The Curriculum
We believe that effective learning and teaching takes place at Crofton School when:
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The curriculum is challenging and meets the varied needs of all students
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The curriculum provides opportunities for a wide range of interesting, balanced and relevant learning for students of all abilities
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All students will have access to a curriculum that will prepare them for life beyond Crofton School
Independent Learning Policy
The values that underpin the Crofton School Curriculum are:
Kindness, ambition and diligence
Fairness of access
The promotion of tolerance
The belief in the importance of individual and institutional self-esteem
Equality of opportunity
Care for individuals
Honesty
The belief in the school as the beginning of life long learning
The importance of:
success for each individual
academic and personal challenge
collaborative partnership with parents and the community
At Crofton School we are striving to develop a curriculum which:
is matched to all our students
develops skills for now and the future
promotes independent learning
engages with alternative methods of teaching and technology
offers guided choice at KS4
considers progression from KS2 and beyond KS4
values and promotes equality of provision for all
At KS4 students can take GCSEs in a range of subjects.
We actively create option groups to ensure class sizes enable students to make good progress.
Parents and students are guided through the preference process for KS4 by having option talks, an option evening and careers guidance.
A careers programme allows students insight into possibility beyond KS4.
For able students we offer Statistics/FSMQ, triple science and a second language as option courses in KS4.
Students are invited to study triple science, computer science and statistics/FSMQ. We recognise the rigour of these subjects and strive for students to be successful when they embark on studying them. Triple science is taught in the same curriculum time as combined science (Trilogy); it is therefore only offered to the most able students.
Parents wishing to withdraw their son or daughter from RE lessons must formally write to the Head Teacher to request this.
Parents wishing to withdraw from aspects of the sex education programme in PDL on moral grounds must formally write to the Head Teacher to request this.
All students at KS3 and KS4 follow a Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship education programme known as PDL.
SMSC/British Values (Spiritual, moral, social and cultural) education is delivered through subject areas and all aspects of school life.
The importance of cross curricular themes: e.g. Literacy, Numeracy and ICT are reinforced when lesson planning.
Extracurricular clubs are encouraged to enable students to be proud of their talents and interests outside of the National Curriculum.
Although carefully monitored for impact, educational trips in curriculum time are encouraged.
Participation in extracurricular quizzes and competitions is encouraged.
The philosophy for PE at Crofton School is one of enjoyment and understanding the fun and health advantages of sport. Sports for all is the culture the school works towards; all students are encouraged and supported in participating in a range of PE activities. We also offer GCSE PE.
At KS4 all students study History or Geography, students may study both if they wish.
2019/2021 structure is listed below
2 week timetable – 50 periods
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In Years 7-9 students are taught either as mixed ability or banded.
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In Year 7, banding takes place in Maths and Science. All other subjects are taught as tutor groups or in tutor group blocks.
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In Year 8 and 9, banding takes place in Maths, Science and MFL. All other subjects are mixed ability. We are always reviewing our banding procedures so we can meet the needs of all students.
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PE is taught in mixed gender groups in all years.
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Subjects teach in mixed ability where it is beneficial for students to be able to work alongside different abilities. The more able are often able to lead in teaching to consolidate their learning and articulate ideas in different ways, in order that they use skills and knowledge in transferrable ways.
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In KS4, students are banded in Maths and Science. In English, most classes are mixed ability. All option classes are mixed ability.
You can eat in the canteen, hall or outside. For Health and Safety reasons, you can’t eat in Science, Art or Technology.
Good question. Normally teachers have no objection to taking off blazers but you have to ask. Usually in summer the Head Teacher makes the decision to allow us to take off our blazers.
Teachers from your primary school advise Crofton about friends but if you’re not with all of them, don’t worry as you will really soon make new friends. Plus you can still see your friends at break and lunch and in many subjects when you’re not with your tutor group.
The Head of Year 7 can be really strict with some students who don’t behave, but usually all Heads of Year are really friendly.
A detention is a sanction you are given for disobeying the rules and the more serious the rule the longer the detention. Detentions are set for not giving in homework, disobedience and being constantly late to school or class.
This is one of our teachers in charge of your tutor group and will look after you for your 5 years at Crofton.
You’re allowed to have your mobile phones as long as they are switched off during school hours.
You can buy a locker for £2 and you keep it for the whole year. You can keep all of your books and PE kit in there.
You will have a map and both staff and students at Crofton will always help you.
The Learning Support team attend statement reviews in Years 5 and 6 to help support the transition process.
Students with SEND joining the school will have a Transition Plan tailored to their needs which will include a variety of strategies to aid the process. This could include additional visits, social stories, photo books and liaising with outside agencies.
Students with ECHPs are supported by the Post 16 SEN Personal Advisor who helps with the transition to college.
Pen portraits are shared with staff via the school’s intranet to advise staff of individual needs and strategies.
All students are formally assessed at a variety of points throughout the five years. At the start of Year 7, all students do a reading and spelling test. These results are used to set students in some subjects and help us to identify those students who are going to require withdrawal work for reading, spelling and numeracy. Teachers will also recommend students who they feel need support from the Learning Support department and we will assess their skills to see if we can provide support.
The SENCO is responsible for leading the team of LSA’s, helping to assess the needs of young people and advise in appropriate screening tests and programmes to help improve learning.
The SENCO is also responsible for tracking data both for work carried out in the Learning Support department and progress across all subjects for students who receive any support from the department.
Students with a special educational needs also have their data tracked by SLT (Senior Leadership Team). The Learning Support team are responsible for supporting the students in lessons, delivering some wave 3 and 2 intervention (individual and small group work) and keeping a record of their progress. They will also report any concerns to the SENCO. Some students who work with the Learning Support team have a key worker who will attend statement reviews and liaise between home and school.
Parents/carers can also contact the school through the Head of Year or the SENCO to express concerns regarding progress and learning needs.
All teachers are aware of student levels and needs. Classroom teachers will differentiate work and set work at an appropriate but challenging level for all students in their classes. All education plans are made accessible to teaching staff by case conferences at the start of the year with regular updates being sent out from the Learning Support team.
All students with an ECHP will receive support as indicated on their ECHP.
All students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) will receive support to help them reach their target. All students with a below expected reading or spelling age will receive extra support.
The appropriate test and documentation will be completed to allow students who need exam concessions to have them. These amendments must be the students’ normal practice in school life to enable them to comply with exam board regulations.
Students with communication and language needs will receive appropriate support.
Students with physical needs will receive appropriate support and have their timetable adjusted as necessary.
All students will follow the National Curriculum. Differentiation is an expectation within all lessons as appropriate to individual needs. Some subject areas are set according to students’ attainment. Differentiation will help students access the learning at a level appropriate to their needs and will encourage them to make progress. Some students may have extra support with literacy or numeracy throughout the week. Some students are disapplied from areas of the National Curriculum according to need.
Every time a set of data is recorded, a member of SLT will meet with the Head of Year (HOY) to identify lack of progress. Another meeting will take place with core Faculty Leaders to identify any students who are not making the required levels of progress across the three core subjects. Termly, the HOY will meet with all SLT to discuss progress.
Governors will receive regular anonymous updates on student progress.
All students have access to offsite activities. The school will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful if the risk assessment allows. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health & safety will not be compromised.
All students with specific needs will have a travel pack and this will be taken on any off site activity. The travel pack identifies specific needs and necessary courses of action. At least one appropriate member of staff will accompany these students on the activity.
The arrangements for consulting young people with special educational needs about, and involving them in, their education.
Each student who has a ECHP will have a key worker who meets with the students regularly and keeps in contact with their parents.
Students are encouraged to contribute to all review meetings concerning their progress.
Parents receive a termly report, two data reports and a full written report. Parents are also invited to at least one parent’s consultation evening. For students who have an ECHP, parents will be invited to attend an annual statement review. Parents will also be invited in to discuss IEP’s where necessary; this is a minimum entitlement. Communication between parents and the school is very open. Parents are free to make contact with Subject teachers, tutors, Head of Year or the SENCO at any time.
Students with IEP’s and ECHPs are always working towards their targets and these are regularly reviewed and discussed with the child.
The school has an open evening in October and any parents are welcome to come and have a tour the school. Small group tours can also be arranged with a member of SLT at around this time.
Parents can contact the school and arrange a tour with the SENCO at any time.
Parents are invited to attend a parents’ consultation evening once a year.
Parents are invited to care plan reviews, IPA’s and statement reviews.
There are regular parent/governor activities and opportunities for feedback.
On an individual basis, parents are asked to offer their views for all review meetings.
Parents are involved in conversations about transition.
Parents are actively encouraged to attend parents’ evenings and other information evenings as they occur throughout the school year.
Parents can contact any member of staff through the school reception (01329) 664251.
If a parent has any concerns about their child, they should contact the SENCO in the first instance. Other staff who may be able to help are Heads of Year, tutors, classroom teachers, key workers, link SLT or the Headteacher. All can be contacted via the school Reception (01329) 664251.
Students make a contribution to their statement reviews.
Students are asked to comment on their targets for IEP’s.
Students discuss issues with LSA’s and key workers as they arise.
If you have any concerns in the first instance, please contact the school office and they will pass on a message to the SENCO, a member of SLT or the Headteacher. Someone will contact you within 24 hours.
The school has a complaints procedure if necessary and this can be obtained from the school reception.
Paul Williams (SENCO) - 01329 664251
Amanda Knight (Senior Assistant Headteacher) - 01329 664251
Contact Parent Partnership – http://www3.hants.gov.uk/parentpartnership
Contact IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice) – www.ipsea.org.uk/
The local offer can be found on the Hampshire County Council website.
GCSE Results 2017 – provisional
Whole school results:
Students achieving Grade 4+ in English and Maths – 77%
All figures are percentages
Further to previous communications, the Supreme Court has now delivered its judgement in relation to the Isle of Wight Council’s appeal which sought clarification on what is meant by “fails to attend regularly” in the context of a prosecution for unauthorised non-attendance at school.
The Supreme Court said that “regular” means “in accordance with the rules published by the school” and rejected the view that regular meant “sufficiently frequently”. Full details of this judgement can be found on the Supreme Court website: www.supremecourt.uk.
This clarifies the position regarding term time absence and it is clear that schools can determine whether an absence is authorised or not. In coming to their decision schools need to abide by Hampshire County Council’s Code of Conduct when issuing Penalty Notices. All schools, maintained and academies, should be implementing the Code of Conduct and warning parents of the likelihood of legal action if absence is not authorised. A copy of the Code of Conduct for legal intervention is available on the right hand side of this page together with a leaflet which explains how Penalty Notices are issued.
Children should always feel valued, that they belong and can be themselves.
Every student is assigned a tutor and tutor group to ensure daily pastoral care is a central part of their school experience. Our partnerships with parents are also fundamental to the success of our students. Academic reports and parents’ evenings provide regular opportunities to meet with our staff to discuss and celebrate your child’s progress. We also offer workshops and events to help parents support their children through the challenges of adolescence. ‘The Croft’ also provides additional specialised support
for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, enabling them to play a full part in the life of the school.
We believe that everyone should treat others with kindness, respect, tolerance, consideration and acceptance. We are proud of the links we have built with organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Stonewall, Hidden Sentence, the National Citizen Service, Young Carers and the Breck Foundation. We also have links with schools in Ghana and Germany. These help us to expose students to different views of the world and challenge them to be everything they can be.
Everyone at Crofton School has a responsibility to contribute to a safe, happy, welcoming, calm and ordered community in which no person should experience unkindness or bullying. Students act as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and we have clear policies and procedures to ensure that, when we see unkindness, it is addressed in a swift and robust manner.
Children’s individual needs and talents will be carefully identified, understood and provided for.
Crofton students study a broad and balanced curriculum. At its heart are the traditional academic subjects students require for progression to their next steps in education at the age of 16. Our teachers are highly qualified subject specialists and we are constantly investing in the development of their subject knowledge and teaching skills. This approach consistently leads to high standards in external exams, which show students of all abilities making good progress.
We believe that students should experience the widest possible range of subject disciplines, giving them the chance to challenge existing strengths and gain new ones. This extends beyond the normal school timetable, into an extensive array of extra-curricular activities. Local trips are combined with those further afield to Iceland, New York, Ghana, Berlin and Greece. We also offer a range of after school activities. Students raise significant sums of money for charity and participate in a wide range of sports teams with great success. There are regular opportunities to get involved in school productions combining Drama, Music and Dance.
Through this exciting curriculum, Crofton students are challenged to develop their skills and build an appreciation of the world outside the school.
All learners strive to build independence, engage fully and participate in leadership opportunities.
Visitors to Crofton School always comment upon the politeness of students and the calm and orderly learning environment. This is the result of the high expectations everyone has, supported by a clear behaviour and rewards system. Students know what is expected of them and can expect to be challenged if this expectation is not met.
Student leadership is a vital part of school life. Positions are eagerly contested; successful candidates take their roles seriously and have a significant impact on the leadership of the school. Our four houses – Air, Earth, Fire and Water – were named
by the students and are part of a system that encourages competition and community participation.
We expect our students to try their best in everything they do; Crofton provides the environment in which these ambitions can flourish. In this way our students leave us confident, successful and above all, happy.
On Wednesday 9 May, the PE Department will be relaunching the annual Sporting Excellence Evening. The purpose of the evening is to celebrate the students who have demonstrated excellence in GCSE PE and Dance lessons, when representing the various school, district & county sports teams and when performing in sport outside of school.
One way in which you can get involved is by nominating someone for an award. The nomination process has now opened and will run until Friday 9 February. Nomination forms can be found below and should be returned to the PE Department via Reception or emailed to Mr Playford before the deadline.
More information regarding the event will be made available in due course.
Mr A Playford
Since September we have been trialling a new system to reward student achievement. If you have the SIMS parent app, you might have seen the Praise Points (PR) achieved by your son or daughter. The image below outlines the criteria for each of the PRs. We will soon be launching a reward system linked to the number of points attained by students – more information to follow.
If you have any concerns or queries, please contact your son or daughter’s tutor.
Miss E Wood
The school site has wheelchair access to all ground floor areas
There is an accessible toilet
The school has disabled parking bays
As a school, we work closely with any external agencies that we feel are relevant to individual children’s needs within our school including the Communication and Language Team, Specialist Teacher Advisors and Educational Psychologists.
The Specialist Teacher Advisory service supply specialist equipment as necessary for individuals
Some of our students receive counselling from an external agency
The Autism Group
Footprints
The Local Authority
The Disability team
Additional language team
Impaired Vision team
Careers service
The school also employs a family support worker who will work with families who need support to help their sons/daughters engage with all aspects of education
Health Groups
Our SENCO is fully qualified
The school has Emotional Literacy Support Assistants who receive ongoing support from the Educational Psychology Service
Teachers with specialist qualifications for working with pupils who have specific learning and physical difficulties
All Teaching and Learning Assistants receive regular training appropriate to their role including input from Specialist Teacher Advisors who also advise teaching staff
All staff receive training appropriate to their needs and position
Staff belong to appropriate network groups and supervision support groups which offer ongoing training and advice
Close attention is paid to the progress of our most able students. Frequent assessments are differentiated and a range of intervention measures are put in place when underachievement is measured.
We ensure, from early on, that students know what opportunities are open to them and develop the confidence to make the most of these. They need tutoring, guidance and encouragement, as well as a chance to meet other young people who have embraced higher education. Students are shown how to apply to a range of colleges and the most prestigious universities. In PDL lessons, groups of able students follow a bespoke course. Information, support and guidance are provided to those most able students whose family members had not attended university.
Most young people, especially those recognised as ‘able’, emerge from their teenage years to become active, accomplished adults, despite the surges of rebellion and discontent that seem to be landmarks of adolescence. There are no guaranteed methods to ensure calm waters and pleasant parent-child conversations during the teenage years, but certain awareness’s, attitudes and behaviours work better than others:
Accept that wanting to be perceived as just like everyone else is normal
Your son or daughter may be intellectually able, but other areas of development might not be quite as developed.
Expect your able child to want more freedom and independence than you are prepared to give. Take a holistic approach to their needs and provide cultural, social and creative opportunities to enrich their thinking. Encourage extra-curricular activities in and outside of school
Maintain strong links with the school and let your child see that you have good lines of communication with key members of staff
Allow natural consequences. For example, if your child has not completed their homework by the deadline you could call the teacher and explain about the hectic pace of your child's life that prevented on-time completion of work . . . but please don't do this. This ‘rescue’ ultimately harms youngsters more than it helps, as it makes them dependent on you in ways that both you and they thought they'd outgrown. Just like any other child, able youngsters need to be allowed to and feel calm with making mistakes too- this builds resilience
Promote self-advocacy. Able youngsters need to become their own advocates as soon as they are able to articulate clearly what the problem is and what solutions to the dilemma exist
Walk away from impoliteness. Say something like, ‘I don’t believe we’re accomplishing much right now. We’ll discuss this at another time.’ Frustration seldom leads to workable results, so don’t fight your able child when nothing worthwhile is being accomplished. Moodiness does not have a logical base either. Ask your son/daughter to H.A.L.T. when they are feeling especially foul. Ask if they are Hungry, Angry, Lonely and/or Tired. Ask that they take care of those needs before proceeding any further with their day. Not surprisingly, when they do, the moodiness often goes away. An able teenager’s greatest enemy is lack of sleep. Also, allow your child to enjoy simple relaxation pursuits like watching TV programmes that may not be intellectually stimulating. A balanced approach will not harm them
Able children need more alone time than you think they do
There is a reason your able teenager may have older friends—or wants them. Seldom is this harmful, and more often than not, it can actually help your son or daughter mature in beneficial ways, as an older young person will let the younger ones know when they are acting ‘like kids’. Social modelling is frequently a positive result when younger able teenagers spend time with their older counterparts
Time management and organisational skills cannot be taught until they are needed
The greater the force, the stronger the resistance. Punishments and contracts seldom work with able teenagers and coercion never does. Honest discussions about the importance of balance in one's life is a great place to begin; planting the seeds of personal responsibility
Continue to be a parent able students. They need your love, attention and interest just as much as any other child. Listening helps more than you think it does
Parents sometimes need to contact the school: if things are not going well; to seek advice; or to obtain more information in order to better support their child. The following key personnel should be contacted:
The subject teacher or subject leader for subject-specific questions
The Head of Year for questions relating to student well-being
We help students and families to overcome socio-economic and cultural barriers to attending further and higher education. Some of our most able students come from homes where no parent or close relative has either experienced, or expects, progression to university. Using the PPG (pupil premium grant) Crofton School positively discriminates and engages proactively with the parents or carers of these students to tackle this challenge and students are provided with 'enhanced’: curriculum provision; access to cultural and social activity and personalised support.
The values that underpin the Crofton School Curriculum are:
Kindness, ambition and diligence
Fairness of access
The promotion of tolerance
The belief in the importance of individual and institutional self-esteem
Equality of opportunity
Care for individuals
Honesty
The belief in the school as the beginning of life long learning
The importance of:
success for each individual
academic and personal challenge
collaborative partnership with parents and the community
At Crofton School we are striving to develop a curriculum which:
is matched to all our students
develops skills for now and the future
promotes independent learning
engages with alternative methods of teaching and technology
offers guided choice at KS4
considers progression from KS2 and beyond KS4
values and promotes equality of provision for all
At KS4 students can take GCSEs in a range of subjects.
We actively create option groups to ensure class sizes enable students to make good progress.
Parents and students are guided through the preference process for KS4 by having option talks, an option evening and careers guidance.
A careers programme allows students insight into possibility beyond KS4.
For able students we offer Statistics/FSMQ, triple science and a second language as option courses in KS4.
Students are invited to study triple science, computer science and statistics/FSMQ. We recognise the rigour of these subjects and strive for students to be successful when they embark on studying them. Triple science is taught in the same curriculum time as combined science (Trilogy); it is therefore only offered to the most able students.
Parents wishing to withdraw their son or daughter from RE lessons must formally write to the Head Teacher to request this.
Parents wishing to withdraw from aspects of the sex education programme in PDL on moral grounds must formally write to the Head Teacher to request this.
All students at KS3 and KS4 follow a Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship education programme known as PDL.
SMSC/British Values (Spiritual, moral, social and cultural) education is delivered through subject areas and all aspects of school life.
The importance of cross curricular themes: e.g. Literacy, Numeracy and ICT are reinforced when lesson planning.
Extracurricular clubs are encouraged to enable students to be proud of their talents and interests outside of the National Curriculum.
Although carefully monitored for impact, educational trips in curriculum time are encouraged.
Participation in extracurricular quizzes and competitions is encouraged.
The philosophy for PE at Crofton School is one of enjoyment and understanding the fun and health advantages of sport. Sports for all is the culture the school works towards; all students are encouraged and supported in participating in a range of PE activities. We also offer GCSE PE.
At KS4 all students study History or Geography, students may study both if they wish.
Where you suspect that bullying has taken place towards yourself or another learner you should report it to any member of staff as soon as you can. You may, where appropriate, also offer the following actions:
Step in to protect the learner who is being bullied (unless it is unsafe to do so).
Offer emotional support to the learner being bullied – ask them if they are ok and if there is anything that can be done to support them.
Encourage and support them to report the incident themselves to a parent or member of staff.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ provides some good advice around cyberbullying – this should not be in place of reporting it to a parent or member of staff.
Be alert for any changes in your child’s behaviour. If you suspect that your child is the target of bullying then please reassure them and listen to their concerns. It is important to report the incident(s) to any member of staff (ideally your child’s form tutor or Head of Year), even if your child doesn’t want you to – although these things sometimes ‘peter out’ by themselves this does not address the bully’s behaviour and prevent it happening again. Under no circumstances should parents confront suspected bullies or their family members – this never calms a situation down and will often result in the bullying becoming worse for your child.
We have a group of student Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. The Ambassadors have been trained to deal with bullying with a restorative approach. This helps by trying to resolve conflict and prevent harm. Restorative approaches enable those who have been harmed to convey the impact of the harm to those responsible, and for those responsible to acknowledge this impact and take steps to put it right.
The misuse of technology and social media has become an increasingly common form of bullying. Whilst the government has identified that the school has a responsibility to investigate and act upon reported incidents of bullying (including cyberbullying) it is important to note that we can only sanction learners anywhere that they are “on school premises or under our ‘lawful control’ ”. This means that we cannot sanction learners for any bullying whilst they are under the lawful responsibility of their parents. We can, however, work with the families of the affected learners to ensure that sanctions are put into place by parents, to support the victim and ensure that they are safe at school and, where relevant, ensure that the relevant authorities are contacted. Where you suspect that cyberbullying has taken place it is important to still inform your child’s tutor (or in their absence their Head of Year) as the bullying may also be taking place in other forms. We can inform you of the best actions to take and whether or not to report the incidents to the relevant authorities. Advice for parents on cyberbullying is an extremely useful document for parents and provides good advice for how to deal with cyberbullying as well as links to other sites that can help you and your child if they are the target of cyberbullying.
Facebook does not tolerate bullying and say they will remove bullying content when they become aware of it and may disable the account of anyone who bullies or attacks another. They have a set of community standards that they adhere to and it states that they will not tolerate:
Pages that identify and shame private individuals,
Images altered to degrade private individuals,
Photos or videos of physical bullying posted to shame the victim,
Sharing personal information to blackmail or harass people and
Repeatedly targeting other people with unwanted friend requests or messages.
You can report bullying on Facebook using the report links which appear near the content itself, normally on a drop down arrow which gives you menu option to report the image, post or comment.
If you receive a tweet or reply that you don't like, you can unfollow that person. If they continue to contact you, you can block the user (just click on the head icon on their profile and select block user). You may find that as they are unable to get through to you, they will lose interest. However, if this is not the case and you continue to receive unwanted replies, abuse or threats, you can report it here straight to Twitter directly. If you know a friend or family member is being abused on Twitter, they have advice pages that can help with step by step help.
You have every right to use YouTube without fear of being subjected to bullying or harassment. Bullying can be reported and action taken when things cross a line. To flag a video you think is inappropriate (click on the little flag bottom right of the video) and YouTube will take a look at it to see whether it breaks their terms of use. If it does then they will remove it. YouTube rules say you can't upload videos with hate content, nudity or graphic violence and if you find one on someone else's space, click on the video to flag it as inappropriate. If under comments, you are being bullied, harassed or threats are being made, they have a reporting tool page where you can report the bullying and they will investigate.
Bullying or abuse on Instagram can happen in many ways. It can be either negative comments, fake profiles or hacking of accounts. Instagram take all of these violations very seriously and have plenty of advice on their pages if you or someone you know is being bullied or abused on Instagram. Their advice initially is to block and unfollow the person who is being abusive. However, if it continues or it has gotten worse, you can use their in-app reporting tool. This page has details on how to report the abuse directly to them.
Snapchat is an app that allows users to send pictures to each other that disappear off screen within a set amount of time. Unfortunately, there is bullying on Snapchat in the form of screenshots, sending pics without permission, negative comments and more. If this is the case for you or someone you know they can block a user, tap the Menu icon, select “My Friends,” locate their name in the list and swipe right across their name. If you would like to delete a friend from your contacts, press “Delete.” Even if you haven’t added the user as a friend, their name will still appear in the “My Friends” list under “Recent” if they have sent you a message recently. If you receive an inappropriate photo or someone's harassing or bullying you, report it by filling out their online form.
WhatsApp Messenger lets people sends instant messages, videos, photos, and short audio messages to either one person or within a group chat. Messages can only be sent to other smartphone users who also have WhatsApp. Once you install the app, it checks your address book to see if anyone else you know is already using WhatsApp, and connects you automatically. You have to be over 16 to use WhatsApp legally. Bullying can take many forms as it is a messaging service and we often hear of abusive group chats. You can block and delete the contact. You can find out more by emailing them at support@whatsapp.com.
The spiritual development of our students is shown by their:
ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
use of imagination and creativity in their learning
willingness to reflect on their experiences
The moral development of our students is shown by their:
ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues
The social development of our students is shown by their:
use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, co-operating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the students develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain
The cultural development of our students is shown by their:
understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities
interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities
Children should always feel valued, that they belong and can be themselves.
Every student is assigned a tutor and tutor group to ensure daily pastoral care is a central part of their school experience. Our partnerships with parents are also fundamental to the success of our students. Academic reports and parents’ evenings provide regular opportunities to meet with our staff to discuss and celebrate your child’s progress. We also offer workshops and events to help parents support their children through the challenges of adolescence. ‘The Croft’ also provides additional specialised support
for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, enabling them to play a full part in the life of the school.
We believe that everyone should treat others with kindness, respect, tolerance, consideration and acceptance. We are proud of the links we have built with organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Stonewall, Hidden Sentence, the National Citizen Service, Young Carers and the Breck Foundation. We also have links with schools in Ghana and Germany. These help us to expose students to different views of the world and challenge them to be everything they can be.
Everyone at Crofton School has a responsibility to contribute to a safe, happy, welcoming, calm and ordered community in which no person should experience unkindness or bullying. Students act as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and we have clear policies and procedures to ensure that, when we see unkindness, it is addressed in a swift and robust manner.
Children’s individual needs and talents will be carefully identified, understood and provided for.
Crofton students study a broad and balanced curriculum. At its heart are the traditional academic subjects students require for progression to their next steps in education at the age of 16. Our teachers are highly qualified subject specialists and we are constantly investing in the development of their subject knowledge and teaching skills. This approach consistently leads to high standards in external exams, which show students of all abilities making good progress.
We believe that students should experience the widest possible range of subject disciplines, giving them the chance to challenge existing strengths and gain new ones. This extends beyond the normal school timetable, into an extensive array of extra-curricular activities. Local trips are combined with those further afield to Iceland, New York, Ghana, Berlin and Greece. We also offer a range of after school activities. Students raise significant sums of money for charity and participate in a wide range of sports teams with great success. There are regular opportunities to get involved in school productions combining Drama, Music and Dance.
Through this exciting curriculum, Crofton students are challenged to develop their skills and build an appreciation of the world outside the school.
All learners strive to build independence, engage fully and participate in leadership opportunities.
Visitors to Crofton School always comment upon the politeness of students and the calm and orderly learning environment. This is the result of the high expectations everyone has, supported by a clear behaviour and rewards system. Students know what is expected of them and can expect to be challenged if this expectation is not met.
Student leadership is a vital part of school life. Positions are eagerly contested; successful candidates take their roles seriously and have a significant impact on the leadership of the school. Our four houses – Air, Earth, Fire and Water – were named
by the students and are part of a system that encourages competition and community participation.
We expect our students to try their best in everything they do; Crofton provides the environment in which these ambitions can flourish. In this way our students leave us confident, successful and above all, happy.
Personal data that we may collect, use, store and share (when appropriate) about pupils includes, but is not restricted to:
Contact details, contact preferences, date of birth, identification documents
Results of internal assessments and externally set tests
Pupil and curricular records
Characteristics, such as ethnic background, eligibility for free school meals, or special educational needs
Exclusion information
Details of any medical conditions, including physical and mental health
Attendance information
Safeguarding information
Details of any support received, including care packages, plans and support providers
CCTV images captured in school
We may also hold data about pupils that we have received from other organisations, including other schools, local authorities and the Department for Education.
Why do we collect and use pupil information?
We collect and use pupil information under the General Data Protection Regulations:
Article 6(1)(e) – the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
Article 9(2)(g) – the processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest.
We use the pupil data:
to protect pupil welfare and carry out safeguarding activities;
We use this data to:
Support pupil learning
Monitor and report on pupil progress
Provide appropriate pastoral care
Protect pupil welfare
Administer admissions waiting lists
Comply with the law regarding data sharing
Crofton School only collect and use pupils’ personal data when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we process it where:
We need to comply with a legal obligation
We need it to perform an official task in the public interest
We have obtained consent to use it in a certain way
We need to protect the individual’s vital interests (or someone else’s interests)
Less commonly, we may also process pupils’ personal data in situations where:
Where we have obtained consent to use pupils’ personal data, this consent can be withdrawn at any time. We will make this clear when we ask for consent, and explain how consent can be withdrawn.
Some of the reasons listed above for collecting and using pupils’ personal data overlap, and there may be several grounds which justify our use of this data.
While the majority of information we collect about pupils is mandatory, there is some information that can be provided voluntarily.
Whenever we seek to collect information from you or your child, we make it clear whether providing it is mandatory or optional. If it is mandatory, we will explain the possible consequences of not complying.
We keep personal information about pupils while they are attending our school. We may also keep it beyond their attendance at our school if this is necessary in order to comply with our legal obligations.
Crofton do not share information about pupils with any third party without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.
Where it is legally required, or necessary (and it complies with data protection law) we may share personal information about pupils with:
Our local authority – to meet our legal obligations to share certain information with it, such as safeguarding concerns and exclusions
The Department for Education
The pupil’s family and representatives
Educators and examining bodies
Our regulator [specify as appropriate, e.g. Ofsted, Independent Schools Inspectorate]
Our auditors
Health authorities
Health and social welfare organisations
Police forces, courts, tribunals
We are required to provide information about pupils to the Department for Education as part of statutory data collections such as the school census.
Some of this information is then stored in the National Pupil Database (NPD), which is owned and managed by the Department and provides evidence on school performance to inform research.
The database is held electronically so it can easily be turned into statistics. The information is securely collected from a range of sources including schools, local authorities and exam boards.
The Department for Education may share information from the NPD with other organisations which promote children’s education or wellbeing in England. Such organisations must agree to strict terms and conditions about how they will use the data.
For more information, see the Department’s webpage on how it collects and shares research data.
Once our pupils reach the age of 13, we are legally required to pass on certain information about them to Hampshire County Council, as it has legal responsibilities regarding the education or training of 13-19 year-olds.
This information enables it to provide youth support services, post-16 education and training services, and careers advisers.
Parents/carers, or pupils once aged 16 or over, can contact our data protection officer to request that we only pass the individual’s name, address and date of birth to Hampshire County Council
Individuals have a right to make a ‘subject access request’ to gain access to personal information that the school holds about them.
Parents/carers can make a request with respect to their child’s data where the child is not considered mature enough to understand their rights over their own data (usually under the age of 12), or where the child has provided consent.
If you make a subject access request, and if we do hold information about you or your child, we will:
Give you a description of it
Tell you why we are holding and processing it, and how long we will keep it for
Explain where we got it from, if not from you or your child
Tell you who it has been, or will be, shared with
Let you know whether any automated decision-making is being applied to the data, and any consequences of this
Give you a copy of the information in an intelligible form
Individuals also have the right for their personal information to be transmitted electronically to another organisation in certain circumstances. If you would like to make a request please contact our data protection officer.
Under data protection law, individuals have certain rights regarding how their personal data is used and kept safe, including the right to:
Object to the use of personal data if it would cause, or is causing, damage or distress
Prevent it being used to send direct marketing
In certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data corrected, deleted or destroyed, or restrict processing
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our data protection officer.
We take any complaints about our collection and use of personal information very seriously.
If you think that our collection or use of personal information is unfair, misleading or inappropriate, or have any other concern about our data processing, please raise this with us in the first instance.
To make a complaint, please contact our data protection officer.
Alternatively, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office:
Report a concern online at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/
Call 0303 123 1113
Or write to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
If you have any questions, concerns or would like more information about anything mentioned in this privacy notice, please contact our data protection officer:
Jonathan Hickey – jhickey@croftonschool.co.uk – 01329 666828
This notice is based on the Department for Education’s model privacy notice for pupils, amended for parents and to reflect the way we use data in Crofton School.
The spiritual development of our students is shown by their:
ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values
sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them
use of imagination and creativity in their learning
willingness to reflect on their experiences
The moral development of our students is shown by their:
ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong, readily apply this understanding in their own lives and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England
understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions
interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues, and being able to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues
The social development of our students is shown by their:
use of a range of social skills in different contexts, including working and socialising with students from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds
willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, co-operating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively
acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; the students develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain
The cultural development of our students is shown by their:
understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and that of others
understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain
knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain
willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, sporting and cultural opportunities
interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity, and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities
Children should always feel valued, that they belong and can be themselves.
Every student is assigned a tutor and tutor group to ensure daily pastoral care is a central part of their school experience. Our partnerships with parents are also fundamental to the success of our students. Academic reports and parents’ evenings provide regular opportunities to meet with our staff to discuss and celebrate your child’s progress. We also offer workshops and events to help parents support their children through the challenges of adolescence. ‘The Croft’ also provides additional specialised support
for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, enabling them to play a full part in the life of the school.
We believe that everyone should treat others with kindness, respect, tolerance, consideration and acceptance. We are proud of the links we have built with organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Stonewall, Hidden Sentence, the National Citizen Service, Young Carers and the Breck Foundation. We also have links with schools in Ghana and Germany. These help us to expose students to different views of the world and challenge them to be everything they can be.
Everyone at Crofton School has a responsibility to contribute to a safe, happy, welcoming, calm and ordered community in which no person should experience unkindness or bullying. Students act as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and we have clear policies and procedures to ensure that, when we see unkindness, it is addressed in a swift and robust manner.
Children’s individual needs and talents will be carefully identified, understood and provided for.
Crofton students study a broad and balanced curriculum. At its heart are the traditional academic subjects students require for progression to their next steps in education at the age of 16. Our teachers are highly qualified subject specialists and we are constantly investing in the development of their subject knowledge and teaching skills. This approach consistently leads to high standards in external exams, which show students of all abilities making good progress.
We believe that students should experience the widest possible range of subject disciplines, giving them the chance to challenge existing strengths and gain new ones. This extends beyond the normal school timetable, into an extensive array of extra-curricular activities. Local trips are combined with those further afield to Iceland, New York, Ghana, Berlin and Greece. We also offer a range of after school activities. Students raise significant sums of money for charity and participate in a wide range of sports teams with great success. There are regular opportunities to get involved in school productions combining Drama, Music and Dance.
Through this exciting curriculum, Crofton students are challenged to develop their skills and build an appreciation of the world outside the school.
All learners strive to build independence, engage fully and participate in leadership opportunities.
Visitors to Crofton School always comment upon the politeness of students and the calm and orderly learning environment. This is the result of the high expectations everyone has, supported by a clear behaviour and rewards system. Students know what is expected of them and can expect to be challenged if this expectation is not met.
Student leadership is a vital part of school life. Positions are eagerly contested; successful candidates take their roles seriously and have a significant impact on the leadership of the school. Our four houses – Air, Earth, Fire and Water – were named
by the students and are part of a system that encourages competition and community participation.
We expect our students to try their best in everything they do; Crofton provides the environment in which these ambitions can flourish. In this way our students leave us confident, successful and above all, happy.
Understand the physical processes that affect glacial and coastal landscapes.
Recognise types of maps at different scales and use OS maps confidently.
Understand the factors that influence the weather.
Describe and explain how tourism impacts places at a local and national scale.
Be able to verbally communicate using key terms accurately.
Complete investigations with some level of confidence, to collate and present findings and to evaluate their findings.
Reach decisions based on evidence and to justify these.
To identify trends using data, to begin to summarise patterns be making simple calculations such as to find the range of data.
Begin to develop a sense of place relating to settlements. Understanding how urban and rural settlements differ and the challenges that megacities present.
Increasingly remember the location of countries we have studied, to be able to find them on a world map and correctly identify continents and bordering countries.
Understand the physical process of volcanic eruptions and to link to impact on people and places.
Be able to explain the different energy sources used by people, exploring fossil fuels and renewable energy.
Fluently communicate verbally and in writing, using a wide variety of geographical terms accurately.
Begin to design investigations, setting research questions and follow this up with analysis of data, drawing conclusions and evaluating reliability of these results.
Be able to evaluate theories and models used in geography to identify their strengths and limitations
To use a wide range of data with confidence, to both construct and interpret maps and graphs including choropleth maps and pictograms.
Understand causes of and solutions to climate change.
Be able to locate places at a variety of scales and use maps with unconventional projections.
Understand how people and environments interact, considering the risks presenting by extreme environments and natural hazards
Explore uneven development around the world, to explain reasons for this and to recommend strategies to solve poverty.
Pupils adopt new terminology with confidence using this in their written work and during discussions.
Pupils analyse processes and places in depth, categorising evidence into groups such as S.H.E.E.P (Social, Historic, Economic, Environmental, Political)
Be able to refer to place specific detail about the examples of their studies around the world.
To interpret unfamiliar data and maps accurately, for example being able to accurately comment on patterns of flow-line maps or infographics.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate
Get a test
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > Test comes back negative
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for at least 10 days
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > They feel better. Your child may return to school after 10 days even if they have a cough or loss of smell/taste. These symptoms can last for several weeks one the infection has gone.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate
Household member to get a test
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > Householder test comes back negative.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Child has completed 14 days of self-isolation.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Child has completed 14 days of self-isolation.
Action needed >
Do not take unauthorised leave in term time
Consider quarantine requirements and FCO advice when booking travel
Provide information to the school as per attendance policy
Returning from a destination where quarantine is needed …
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Quarantine period of 14 days of self-isolation has been completed.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school as required by the pastoral team
Shield until informed that restrictions are lifted and shielding is paused again
Return to school when > School inform you that restrictions have been lifted and your child can return to school again.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate
Get a test
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > Test comes back negative
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for at least 10 days
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > They feel better. Your child may return to school after 10 days even if they have a cough or loss of smell/taste. These symptoms can last for several weeks one the infection has gone.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate
Household member to get a test
Inform school immediately about test result
Return to school when > Householder test comes back negative.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Child has completed 14 days of self-isolation.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Child has completed 14 days of self-isolation.
Action needed >
Do not take unauthorised leve in term time
Consider quarantine requirements and FCO advice when booking travel
Provide information to the school as per attendance policy
Returning from a destination where quarantine is needed …
Do not come to school
Contact school daily
Self-isolate for 14 days
Return to school when > Quarantine period of 14 days of self-isolation has been completed.
Action needed >
Do not come to school
Contact school as required by the pastoral team
Shield until informed that restrictions are lifted and shielding is paused again
Return to school when > School inform you thatrestrictions have been lifted and your child can return to school again.
Students and staff can apply for exemption from wearing face coverings in line with Government criteria. Government guidance is available here. Such requests for students are processed by Heads of Year, and for staff by the Headteacher and are only granted when we are satisfied the criteria are met. We ask all students who have been granted an exemption to wear a sunflower lanyard to ensure they are not challenged by staff on this.
Although the government guidance does not make this compulsory outdoors, our concern here is about distancing and especially being face to face, both very significant risk factors that are much harder to control outside. So at present it is our decision to ask that they are worn outside. However, as they do not need to be worn when eating or drinking this provides opportunities for brief breaks from wearing them, which hopefully can address any concern about lack of comfort from wearing face coverings for long periods.
No, it remains important for all students to follow a broad and balanced curriculum, including PDL and Core PE. GCSE specifications are being adapted to take account of the reduced time students have had to cover content, and all departments have plans in place to assess gap in knowledge and address these.
In some rare instances it may be beneficial to consider changes, this would need to be discussed with your child’s Head of Year in the first instance. The school has also been provided with additional funding from the government’s ‘Catch-up’ premium and access to the ‘National Tutoring Programme’, to support this process.
A staggered start to the day would reduce teaching time require some significant timetable changes to make sure students were properly supervised in classrooms.
We ask students to arrive no earlier than 8.35 and go straight to their Period 1 classroom, and staff are on hand to ensure this happens. These measures will manage the risk effectively, although like all measures we will monitor this and adjust if necessary.
Yes, we would encourage as many students as possible to do this and our arrangements for this are unchanged. Students should wear a helmet and ensure their bike is securely locked.
We have not changed this as the shortened day on Wednesday allows us to cover all staff meetings and development time on one afternoon, freeing up the remainder of the week for staff to work with students after school if required.
It also provides the time staff need to adapt their curriculum plans to support students to catch up, and plan any interventions that are required. As you would expect this will be the key priority for our use of this planning time during the Autumn term.
Please see the timetable of appointments on the Corona Virus section of the school website, or the letter from Mr Harrison dated 8 December 2021.
https://www.croftonschool.co.uk/coronavirus
We are aware of the students who have tested positive in the past 90 days & may still return a false positive. With this in mind we would advise to only test if new symptoms occur.
There will be no need to take part in the return to school testing in January.
Please see the timetable of return for each year group.
If your child is not taking part in testing, we would ask ttiat they return at the same time as their year group.
Existing consent for testing remains valid, however do contact us if you wish to change this.
We will only notify you if your child has a positive result. You will then need to book in for a PCR test.
Any student testing on Tuesday 4 January, does not need to be in school uniform.
All students should be in uniform on Wednesday 5 January.
If your child is unable to make their appointment slot for medical reasons, we ask that they join one of the other sessions ana make themselves known to a member of staff on arrival.
If your child is unwell at the start of term and unable to make it in for the testing days, we would ask that they go straight to the LRC on their first day back at school. They will be able to take a test there and following a negative result, return to class as normal.
If you have already consented to your child taking part in the Quality Assurance testing, they will be given an additional PCR kit to take home. Please ensure the PCR test is taken on the same day, and posted back via the priority mail box. All details will be in the leaflet your child brings home.
All students in the school are expected to follow the School Behaviour Management policy. All major incidents are reported to the governors’ Discipline Committee and all parents have a right to appeal against any decision the School Leadership Team make with reference to this policy.
The school has a Special Educational Needs policy.
All students have a tutor who they see twice a day and tutors report to and meet with a HOY (Head of Year) on a weekly basis. Where necessary, students have Educational Care Plans often implemented by the HOY or the Care, Support and Guidance team. HOY meets with SLT weekly to discuss students of concern and vulnerable students.
The school has a qualified school nurse who will administer medication and offer advice to parents and students with regard to personal care.
The school has a Head Boy/Girl and a Deputy Head Boy/Girl. Each House has two House Captains and Sports Captains. These students along with year representatives from the school council.
The school has an Inclusion and a Seclusion room to reduce exclusions.
Attendance is monitored by an Attendance Officer, HOY and SLT.
As a school, we work closely with any external agencies that we feel are relevant to individual children’s needs within our school including the Communication and Language Team, Specialist Teacher Advisors and Educational Psychologists.
The Specialist Teacher Advisory service supply specialist equipment as necessary for individuals
Some of our students receive counselling from an external agency
The Autism Group
Footprints
The Local Authority
The Disability team
Additional language team
Impaired Vision team
Careers service
The school also employs a family support worker who will work with families who need support to help their sons/daughters engage with all aspects of education
Health Groups
Our SENCO is fully qualified
The school has Emotional Literacy Support Assistants who receive ongoing support from the Educational Psychology Service
Teachers with specialist qualifications for working with pupils who have specific learning and physical difficulties
All Teaching and Learning Assistants receive regular training appropriate to their role including input from Specialist Teacher Advisors who also advise teaching staff
All staff receive training appropriate to their needs and position
Staff belong to appropriate network groups and supervision support groups which offer ongoing training and advice
helps to consolidate and extend what is learnt in the classroom
helps teachers to assess students’ learning and plan accordingly
develops individual learning responsibility
develops research and revision skills
develop perseverance and self-discipline;
allow practice, when needed and appropriately timed, of skills learned in the classroom;
Allow for more ground to be covered and more rapid progress to be made;
enable class work to concentrate on those activities requiring the teacher’s presence;
Widen areas of study and enable the use of materials and sources of information that are not accessible in the classroom;
encourage students to identify and use home learning opportunities to support their progress
prepares students for GCSE study and beyond
At both Key Stage 3 (Years 7,8 and 9) and Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), your child should expect some form of home learning every week from most subjects, however this may be spread across a number of weeks. Tasks will vary according to subject and year group – more about each subject’s approach can be accesed in the subjects tab above.
Parents can help students with their home learning by:
Not doing the work for students! Although your child may find some tasks more difficult than others, it is important either students ask their teacher for support, or for you to guide them, rather than complete tasks for them
providing them with an appropriate place where they can work
Providing them with the equipment to learn
encouraging them to make use of the school’s resources
helping them plan their time by using Edulink One and noting home learning deadlines
providing encouragement and help;
encouraging students to use external sources of help – the internet, the library, museums, videos, etc;
Home learning is set on Edulink One and all students have a log-in so that they can access resources and tasks.
The school also operates a Home Learning Club and years 10 and 11 have access to the R.I.C.
Home Learning Club is available for KS3 students and held in ICT 2 every Monday and Thursday after school, Staff are on hand to help students who attend.
The RIC (Revision and Intervention Centre is available for years 10 and 11 to assist with revision. Some students may be asked to attend intervention sessions held in the RIC, but it is available to all students if they would like support.
We believe that the students should learn to take responsibility for managing their time in order to meet the deadlines set by teachers. This is a life skill and will benefit students when they leave school and enter further education or the world of work.
If students do not complete home learning teachers may:
Contact home
Give an extension to the deadline
Set a home learning restorative/ catch-up session
Home Learning catch up sessions run parallel to our current school restorative system; however, they are very different in terms of purpose. These sessions provide an opportunity for the student to work with the teacher on a 1:1 basis to improve an area that is affecting their progress and complete the home learning set.
Home Learning catch up sessions are not voluntary and can vary in time, with a maximum of one hour. If a student fails to attend a catch-up session, without good reason, then a restorative meeting will be set. The specific reason for setting a catch up session can be varied, but below are some examples:
Lack of home learning
Poor performance in examinations or other assessments
Lack of preparation for lessons such as failure to research or revise prior to an assessment
Poor progress in class
Home Learning catch up sessions provide an important distinction between behaviour and other issues relating to the lack of progress in class and will help teachers work alongside their students to improve their progress.
The Learning Support team attend statement reviews in Years 5 and 6 to help support the transition process.
Students with SEND joining the school will have a Transition Plan tailored to their needs which will include a variety of strategies to aid the process. This could include additional visits, social stories, photo books and liaising with outside agencies.
Students with ECHPs are supported by the Post 16 SEN Personal Advisor who helps with the transition to college.
Pen portraits are shared with staff via the school’s intranet to advise staff of individual needs and strategies.
All students are formally assessed at a variety of points throughout the five years. At the start of Year 7, all students do a reading and spelling test. These results are used to set students in some subjects and help us to identify those students who are going to require withdrawal work for reading, spelling and numeracy. Teachers will also recommend students who they feel need support from the Learning Support department and we will assess their skills to see if we can provide support.
The SENCO is responsible for leading the team of LSA’s, helping to assess the needs of young people and advise in appropriate screening tests and programmes to help improve learning.
The SENCO is also responsible for tracking data both for work carried out in the Learning Support department and progress across all subjects for students who receive any support from the department.
Students with a special educational needs also have their data tracked by SLT (Senior Leadership Team). The Learning Support team are responsible for supporting the students in lessons, delivering some wave 3 and 2 intervention (individual and small group work) and keeping a record of their progress. They will also report any concerns to the SENCO. Some students who work with the Learning Support team have a key worker who will attend statement reviews and liaise between home and school.
Parents/carers can also contact the school through the Head of Year or the SENCO to express concerns regarding progress and learning needs.
All teachers are aware of student levels and needs. Classroom teachers will differentiate work and set work at an appropriate but challenging level for all students in their classes. All education plans are made accessible to teaching staff by case conferences at the start of the year with regular updates being sent out from the Learning Support team
All students with an ECHP will receive support as indicated on their ECHP.
All students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) will receive support to help them reach their target. All students with a below expected reading or spelling age will receive extra support.
The appropriate test and documentation will be completed to allow students who need exam concessions to have them. These amendments must be the students’ normal practice in school life to enable them to comply with exam board regulations.
Students with communication and language needs will receive appropriate support.
Students with physical needs will receive appropriate support and have their timetable adjusted as necessary.
All students will follow the National Curriculum. Differentiation is an expectation within all lessons as appropriate to individual needs.
Some subject areas are set according to students’ attainment. Differentiation will help students access the learning at a level appropriate to their needs and will encourage them to make progress. Some students may have extra support with literacy or numeracy throughout the week. Some students are disapplied from areas of the National Curriculum according to need.
Every time a set of data is recorded, a member of SLT will meet with the Head of Year (HOY) to identify lack of progress. Another meeting will take place with core Faculty Leaders to identify any students who are not making the required levels of progress across the three core subjects. Termly, the HOY will meet with all SLT to discuss progress.
Governors will receive regular anonymous updates on student progress.
Frequency: Fortnightly
Type of home learning:
KS3: Project based learning that builds on work that is being completed in class. This could include research, revision for exams, design work, preparation for practical tasks in class and vocabulary checks. Projects will be 6-8 weeks of work, with fortnightly set tasks to allow pupils to manage the time effectively.
KS4: weekly tasks that link specifically to class tasks. This could include research, revision for exams, design work, preparation for practical tasks in class and vocabulary checks. Tasks will be linked to portfolio work for art and photography and will include practise of skills in Design Technology and Hospitality and Catering.
Benefits to Learning: Pupils will have the opportunity to use home learning time to complete tasks that build into classroom learning and extend their knowledge.
Assessment:Pupils will be assessed in class through ongoing verbal assessment and self and peer assessment using success criteria.
Feedback: Instant feedback will be given via quizzes, spelling check, and formal written marking will happen at the end of each project or twice half termly for key stage 4.
Frequency: Fortnightly
Type of home learning:
KS3 - Blended learning- dependent upon the aspect of the curriculum being taught. Set on Satchel one, low stakes quiz that builds towards an understanding of student progress before summative end of topic assessment.
KS4 – Smart Revise Online set for a minimum of 30 minutes per week to allow students to consolidate classroom learning and self-assess through both quiz and long answer advanced questions. Automatic feedback is given to students and performance is then analysed by staff to identify gaps in learning and common misconceptions.
Benefits to Learning: Low stakes quiz allows us to… Blended learning also gives the opportunity to provide instant feedback to students allowing them the opportunity to see where they need to make improvements.
Assessment: Students are assessed by a variety of tasks to help embed fundamental concepts and provide opportunity to apply and extend their knowledge.
Frequency: KS3 Termly/KS4 Fortnightly
Type of home learning: Project based learning with a variety of flipped tasks that build towards a final performance each half term.
KS3 – students may be asked to complete quizzes, spelling tests or small research projects. They could also be asked to rehearse or prepare for an upcoming practical assessment.
KS4 – students may be asked to complete written responses or research for C1 or C2 exam preparation. They may also be asked to attend rehearsals after school in the run up to a practical exam.
Benefits to Learning
Benefits to Learning: Allows students to immerse themselves thematically in character development or within the relevant performance criteria for that term.
Assessment : Students will be assessed in class through ongoing verbal communication and practical demonstration.
Feedback : Feedback will be given via quizzes, spelling check, and formal written marking will happen at the end of each scheme of work during the practical assessment.
Frequency : Weekly
Type of home learning :
Year 7 - Quizzes, reading, demonstrating skills: comprehension; track and retrieve information Bedrock Learning – Blended learning.
Year 8 - Flipped learning: to introduce new vocabulary via reading extracts from future texts: comprehension and inference quizzes
Recall and comprehension quizzes via Educake, Bedrock Learning
Year 9 – Quizzes on Educake test understanding and the consolidate learning and vocabulary acquisition through Bedrock Learning.
Benefits to Learning:
Low-stake quizzing to test comprehension and tier 2 vocabulary linked to texts studied in lesson.
Accelerated Reading to support literacy and comprehension .
Grammar focus to support whole-school literacy with the use of Bedrock .
Tier 2 Vocabulary: definitions, connotations, denotations = Example of flipped learning, students being introduced to new vocabulary and learning definitions prior to lesson/text (pre-teaching vocabulary) .
Assessment:
Software programme assesses through algorithms.
Weekly through every test
Feedback:
Immediate score with an opportunity to self-review
Teacher verbal feedback – expectation for Educake is 75% pass rate or students repeat the quiz.
Bedrock Learning offers immediate feedback and praise and rewards via gamification
Frequency: Each half term students will complete a range of the activities listed. This will be linked to the topic.
Type of home learning: Vocabulary building activities linked to each topic. These build on vocabulary from the lesson and offer students the opportunity to embed these in various ways. Definition quizzes, use of vocabulary in extended writing and dual coding retrieval activities. Revision targeted revision used during the half term the Year group will be completing exam work. This is modelled in a lesson and students are set the challenge to complete further thinking at home, using guidance to support them. Topical studies- The content of this may vary but will often link to a recent global event, an interesting article or extended research.
Benefits to Learning
Vocabulary building activities- low stakes quizzing on Plickers. This generates grades to allow teachers to track understanding for individuals. Spelling tests completed in lesson and self-marked. Extended writing to be reviewed with feedback in lessons, this may be verbal whole class feedback or individual comments. The students develop wider vocabulary and confidence in using tier 2 and tier 3 words.
Revision- these activities are not marked in themselves as they develop knowledge for use in the exam. The exam work is the vehicle for feedback. The questions in exams help to highlight understanding of topics already covered and can support teachers in planning for individuals.
Topical studies- the feedback for this task is variable.
Assessment: Depending on the Home learning task; will consist of self or peer assessment, verbal whole class feedback, individual comments, low stakes quizzing
Feedback: Depending on the Home learning task; will consist of verbal whole class feedback or individual comments with opportunities to reflect and/ or develop skills and knowledge. If a low stakes quiz is completed scores can be shared on Satchel One.
Frequency : A variety of activities will be set Half termly and/or in line with current topic.
Type of home learning:
Vocabulary building activities linked to each topic.
These build on vocabulary from the lesson and offer students the opportunity to embed these in various ways. Use of vocabulary in extended writing in class.
History projects linked to each topic. Students will research & create a piece of work to support and extend their learning in class.
Topic research linked to each topic. Students will research a key topic & use it to develop their deeper understanding and wider knowledge
Revision targeted revision used during the half term the Year group will be completing exam work. This is modelled in lessons and students are set the challenge to complete further thinking at home, using guidance to support them.
Extended writing tasks to model and encourage students to write like Historians.
Benefits to Learning:
Vocabulary building activities - Spelling tests completed in lesson and self-marked. Extended writing to be reviewed with feedback in lessons, this may be verbal whole class feedback or individual comments. The students develop wider vocabulary and confidence in using tier 2 and tier 3 words building towards using them in assessments.
History projects – Projects will be reviewed with feedback in lessons, this may be peer assessed, verbal whole class feedback or individual comments.
Topic research - Research will be reviewed in lesson and used for flip learning activities.
Revision- The questions in exams help to highlight understanding of topics already covered and can support teachers in planning for individuals.
Extended writing tasks will be reviewed with feedback in lessons, this may be peer assessed, verbal whole class feedback or individual comments.
Assessment: Depending on the Home learning task; will consist of peer assessment, verbal whole class feedback, individual comments, low stakes quizzing or flipped learning.
Feedback: Depending on the Home learning task; will consist of peer assessment, verbal whole class feedback or individual comments with opportunities to reflect and/ or develop skills and knowledge.
Frequency : Every week
Type of home learning :
Week A – Retrieval Practice/Metacognition
Students are set four questions, one based on a topic they completed last year, one on a topic completed last term, one last week and one that involves an element of problem solving.
Week B – Blended Learning task on mymaths or mathswatch vle based on current topic of study.
Websites that can be used for independent study are www.corbettmaths.com and www.mathsgenie.co.uk
Benefits to Learning: Retrieval practice is a strategy in which bringing information to mind enhances and boosts learning. Deliberately recalling information forces us to pull our knowledge “out” and examine what we know.
Blended learning via Mathswatch VLE is learning that combines face-to-face teaching and online instruction--ideally with leveraging the strengths of each.
Assessment: Based around the Week B blended learning task. This will be marked online for students so that they can see their success and areas for improvement.
Feedback: Feedback is given for both Week A and Week B home learning tasks. This is in the form of class teacher working through the questions and answers from the tasks and focusing on any questions that were an area of weakness/improvement for many students.
Frequency: Weekly
Type of home learning: Blended learning – students alternate between learning vocabulary from Quizlet.com one week and completing a translation task the next which is based on Quizlet vocabulary. Vocabulary is regularly tested in class, based on the Quizlet learning.
Benefits to Learning: Benefits to learning: It is vital that students spend time outside of lessons learning vocabulary in order to make progress. The translation tasks help to reinforce key words, phrases and structures that have been covered in class. This enables students to practise language independently.
Assessment: Low-stakes, regular vocabulary tests/quizzes in class enable students to identify the gaps in their own vocabulary. The translation tasks give instant formative assessment of students’ comprehension of key language.
Feedback: We use ACTS sheets with set targets for each piece of home learning. These targets direct students to fill the gaps in their knowledge and improve their understanding and application of language.
Frequency: Fortnightly
Type of home learning: Retrieval practice tasks – small tasks that prepare students for future learning or that build upon knowledge assimilated in the lesson. The goal of home learning at Key Stage 3 is to demystify basic music theory, terminology and how to decipher a musical score.
Benefits to Learning: Low stakes tests allow staff to gage progress over time without increasing levels of anxiety. This will allow staff to judge what needs to be followed up in the future.
Assessment: In class testing based on revision of resources.
Feedback: Peer marked with common misunderstandings explored in class. Students that repeatedly score low and do not demonstrate understanding will be supported in after school sessions.
Frequency: Monthly
Type of home learning: Reflection and evaluation of how student is making progress towards the learning objective for the half term based on the activity they have been studying in PE that month:
Year 7:
Understand and define the components of fitness. Demonstrate and apply knowledge within a variety of physical activities.
Development and application of fundamental skills in a variety of physical activities
Understand and demonstrate principles of play or performance in a variety of physical activities.
Year 8:
Understand and develop knowledge of the rules, regulations, and etiquette within a variety of physical activities.
Demonstrate different forms of communication and teamwork within a variety of physical activities.
Understand how the components of fitness impact upon performance in a range of physical activities.
Year 9:
Develop and apply different tactics, strategies and/or dynamics within a variety of physical activities.
Understand and develop leadership, officiating and/or choreography skills in a variety of physical activities.
Development and application of advanced level skills in a variety of physical activities.
Additional tasks may be set to reflect on current affairs in sport as appropriate or as physical challenges during holiday periods.
Benefits to Learning: Students will have a greater understanding of how activities in PE link together and how the skills required are relevant across various activities. Students who engage with home learning will be more confident and be able to verbalise understanding more effectively.
Assessment: Self-reflections contribute to the overall summative assessment of students. Students share reflections with peers during warm up activities post survey.
Feedback: Staff will provide personalised verbal feedback to students following home learning periods.
Frequency: Fortnightly (roughly three points in a topic)
Type of home learning: Specific knowledge tests. Students will have three subject specific tests to complete at home over the course of a half term. They will build on the knowledge in class and will help build a picture of what students are able to remember in class. These will run alongside metacognitive starters to aid retrieval practice.
Benefits to Learning: Benefit to learning: Students will take three multiple choice knowledge tests where they will be reviewing key information and literacy that they will need to be successful. Students will get their scores immediately at home and know how well they have done. They will be able to identify their learning gaps so they can review information and key literacy at home or with their teacher in class. This will help them to improve overall in the subject.
Assessment: For the first knowledge test the data will be used to inform planning and signal areas that need to be taught to students in depth. Subsequent tests will demonstrate learning so far. This will be fed back to pupils in lessons and success shared. The final test in the Unit will be when pupils are assessed on what they have learnt. Rewards will be given. Some students will receive intervention if they haven’t demonstrated knowledge needed for their age expectation.
Feedback: Whole class feedback given halfway through the unit to clarify any questions that students have found challenging. Individual feedback given at the end of the knowledge test where students are given a reflection sheet in their book where their scores will be. There will be positive praise points for students who have improved.
Frequency: Topic dependant
Type of home learning: KS3 homelearning takes a literacy and recall focus. Tasks include Doddlelearn quizzes, comprehension tasks, key words and definitions, Exampro exam style question and revision activities.
Benefit/ assessment: Students are assessed by a variety of tasks to help embed fundamental scientific concepts and provide an opportunity to apply and extend their knowledge.
Feedback: Formative feedback will be provided in class.
All students in the school are expected to follow the School Behaviour Management policy. All major incidents are reported to the governors’ Discipline Committee and all parents have a right to appeal against any decision the School Leadership Team make with reference to this policy.
The school has a Special Educational Needs policy.
All students have a tutor who they see twice a day and tutors report to and meet with a HOY (Head of Year) on a weekly basis. Where necessary, students have Educational Care Plans often implemented by the HOY or the Care, Support and Guidance team. HOY meets with SLT weekly to discuss students of concern and vulnerable students.
The school has a qualified school nurse who will administer medication and offer advice to parents and students with regard to personal care.
The school has a Head Boy/Girl and a Deputy Head Boy/Girl. Each House has two House Captains and Sports Captains. These students along with year representatives from the school council.
The school has an Inclusion and a Seclusion room to reduce exclusions.
Attendance is monitored by an Attendance Officer, HOY and SLT.
All students have access to offsite activities. The school will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful if the risk assessment allows. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health & safety will not be compromised.
All students with specific needs will have a travel pack and this will be taken on any off site activity. The travel pack identifies specific needs and necessary courses of action. At least one appropriate member of staff will accompany these students on the activity.
The arrangements for consulting young people with special educational needs about, and involving them in, their education.
Each student who has a ECHP will have a key worker who meets with the students regularly and keeps in contact with their parents.
Students are encouraged to contribute to all review meetings concerning their progress.
Parents receive a termly report, two data reports and a full written report. Parents are also invited to at least one parent’s consultation evening. For students who have an ECHP, parents will be invited to attend an annual statement review.
Parents will also be invited in to discuss IEP’s where necessary; this is a minimum entitlement. Communication between parents and the school is very open. Parents are free to make contact with Subject teachers, tutors, Head of Year or the SENCO at any time.
Students with IEP’s and ECHPs are always working towards their targets and these are regularly reviewed and discussed with the child.
The school has an open evening in October and any parents are welcome to come and have a tour the school. Small group tours can also be arranged with a member of SLT at around this time.
Parents can contact the school and arrange a tour with the SENCO at any time.
Parents are invited to attend a parents’ consultation evening once a year.
Parents are invited to care plan reviews, IPA’s and statement reviews.
There are regular parent/governor activities and opportunities for feedback.
On an individual basis, parents are asked to offer their views for all review meetings.
Parents are involved in conversations about transition.
Parents are actively encouraged to attend parents’ evenings and other information evenings as they occur throughout the school year.
Parents can contact any member of staff through the school reception (01329) 664251.
If a parent has any concerns about their child, they should contact the SENCO in the first instance.
Other staff who may be able to help are Heads of Year, tutors, classroom teachers, key workers, link SLT or the Headteacher. All can be contacted via the school Reception (01329) 664251.
Students make a contribution to their statement reviews.
Students are asked to comment on their targets for IEP’s.
Students discuss issues with LSA’s and key workers as they arise.
If you have any concerns in the first instance, please contact the school office and they will pass on a message to the SENCO, a member of SLT or the Headteacher. Someone will contact you within 24 hours.
The school has a complaints procedure if necessary and this can be obtained from the school reception.
Paul Williams (SENCO) - 01329 664251
Amanda Knight (Senior Assistant Headteacher) - 01329 664251
Contact Parent Partnership – http://www3.hants.gov.uk/parentpartnership
Contact IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice) – www.ipsea.org.uk/
The local offer can be found on the Hampshire County Council website.
Headteacher Mr S Harrison
Assistant Headteacher Mrs L Bryant Operations Director Mr J Hickey
Deputy Headteacher Mrs G Badesha Assistant Headteacher Mr J Ainsworth Senior Assistant Headteacher Miss A Knight
Named Designated Safeguard Lead
Miss A Knight
Deputy Safeguard Lead
Mr P Williams
DSL
Mrs G Badesha
DSL
Mr S Harrison
DSL Mrs L Noice DSL Miss T Woodley
Assistant Head Teacher / SENCO Mr P Williams ASD Co-ordinator Miss M House
Director of Personal and Teacher Development Mr S Barnes Director of Teaching and Learning Mrs S Gronow Lead Teachers Mrs K West & Mrs S Dugan
Head of Year 7 Mrs M Limburn SSL Miss G Nightingale Head of Year 8 Mr A Playford SSL Ms M Marshall Head of Year 9 Mrs K Young & Mr M Allen SSL Mrs K Farrington Head of Year 10 Mr C Buckman SSL Mrs J Duff-Stewart Head of Year 11 Mr T Anderson SSL Ms S McGarrity
Art, Design and Technology Miss M Harris History Mrs S Gregory Music Mr J Oliver Science Mrs A Oppé Computing Mrs J Wilson English Mrs J Winkles PDL Mr S Barnes Drama Mrs L Stevenson Maths Mr A Edwards PE & Dance Mr M Zealander Geography Mrs L Webber MFL Mrs A Adam RE Mr C Hook
Headteacher's PA & Admissions Mrs A Dell Finance Officer Mrs L Kinch Senior Site Manager Mr M Andrews Welfare Officers Mrs T Bailey & Mrs D Wendes Exams Officer Mrs W Wollaston
Student Support Lead Y7 Ms M Marshall Student Support Lead Y8 Mrs K Farrington Student Support Lead Y9 Mrs S HuntStudent Support Lead Y10 Ms S McGarrity Student Support Lead Y11 Mrs G Isaj