THE SCHOOL

School Rules

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School Rules: Notes for Students

We expect you to respect the basic principles of hard work, courtesy and common sense that make our School community such a pleasant place in which to study and learn.
The following 40 rules are in place to enable us to equip you with the skills and understanding that you need in the future. They have been broken into 7 key areas, as you can see.

Your Attendance

Full time attendance and attendance at all time tabled lessons is required, and you should only be absent when you are unwell. If this is the case it is important that your parent or carer calls the School Office to let us know.
The telephone number of the School is (0151) 733 1407. In any event you will need to bring in a written explanation on your first day of return. This helps us because we have to keep an accurate record of your attendance by law.
You must remain on the school premises for the lunch period This rule is necessary because if there is a Fire Alarm at any time the School must know precisely who is in the building so that we can know that everyone has been accounted for and checked off.
No student is permitted to leave the premises at any time without permission. Pre-arranged appointments must be notified to the school by parents in writing. Any student leaving the premises must sign out at the School Office, and with the exception of the Sixth Form, you will not be allowed to leave school until you are picked up by a Parent/Carer. This is for the same reason as Rule 2.
There are different arrangements for Sixth Formers that are contained in the Sixth Form Handbook. Sixth Form students must familiarise themselves with the contents.
If selected for a School team, you must attend punctually and if ill or injured, you must ensure that the school is contacted immediately so that staff can try find someone to be your substitute.
You must arrive punctually for morning and afternoon registration. If you are late, you should report to The School Office up to 9.30a.m and sign in late. If you arrive after 9.30am you must still sign in but it is then it is classed as an absence and a note from home will be required.
If you have an accident or feel ill you must go, in the first instance, to the School Office. No student may go home without permission from the Year Group Manager who will contact one of your parents or carers first.
If your Year Group Manager gives permission for you to go home, you must sign out at the School Office.
Year 13 Students may leave after afternoon registration if not being taught nor required for anything else.

Your Appearance

The Blue Coat School is a place of work, and we are proud of our distinctive School Uniform.
We expect you to wear it smartly at all time because as an adult at work there is an expectation that you will look smart. Since one of our jobs is to prepare you for adult life, we believe in getting you into the habit of looking smart from the very first day you join us.

The school uniform, detailed separately, is compulsory.This includes the journey to and from school where judgements are often made about you, your school and on how you look and dress.
No jewellery or rings, earrings or studs are to be worn at any time in School. You must not wear nail varnish. When you become a member of the Sixth Form the rules are slightly different, and you will be told about these when you prepare to join the Sixth Form.
Hair is to be clean and tidy. Long hair must be tied back for Health and Safety reasons. Hair should be of a natural colour. Unnatural coloured hair or various coloured hair is not allowed. The School managers reserve the right to make individual decisions about the suitability of your appearance for school, and they will advise you if your appearance is not suitable.
Boys who need to do so must shave. The only permissible exception to this will be for reasons of religion in consultation with local religious leaders.
Your shirt or blouse should be tucked inside of trousers or skirts and not be allowed to be loose outside.
If you are in years 7-11 you should not wear make-up during the normal school day. Sixth Form students may wear make-up provided that it is discreet. The school will judge as to what is discreet.

Your Preparations for the School Day

Now that you are entering secondary school it is really important that you prepare well for the day ahead. The following rules show clearly our expectations of you.

It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you come to school equipped with a pen, pencils, ruler, eraser, calculator, compass and protractor, and any other items that you need for the particular day such as PE kit.
When you need to bring a valuable item to school (e.g. a calculator or a musical instrument) the item should be covered by your parents' insurance and, ideally, marked with your name.
Valuables should be lodged with the teacher in charge during games lessons. All specialists clothing e.g. P.E. kit must be marked with your name.

Your Work

The Blue Coat School does not gain the tremendous reputation for excellent results by accident. If you join us you are expected to use your intelligence and keep up to date with your work.
If there are any problems you need to be honest and to see your Form Tutor or relevant teacher.

A homework timetable will be given to you in Years 7 - 11 at the beginning of the School year. The full and punctual completion of homework is expected of every Blue Coat School student.
It is very important that you take great care of all textbooks and exercise books and planners issued to you. Books should be kept clean and under no circumstances should pages be torn from them.

Your School Environment

The Blue Coat School buildings are really special, but we must all work to keep them safe, clean and tidy for others as much as ourselves. This is in line with the School’s historic Latin motto “Non sibi sed omnibus” – not for oneself but for all.

You are expected to take the greatest care in order to keep the school clean, tidy and free of litter and chewing gum. The latter is not permitted by any student.
Report any damage at the earliest possible opportunity.
You may remain inside in winter months during break or in wet lunch break, but you may not be in your own Form Room.
Under no circumstances should you ever open another student’s locker, bag or desk.
Eating and drinking is not permitted in classrooms or corridors under any circumstances. The Dining Hall and courtyard are used for eating and drinking.
Breakfasts and lunches are to be consumed in the Dining Hall only.
Shirley Hall may be used during wet weather for eating and drinking.
You must not bring fizzy drink cans, or aerosols into school.

Your Safety

This is our top priority, and to ensure this it is very important that you help us to ensure that the Blue Coat School is a safe school.

Running in corridors is not permitted and all students must walk to the right.
You must never, for any reason, climb onto the roof of any of the school buildings.
You must NEVER be in possession of offensive weapons, drugs or alcohol, or enter licensed premises whilst on the way to or from school or whilst identifiable as a Blue Coat student.
You must NEVER smoke on the premises, or on the way to and from school, or be with students who are smoking.
Your mobile ‘phone must be switched off during the school day (including break & lunchtimes). Mobile phones will be confiscated if they are used during the school day. Parents or carers will have to come in to collect them from the School Office.
If you have a mobile ‘phone that can take photos you should never take pictures of members of staff, and only take pictures of friends if they are content for you to do so.
Non-essential valuables (e.g. hand held computers, MP3 players, 'designer label' items of clothing, should not be brought to school. They are not insured, and the School cannot be responsible for them.
If you cannot find something that is yours you should contact the nearest member of teaching staff, or the School Office as soon as possible. If you find something which appears to have been left, you should take it to the nearest teacher, or the School Office.
Sixth Form Students who come to school by car must not park their vehicles on the School premises or close to (That is, within 15 metres of) any of the exits into Church Road.
You must not endanger the lives of other members of the community by setting off the fire alarm without good reason, even accidental.

Your Behaviour

We expect nothing less than excellent behaviour from students in this school. Your conduct and appearance on your way to or from school will be treated exactly in the same way as conduct on school premises. You are our greatest asset, and we expect you to uphold that high expectation. Excellent behaviour helps everyone to learn effectively.

Rudeness to any member of staff is simply not acceptable under any circumstances and will not be tolerated or excused.
Fighting or any form of violence, bullying (either face to face or cyber-bullying) is completely unacceptable and will result in your being interviewed, asked to explain your behaviour, and if necessary reprimanded. Further action may also have to be taken.
Abuse of other students on the grounds of race, culture, sexuality – actual or perceived – or religious belief is wholly unacceptable and will result in you being interviewed and asked to explain your behaviour. If necessary reprimand or further action may be taken.
The playing of cards or any other game for money is strictly prohibited throughout the School.
School Prefects have the full authority of a teacher, so when they ask you to do something, you are expected to follow their instructions in the same way that you would if a teacher told you to do something
It is extremely rare for any student in this School to have behaved in a way that requires him or her to be excluded from School, but the Headteacher, Mrs Silcock, or, in her absence, a Deputy Headteacher (either Mr Cox or Mr Pennington) may exclude you from attendance at the School. Your exclusion - and the reasons for it - will be notified to your parents immediately.
One of the many good things about being a student at the Blue Coat School is that discipline is based on respect, and it is rare for a teacher to have to discipline you. On occasions a teacher will put you into detention after school. A minimum notice of 24 hour swill be given verbally and in writing, usually via your School Planner. You are expected to attend that detention unless there is a written explanation for your parent or carer to defer it until the next possible time that is convenient to both your family and your teacher.
You, or your class, may be detained for up to 10 minutes at the end of the school day.

School Rules: Notes for Parents

These notes should be read in conjunction with the above "School Rules: Notes for Students" and we advise as parents/carers to spend time going through the School Rules carefully with your son or daughter prior to their joining the School community to ensure that they are clearly understood.

Attendance

If your son or daughter is unwell, please send to the Form Tutor a dated note signed by yourself, stating the cause of absence, on the first day of their return to School. This may be sent in with the student. The courtesy of a telephone call on first day of absence would be helpful but a note will still be required. If we remain unaware of the cause of absence after three days, a phone call home will be made, or a formal letter will be sent, requesting to know the cause of absence.
Please do not arrange holidays during school term time because it is highly disruptive to your son or daughter’s education. If this is unavoidable, authorisation must be sought in advance from the Headteacher, Mrs D A Silcock. No other member of staff can authorise holiday absence.
Messages can usually be left out of normal School hours, simply by ringing the school number (733 1407) after 8.15am or before 4.50pm, or by sending a fax (734 0982).
Please try to ensure that your child arrives by 8.40 a.m. Please note that the School is not open until 8.00 a.m. There is a breakfast service available in the Dining Hall from 8.00am.
Occasionally there is a 3pm closure. These early closures are usually indicated on the termly calendar issued to parents at the start of every term.

Appearance

Please assist the school by ensuring that your child leaves for school and arrives home in compliance with correct school uniform. Any temporary problem with uniform must be communicated immediately to the Form Tutor.
Trainers are only allowed for P.E./Games and for playing on the playground. Under no circumstances should they be worn to or from school or within the Dining Room.
Please ensure that all items of clothing are clearly marked with the student's name.
Students who come to school incorrectly dressed will be challenged and as a last resort, may be sent home.

Preparations for the school day

Please avoid sending your child to school with large sums of money or non-essential items the loss of which would cause you concern (e.g. iPods, expensive electronic games).
Please note that when it is essential to send your child to school with a valuable item (especially a bicycle) this item must be covered by your home insurance.
Please ensure that if your child does come into school with a mobile phone, it is switched off during the school day. Parents will have to come in to collect confiscated phones. Mobile phones that have the capability to take photographs are not recommended in school at any time, and we ask that you discuss the issues around taking photographs or video clips in school which could cause upset or offence.
The School Planner

Your son/daughter will be issued with a school planner on the first day of school.

The planner should be used to:-
1. Record homework
2. Communicate information/concerns to your child’s Form Tutor, and vice versa.
The planner should be signed by both Parent/Form Tutor on a regular basis.

Work

Please work to provide your child with a suitably quiet area to do his or her homework. It is usually a good idea to set aside a specific time every day for homework.
If the amount of homework your child is doing appears consistently minimal, excessive, or at odds with what is indicated on the Homework Timetable, please telephone the Year Group Manager to check whether there is a problem.
If a School text book, on loan to the student, is lost, the student will be liable for the cost of a replacement copy. This also applies to School Planners.
P.E.is a compulsory part of the curriculum. Students should have the appropriate kit at every lesson. Only a dated parental letter presented on the day will be accepted as an excuse for non-participation.
Every year there will be one formal report issued,one Parents' Evening, two interim assessments and, in the case of Years 8, 11 and 12, a meeting to discuss the next stage of your child's education.
Students entered or due to be entered for public examinations will be liable to repay the entry fee if they fail to attend an examination for no good reason or if the standard of their work or absence of coursework does not, in the view of the Headteacher, justify spending public money on their entry. Please note also that there-sitting of modular examinations is also at parental expense.

The School environment

The School is very distinctive with its Clock Tower, Chapel and Grade II listed buildings. We want to maintain its distinctive character and make sure that it is a first class learning environment. In order for that to happen, we need to maintain high standards of behaviour about litter and chewing gum.
Please ensure that your child understands that chewing gum is NEVER permitted in School.

Safety and behaviour

We feel that the safety and behaviour Sections of the Student’s School Rules is self explanatory and reasonable. The safety and safeguarding of students is our top priority. Always contact the school if, in conversation with your child, you ever have any concerns.
Detentions range from 10 minutes to 1 hour as explained in the Students’ rules.
Your son/daughter may be detained for a maximum of ten minutes without prior notice.
If the detention is for any longer, then 24 hours notice will be given in writing.
Trading and Gambling are not allowed.

Additional Matters for parents/carers to note

Please note that a voluntary parental contribution of £20 per student per year, payable in up to two instalments, is requested. The first instalment is due on the first day of each school year, the second on the first day after the Spring Term Half Term in February. This money is used to underwrite a wide variety of activities and to contribute towards the upkeep of the minibuses.
There are two options for lunchtime. The student can:
1. have a School lunch
2. have a packed lunch in school in the Dining Hall
Students may not leave School to purchase take-away food, except the Sixth Form, who may purchase food but must not consume it off the school premises. They may only consume it in their Common Room.

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the school, normally via the appropriate Year Group Manager or Form Tutor.

From time to time, we will send a circular letter home with a reply slip for you to acknowledge receipt. Please ensure that the acknowledgement is signed and returned promptly.

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