Secondary Handbook
Table of Contents Welcome to the British School of Navarra ......................................................................................... 3 Teaching Staff ................................................................................................................................... 3 School hours...................................................................................................................................... 3 School uniform................................................................................................................................... 3 What you will need for school ............................................................................................................ 5 School Lunch ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Behaviour .......................................................................................................................................... 6 House system .................................................................................................................................... 7 Attendance ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Health and First Aid ........................................................................................................................... 9 Home/School communication .......................................................................................................... 10 Homework ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Educational Visits & Residential Trips ............................................................................................. 12 In Summary 
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Welcome to the British School of Navarra This handbook has been created for the parents and pupils. In it you will find school hours, useful updates, full details of school uniform requirements, homework guidelines and other information. We hope you will find it useful, and your comments and feedback are always appreciated. Best wishes for a successful year at the school.
Teaching Staff Nicola Harte Jack Nolan Pauline Seddon James Batten Sarah McCarthy Andrea Arruiz Carolina Carbo Violetta Dmitrenko Miss Ana Nathan Sastre
English & History Maths, PE, Y7 & 8 ICT Science & Geography Y9 maths Art & Design Y9 & Y8 Spanish Studies Y7 Spanish Studies French Piano Y9 ICT
Y9 Tutor Y7 Tutor Y8 Tutor
School hours 8.30 8.45 9.00 11.00 11.20 13.10 14.15 14.20 16.30
School doors open (no pupils should arrive before this time). Students taken to secondary campus Lessons begin (periods 1, 2 & 3) Morning break, students to remain in the secondary campus Lessons resume (periods 4, 5 & 6) Lunch in main campus Students escorted to secondary campus Lessons resume (periods 7, 8 & 9) students have a 10 minute break at the discretion of the teacher End of school
If pupils arrive late they must sign in at Reception and record the reason for late arrival, they will be escorted to the secondary campus. If it is raining or snowing then students should wait in the multipurpose hall to be escorted to the secondary campus. You will be informed of those days on which your child has Physical Education classes, and s/he should bring PE kit on those days.
School uniform School uniform is compulsory for all students attending the school. We believe that wearing school uniform in a proud and smart manner promotes positive self-esteem and, therefore, is integral to the ethos of the school. All students are expected to arrive at school every day in clean clothes, which are to be worn in a tidy manner. We expect our students to take pride in their school uniform.
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Blazers may be worn any day but are compulsory for Assembly days when all students will be required to wear their blazers every week. Below is the set uniform for Secondary students: Girls
Boys
Sleeveless jumper (Optional)
White summer shirt
Grey short trousers
Grey long trousers (Optional) Senior tie
3/4 Socks
P.E. t-shirt
White summer Shirt
Grey skirt
PE
Sleeveless jumper (Optional)
Senior tie
Sun hat
Backpack
Long sleeved jumper
House T-Shirts
ROMANS
Hairband
Knee length socks
Please enquire about our range of swimwear at the uniform shop
P.E. socks
P.E. shorts
School blazer (per school requirements)
Romans
SAXONS
Saxons
VIKINGS
Vikings
NORMANS
Normans
Girls: blazer, white shirt, skirt, blue, black or grey socks, tie(blue/yellow stripe), and parents to purchase black leather school shoes separately. Boys: blazer, white shirts, long trousers, blue, black or grey socks, tie (blue/yellow stripe), parents to purchase black leather school shoes separately. PE: T-shirt, Shorts, White Ankle Socks, trainers to be purchased by parents separately, house shirt (Red, Green, Yellow and Blue) Additional Items: school rucksack, jumper (optional) sun cap, and hairband. General Appearance For safety reasons the wearing of earrings (except studs), or other jewellery (metal or plastic) must not be permitted during sporting activities, PE or swimming. They represent potential hazards to all participants. Medical, professional and occupational safety advice confirms that they should be avoided at all times. Hair should be worn in a neat style. Please note that Mohicans, tramlines and bright colours are not considered appropriate hairstyles for school. Any hair colouring should be a natural colour. If a
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student attends school with a hairstyle that is deemed inappropriate, the Headmaster will inform the parents and request a more suitable style. Make up and nail varnish are not permitted in school. Furthermore, a student may be required to wear hair tied back and/or to remove jewellery if it is deemed hazardous to an activity.
What you will need for school Water Bottles: • Each student will be asked to bring their own re-useable water bottle to school • The bottle should be individual and never shared with others • It should be clearly labelled with the name and class of the student • The bottle will be returned home at the end of each day to be washed • Only water should be contained in the bottles - no juice, carbonated drinks or flavoured drinks • Water dispensers will be available at school for refills whenever required Storage & Usage: • Water bottles will be stored neatly in class and students will be able to carry them to specialist lessons • Teachers will establish clear routines in their class to ensure drinks are available to students at certain times, but do not interrupt their lessons in anyway • Please note that students may not be permitted to use water bottles in locations which are deemed hazardous, e.g. in the vicinity of ICT and/or electrical equipment
Resources All Secondary students are expected to bring a pencil case to school every day with personal items needed for the school day. These items include black, blue and green pens, a ruler, pencils, coloured pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, compass and protractor, a scientific calculator and their homework diary. This pencil case should be brought to school in a bag where other personal items may be kept. Students are responsible for ensuring that they bring their school mobile device fully charged to school every day. Prohibited Items It is school policy not to bring the following items to school: • Chewing gum and sweets • Toy or real weapons of any kind including guns • Toys or games unless at the request of a teacher Mobile phones MUST be off during school hours
School Lunch A hot and nutritious lunch is served to all children in school. School lunches are paid for in advance along with tuition fees. If you have not already informed the school that your child has dietary restrictions (whether for health, religious or allergy reasons), please do so immediately. We will inform the school kitchen and special arrangements will be made to provide proper suitable alternatives.
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Nut Free School Some children have severe allergies to peanuts in particular. Please be advised that the school is a nut-free zone. No products containing any nuts what so ever are allowed within the school premises.
Behaviour Our school’s code of conduct aims to achieve a positive atmosphere in which more time is spent on teaching and learning. We recognise that the school has a critical role to play in developing selfdiscipline in students. We aim to establish acceptable patterns of behaviour and to encourage students to develop a sense of responsibility, self-respect and a respect for other people, property and the environment. It is essential for parents and the school to work in partnership so that the values encouraged by home and school are mutually reinforced. The following outlines the key expectations we have of students: • Treat everyone with respect and courtesy • Behave in a way that aids learning during lessons • Walk at all times when indoors • Walk on the left in corridors and staircases • Hold doors open for others • Make sure that classrooms, common rooms and other recreation areas are kept clean and tidy; litter should be placed in bins • Always look after classroom resources and ensure that furniture and resources are tidy at the end of lessons • Knock and wait to be invited into the room if late for class • Do not leave the classroom without the teacher’s permission • No eating and drinking in the classroom – except water, and with the teacher’s permission • Students are responsible for clearing trays, plates, etc., after break and lunch All students are encouraged, taught and expected to demonstrate high standards of behaviour. We value highly the qualities of self-discipline, self-respect and respect for others and their property. We encourage all students to act as positive citizens and bullying will not be tolerated at our school.
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House system On entry to the school, each student will be allocated a house, with members of the same family being placed in the same house. We always seek a balance of male and female students in each house. The house names and colours are as follows:
The whole school is involved in the merit system and each teacher and assistant teacher will be part of a house. There will be regular house assemblies held throughout the year. House captains are elected at the start of the year. The House system comprises two parts: 1. Rewards system, where students gain commendations for individual awards relating to their progress and efforts in all aspects of school life. 2. Inter-house competitions such as sports days, swimming galas, poetry, and music competitions. Outstanding academic work and approach to learning is regularly rewarded publicly. Assembly is the venue for awarding attainment and attitude to learning prizes following progress reviews and examination results. Each week one pupil is nominated for the ‘Student of the Week’ trophy in recognition of the number of Commendations they receive. It is important to note that Commendations are awarded for as much for learning approach and positive community contributions as for academic attainment. Speech Day prizes include many accolades for academic, sporting, extra-curricular merit and for contribution to school life. Central to our rewards system, as a daily occurrence, teachers award Commendations for attitude to learning and achievement in academic work, extra-curricular activities or for a positive contribution in the everyday life of the school. The Commendation is entered onto the student record and acknowledged as a fine achievement for any one individual. It has a high profile reward and is highly valued. We make ‘Student of the Week’ awards each week in assembly. Commendations for academic effort or achievement count toward an overall House Cup. There will also be individual rewards for pupils who perform consistently well (either academically or through their approach to learning). Positivity, encouragement, recognition and reward should be the driving force in behavioural management in the School. It is essential to recognise that all pupils
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are capable of achieving Commendations for ‘attitude to learning’ as this aspect of school life is always judged against a pupil’s level of ability.
Attendance Regular daily attendance is essential if students are to achieve their potential. We ask that parents support attendance at school wherever possible. Absence from school for reasons which are neither health-related nor involving an emergency are strongly discouraged and should be kept to a minimum, since frequent absence can result in the student falling behind - perhaps seriously - in his/her studies and/or missing key assessments. Parents who are aware of such future absences should inform the class teacher/tutor and seek permission from the Headmaster as far in advance as possible. If students are unable to achieve the standards required to enter the next year group due to poor attendance, the following actions make take place at the discretion of the Headmaster: 1. The student will be asked to repeat the year 2. The student may be asked to withdraw from the school
Please note that it is not school policy to provide work for students who are absent. Parents will receive notification of the number of absences in the class teacher’s/tutor’s report at the end of term. Absence Through Sickness While regular daily attendance is important, sometimes absence is unavoidable through sickness. Please inform the school if your child is unable to attend school for health reasons. Please telephone as early as possible and leave a message for the Form tutor. In order for us to ensure the health and safety of your son or daughter, please advise us of any medical problems your child may have when there is an allergy to materials or food. Please ensure that the health questionnaire has been completed. If your son or daughter becomes unwell and the class teacher/tutor feels that s/he may not be well enough to participate in lessons, the student will be referred to the school nurse on site. After further observation, if the student is clearly not well enough to return to class, you may be telephoned to collect your child. Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the parents to collect an unwell child, and that the school cannot provide a driver in such circumstances. Please ensure that school always has updated contact phone numbers.
Health and First Aid The school will deal with day-to-day matters such as cuts and bruises and those children who feel unwell whilst at school. In the unlikely event of a more serious incident occurring at school, parents will be telephoned to inform them of the accident and if deemed necessary, they will be asked to meet the child and take them to receive expert medical attention.
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If your child has a medical issue such as an allergy, epilepsy, asthma, or anything that you think is important for the school to know, please notify the school. Children are not allowed to attend school in these conditions: • • • •
If your child’s temperature is above 37.8ºC If your child has been vomiting or has diarrhoea If your child has been coughing for an extended period of time, has green/ yellow nasal discharge. If your child has red eye producing discharge or a sore ear.
If your child needs medication during school hours, you will be required to sign a consent form, which you can get from the front desk. If your child has been diagnosed with any contagious diseases, please notify the school immediately and keep your child at home. You will need a letter from your doctor to say your child is safe to return to school. Medicine for Students Academic and administrative staff require a prescription from a doctor with the doctor’s signature and stamp in order to administer any medication to a child. If this cannot be provided, a family representative known to the school will need to give medicine to the student.
Home/School communication At BSN we greatly value working in partnership with parents to ensure the very best for your children. As part of this, we place a strong emphasis on opening up many avenues of communication between parents and teachers. For the majority of enquiries you should contact either the appropriate subject teacher directly (email) or your child’s form tutor – the tutor will hold the academic and pastoral overview for your child. When communicating with any member of staff, please copy in the tutor. Parent Portal. Most communication from the school is provided via the online Parent Portal. Therefore, it is essential that all parents review all of the information on the Portal regularly. Not only will information from key staff members be presented there but also important calendar events that we would not like you to miss. Email. Critical/individual communication can also be maintained by email, though we ask you to do this selectively and concisely so that email communication remains manageable for teachers and they can focus on their classroom work. The class teacher or tutor would be the first point of contact on most issues. When appropriate, they will refer any important issues to the Senior Leadership Team. If you wish advice on administrative aspects of school our admin team are always happy to help. Newsletter. School newsletters will be published on the Portal and the school website every half term. It includes articles from staff and students and photos celebrating what the children have done throughout this period. Reporting All pupils will receive two progress reviews, two full reports, and two parent consultations per year.
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In addition, exam results are reported in the summer term. Progress Reviews are interim reports intended to provide a brief update of on attainment and attitude to learning, and to set subject targets. Progress reviews also contain a summative tutor comment. The first progress review can be viewed electronically during mid-October. Full Reports and Parent/Teacher consultations are spread over the year so that there is a maximum of seven weeks between formal academic contact points. The key purpose of reporting is to summarise progress and inform pupils and parents of the steps needed to improve their work. Pupils will also sit formal internal examinations after half term of the summer term and parents will be sent the results ahead of the full end of year report. Exact dates can be found in the calendar. Please note that internal and external examination dates are fixed and cannot be re-scheduled. Parent/Teacher Consultations A curriculum evening for Key Stage 3 will be held during the first weeks of the academic year, providing parents with an opportunity to meet the teaching staff, visit classrooms and learn more about the teaching and learning programme for the coming year. Please refer to the school website for the dates planned this year. Parent/Teacher Consultation Evenings are held twice per year. Appointments last for five minutes per subject. During these meeting, teachers and tutors will discuss with parents the academic progress of pupils as well as personal and social matters. Again, exact dates are provided in the school calendar published on the school’s website. Parents need not wait for an official opportunity to meet with teachers or Heads of Year, but are kindly requested to make an appointment if the member of staff is not available and will prevent any disruption to the teaching day. Parents who wish to meet with a teacher should contact the school either by telephone or email. Parents will always be contacted immediately should any important issues arise between formal reporting points.
Additional Information and Correspondence during the Year: Meet the Teacher. During the first week of Term 1, a ‘Meet The Tutor’ day will be held, during which time parents will be invited to visit the form room of their son or daughter and gain an insight into secondary school life and routines. It is also an opportunity for the tutor to share important information about class procedures and expectations. Class Timetable. This timetable indicates which activity your child is doing at what time during the week. News. We have regular updates of school activities via newsletter, website and postings. Face-to-face. Subject teachers/tutors are happy to discuss concerns you may have about your son or daughter but are unable to do so during teaching time. Any small issue that can be discussed briefly at drop off or pick up time, must be completed outside of lesson time.
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In order to maintain consistent lines of communication, we ask that you ensure that your contact details including mobile phones and email addresses remain regularly updated with the school office. Curriculum As an independent school we follow the National Curriculum of England, but are not bound by its constraints. Instead we select the best parts of this to provide an education that is suitable for our pupils. The teaching and learning at Key Stage 3 therefore reflects the key concepts of the National Curriculum, and in addition ensures convalidation by the Spanish Ministry of education and allows for extended opportunities and thorough preparation for IGCSE and A-Level. Curriculum Outline 2016 – 2017, 40 minute periods per week: Subject Maths English Science French Spanish ICT Art Geography History PE Music PSHE Assembly Clubs Weekly Total
Year 7 5 8 6 3 6 2 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 2 45
Year 8 5 8 6 3 6 2 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 2 45
Year 9 5 8 6 3 6 2 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 2 45
Homework Homework should be: • Manageable for parents, students and teachers • Directly related to students’ class work and the school curriculum • Regarded as important and monitored by parents and teachers • Clearly understood by all students in term of objectives and feedback Expectations One homework per subject per week (two for Maths, English and Spanish) of approximately 20 – 30 minutes each. Homework set will be recorded in the pupil’s planner. All homework will be marked, and feedback given, but please bare in mind this may be as part of a wider piece of work. We have a new and growing library, and pupils will be able to use this facility to complete work.
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Educational Visits & Residential Trips Educational visits are crucial opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and each secondary department is encouraged to take learning beyond the walls of the school through curriculumrelated trips. In the secondary school, we offer the opportunity for our students to enjoy a number of trips with their respective year groups. Trips take place both in Spain and abroad, for sport, music, drama, and the BSF Award. These opportunities are of great benefit in supporting independence, maturity and self-esteem. For those students that enjoy a real challenge, we offer the opportunity to complete the BSF Young Achievers Award at bronze, silver and, for those exceptionally committed students, gold level. These awards are designed to enhance the life experience of students through personal challenge and work in the community.
Using English in school English is the first language of the school and we encourage it to be used as much as possible by all Secondary pupils. It is the one common language that all pupils will share and therefore has the capacity to unite all pupils. Students in Secondary School are therefore expected to be using English throughout the day.
In Summary 
 We hope that this handbook provides an informative introduction to our school. Of course, not every piece of information will be here and, if you should need any further guidance, please feel free to contact the appropriate member of the school for further advice. We look forward to working with you this year! All relevant contact details are available on our website. 

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Avenida Juan Pablo II, 1 31004 Pamplona Navarra Spain
(+34) 948-242-826 www.bsn.org.es
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