe weather (snow or flood) had made travelling hazardous.

Should the need arise to close the school before the start of the school day, therefore, information will be posted on the home page of the school website (www.stratfordgrammar.co.uk) by 7.15 am and regularly updated. This is the simplest and most effective way to communicate messages simultaneously to the whole school. However, other means of communication will also be used: announcements will be made on the school telephone (choose option 7 for “the weatherline”) and on local radio (BBC Coventry and Warwickshire 94.8 FM 103.7 FM 104 FM (at 7.15 am); and Touch FM (formerly The Bear) 102 FM). There will be information about school closures on the Warwickshire LA website (www.warwickshire.gov.uk/schoolclosures), and you also have the opportunity to sign up on this site for free text messages alerting you to school closures. Every effort will also be made to set the school telephone tree cascade system in motion – but please do not rely on this system as your only means of communication.

The need may arise to close the school early but after girls and staff are on site – eg as a result of floods like those last summer. We would normally expect girls to travel home by their usual means, and would therefore release those who walk home or to the station as soon as school is closed. All girls will be expected to sign out with their form tutor if leaving before the end of the usual school day. The buses will generally be called early in these circumstances, and girls waiting for buses can wait safely in school until their appropriate bus arrives. However, other means of transport home will be considered if appropriate (eg lifts with friends or staff). A sensible decision will be taken in consultation with your daughter. Please ensure that your daughter has emergency contact details, and also that the emergency contact details we hold in school are up-to-date. It would be very helpful if you could discuss with your daughter all the possible courses of action she could take in the event of such an early closure when the homeward journey could take much longer than usual. It might, for instance, be sensible to arrange to stay with a friend who lives nearer the school. Senior staff will stay in school until all girls have left. We would aim to post information on the school website as soon as practical; and information will certainly be posted on the school website concerning the following school day, whether school is to be open or not.

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