Behaviour and Attendance

All students are expected to be on site by 8.40 a.m. and in their tutor bases for 8.45.a.m, when the register is taken.

Our planned programme for tutor time means that arriving punctually is very important to enable lessons to start on time.

Absence

If a student is absent from school for any reason, parents must inform student administration by 8.45 a.m on the first day of absence.  Telephone the school number 01245 265821 and choose option 1. 

Please ensure a clear and detailed message is left giving a specific reason for absence. Alternatively, you may log the absence, or a forthcoming medical/dental appointment, via Edulink. Please log in as a parent and click on the Absence Reporting icon, then submit the necessary details. 

If your child needs to sign out of school, for example to attend a medical or dental appointment, you must inform us in advance and send evidence of the appointment to .attendance@gbhs.co.uk. Students are not allowed to leave the school site without permission and Year 7 students are required to be collected from Reception, they cannot walk out unaccompanied.

Lateness

All students should be on the school premises by 8.40 a.m to ensure that they attend their tutor session on time. Students who are late may be issued with a 30-minute after school detention. Students who do arrive late and miss registration must sign in at the student admin office upon their arrival on the school premises so that the school are aware that they arrived and are on site.

Holidays

We greatly value the success of our students and any absence from school can be detrimental to their learning. The school will therefore not approve term time absence unless the circumstances are considered exceptional. There is no statutory right to leave during term time and the school reserves the right to refer unauthorised absence to the Local Authority who may issue a penalty notice. All applications will be referred to the Head teacher and we ask that parents complete a leave of absence request form in good time to enable a clear response to be given. Students who are absent from school due an unauthorised holiday will not be set work by their teachers.

Medical Treatment and First Aid

The school has a team of qualified first aid staff. Please be aware that our staff can deal only with first-aid and illnesses that may occur while your child is in school. Please do not send your child to school if they are too unwell to attend lessons.

Any medicines to be administered should be given to the student admin staff for safekeeping and to be dispensed to them at the appropriate time. All medication must be in its original packaging and be accompanied by a signed letter from the parent indicating the correct dosage and frequency of the dose. It is your child's responsibility to ensure that they take their medication.

Asthma sufferers/Diabetics/Epipen Dependants: Please ensure that your child carries their necessary inhaler/Epipen/emergency box with them and that a spare has been left in student administration for safekeeping.

Behaviour for Learning

We believe that high standards of behaviour are important for successful learning, for our school to run smoothly and safely and for the benefit of all members of the school community. All students must recognise that they make a choice in relation to their behaviour. The choice they make determines the consequence that follows. There are positive consequences (Rewards) and negative consequences (Sanctions).

We have a fair and consistent system which identifies clear boundaries and expectations. Students’ progress and welfare and our good reputation hinge on maintaining the rules of the school and we expect our students to abide by them and for parents to support us in our endeavours in this. Our school rules require the following from students:

• To arrive punctually for the morning and afternoon sessions and to attend all lessons on time.
• To attend wearing full school uniform and follow rules relating to jewellery and makeup.
• To leave at home any item that might be a danger or hindrance to self or fellow students. Large sums of money or valuable items, if they must be brought to school, should be left with the school office for safekeeping. Forbidden items brought to school will normally be confiscated for a prescribed period and dangerous items, e.g. cigarettes and matches, will not be returned to students but to parents, if they so request; any item which breaks the law will not be returned.
• To control their language and adopt the highest standards of courtesy.
• To eat all food within the dining room or prescribed area and to dispose of litter in the bins.
• To attend all lessons with the necessary books, pens, pencils, clothing and other equipment, taking proper care of these.
• To remain on the school site throughout the school day. (Any authorised departure from the site, which has been properly requested and approved by a member of staff, must be recorded in the “signing-out” book held in the school admin office. Year 7 students must be collected from reception by an adult when leaving for appointments or sent home ill).
• To complete and present all homework as required.
• To observe the highest standards of behaviour during the journey to and from school - in the case of cyclists, observe the Highway Code and dismount on the school site.
• Drinking water is permitted in the classroom, once permission has been granted by a member of staff (apart from science labs and near computers). This should be brought to the lesson at the start.
• Mobile phones and all electronic devices must be switched off and kept out of sight during lessons. They will be confiscated if they are seen, heard or disrupt the lesson in any way and a C3 after school detention issued. They should not be used to contact parents if the student is unwell or unhappy; such contact should be made via the appropriate member of staff.
• Earphones must not be worn when students are in lessons, unless instructed to do so by a member of staff. These should be out of sight during lessons.
• To maintain the highest respect for all people and property at all times.
• To carry their Responsibilities and Expectations Card with them at all times and to place these on their desk at the start of each lesson.
• To respect the authority of staff and to follow instructions from staff the first time of asking.

The Responsibilities and Expectations Card rewards or sanctions students with regard to uniform (including PE kit), not having correct equipment, lateness to lessons, general conduct, etc. 6 ‘strikes’ on the Expectations Card = C3.

Rewards

We believe that it is very important in the development of a young person to recognise their achievements and those of the people around them. There are a range of individual and group celebrations and rewards available.

Students can be rewarded by a combination of the following:

• Credits leading to: postcards, letters, badges, vouchers, ‘queue jump’ passes as certain credit milestones are passed.
• Tutor group rewards e.g. days out of uniform and pizza parties for collective tutor group achievements such as high total credits and excellent group attendance.
• Headteacher commendations for exceptional work.
• Faculty/department rewards for progress.
• Year group awards for attendance, good behaviour and credits gained.
• Rewards achieved through having clear Responsibilities and Expectations Cards.
• Academic awards for attainment and progress.

School Sanctions

If students break the rules, they are affecting the learning experience of themselves and their wider school community. Students must accept the consequences for their actions as these reflect the expectations that society will have of them when they enter the adult world.

Where a verbal reprimand proves insufficient, misconduct may be dealt with in a number of ways, including:

• a further verbal reprimand;
• an imposition to be completed at home;
• some form of service to the school;
• detention of one hour's duration or a series of detentions (parents will be notified in writing twenty-four hours before the detention is due to take place);
• a letter home with a request for an interview.

Very serious cases of misconduct are dealt with by the headteacher and the deputy headteachers. In rare cases, parents may be required to keep their child at home for a specified period. The help of external supporting services, including governors, may be sought. In such cases, a meeting with parents will be arranged.

Following a sanction, students will discuss their behaviour and conduct with their tutor, assistant head of year, head of year or another member of the wider pastoral team before returning to their normal timetable. Some students may be issued with a tutor or head of year report so that their behaviour may be monitored more closely following a serious issue or concern to help support them on their reintegration.