At Woodchurch we have always emphasised the importance of both School and Parents working together in Partnership. We believe that, to provide the best service for your child, a joint commitment to this Home School partnership is essential if each young person is to achieve their full potential.
Communication
It is essential, if we are to work together in partnership, that there is trust between home and school. As a school, we believe in keeping parents fully informed about their child's progress, welfare and behaviour. Throughout the year parents receive a full progress report and a full written report and are invited to attend both a form tutor evening and a full Parents' Evening. It is seen as essential that all parents take advantage of these opportunities. Other communications will include regular newsletters and end of term letters, plus letters of commendations when a pupil's progress or behaviour has given us cause for celebration. Similarly parents will be informed at the earliest opportunity when a child is giving us just cause for concern. Parents are encouraged to contact school with any concerns regarding their child's educational progress. We trust that this working partnership ensures that the service we provide is strengthened by our work with home.
Attendance and Punctuality
Attendance is important and has a significant positive effect on examination results and potential earning capacity in the future. All students are registered electronically twice a day and during each lesson. Students who are absent for lessons will disadvantage themselves as they will miss out on important learning opportunities.
Please think about illness. Who makes the decision for your child not to attend school – you as an adult or your child? Please ensure that students only stay off school when it is really necessary. They need to learn good attendance patterns ready for the world of higher education or work. Pupils' attendance places them in attendance bands and pupils should strive for 97% (Gold) attendance. Anything less than this risks harming their academic progress.
Pupils need to develop resilience when it comes to illness and understand that every day and every lesson counts. Pupils need to endure minor illnesses and trust in the compassion of staff to support them in remaining in school and learning.
Holidays should not be taken during term time in any year group as the students will miss out on the teaching. Although they may be able to complete missed work, they will miss the teaching of key learning concepts. Leave can only be granted by the Headteacher, and only in exceptional circumstances. Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school. We trust you will support us in only arranging holidays outside of term time.
Under no circumstances should holidays be taken by students in Key Stage 4 during term time. These will, at all times, be classed as unauthorised.
Any student absence will require a note from home explaining the reason for absence. Any medical appointments should be proven by a copy of the letter or doctor's practice appointment card. Students are expected to arrive on time to the Academy and to all lessons.
Parents/carers will be informed of their child's attendance every three weeks using the MCAS application.
Behaviour and Discipline
Good behaviour is essential if the school is to function as an orderly community and if pupils are to be able to take advantage of the high quality education provided. The school is committed to developing trusting, working relationships with parents and pupils to maintain good behaviour and developing positive attitudes towards school life in general.
The School's Commitment
We are a compassionate school and strive to have a positive, caring atmosphere where pupils are free to work, learn and make progress.
Governors, Headteacher and Staff are committed to serving pupils to ensure that they all receive a quality education in a compassionate environment which develops a strong sense of social, cultural, moral and spiritual values amongst the pupils by:
- Providing the highest standards of teaching using a variety of teaching strategies.
- Developing pupils thinking, reasoning and problem solving skills required for adult and working life.
- Encouraging attitudes and behaviour which develop compassionate, thankful, trustworthy young people who respect themselves, staff, each other, their community and property; acting with integrity at all times.
- Developing the personal qualities, values and talents possessed by our pupils.
- Providing and promoting equality of opportunity regardless of gender, race, disability, creed or sexuality.
- Promote the school's Christian values, instilling good morals and values in the pupils.
- Building trusting partnerships with parents and the community.
- Informing parents regularly regarding the progress of our pupils.
- Setting appropriate homework on a regular basis to assist pupils' learning and to raise standards.
- Working with outside agencies for the benefit of our pupils' academic and pastoral welfare and supporting our pupils who may be experiencing problems.
- Developing pupils' behaviour for learning skills equipping them to be positive, resilient, successful, independent learners.
Parents' Commitment
For our school to be successful we require you, our parents, to demonstrate your trust and support by ensuring your commitment to:
- Supporting the school's disciplinary procedures by giving full cooperation to all staff within the school and ensuring your child abides by all the school's rules, including various policies relating to conduct inside and outside the school environment.
- Ensuring that your child is punctual for school and attends regularly (97% of the time), informing school about any unavoidable absence as soon as possible and endeavouring not to take holidays during term time.
- Providing the necessary uniform and equipment in line with school requirements, ensuring your child is appropriately dressed and ready to learn.
- Supporting the school by ensuring that pupils show integrity, displaying the highest standards of behaviour at all times both inside and outside school and not allowing them to become involved in any anti-social behaviour.
- Ensuring your child does not lack integrity by behaving at any time in a manner which will bring the good name of the school into disrepute.
- Supporting the School's Homework Policy by ensuring your child completes his/her homework and signing your child's planner each week.
- Informing school of any issues which might affect your child's progress or behaviour.
- Attending progress evenings and information evenings in order to help us ensure your child is making good progress.
- Supporting the School's Christian Ethos and Values.
Pupil's Commitment
At Woodchurch we insist that pupils:
- Always abide by school rules and the Pupils' Code of Conduct and Successful Learning Charter, maintaining high standards of discipline at all times both inside and outside the school and on public transport, using our Christian Values as a guide.
- Always act with integrity within school being polite, courteous and compassionate to all pupils and adults within the school, being thankful for the opportunities they have at Woodchurch High School.
- Always obey the anti-bullying, anti smoking and anti drugs policies inside and outside school and have integrity, reporting any incidents of bullying or anti-social behaviour that they become aware of, trusting staff to ensure justice is served.
- Come prepared for lessons with the necessary equipment and bag having completed homework.
- Respond to the service provided by subject teachers by working to their maximum potential in all subjects and at all times.
- Come dressed correctly in full school uniform.
- Never behave with a lack of integrity which would damage the good name of the school at any time inside or outside school.
- Always abide by the school's ICT and use of Internet policy and never become involved in cyberbullying on any social media platforms, or the inappropriate use of mobile phones.
