The Yarm School Baccalaureate Introduction Introduced for the first time for the academic year 2012-2013, the Yarm School Baccalaureate (YBACC) is an award in recognition of the achievements and commitment of Yarm School pupils in their first three years in Senior School, in key areas of school life outside of the classroom. It is a fundamental statement by the school of the importance that we attach to education in its widest sense – ‘Educating for Life’. The Award Pupils qualify for the YBACC if they complete the requirements for the award in five categories: Community Service, Cultural Activity, Independent Learning, Outdoor Education, and Sport. Pupils who complete the basic level YBACC may additionally go on to earn a distinction if they complete the additional requirements within any three of the five categories listed above. The emphasis in the first part of the award is on participation and effort. It is designed to encourage pupils to get involved in all areas of school life and to try out new things. It is accessible for all pupils who are willing to try their best. The distinction level allows pupils to specialise in the areas that they enjoy and are good at. Here there is a greater emphasis on achievement. Awards are presented formally each year at the Lower School Prize Giving and recorded both in the Prize Giving programme and on the individual pupil’s school record. Pupils start working towards the YBACC from their first term in the Senior School and they can continue working towards success until the end of Third Year. The Handbook & Pupil Responsibilities All details for each of the five categories are recorded in the award handbook. When a pupil has completed one of the award requirements the relevant section of the handbook should be signed by an appropriate member of staff responsible for that activity as a record of that achievement. When a pupil has completed all of the requirements to qualify for a particular level of award they must submit their handbook to the teacher in charge of the award (Dr Chapman), who will check that it has been completed, confirm the award and arrange for its presentation at the next available opportunity.
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An important part of the YBACC is that pupils are learning to organise themselves and to take responsibility for their own progress. Consequently teachers will not run around after them to ensure that the requisite signatures are obtained and nor will they deal directly with parents over this matter. Similarly, if a pupil loses the handbook, it is their responsibility to obtain a replacement from the School Office and to approach each teacher to request a replacement signature on it. Pupils who cannot organise themselves (with reasonable teacher and parent help and encouragement) cannot expect to achieve the award. Costs and Charges
Pupils are automatically registered for the YBACC and issued with a handbook. Although there is no charge for this, there would be a charge of £5 for a replacement copy if a pupil loses it. There are no other initial charges for joining the scheme, but there are separate charges for some individual events such as attending some plays or concerts, or participating in various Outdoor Education trips. We always try to keep additional costs to a minimum but parents are asked to contact the teacher in charge of the YBACC in the event that cost was a barrier to the pupil participating in a particular activity. Parental Involvement and Support We greatly appreciate the key role that parents take in encouraging their children to participate in the award scheme and in providing the logistical support to enable them to undertake the various activities. We hope that you will enjoy talking to them about what they are doing and, hopefully, that you will enjoy coming to some of the plays, concerts and sports matches yourself. At the same time we would ask that you embrace the ethos of the award in terms of expecting the pupils to take responsibility for their own progress through it. In other words, it would be great if you would question them regularly about their progress and give them helpful reminders –while refraining from stepping in to sort it out for them! Of course we would be keen to hear your overall feedback on the YBACC process and would want to know quickly if you had any serious concerns. Questions or comments may be directed at your son or daughter’s Tutor or Head of Year, or directly to the teacher i/c YBACC (Dr Chapman).