Dear Parents/Carers What a successful academic year it has been ...
Dear Parents/Carers What a successful academic year it has been here at Easthampstead Park Community School, achieving the welldeserved Ofsted rating of “Good”. Our students and school community should feel proud of this judgement as it is their hard work and commitment that was recognised throughout the inspection. We now look forward to achieving positive results in summer in both GCSE and A level examinations. As a school we will continue to move forward, building on our strengths to ensure that our students are given every opportunity to achieve success, enjoy school and look forward to a bright future. We fully recognise that we cannot do this without the support of our parents and carers; it is working together that achieves success and allows us to deliver our principles of “Respect and Pride”. As we now start to look forward to September 2016 I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of some of our key expectations and procedures: School uniform The overview of uniform expectations is available on the website. To ensure that students look smart and represent our school positively in the community, please support us in ensuring your child follows the school uniform policy; this includes the school branded PE Kit. Please note that canvas shoes and black trainers are not permitted; only shoes that are able to be polished must be worn. Patterned socks are not part of our uniform. Girls’ options only – a plain navy blue knifepleated skirt with no embellishments (please see the codes on the full list.) The length of the skirt is to be on or just above the knee (suitable for a working environment). Hair bands or slides must be plain black or blue, thin hair bands only with no adornments. Nails may be coated with a clear nail varnish. Trousers should be grey, not black. Students must be aware that if they fail to meet the uniform expectations then appropriate consequences will be given which may include removal from the wider school community at break and lunchtime. If, in extreme cases, an issue arises with your child’s uniform a note must be written in the student diary. If the lack of correct uniform is an ongoing issue a letter must be written to Mrs Cook, headteacher, to explain what the issue is and how and when it will be resolved. All of our uniform can be bought from Stevensons in Reading or online; please click on the link on the school’s website. Students will be wearing the winter uniform when we start back in September; polo shirts are not to be worn during the Autumn Term. Behaviour 4 Learning Students are responsible for ensuring that they are equipped for learning and this includes bringing correct Easthampstead Park Community School PE kit to every PE lesson; our principle is that if they are well enough to be in school then they are well enough to get changed. If they are unable to participate in all aspects of a practical lesson, please write a note in the diary explaining how lessons will be affected and if medical advice has been taken. Students are expected to bring in other learning
Headteacher: Mrs Liz Cook MA, BA(Hons)
materials as appropriate and we will endeavour to inform you what is required for each subject through the school website. All students must have a bag (preferably a rucksack or satchel style) that is suitable for carrying books and an A4 folder, a pencil case (ideally a clear one as required for exams), pens (black and green pens are essential), pencils, ruler and a calculator. Students must also have their student diary. Tools for learning will be checked daily by the tutor and if a student forgets or is frequently ill equipped then the school sanction policy will be followed. Student diary Students will be issued with a new style diary that will last the whole of the academic year. The diary is A6 hard back designed to fit in the blazer pocket. It is the student’s responsibility to bring the diary in daily and to take pride in it, in order that it lasts the academic year. Replacement diaries will cost £4.00 from the Raising Standards office. Jewellery and body piercing The summer holiday is always a time when students see an opportunity to consider having their body pierced; please can I remind you of our school policy. The school policy is to prohibit the wearing of jewellery and body piercing jewellery at school with the exception of: ● ear studs worn in the ear lobe, where a clear or flesh coloured retainer can be worn flush against the ear (in the case of a large hole piercing) or a small plain single stud; no brightly coloured or patterned earrings allowed or ear horns. ● Nose stud, to comply a plain stud must be worn which must fit flush against the skin with no projection visible. ● Lip stud, to comply a plain stud must be worn which must fit flush against the skin with no projection visible. ● One plain ring with no raised setting can be worn on the finger. ● One discreet bracelet can be worn; no charms or embellishments are allowed. ● One discreet necklace can be worn underneath a shirt or blouse. These items must be removed before participating in PE and PA lessons where the wearing of jewellery may be problematic. We do not allow students to wear plasters over their piercings. Make up Make up is not permitted for students in Key Stage 3. Discreet make up may be worn by students in Year 9 and above, natural in look and suitable for a working environment. If students’ make up is deemed to be inappropriate then they will be asked to remove it and the final decision is at the discretion of the Raising Standards team. If students fail to cooperate with the policy, appropriate consequences will be applied which could result in students being removed from break or lunch time or being asked to work in the school inclusion room. Punctuality and attendance This is a perfect opportunity to thank parents and carers for their support with our attendance drive. We have seen a significant improvement in our attendance figures across the school. Students must also understand the importance of punctuality and the impact that this can have at the start of the day. Students are expected in school from 8.35am as school starts at 8:40am. From September, students who arrive after 9am will report through main reception. It is the responsibility of parents and carers to Headteacher: Mrs Liz Cook MA, BA(Hons)
report absences on the day a student is absent through the school dedicated absence line, 01344 390822 or through email at [email protected] . Tutor time in the morning is a critical time for students to be prepared for their learning and to be updated about forthcoming events; and learning reviews take place at the end of the day. When students fail to attend at these times it can lead to unauthorised absences being recorded and the possibility of a penalty notice once unauthorised absence has reached a certain level. Please can we ask that every effort is made for medical appointments not to be made during these times. We will continue our drive with attendance and punctuality as we know that students who attend school regularly and on time make better progress. Our new House system Students have been reallocated houses this year so that they are in the same house as everyone in their tutor group. This will enable students to have house assemblies, led by their Year 13 House Leaders. The student council and parliament groups sourced student voice and Mrs Thornton spoke with parents who attended the Parents Forum to gain feedback and this was deemed the best move forward. Students have already begun to score points for their houses since rollover and with active competition yesterday for Sports Day. We have four new houses, named after local spots Englemere, Swinley, Wildmoor and Caesar. EPCS6 students decided on the final names of the houses and both the new House leaders and departments will present a number of competitions across the year for students to get involved in. SIMS Learning Gateway (SLG) In September 2016 all students will be given a new sticker with their personal SIMS Learning Gateway login. This allows parents and carers to access school reports, monitor attendance, track positive and negative points and support with the completion of home learning. You can also update your details using the SLG system to make sure the school always has up to date information. School website and Facebook The school website and Facebook are important tools for communication and we advise parents, carers and students to check this on a daily basis. School premises Can we remind you that students or members of the public are not allowed on the school premises during out of school hours and we reserve the right to prosecute trespassers. Start of term The arrangements for the start of term on Monday 5th September are as follows. At 8.35am the year groups will line up in separate areas of the school to be met by tutors and head of year and taken to tutor bases: Year 11 Basketball court opposite the LSC Year 9 & 10 – the main upper playground facing Food Tech Year 8 – Basketball court in the lower playground Year 7 – Lining up to go into assembly by amphitheatre Family support As a school we are committed to helping families in every way we can; if you wish to discuss a specific circumstance please contact either your child’s tutor or a member of the Raising Standards team. Headteacher: Mrs Liz Cook MA, BA(Hons)
We believe that for our students to be successful they need to enjoy their learning, set themselves high aspirations, be active in lessons and take responsibility for their progress. We want students to ask appropriate questions, take pride in their books, ask for feedback and challenge staff appropriately if they have concerns or questions about their learning. Our ethos is very simple: “Respect and Pride”. Respect and pride expectations were devised in full consultation with students and we expect them to abide by them. The detailed version is included with this letter. The students at Easthampstead Park Community School are a pleasure to work with and they constantly impress us with their commitment to learning and the diversity of their interests and enthusiasms. We believe that with your support we can ensure that all our students reach their potential. Finally, I would like to wish you and your family a happy summer holiday and look forward to seeing you in September. Yours faithfully Ms C O’Brien Assistant Headteacher
Headteacher: Mrs Liz Cook MA, BA(Hons)
