Welcome Back to the Summer Term

Last Term Was…fantastic! Many pupils have already managed to achieve

their Platinum Award which is an incredible achievement and a large

number of pupils made huge improvements to their behaviour and

attitude in school.

Teachers continue to be really pleased with the effort and hard

work you put into your learning in all years. Year 11 in particular are

going from strength to strength and we are looking forward to some

amazing GCSE results this year.

Remember that every lesson you attend counts. From year 7

onwards everything is about preparing you for your GCSEs to

ensure everyone achieves the very best they can. Make the most of

every lesson and don’t waste valuable time.

This ½ term is…• Very short but also extremely important.

• When GCSE exams start for Year 11s, Year 10s and Year 9s.

• Time for year 10 to think that this time next year you will be doing your final exams!

• A crucial time for year 8 and 9 pupils to start thinking about which subjects you are good at as you will be making important choices for your GCSEs in June – there will be more information to follow this term.

• Important for year 7 and 8 pupils to focus and work hard so you can receive nominations from staff for the awards evening in July.

• When Mr Foster runs the London Marathon. 26.2 miles of pain. Good Luck Mr Foster!

High Expectations

• All your teachers want to see you being successful and achieving the best results you can in your learning.

• We also have very high expectations of your behaviour and how you participate and contribute to life at St James.

• Here are some reminders of just what we expect of you.

Pupil Expectations• Pupils will try their hardest in all lessons and show respect

for all members of the school community at all times.• Pupils will have high standards of behaviour in the school

and the local community and act as positive ambassadors for St James School at all times.

• Pupils will come to school with the correct equipment and in the correct uniform.

• Pupils will celebrate the success of others and encourage each other to achieve high standards of education and behaviour.

• Pupils will respond to the support they are offered.• Pupils will follow any sanctions which are issued and work

to improve their behaviour to avoid further consequences.• Pupils will demonstrate high standards of behaviour on their

way to and from school.• Pupils will take responsibility for their actions and make the

most of restorative justice opportunities.

Equipment

• Everyone must have:• Pen, pencil, ruler, rubber and planner every day. • Your tutor will check this every day along with

your uniform. When you arrive at tutor time, the first thing you should do is place the items above on your desk.

• If you forget any items there is now a new library shop where you can buy equipment and school ties. It is open daily at 8:15 and during break times and lunchtimes.

Boys: School Blazer White shirt with collar

and buttons to neck Plain black trousers

(not denim or cord) School tie All black footwear

Girls School Blazer White shirt with collar and

buttons to neck Plain black trousers (not

denim, cord or leggings) Knee-length skirt School tie All black footwear BLACK LOW HEEL

SHOES (no backless shoes and boots must fit under trousers)

Uniform

When moving from lesson to lesson all pupils are expected

to wear their blazers

Jewellery - only one stud in each ear may be worn, and a watch

NO TONGUE/NOSE PIERCINGS FOR SAFETY REASONS – immediate confiscation

During lessons you may ask your teacher permission to

take off your blazer.

At break and lunchtime you may remove blazers but these must

be put back on ready for registration or next lesson

Reminder

• The blue jumpers are an optional part of school uniform and they do not replace blazers.

• Any pupils repeatedly attending school without blazers or incorrect uniform will find themselves losing break and lunch until their uniform is perfect (if they are referred to Mr Thain more than once)

Mobile Phones, MP3s etc.

• These should be in your bag at all times and switched off.

• The school cannot accept responsibility if you lose any such items.

• Staff will immediately confiscate any electronic games, phones, MP3s etc. being used on school premises

Celebrating Achievement and Rewards

REWARDS

• In years 7-10 you will be collecting merits and working towards 3 rewards activities. There is one final event which Mr Thain is already planning.

• Year 11 have a separate rewards programme which is linked to receiving an invitation to the prom. If you earn enough merits you will get a prom ticket for free!

HOW DO I GET THEM?

• Rewards• General Merits• Pupils will be awarded a weekly merit for bringing the

correct equipment to school daily.• Pupils will be awarded a weekly merit for wearing the

correct uniform daily. • Pupils will be awarded a weekly merit for 100%

attendance each week.• Pupils will be awarded a weekly merit for no SBLs• Teachers will award at least 3 merits per lesson• Tutors may award merits for a range of reasons such as

positive contributions from members of the tutor group

Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 Rewards

• There are 3 planned events over the academic year funded by the school to reward students who consistently have the most merits each term. Places are given to the top two students in each tutor group and additional places are allocated by the Head of Learning for pupils they feel deserve a reward.

Special milestones• Bronze - 70 Merits• Letter / Postcard home to parents/carers from tutor. • Bronze pin badge awarded in assembly by tutor. • Silver - 130 Merits• Letter / Postcard home to parents/carers from HoL. • Silver pin badge awarded by HoL in assembly.• Gold – 180 Merits• Letter / Postcard home to parents/carers from Deputy Head• Gold pin badge awarded by Deputy Head in assembly.• All gold students have a priority queue at break and lunch times.• Gold students honour roll in reception and on display board in atrium.• Platinum – 220 Merits• Letter / Postcard home to parents/carers from Head. • Platinum pin badge awarded by Head Teacher in assembly.• All platinum students would also have a priority queue (same line as gold)• All platinum students entitled to use the priority queue at break and lunch for the autumn term the

following year.• Platinum students honour roll in reception, on a display board in atrium and outside Head

Teachers office.

CertificatesOn top of merits staff will be awarding certificates to students in

the following areas:

• An excellent piece of class or homework relevant to the ability of the pupil.

• An outstanding contribution to a class activity. • A significant improvement in a pupil's behaviour, attitude or effort (this

should be judged over a minimum of five lessons). • A pupil consistently working to the best of their ability. • An excellent contribution to a school activity or an activity out with

school which brings credit to the pupil and thereby the school.

• Certificates will be presented to you by your Head of Learning

Head Teacher’s Award

• For outstanding work or contribution to school life you can also be nominated for a Headteacher’s award.

Break and Lunchtimes

• We expect high standards of behaviour at all times

• If you are indoors in the atrium you must be sitting down and talking quietly or you will be asked to go outside

• THERE SHOULD BE NO LITTER ON THE FLOOR – PUT IT IN THE BIN PLEASE!

Behaviour for Learning

• We are all working together – students and staff - to ensure everyone can learn and achieve their best.

• Unfortunately, at times, some students let themselves down through inappropriate behaviour and not following school rules.

• Everyone has the right to learn without lessons being disrupted by a very small minority

• So just to remind you………

Level OneLow level disruption in the classroomUsing mobile phone – item confiscatedWearing jewellery – item confiscatedCalling outChewing / eatingPassing notesUsing MP3 / listening to music – item confiscatedSpraying deodorantPlaying with practical equipmentTaking personal items out of bagOff taskGraffiti on booksLate to lesson – automatic SBL (record on register)Out of school uniform and no passNo equipment

Level OneLow level disruption in the classroomUsing mobile phone – item confiscatedWearing jewellery – item confiscatedCalling outChewing / eatingPassing notesUsing MP3 / listening to music – item confiscatedSpraying deodorantPlaying with practical equipmentTaking personal items out of bagOff taskGraffiti on booksLate to lesson – automatic SBL (record on register)Out of school uniform and no passNo equipment

Level TwoRepeated refusal to follow instructionsRepeated disruption to learningUse of inappropriate language Walking out of lesson without permissionFailing to attend a break or lunch time detentionUndermining / personal comments direct at staffRepeated personal comments directed at students

Level TwoRepeated refusal to follow instructionsRepeated disruption to learningUse of inappropriate language Walking out of lesson without permissionFailing to attend a break or lunch time detentionUndermining / personal comments direct at staffRepeated personal comments directed at students

Level ThreeDirect swearing at a member of staffViolence or intimidation directed at any member of the school communityOut of control behaviourFailure to report to Inclusion Support Centre when sent out of lessonsFailure to attend an after school detentionBullying (see bullying policy)Any serious breaches of the school behaviour policy.

Level ThreeDirect swearing at a member of staffViolence or intimidation directed at any member of the school communityOut of control behaviourFailure to report to Inclusion Support Centre when sent out of lessonsFailure to attend an after school detentionBullying (see bullying policy)Any serious breaches of the school behaviour policy.

WarningIf behaviour continuesStudent Behaviour Log

10 minutes detention per SBL

WarningIf behaviour continuesStudent Behaviour Log

10 minutes detention per SBL

Student sent to Inclusion Support Centre

After school detention(s)

Student sent to Inclusion Support Centre

After school detention(s)

Internal Exclusionor

Fixed Term Exclusion ( see separate guidance document)

Internal Exclusionor

Fixed Term Exclusion ( see separate guidance document)

Sanctions and ConsequencesBehaviour Levels and Consequences

On-call follow up

• After an on call you will be issued with a discussion card to see the member of staff and resolve the situation before your next lesson with that teacher. If you do this successfully you will receive a reduced detention time.

Restorative Justice

• If there is a situation where there is a break down in a relationship with another pupil/member of staff. Your tutor or HOL will arrange a restorative justice session.

• A trained mediator will manage a discussion which allows both people involved to say how they feel and find a positive way of moving forward.

Lates

• If you are late twice or more in one term you will receive a 20 minute detention for every late

• If you arrive so late that you miss registration you will receive an automatic 40 minute detention every time.

• Being on time is very important – you can’t turn up late for work – get into good habits now!

Disruptive SBLs• Just a reminder that if you receive 2 disruptive SBLs in a week

you will automatically lose break and lunch for a week. This is also the case for those pupils who receive 90 minutes or more of SBL detention.

• If you think this is unfair then you should start to think about how your negative behaviour is unfair towards those pupils who are trying to focus and get on…..

• Also if you are stuck in a rut and want to change your behaviour talk to your tutor or Head of Learning. Some pupils (especially in year 9) have really turned it around so it is possible to change your ways. Staff will gladly help you!

BUSES• A reminder for everyone who takes a bus to

or from school that we have exactly the same expectations of behaviour as we would in school.

• Another big thank you to all pupils who take the school bus as drivers continue to comment regularly on the high standards of behaviour on the St James School buses.

• So very well done to those pupils who travel in a highly mature and grown up way.

Sometimes life can be tough!

• This is a caring school – don’t suffer in silence.• Please tell your tutor or any member of staff if

you are facing problems in school or out of school (this could be struggling with school, bullying, racism, abuse, violence etc.)

• We will do everything we can to help.• If you are worried about a friend of yours for any

reason please tell a member of staff.

The child protection team• The child protection team at St James is

• Mrs Roughsedge Miss Busby

• Mrs Howe Mrs Weir

• Mrs Bowden Miss Lane Clark

• If you think that you or a friend is being abused, neglected or harmed in any way tell an adult. This could be any member of the team above or any adult in school.

• The child protection offices are by reception if you need to talk to somebody. Just ask.

Have a good term!

• We are all working together to ensure that everyone reaches their true potential.

• Each and every one of you is responsible for achieving your best and staff are here to support you to do that.

• Good luck to all of you taking exams.