School Information
The School Day All pupils should arrive at school before 8.30 am each day, where registration takes place in Houses. Pupils should not generally enter the school site before 8.00 am. There is no official supervision prior to then and therefore we require that pupils are not on site. There are usually Assemblies on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, between 8.40 am and 9.00 am. Travelling to and from school Bicycles can be brought to school with the House Tutor’s permission. They can be kept at the rear of the Choir House building during the day and must always be locked when left on school premises. Please impress upon your son or daughter the need to walk safely but quickly to school either from home or after a journey on public transport. We advise that pupils should use public routes when they walk to and from school and that they should always walk with friends. Absence and Attendance The law requires all school-age pupils to attend school for the whole school day throughout the school year. The school must submit its records for authorised and unauthorised absence to the Department of Education and parents are respectfully asked to help us in maintaining honest and accurate data. If your son or daughter is ill, please leave a message on the school’s absence line - 01905 721704 / absence@ksw.org.uk - on each day of his or her absence- copying in the relevant Year Group Tutor. When he or she returns to school, parents should send a dated signed letter or email to the Year Group Tutor, giving the reason for absence. Please note, however, that we may have to check on the authenticity of e-mail correspondence regarding absence. If your child has a medical appointment, which cannot be arranged outside school hours, please give the Year Group Tutor advance warning, preferably by signed letter. It is a legal requirement for parents to seek the school’s approval before they arrange for their children to miss school for any reason other than a medical problem. This includes missing school for the following reasons: family holiday in term-time; family event such as a wedding or funeral; public performance or participation in sport. If a pupil needs to miss school for any reason, such as those given above, parents are requested to contact the Head of Middle Years or Sixth Form, who will discuss the request with the Headmaster, in
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plenty of time and well before they finalise any arrangements. The Headmaster will consider the pupil’s prior attendance record and the reason for the request. Please be aware that he is not legally or contractually bound to grant the request. In the case of a family holiday, leave of absence under exceptional circumstances may be granted for up to ten school days for one family holiday which for non-financial reasons cannot be taken during the school holidays. Requests for absence for other reasons will not generally be authorised, unless they are for obviously educational reasons. For example, if your child is taking part in a sporting activity, outside of school supervision, the school must be sure that there is some educational experience involved before giving approval for your child to participate. There may be some requirement for your child to receive tuition whilst away. Any absence of more than ten days may only be granted in exceptional circumstances under the terms of the legislation about compulsory school attendance. Please be aware that if your child misses school without prior permission, or if he or she stays away for longer than the agreed term, this absence will be recorded as unauthorised. In some instances, the school will seek advice from the local Education Welfare Officer if pupils are missing school for unauthorised reasons. Lateness It is important for us to instil in all pupils the value of punctuality, as well as a legal obligation for us to record lateness in pupils of compulsory school age. For these reasons, we ask all pupils to arrive for registration by 8.30 am and 2.20 pm. Anybody who arrives after the Register has been called but whilst the member of the pastoral staff is still logged in at the computer will be marked L (Late but before Register has closed.) If pupils arrive after 8.40 am or after 2.25 pm, they will be marked Late after close of Register. If a pupil is frequently late, his or her parents will be informed, and sanctions may be applied. Leaving school during the school day Members of the Lower Sixth, Fifth Form and Removes may only go into Worcester city centre during school time (the hours of set teaching periods and morning break) if they have written permission from their Tutor. During lunchtimes in the Summer Term, pupils in the Lower Remove may go into town if their parents give their written approval and if they have satisfied the school that they will be good ambassadors in the city. This privilege remains thereafter though may be withdrawn at any time in the case of any individual pupil if it is thought appropriate. Before going out at lunchtime, pupils must sign out with the School Monitors at 5 Castle Place. Pupils must return by 2.15 pm.
