Year 6/7 Parent Handbook 2020
Welcome from the Principal May I extend you a very warm welcome to Darton Academy. This is the beginning of an exciting journey for you and your child, and we look forward to working together and sharing their progress with you over the next five years. Since joining Delta Academies Trust the school has gone through significant change in the last two years. In 2019 we celebrated amazing results, which have put us in the top 10% of schools nationally as well as being the top performing school in Barnsley, based on the progress that our students made. Our ambition is to continue on our journey of rapid improvement and our vision is to be outstanding in all aspects of our school life. We work hard to unlock potential and develop talent at all levels to ensure that everyone achieves their best, and that no child is left behind. Our flexible, broad and balanced curriculum ensures that every student leaves with excellent levels of literacy and numeracy, essential for everyday life. We provide endless opportunities in all areas within state of the art facilities, such as sports, performing arts, music and residential experiences which include Duke of Edinburgh. All of these unique experiences, both inside and outside the classroom ensure our students leave us as happy, well-qualified, and confident young adults who go onto excel in local sixth-forms, colleges, universities and the wider world. I hope this short handbook provides you with a summary of key, useful information in preparation for your child’s start with us – I look forward to meeting you and them in September. Elaine Briggs
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Delta Academies Trust Our Vision … Changing lives Mission Statement In everything we do, we are child centred and at the heart of this is the safety, wellbeing and health of every student. Delta Darton Academy Mission Statement At Delta Darton Academy, every individual is highly valued. Our primary focus is to instil a lifelong love of learning, and for all our students to leave us as happy, wellqualified, confident young adults who go to excel in local sixth forms, colleges, universities and the wider world. We are committed to providing a stimulating and caring environment, within which ALL • ASPIRE to reach the highest standards • ENJOY every aspect of school life • ACHIEVE their full potential Our Key Policies All policies are available on our website, but we wanted to draw your attention to a selection as part of this handbook. Care, Support, Guidance and Behaviour This policy outlines our expectations of students when they are both in the academy and representing the academy off-site. Attendance This outlines the importance of attendance, striving for 100% and ensuring that punctuality is of the same high standard to school and to lessons. In the same way that is the expectation of employers.
SEND Supports all students to make outstanding progress regardless of their starting point. We strive to ensure that all individuals have the same opportunities to achieve success and remove any barriers to learning that may exist. We do this by working together as a team – home and school. Complaints Although we work closely with all parents/ carers to ensure that there is mutual two way communication in all matters. In the event of you wishing to make a complaint this policy outlines the steps you will need to take and how the complaint will be reviewed.
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Attendance We are committed to maximising your child’s educational opportunities and achievement. For them to gain the best from their time at Darton Academy, it is vital that they achieve excellent attendance and punctuality. We strive for 100% attendance for all students. Whilst we recognise that this is not always possible the Academy’s attendance target is 97%. We actively promote good attendance and discourage unjustified absence as we recognise that being in the academy on time and everyday prepares your child for the requirements of adult, working life.
HOW WE SUPPORT GOOD ATTENDANCE We celebrate good attendance in assemblies and through rewards such as certificates, a free breakfast/ lunch and prize draws. Form groups are regularly set challenges to further improve their attendance. This encourages healthy competition within the academy and between form groups. Students discuss their attendance on a weekly basis in form time and have coloured stickers that clearly show what their attendance is so that it is clear to keep a track.
Good attendance = more learning opportunities = more qualifications = more life chances
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Attendance FAQ Your child is likely to be absent
You must contact the academy to inform us of any absence. This can be done by telephone, 01226 232306 choose option 1or email attendance@dartonacademy.org.uk Alternatively, you can send us a message through the School Gateway App. Please state clearly your child’s name, form and reason for absence. On their return, send in a letter from home stating the reasons for absence and ask your child to take it to the Attendance Office.
Your child has a medical or dental appointment
Where possible arrange these outside of school hours. If this is not possible send your child to school before/ after their appointment. Your child must show their letter/note/medical appointment card to the Attendance Officer so they can authorise it. If your child is leaving school to attend the medical appointment they must go to the main reception desk to speak to a member of staff to be signed out.
Your child needs time Leave of absence for holidays will not be granted and will incur a off during term time fixed penalty fine. Your child is going to be late
Contact the academy straight away to inform school. On arrival your child should go straight to main reception to sign in. They may be directed to the attendance office. Students who are late are likely to be issued with a detention.
Medical arrangements
Darton Academy has fully qualified First Aiders on duty during the day who attend to students if they require medical attention. We do allow self-administration of medicines, on condition that the medicines are kept in the First Aid room and a parental letter of consent is provided with the medication details including dosage, times and any advice on storage. The only exception is if you have an inhaler for asthma where your child would keep this with them. Our staff also arrange the immunisation programme and health assessments and appointments, where necessary.
Your child feels ill in school.
Tell their teacher who will contact someone to support and they may be sent to see the medical team in the Admin Area on Level 2. Fully qualified first aiders will assess their needs and if necessary school will contact home to arrange for you to pick up your child. It is vital that school is informed of any changes to your contact details
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The Academy Day All students should have arrived on site by 8.20am. A movement bell will sound at this time to signal the start of the school day. PERIOD 1 & 2 Period 1
8:25am
Period 2
9:25am
FIRST BREAK
FORM/ASSEMBLY
Year 7, 8 & 10
Year 9 & 11
Year 9 & 11
Year 7, 8 & 10 10:45am
10:25am
PERIOD 3 & PERIOD 4/SECOND BREAK Period 3
11:00am
Period 4/2nd Break
12 noon
Period 4/2nd Break
12:30pm
Period 4/2nd Break
1:00pm
PERIOD 5 1:30pm ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES 2:30pm Year 7 students will share their break in the atrium with two other year groups. During this time they are able to purchase food from the canteen which is sold through the cashless system. They will eat their lunch separately from other year groups and will be able to meet friends from other forms and teaching groups. Students have the option of purchasing their food from school or bringing their own pack lunch.
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Our curriculum is broad and balanced with a wide range of opportunities for all to excel in every area, from maths to PE, science to dance and English to Spanish – growing a love of learning Aspire – Enjoy – Achieve
Home Learning Home Learning is an essential part of your childs long-term academic success. It allows students to extend and reinforce what they have learnt in class: • Your child is expected to complete one hour of home learning each weekday. • Their home learning will be in three 20-minute parts • 20 minutes: Hegarty Maths • 20 minutes: Knowledge Organiser • 20 minutes: Reading All Year 7-10 students will receive a Knowledge Organiser and exercise book. Replacement Knowledge Organisers are
available on the website and can be bought from student reception. Their Knowledge Organiser work will be monitored on a weekly basis and they will be rewarded for completing this work using the ePraise system. Should your child fail to complete this work, consequences will apply. Homework club is available each night from 2:30–3:30pm to support our students in completing their home learning. Further details with regards to Home Learning will be available to you early in Year 7.
Knowledge is gained by learning, practice and hard work both in school and at home
Enrichment
What is enrichment? Although formal lessons end at 2.30pm, the Academy day does not. Students are able to choose from a fantastic range of after-school enrichment activities and clubs, both academic and non-academic. Sessions are typically 2.30–3.30pm, although some go on later than this. There are over 40 enrichment activities to choose from each week, Mondays– Fridays. The majority of sessions are run by staff volunteers. We offer a Study Bus which leaves the site at 3.40pm to ensure all students can safely get home following enrichment activities. Why attend enrichment? There are two main reasons to attend the after-school activities on offer. Firstly, catch up sessions are a fantastic tool to help accelerate academic achievement. Whether your child missed a lesson or want to improve their depth of knowledge or need help with work then catch up sessions will provide your child with one to one tuition from a range of staff in different departments. Secondly, enrichment activities allow
students to gain experience and skills in areas not typically part of your everyday curriculum. Enhancing your child’s personal attributes by opting to gain new experiences is extremely desirable to future employers and higher education providers. Our enrichment offer extends opportunities for all and grows the person as a whole. Who can attend? Everyone, whatever year group your child is in there are a huge range of enrichment sessions to choose from. Some activities are specifically targeted at individual year groups or key stages and this information is provided in this booklet. Enrichments that are open to everyone provide great opportunities to make friends in other year groups. What happens if an enrichment has to be cancelled? Occasionally enrichment sessions may need to be cancelled, such as when there is bad weather. You will be made aware of this so that you can plan your journey home. A message is also placed on social media and where possible a text message will be sent to parents/ carers. 7
Uniform SCHOOL UNIFORM REQUIRED Delta Logo Blazer White Shirt Plain white long or short sleeve with top button (needs to be buttoned to the neck and tucked in) Delta Black Trousers or similar classic style (no jeans, chinos or leggings) Or Delta Black Skirt or similar classic style to the knee (plain black or neutral tights must be a minimum of 40 denier). Plain, Black Belt Delta Clip on Tie Plain Black, Flat, polishable shoes (no embellishments, logos, bows) Trainers, boots, pumps or canvas shoes are not permitted. Plain Black Socks OPTIONAL Delta Logo Jumper (to be worn with your blazer, not instead of) PE KIT REQUIRED Delta PE top
Delta PE shorts
Tracksuit bottoms (plain black) or Black Shorts / Skorts NO LEGGINGS
Training shoes Dark laces Plain Black socks
OPTIONAL Delta Track suit bottoms
Delta Tracksuit top
Football boots OTHER INFORMATION Outdoor Coats – Coats should be plain and have no large logos. Coats should be removed as soon as students enter the Academy. Bags – Students will be provided with a Delta Darton bag
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HAIRSTYLES Only natural colours are permitted. Short cuts below number two are not permitted. Shaved patterns are not permitted. NAILS Nail polish is not allowed. False/Acrylic/Gel nails are not permitted.
JEWELLERY A watch (Analogue or digital only). No Smart watches. No other jewellery may be worn. MAKEUP No make-up allowed. False eyelashes / eyebrows are not allowed.
OTHER EQUIPMENT All students will need a pen, pencil, ruler and a rubber. A scientific calculator, such as SHARP EL=W531, a pair of compasses, a protractor and a dictionary would also be useful. Mobile phones, MP3s, iPods and video games devices are not permitted in the academy. Your child must bring a full change of PE kit to every PE lesson, even if they have a note and are not taking part. If your child does not have their PE kit, they must borrow some from the academy. Failure to do so will mean they will receive a C5. If they do not bring their PE kit but still borrow from the academy more than once in a half term, they will receive a C4 detention and every time they do not bring their kit thereafter. Please note. Students will not be reminded of our uniform policy and will be issued with a detention if it is not adhered to at all times. NB: The final decision with regard to all issues relating to uniform will be made by the Principal. Any items of clothing, jewellery or hair accessories that do not adhere to the above policy will be confiscated and a detention will be issued. Parents may wish to collect these items at the end of the Academy day. All students in Years 7–11 are required to wear the academy uniform. Blazers must be worn, with shirts tucked in at ALL TIMES. Academy jumpers can be worn under their blazer. In classes, Academy blazers can be removed with the approval of the class teacher. On very hot days, the Principal may notify students that they are allowed to remove their blazers. On such occasions, blazers must be carried and never forced into bags or tied around the waist. Blazers must be worn in corridors and when entering and leaving the Academy grounds at the start and end of the day.
Anti-Bullying Protection from bullying Our Academy community treats all accusations of bullying as serious matters of concern. Teaching and support staff are aware of the need for vigilance and will follow up any incident that could involve bullying. Students are encouraged to take a key role in making our school a safe and happy place for everyone. We
encourage all students to tell someone if they or someone else is being bullied or if they see any form of bullying. Parents should contact the Form Tutor or Learning Manager if they suspect that their child is being bullied. Further information on our Anti Bullying strategy can be found on our website within the statutory information.
Our Anti Bullying Pledge At Delta Darton we will work with all students, families and staff to eradicate bullying in our community 9
Rewards – ePraise What are they? The ePraise stickers and points are our way of rewarding students when they are in school, both in and out of lessons. These stickers are to reward a student in lessons for their: • Over and above effort • Commitment to their own learning • Supporting and enhancing the learning of others ·• Outstanding progress in their learning • Outstanding contributions • Outstanding home learning.
How will they get an ePraise?
sticker in their planner which they will then need to log on the ePraise system themselves or staff will log them onto your childs account directly. Either way their points will grow and they will be able to achieve one of these milestones. • Bronze • Silver • Gold • Platinum Your child will be awarded certificates and other rewards based on the milestones they achieve throughout the year during our termly awards assemblies.
Staff will either give your child an ePraise
Aspire, work hard and achieve excellence.
Home school communication To help us to support your child, it is important that our records are kept up-todate. Information recorded on students is, of course, available for parents to see on request. Essential information includes names, addresses, emergency telephone numbers, tutor and set lists, options and examination entries, and transport arrangements. Please do let us know whenever any changes in your details occur. This information is essential should there ever be an emergency. Students are not allowed mobile phones on site and therefore we request that you do not contact your child during the school day. If urgent contact is required then please do so via the school office on 01226 232306 and a message will be sent directly to the classroom where your child is being taught. The first point of contact is usually through the form tutor. All students will receive a planner and you can use this to contact us. If you feel the planner is not
appropriate you can contact your childs form tutor on 01226 232306. Form tutors will teach during the school day but they will do their best to contact you at the end of the day where possible.
School Gateway app This allows for simple efficient and easy communication with school. We will use this for the majority of our communication with you alongside email.
Student ePraise page Your child will have access to their very own ePraise page where they will be able to view their progress and see how well they are doing in terms of their ePraise points. This will look something like the image above. Be proud of what they have achieved; share with your family, friends and teachers.
We ensure that there is mutual two way communication in all matters. 10
Cashless Payment system At Darton Academy we use “Parent Pay”. This means that you will be able to make online payments via the Parent Pay website. You will be able to see your childs school meal balances and top them up at any time.
If you’re having trouble logging in, it may be because the Academy doesn’t have your current email and mobile phone number on record. Please contact school and we will update the details on our system.
Aside from saving the school time and money on administration, Parent Pay will also make it easier for you to pay any time 24-7 and allows the Academy to operate a cashless system on school premises.
As well paying for school meals you can also pay for school trips through the parents pay website.
What you need to know You will need to activate your Parent Pay account. This is quick and easy to do. All you need is your activation details and these will be shared with you via email. Once you have received these Visit the website www.parentpay.com and click on ‘Log in’. If you are using your phone to access the website you can bookmark the webpage to your home page for easy access.
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Term dates Half Term 1 Half Term 2 Spring Half Term 3 Half Term 4 Summer Half Term 5 Half Term 6
START OF TERM Tuesday 1st Sept 2020 Monday 2nd Nov 2020 Monday 4th Jan 2021 Monday 22nd Feb 2021 Monday 12th April 2021 Monday 7th June 2021
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS MAY BANK HOLIDAY
Monday 3rd May 2021
Autumn
LAST DAY OF TERM Friday 23rd Oct 2020 Friday 18th Dec 2020 Friday 12th Feb 2021 Friday 26th March 2021 Friday 28th May 2021 Friday 16th July 2021
INSET DAYS Tuesday 1st September 2020 Friday 27th November 2020 Friday 12th February 2021 Monday 19th July 2021 Tuesday 20th July 2021
Useful contacts and sources of information Uniform Supplier SPT Uniforms www.sptuniforms.co.uk
School Website www.dartonacademy.org.uk
Trust Website www.deltatrust.org.uk
Email info@dartonacademy.org.uk
Telephone 01226 232306
App The School Gateway App is available to download from your App Store
Darton Academy Ballfield Lane Darton Barnsley S75 5EF