Frequently Asked Questions

We attach considerable importance to punctuality. Students should be in school in time to arrive at their tutor base for morning registration at 8.45am. Arrival after this time will be counted as late and tutors will inform parents and take appropriate action if this becomes a habit. If students miss registration for any reason in either the morning or afternoon, they must report to Student Services.

If your child needs to leave school early, for example for a dental appointment which could not be arranged at another time, it is very important that they sign out at Student Services. This means that we can always have an accurate check on who is in school and this would be vital in the event of a serious incident such as a fire. If your child does need to leave school early, please send a note to the Tutor to confirm when you would like your child to leave. They should get this note signed by their Tutor and Director of Learning

We believe that regular attendance at school is absolutely vital if students are to make progress with their education and maintain relationships with their peers. To raise the profile and importance of good attendance with students, their attendance is published termly on the Attendance Board in the School Restaurant. We also encourage students to attend as regularly as possible by presenting certificates each term to those who achieve 100% attendance. Good attendance is also rewarded with points which count towards the Larkmead Certificate, which is presented at the end of the year. The tutor group with the best attendance for the whole year is also rewarded with a social outing. However, we realise that some absences are unavoidable. Please contact the School’s Attendance Officer on 01235 544844 by 10:00 on the first day of absence. Unexplained absences will be reported to the Education Health Officer.

In common with other schools in Abingdon, we discourage student absence for holidays in term time. If such an absence is unavoidable, written requests should be sent to the Keystage 3 Coordinator or Keystage 4 Coordinator.

The school produces a helpful guide to ‘Attendance at School’ which is distributed at the start of the year.

The school has a strong tradition of visits and residential work in a wide range of areas, for example, curricular fieldwork, outward bound activities, foreign exchange and theatre visits. The Education Act allows for the charging of board and lodging costs. Travel, entry to places of interest, etc. must be a voluntary contribution by parents.

However, we trust that parents will want their son/daughter to participate and so make the voluntary contribution as funds available for subsidy are extremely limited and trips will have to be cancelled if costs cannot be covered. School will always try to help where families are in receipt of Family Income Supplement or Supplementary Benefit, and as always, such matters will be treated discreetly and in confidence.

External examination fees represent a sizable proportion of the budget and students are entered on the advice of their teachers, at no cost to the parent. The Education Act allows us to recover from parents ‘wasted fees’ i.e. where a student fails to complete coursework requirements or fails to sit an examination without good reason. Similarly, parents may be asked to pay the cost of breakages or damages that result from misbehaviour.

Many clubs and societies exist during the lunchtime and after school for students of all ages. Some are especially for Year 7 students. We also make available a variety of play equipment for students’ use at break and lunchtime. This includes soft balls, (football, rugby), basket balls and Quick Cricket. Students may also play a game of table tennis on one of our five tables.

Most communications from school will be by letter, telephone, or email. We aim to keep you informed of your child’s progress, and we will contact you at an early stage if we have concerns about work or behavior. We will also let you know if your child has done particularly well in any aspect of school life.

There is also a termly newsletter to keep you informed about school life.

We believe that students are likely to get the most from their education when there is a strong sense of partnership between home and school. This partnership must be based on good communications and we would encourage you to contact the school whenever you feel this is necessary. If there are problems we can help with, or should know about, or if your child has achieved something we can share in, please let us know. We would also like as much feedback as possible from you concerning the life of the school.

In the case of an emergency, if you need to contact your child during the day, the School Office will pass on any messages you leave.

Your main staff contact is your child’s form tutor. If necessary, they will be able to pass on specific queries to other members of staff best placed to deal with the issues raised. It is always helpful to contact the school by letter, email or telephone in the first place, as individual staff may not be available to deal personally with an issue if parents arrive at school without warning.

You can arrange a meeting by telephoning the school, or sending a letter through your child’s tutor. The best times to contact staff by telephone are before 08:45 or after 15:10.

When your child starts at Larkmead, the following equipment is essential;

• a reasonably large and firm bag in which to carry their books
• a pen
• a pencil
• a rubber
• a 30cm ruler
• coloured pencils
• a book in which they can make rough notes
• a separate bag in which to carry their P.E. kit

We suggest you do not buy Maths instruments or a calculator until your child has talked to their Maths teacher, as you could find that you have bought expensive equipment which is not required.

We know that some students tend to carry all their equipment around with them every day. Only bringing in books and equipment needed for the day is a useful habit for students to develop, reducing the weight of their bag considerably.

The Governing Body has a very important role in matters of school policy and its constitution ensures that Parent Governors are able to play a full part. All parents can vote in the election of Parent Governors who normally serve for four years.

The current list of Governors at the time of publication can be found here.

Homework is a vital part of the work of all students. Each student has a planner incorporating the homework timetable and a homework notebook and parents are asked to inspect and initial this each week.

The school attaches great importance to homework and parents should contact the Director of Learning if their child is not undertaking adequate, regular homework. Such work is essential in developing self-discipline and the skills for independent learning.

We hope you will be able to provide a quiet area for homework with a table or desk to work on. T.V. and radio are distractions and do not help children to work purposefully.

We take our duty of care very seriously. The school has a medical room and a Student Health Officer, who is a qualified First Aider. Parents are asked to let both the Student Health Officer and the Tutor know if their daughter or son has any special medical condition, although such information is always treated with appropriate confidentiality. We will also ask for an emergency telephone number for contacting parents in the case of an accident or sudden illness.

Whilst regular attendance at school is absolutely essential for educational progress, parents should take care not to send sick children to school who then have to be sent home during the first part of the day. Likewise, any injuries or ailments occurring at home cannot be dealt with at school. Such cases should go directly to your doctor.

In cases of emergency students will be sent to hospital or taken to the Health Centre and parents notified. However it is regretted that we cannot take sick children home. If your child becomes unwell, you will be contacted where possible and asked to collect him/her. If this is not possible, we can arrange a taxi, but must charge this to you. No student will be sent home unless we have been able to contact you. With this in mind, it is essential that you give us an emergency contact number where we can reach you during the day.

As a result of recent changes in regulations we are not able to give out any non-prescription medicines to students. If your child requires prescription medicine to be given during the school day, please obtain a Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs Pack from the Student Health Officer and fill in the permission form so we can dispense their medication safely.

Lockers are provided for those students who wish to use them. They are available by a rental system which will be explained at the start of the academic year.

It is very likely that your child will lose some item during his/her time at school. It is sensible therefore, to mark all property with your child’s name. If things are lost a student’s first action should be to check with the Student Services to see if it has been handed in. It can be reclaimed at lunchtime daily.

At the beginning of the school year, you will be asked to indicate what lunchtime arrangements you would prefer for your child. There is a cash restaurant which provides a variety of dishes at competitive prices. Free lunches are available to children whose parents receive Income Support, Job Seekers, Immigration and Asylum Act and Child Tax Credit (dependent on income). Please make sure you apply in good time. Forms can be obtained from the School Office.

Students may bring a packed lunch and eat it in rooms designated for this purpose. They are expected to tidy the room. Except for the Sixth Form, students may not leave the premises without the special permission of their Director of Learning or the Key Stage Coordinator.

All Year groups have a social space for use during lunchtime but students should remain in their own social space and not wander around the buildings. Whenever the weather permits, students are encouraged to be outside in the fresh air. Details of the rooms available are explained at the start of the year and students are expected to use these areas responsibly.

The schools policy on mobile telephones and other electronic devices is very simple; they should not be brought to school.

Any mobile phones, iPods, MP3 players, etc. that are seen out and/or heard will be confiscated and handed to the main front of school office. The phone will be kept for 7 days at which point a student may collect their property. The property can be collected from the main office before the end of the 7 days although the earliest that a parent can collect the phone is the morning after the day of confiscation.

The reasons for the policy are

• to avoid students being distracted from their studies
• to remove the risk of damage to or theft of expensive electronic items
• to reduce the potential risk of cyber bullying

Should any students need to bring a phone into school on any day, it can be left with Student Services and collected at the end of the school day. Any student needing to make emergency contact with a parent during the school day can do so by asking their respective Director of Learning for permission. This call can then be made from either the Director of Learning’s office or Students Services. Likewise any parent or carer wishing to contact a student should contact Student Services in the first instance.

Thank you for your anticipated co-operation with the school policy.

Teachers are always willing to help the families in our school with authorising passport forms. As you know these can be time consuming and do take teachers away from their other duties. In these circumstances a voluntary contribution to the school funds would always be appreciated.

Privacy Notice – Data Protection Act 1998

We Larkmead School are the Data Controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act. We collect information from you and may receive information about you from your previous school and the Learning Records Service.

We hold this personal data and use it to:

• Support your teaching and learning;
• Monitor and report on your progress;
• Provide appropriate pastoral care, and
• Assess how well your school is doing.

This information includes your contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information[1] and personal characteristics such as your ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information. If you areenrolling for post 14 qualifications we will be provided with your unique learner number by the Learning Records Service and may also obtain from them details of any learning or qualifications you have undertaken.

We will not give information about you to anyone outside the school without your consent unless the law and our rules allow us to.

We are required by law to pass some of your information to the Local Authority and the Department for Education (DfE)

If you want to see a copy of the information we hold and share about you then please contact the Attendance Officer.

If you require more information about how Oxfordshire County Council and/or DfE store and use your information, then please click here.

If you are unable to access these websites, please contact Oxfordshire County Council or DfE as follows:

Data Protection Officer
Commissioning, Performance & Quality Assurance
Children, Young People & Families
Oxfordshire County Council
County Hall
New Road
Oxford OX1 1ND

Public Communications Unit Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT

Website:www.education.gov.uk

Email: info@education.gsi.gov.uk

Telephone: 0870 000 2288

Connexions Services – Once you are aged 13 or over we are required to pass on certain information to the Connexions services. Connexions is the government’s support service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in England. We must provide both your and your parents(s) name and address, and any further information relevant to the Connexions services’ role. However, you (if you are over 16) or your parents can ask that no information beyond name and address be passed to Connexions. Please inform the Attendance Officer if youwish to opt-out of this arrangement. For more information about Connexions please go to the LA website shown.

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[1]Attendance is not collected for pupils under 5 at Early Years Settings or Maintained Schools.

During the course of all lessons at Larkmead, teachers regularly review, assess and record students’ progress. This may take the form of comments and discussions in class, as well as comments in exercise books. In this way parents should be able to see how students are progressing. In addition, students will be involved in self and peer assessment to encourage them to engage with their learning and understand how to make progress. If teachers are particularly pleased with or concerned about any aspect of a student’s work they may contact home, and we would urge parents to let the school know if they have concerns.

Alongside the ongoing assessment, we have a tracking system that allows us to send home a report three times a year. Using the information we have about each individual’s prior attainment, and about how well similar students performed, we are able to set targets for the end of each Key Stage. At three points each year teachers record an assessment to say how well students are doing, which is compared to the expected level for the individual. If students are on or above target they will receive one point. If they are below target they will have a point against them. This way, students can see how well they are doing as individuals, and there is a level playing field in terms of everyone aiming to make progress. Students can be given a red or yellow card for their attitude to learning, and these warnings let everyone know of any concerns.

Alongside the tracking system there is a Parent Teacher Consultation Evening for each year group, where parents and students will have the opportunity to meet subject teachers and discuss progress. In Years 9, 10 and 11 there are also Target Setting Days, where parents can have longer meetings with tutors to discuss progress and to set demanding and supportive targets with students. As well as the Year team and subject teachers, there are always at least two senior members of staff available for you to consult. Appointments are scheduled for five minutes, so if you have a more complex matter to discuss it is helpful if you make a further appointment for another occasion, since if your appointment over runs it has a knock on effect on other parents.

Students also have 3 mentor sessions with their tutor per year to monitor progress. If you do have anxieties at other times please do not hesitate to contact the school straight away. Difficulties tackled as soon as they occur are more easily solved than those which are left and, consequently, grow. If the concerns are subject specific, please contact the subject teacher, but more general concerns should be addressed to your child’s Tutor.

The school has a strong reputation for recognising achievement in all its forms. In order to encourage further improvement the school makes annual awards for work, progress and attainment.

Rewards

In all areas of school life students are regularly praised for their efforts and achievements. These achievements whether for academic or personal success, good attendance, or community service, carry a point’s score, and build towards a Larkmead Certificate which is awarded at the end of each year at Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Students are also rewarded more frequently with certificates (Years 7 & 8) and with the chance to win vouchers (Years 9, 10 & 11). We also encourage students and parents to share with us their achievements and successes out of school. Student achievements are regularly celebrated in year group assemblies which take place each week and in the whole school assembly at the end of every term.

Our Sex and Relationships Education Programme takes place in both Biology and PDC lessons. It is a cumulative course, with materials being introduced at relevant stages of students’ development. It develops during the five years of compulsory secondary education. Much of what is covered is a statutory part of the National Curriculum.

An outline of what is included and the aims behind it are included below:

Principles:

That young people are entitled to responsible and relevant sex education as a key element of personal and social education
That successful adulthood includes understanding and responsible use of sexuality.

Aims:

• To promote understanding of sexual attitudes and behaviour
• To assist the development of informed, reasoned and responsible decisions
• To develop self-esteem and self-confidence in young people as the foundation for responsible and caring relationships
• To ensure knowledge of the relevant law
• To help young people to be positive and confident about the physical, emotional and more aspects of sexual maturity

Objectives:

• To provide knowledge and understanding about male and female puberty, menstruation, the physiology of sex, contraception, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)
• Exploration of moral values/family values, gender roles and stereotyping
• To provide an opportunity for students to examine their own and others attitudes to sexual activity and related issues
• To promote an awareness of the pressure on young people to behave in a certain way and to help to improve assertiveness and give them the confidence to cope with such pressure
• To further develop personal skills and qualities: i.e. listening, questioning, communicating, standpoint taking, valuing the opinions of others, empathising etc

Practice:

In curriculum areas and the tutorial programme, content and methods are designed to be appropriate to the age and general development of students in the group and to be sensitive to religious beliefs and cultural practices
Through outside agencies, ie Theatre in Education may be involved when the quality of the learning outcome and resources allow, experts whose quality and suitability is known
A copy of the Governors’ updated Policy on Sex Education is available here and from the school, as are copies of all Governors’ Policies.

Should you have any further questions about this aspect of your child’s education, please contact the Director of Learning or the Head of Science.

We recognise that mainstream P.E. is not for everyone.

In Sports Plus our aim is to give every student the opportunity to be involved in sport whatever their ability. We tailor a programme to suit each student’s needs which includes a physical exercise programme incorporating any already existing physiotherapy programmes, using advice from the Physiotherapy Service, Occupational Therapy Service and Physical Disability Outreach Service.

Healthy Eating and Nutrition are also covered in the programme where students learn the benefits of a balanced diet.

Wherever possible we aim to reintegrate students back into mainstream P.E. but always with continued support if required.

School begins as normal at 08:45. Year 7 students begin a day earlier with Year 12 and should go to the Main Hall and sit with their Tutor Group. After an introductory assembly, they will go to their tutor bases with their Tutor and will be given their homework planner, a map of the school and their timetable. They will spend period 1 with their Tutor on this process. Periods 2-4 will be in lessons. They will return to their tutor base for period 5 and Tutors will review the day and answer any questions.

They will be told which teaching group they are in, but do remember that these are reviewed throughout the year and we will move a student if this is in their best interest. If you are concerned about anything at all in these early days of term, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Tutor.

Our main student records are held on a secure centrally managed system (SIMS). It is important that this information is up to date as it contains such essential data as emergency contact telephone numbers, medical information, lunchtime arrangements etc. If you have joined us from one of our partner primary schools in Abingdon, this information will have been passed to us automacially. If you are new to the area we will ask you to complete a simple form which will ensure that we capture all this information. You will be sent a copy of the information we hold at the beginning of the school year so that it can be checked for accuracy.

If you have an e-mail address it would be very helpful if you could let us know the details by clicking here.

The school is registered under the Data Protection Act and ensures the confidentiality of all information held on computer.

The Student Voice is made up of 4 committees each with a separate focus within the school.

The Committees are;

• Teaching and Learning – responsible for curriculum issues.
• Events and Charity – responsible for organising charity events within school.
• Student Welfare – responsible for issues surrounding the well-being of students.
• Site and Environment – responsible for issues relating to the school site and promotion of environmentally friendly ideas.

The committees each have a chairperson and comprise students from each year group. They meet regularly to discuss matters arising and their own ideas. The committees then liaise with the Leadership Team about putting their ideas into action. They each have a set of targets they wish to complete by the end of the academic year which they are all working towards.

The committees match that of the Governors committees, so representatives from the Student Voice attend Governors meetings to bring the student perspective. Representatives on the committees are voted in by the whole school. This is carried out during an elections week where students must create their own manifesto as to why they should be voted in. In the past Student Voice have been responsible in crucial decisions that have been made within the school regarding the site, teaching and learning and student safety.

The school day for students runs from 8.45am to 3.10pm. Lessons are either 55 or 60 minutes long. The timings for the day are as follows;

Registration 08:45 – 08:55
Period 1 08:55 – 09:50
Period 2 09:50 – 10:45
Break 10:45 – 11:05
Period 3 11:05 – 12:05
Period 4 12:05 – 13:05
Lunch 13:05 – 13:55
Assembly/Registration 13:55 – 14:10
Period 5 14:10 – 15:10

What Can I expect in my Childs Transition Year?

• Curriculum Links with Primary Schools: Art, Drama, Dance, D&T, French, ICT, Music, Science and P.E.
• Visits: Keystage 3 Coordinator visits each transferring student and talks at length with his/her primary teacher.
• Meet the key staff: two evenings for students and parents in April and June.
• Roadshows in June and July.
• Open Day in July.
• Induction day: a chance for the students to have a day of lessons at Larkmead.
• Students with special needs: their needs are discussed and planned beforehand.
• Extra visits: for very anxious students recommended by primary school.
• First day of term: a quiet start with only new Year 7 students and new 6th Form students in school.
• Communication: our tutors are happy to discuss any worries, preferably at an early stage.

In-year Admission Information

• Organised tours with Keystage 3 or 4 Coordinator before admission takes place.
• Options details given.
• Details of current education required before admission takes place.

Larkmead is an inclusive school which attracts students with a range of special needs. To address the demands made on SEN provision at Larkmead we have moved in the direction of Provision Mapping where a range of group and individual interventions are devised to appropriately and effectively meet student needs.

Students with heavily resourced Statements of Special Needs will be considered as having significant needs which will be prioritised through the provision mapping system. Group interventions are targeted towards those with similar needs whilst recognising that some students will need more support than others.

Coaches and buses: These are normally provided for students living more than 3 miles from the school and the details of pick-up points and times are given to individual students. For safety reasons students must travel on the coach to which they have been allocated and they should use the safety belts provided. Students will be issued with a bus pass which should be carried at all times. Bus drivers are entitled to refuse to transport students who are not able to show an appropriate pass. If students lose their passes, they should come to the school office. The cost of a replacement is £4.00. A high standard of behaviour is expected of all students in their journeys to and from school. School rules of behaviour apply on the coaches and at all collection points. Serious offenders may be banned from the use of this transport. In such cases parents must make alternative travel arrangements for their children.

Late buses are available for students who take part in after-school clubs and activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. All buses leave from the bus park at the front of school. Members of staff supervise this area after school and all students must follow their instructions in the interest of everyone’s safety.

Cycles: Many students choose to cycle to school. Bicycle sheds are provided, which are locked during the school day and while the school will take all reasonable precautions, it must be clearly understood that no liability is accepted for cycles or their fittings. A few simple rules apply to ensure the security of bicycles and the safety of students who cycle to school.
Security: all bicycles must be locked and left in the allocated areas. Students should keep a record of details of their cycle, including the frame number. Cycles should not be lent to other students only students with cycles should go into the bike sheds and they should not loiter in these areas.
Safety: Cycles must be roadworthy and will be safety checked at the beginning of each year. Cycles which pass, will be marked with a numbered sticky label which are checked regularly. All students are encouraged to wear a cycle helmet (and receive a reduction in the cost of hiring a locker if they do so). Cycles must not be ridden in the school grounds. Students should follow staff directions when leaving the site. The exit to the school is a STOP junction. Cycles must be ridden carefully and in accordance with the Highway Code. Unsafe cycling will result in withdrawal of permission to bring a cycle to school.

Walking: Faringdon Road is extremely busy and all pedestrians must cross where they can be supervised by the School Crossing Patrol.
Parents’ Cars: For reasons of safety, because of the considerable volume of traffic entering and leaving the school, parents’ cars should not wait outside the main exit, in the main internal roadways or in the car park of the neighbouring school. Parents collecting students at the end of the school day should do so from the main playground and not leave until the bell at 15:20 is sounded.
Parents are asked to strictly maintain the 5mph speed limit in the interest of the safety of all students. Only students in the Sixth Form are allowed to bring vehicles to school – application to do so should be to the Head of Sixth Form.

We believe that high standards of dress promote high standards of work and behaviour. The co-operation of all parents is requested to ensure that students are in correct uniform at all times. Please ensure that extremes of fashion are avoided.

This September 2012 we are delighted to offer our new year 7s a brand new design of school uniform. Some of our Able, Gifted and Talented students have been working with an outside design company to produce a uniform that all students would enjoy wearing. Our students commented “we want our uniform to advertise the change and progress in our school which is why we decided that we needed a new appearance. This would help to boost the feeling of school pride and a sense of fresh, new individuality to Larkmead’s overall image”.

The new uniform process has been completed, full details and how to purchase uniform are communicated below. Please note that our P.E. kit will not change and details of our P.E. kit can be found below.

Please see below to confirm when each year group would be able to wear the new uniform:

• New Year 7 – September 2012, 2013 and 2014
• Year 8 – September 2013 and 2014
• Year 9 – September 2013 and 2014
• Year 10 – September 2013 and 2014
• Year 11 – September 2014

For your information Larkmead School has gone into partnership with Southeast Workwear Ltd who have become the School’s approved and sole school uniform supplier from that date. The benefits of this arrangement are that parents/carers will be able to visit either the store or the online shop to buy their child’s school uniform all year round rather than only when the school is open and the administrative staff of the school will be able to focus more on providing administrative support to the teachers. It will allow Southeast Workwear Ltd to provide the local community with an additional (Larkmead) range of products to their already extensive range.

Parents can be assured that the competitive school uniform prices will remain the same, as will the product quality on which the school has always prided itself, as any changes to selling price or specification of uniform items must be agreed between Larkmead School and Southeast Workwear Ltd in advance of any such change.

Shoes – plain black, not boots, reasonable sturdy styles which completely cover the foot, with no ornate decorations. Heels should not be more than 5 centimetres. Training shoes or trainer-style shoes are not acceptable.

Outdoor Coat – warm and waterproof, without offensive slogans or studs.

Aprons – a navy Woodworker’s type apron* for use in Art and Design and Technology.
For Food Technology any type of apron may be worn except that worn for the heavier crafts.

Jewellery – students may wear a watch, one flat signet ring, one pair of small stud earrings, worn in the ear lobe only, and a single St. Christopher and chain or similar which reflects religious beliefs: all jewellery must be removed in PE and Dance lessons as it is potentially hazardous. The following are not permitted – make-up, bracelets and necklaces, hoop/drop earrings and any other facial or body piercings.

P.E Kit

• Shorts – black*
• T-Shirt – gold*
• Rugby Shirt – gold*
• Sports trainers – plain
• Hockey or Football boots
• Hockey or Football socks – * long plain black
• Shin pads

If students wish to wear tracksuit bottoms during the winter terms, these should be purchased from The Warehouse at www.larkmeaduniform.co.uk. P.E. staff can answer any other questions about P.E kit.

Please note – there is no difference between boys and girls P.E. kit.
In line with recommendations from the Rugby Football Union and the Hockey Association, we encourage students to wear a mouth guard when involved in these sports either in lessons or competitive games. Mouth guards can be purchased from P.E. Department.
All students wear full uniform until the end of Year 11. In the Sixth Form there is no uniform, but we expect high standards of dress, suitable for the working environment. Leisurewear is inappropriate.
Parents may purchase articles of school uniform (except ties, Larkmead sweatshirts and P.E. kit marked * above) from any supplier, providing styles, materials and colours are adhered to. In all cases of doubt, please consult the school before purchase.
All clothing, including outdoor coats and P.E. kit, must be clearly and permanently named. It is virtually impossible to trace unnamed items.
Items marked * must be purchased from The Warehouse at www.larkmeaduniform.co.uk.