A to Z of Netherhall

 

A
 Absence If your child is unwell and unable to attend school please follow this procedure:
Call the school [before 9.00am if possible] 01223 242931 etx. 300 and speak to or leave a message for Deborah Howard.
Please tell her the year group and form of your child and why they are not in school
On their return to school, please also send a letter explaining the absence to the form tutor.
  Attendance The school honours those with a good attendance record as this contributes positively to education. Please do not allow your child to take time off school unless it is necessary and only in the case of illness.
B
 Behaviour for Learning We have clear expectations of behaviour which supports learning. Each classroom has reminders for the students. Systems are in place to ensure that students whose behaviour affects the learning of others are removed from the class. More details are available from the Key Stage Managers.
  Bullying While not a huge issue in our school we nonetheless take bullying seriously – dealing with the bully and the victim. The students have organised a number of Anti-Bullying Conferences inviting students from other schools to attend and write charters. If you have any concerns that your child is either a victim or a bully please do not hesitate to contact the relevant Key Stage Manager.
Code of Conduct A simple Code of Conduct outlines the rights and responsibilities of students at Netherhall. You will have been asked to sign a copy when your child joined the school in year 7. You can find a copy in your child’s planner or request a copy from the school office should you wish to see it again. This code is regularly reviewed by students and staff.
  Contact Information Please ensure that you provide the school with updated personal information when you change address, telephone number, mobile and email contacts. We rely on the databases to contact parents – sometimes in emergencies.
  Cycling Netherhall supports cycling to school as a healthy, eco-friendly way of getting to school. Please ensure that your son/daughter has a helmet, lights and reflective clothing. We recommend that students have and use a strong lock. It is also better not to have new bicycles in school as accidental damage to a new bicycle can be very distressing.
Detention Detentions are set for a variety of reasons and vary in length of time. For any detention outside the school day, you will receive a notice at least 24 hours in advance, giving the time, reason and location of the detention.
Equipment Students are expected to bring the necessary basic equipment with them to be ready for their learning. This includes:

1. A pencil case containing the following:
• Pen

• Pencil

• Sharpener

• Ruler

• Pair of compasses

• Protractor

Most of these items are inexpensively available at supermarkets. As equipment can easily be muddled between busy students it is better to leave any special or more valuable stationery items at home

2. A scientific calculator.

Also useful if possible would be:

• Coloured pencils

The school provides the following – which should also be brought each day:

• Planner

• Timetable

• The relevant exercise books for the day
  Exams Exams are an important part of school life. Please do not take your child out of school during an examination period or in the months leading up to these times as staff work to ensure that students are ready for the exams and lessons missed may affect performance. Details of examinations are available by contacting the examinations officer. Details of subject assessments will be available from the class teacher or head of subject dept.
  Extra Curricular Activities A programme of extra- curricular activities is published each term and given out to students.
Food Students may purchase food from the canteens at morning break time [10.55 – 11.15] and/or lunchtime [1.20 – 2.05]. Our canteens take cash but we recommend that students do not bring large amounts of money in to school. £2.50 is more than adequate. Students wishing to bring sandwiches sit with their friends in the dining hall and may, if they wish, supplement their packed lunches with items from the canteen.
  Form Tutors You child’s form tutor is a key figure in their life at Netherhall. Letters regarding absence should be sent to the tutor. Initial contact to school regarding any difficulties or problems should be made to the tutor who might refer to the Key Stage Manager.
  Friends@Netherhall If you would like to play an active part in supporting the school, please consider joining the Friends @ Netherhall – a parent / teacher support group for the school. If time commitments make joining the group unfeasible, you can still support them and the school by attending the Friends’ social events throughout the school year.
Gifted & Talented A programme of activities is offered to our Gifted and Talented students. These are identified by the NAGTY criteria and also by staff recommendation. If you think your child has been left off the list inadvertently, please contact either the relevant Key Stage manager or Gifted & Talented co-ordinator, Mr Biggs.
Holidays Requests for holidays in term time should be made on the standard holiday form which your child may collect from one of the school offices.
Please be aware that the school is very unlikely to authorise such absence as attendance at school is important for success in education.
  Homework A timetable is produced for each year group outlining when homework will be set in each subject. Copies can be found on the website and can be obtained in paper copy from Key Stage Managers.
ICT Access Students have access to ICT in lessons, the library and after school clubs. Details of the policies and information about internet safety can be obtained from Mr Wells
  ILP (Individual Learning Planning) This is a process which starts in Year 9 and continues into Year 10. It encourages students to reflect on their personal and social life, their academic performance and their career goals. Students set and review targets with an ILP mentor. This process feeds into the options process.
   
Key Stage Managers The Netherhall School does not have Heads of Year, instead there are four Key Stage Managers who oversee the teaching and learning of significant stages in education:

Mrs M Middleton: KS3 Year 7 and transition from Primary School

Mrs S Wilders: KS3 Years 8 / 9

Mr D Carlson: KS4 Years 10 / 11

Mrs C Wright: KS5 Years 12 / 13 Assistant Principal and Head of Sixth form
Lockers Students can use a locker in school to keep books and equipment safe. There is a small fee for the use of the lockers. The replacement of lost keys must be paid for at £3.00 each.
  Lunchtime Students are expected to remain on the school site during lunchtime. Those wishing to go home regularly will need to send in a letter to the KS manager requesting permission. Students will have to be back in school by 2.00pm to be ready for lessons. There are some activities / clubs which run in the lunch hour and these can be found on the extra curricular activities notice.
  Library The libraries are well-stocked and are open to borrow books as well as for use in lesson time as part of scheduled learning. Students are issued with a library card. Please encourage your child to borrow books and to return them on time.
Medical Room The school medical room is available for students who are taken ill during the school day. Office staff have First Aid training and will take care of you child until you are able to collect them. Please do not send an obviously ill child to school as they find it difficult to cope and also to avoid the spread of infection
  Music Lessons If you would like your child to have music lessons, please contact the Head of Music, Mr Dexter-Mills or any member of the music department for the leaflet outlining the fees and what is available.
New Arrivals Students arrive to the school mid-year are welcomed with an admissions interview, supported by a buddy and the peer support system. Those who have English as an Additional Language will be paired with someone who speaks the same first language – if at all possible. Mrs Greve has particular responsibility for EAL students. Please feel free to contact her.
Office Hours The school offices are open from 8.00am until 4.00pm. The Upper School reception is staffed by Mrs Allen. Mrs Bird and Mrs Lister O’Shea staff the lower school office. Mrs Wakerley is the PA to the Head teacher.
  Options For KS4: GCSE and Diplomas are available. Each year a comprehensive programme of information, interviews and support is offered to help students to make relevant choices. If you would like to find out more about the choices available please contact Mrs S Wilders or Mr Wilson.
For KS5 a programme of activities will begin in the autumn term of Year 11, helping students to make appropriate choices post-GCSE. Assemblies, lessons and a Parents Information Evening will be arranged to explain all the options available. Students will also have guidance interviews to help them in their choices. The applications themselves will be made in January of Year 11.
ParentMail Please register for Parentmail if you have email access, to receive newsletters and messages electronically.
  Parents’ Evening Parents’ evening is an important part of the school year; an opportunity to come and meet staff and discuss the progress of your child. The dates for these are in the school diary from the beginning of the year. The school asks parents to make this evening a priority. Booking sheets to make appointments are issued to the children and letters sent home two weeks in advance of the evening. Queries about the evening can be made to the relevant Key Stage Managers.
  Pastoral Support The inclusion team works to support students pastorally alongside the form tutor and Key Stage Manager. The welfare of our students is important to us. We welcome parents contacting the school to inform us about the needs of the children.
  Planners Students are issued with planners at a subsidised cost each year. The planner is an important part of organisation and home / school contact. Opening pages of the planner contain useful information about the school year and the code of conduct, for example. Students are expected to use the diary section to note homework set. Parents are asked to check and sign the planner weekly to help monitor the homework and may use note sections to communicate concerns to form tutors or other staff members.
   
Registration Registration is an important part of the day. In this time, as well as recording who is in school that day, students are given important information e.g. about room changes or clubs and activities. Please ensure that our child arrives in school by 8.25am so that they are prompt to registration at 8.30am.
Special Educational Needs The SENCO, Mrs Suter, will happily meet with any parent who is concerned about the academic needs of their child. A strong team of teachers and TAs provide work in the classroom and in small groups to support students across the whole range of ability.
  Study Leave This normally starts once the GCSE written exams have started in the middle of May and continues until the official leaving date at the end of June. There is no study leave for the mock exam period.
  Sixth Form The Netherhall School is the only school in the city to have its own sixth form. Most of the students follow A level programmes of study. A high proportion of these students move on to University courses. For further information please contact Mrs Wright in the Sixth form office.
Teaching Staff Staff welcome contact with parents however, it is quite difficult to make that contact as most of the time teachers are in classroom and not near a telephone. If you would like to speak to a teacher please contact the main school office and leave a message and number to call or an email address to use.
  Trips A variety of trips is offered throughout a school year. Some are organised by subject departments and some by key stage offices. Trips may require voluntary contributions to cover the costs. Popular trips might be run on a “first come, first served” basis with reserve lists held in case students pull out. In each case, letters will be sent home outlining the nature of the trip, the cost and the deadlines for returning slips and money. Staff are happy to talk to parents about the trips and welcome contact from parents about them.
Uniform The Netherhall School has a uniform and is strict about it being worn in school. Details about the uniform are available in the student planners and in the information packs sent out to year 6 students who have successfully obtained a place at the school. Please do not be persuaded by your son or daughter that trainers or dark jeans are acceptable. The school shop sells the polo shirts, sweatshirts and PE kit needed. Opening times are available here.
   
Water As a healthy school, Netherhall encourages students to bring filled water bottles to drink as required. Under no circumstances may a student have anything other than plain water in the bottle – no fizzy drinks, squash or fruit juices which can make a sticky mess if spilled. Bottles may be refilled at break or lunchtimes but not during lessons.
  Work Experience This takes place for 2 weeks in the summer term of Year 10. Students either arrange their own placements or choose one from a database provided by Connexions. Various assemblies, lessons and a Parents Information Evening will be arranged to explain all the procedures.
   
   
   
Celebrating 140 years of quality education in 2011