School Policies
The Governors of John Spence High School are committed to providing a full and effective education for all our pupils. We will do all we can to ensure that all pupils attend to their fullest and that any problems which impede this are identified and acted upon as soon as possible.
Regular and punctual school attendance is essential to enable all pupils to gain the maximum benefit from the opportunities provided throughout their education. Improving attendance is a vital element of school improvement and as research indicates, positively impacts on the levels of achievement of pupils.
We believe a positive attendance culture is more likely to be achieved when all partners co-operate with each other.
| Partners | Expectations |
Pupils We expect that all pupils will: |
* Attend school regularly * Arrive on time * Tell a member of staff about any problem which is making it hard for them to attend school regularly. |
Parents/Carers We expect that all parents/carers will: |
* Encourage their children to attend school every day and on time * Ensure that they contact school as soon as possible whenever their child is unable to attend school * Ensure that their children arrive in school fully prepared for the school day and provide the school with up to date home, work and emergency contact numbers * NOT arrange family holidays during the school term * Inform the school, in confidence, about any problem which might affect their child’s attendance or behaviour. |
School Parents/carers can expect that the school will: |
* Provide a good quality education appropriate to their child’s needs * Record their child’s attendance regularly, accurately and efficiently * Make every reasonable effort to contact the parent when their child fails to attend school without good reason * Deal discretely and properly with any problem notified to the school by the parent * Make all efforts to encourage good attendance, punctuality and behaviour |
Unavoidable Absence
It is the parents’ responsibility to inform our Home School Liaison Officer, Mrs Lyster of the reason for a child’s absence as soon as possible. Please contact the school office ( 0191 2005220 )on the first day of absence and indicate, if possible, the expected date of return. When returning to school, students must bring a note explaining the reason for absence.
Unauthorised Absence
Only the school, within the context of the law, can approve absence. If a student returns to school without a note it is likely that the absence will be regarded as unauthorised and a return of truancy made to the local authority at the appropriate time.
Healthy Eating Policy
As a Specialist Sports College one of our main aims is to promote active lifestyles and healthy living. We want to minimise disruption to lessons caused by the consumption of unhealthy products. Research over the last few years has found that healthy eating habits can have a positive impact on learning and improve behaviour. In September 2004 the school informed students that they would no longer be able to consume sweets, chocolate, crisps or fizzy drinks in classrooms, corridors, the playground or our sports areas. The impact of this change, and other initiatives, has been significant. From 2005 onwards the school has raised standards year upon year with annual improvement from 42% 5 A*-C in 2005 to 87% in 2009. In addition, there has also been a 25% drop in the number of students put on detention for poor behaviour.
We do believe that a dietary balance is provided through a wide variety of food and drink choices that meet all required government guidelines. We will always continue to monitor provision to ensure that your child has the opportunity to receive a wholesome and nutritious meal that will fuel their academic learning and sporting activity responsibly.
We also seek to reduce the amount of litter dropped on the yard and around the school premises. We want to give the students the best environment to learn in and by reducing litter we can go some way to do this.
We hope that you will support this policy and if your child has a packed lunch that you can give healthy options as part of a balanced meal. A bag of crisps, a fizzy drink or a chocolate bar must be eaten as part of this balanced meal and not separately at morning break or later in the lunch period. School staff will not inspect packed lunches as long as they are eaten in a sensible fashion, sat at tables, in the dining area.
If you have any further queries about our Healthy Eating Policy please contact Mr Graham or Mr Gibson through the school office.
