Aylands Prospectus

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Aylands Prospectus

Transcript of Aylands Prospectus

Page 1: Aylands Prospectus
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WELCOMEWelcome to Aylands School!We are a maintained specialschool in Enfield for youngpeople with social, emotionaland behavioural difficulties. Weprovide a learning experiencethat allows our pupils to gainthe necessary skills andexperiences that will enablethem to contribute fully tosociety and be proud ofthemselves and what they can

achieve. Our pupils have the opportunity to sit 9 GCSEs orequivalent, relevant qualifications and are inspired andmotivated to continue their learning in further education.

The team at Aylands are committed, talented, motivated,and friendly. They work incredibly hard to promote the lifechances of our pupils and to ensure their success. We areproud of our high standards and high expectations and thebelief that everyone can achieve.

We are very proud of the wonderful work of the staff andpupils at Aylands and we continue to ensure that we justkeep getting better and better!

Sashi Sivaloganathan Head Teacher

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About usThe school has a primary and secondary part. Each yeargroup has a maximum of 4 pupils and classes are made upof two year groups. (Maximum of 8 in each class).

Philosophy of schoolAylands School is a place where pupils are safe to learnand staff are safe to work.

We believe a person's physical, mental, social, emotionaland spiritual well-being should be nurtured and respected.It is a place where rights are valued and all are treated withrespect and equity. Every person at the school should haveequal opportunities to learn, develop their skills and fulfiltheir potential. We work to ensure that this is a place whereall can contribute positively to the organisation and itsdevelopment and where all are supported and encouragedto be their best. We believe we should all be valued for theexceptional people we are.

InformationAdmissions CriteriaAylands School is a day school which educates pupils withstatements of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pupilsare expected to follow the National Curriculum, completenational tests (SATs) and GCSEs.

We also provide an outreach programme which providesplacements for four Year 9 pupils who are at risk ofpermanent exclusion from mainstream schools.

All admissions are arranged through agreement betweenthe school and Enfield Local Authority SEN & InclusionDepartment.

School Building and facilitiesThe school building is purpose built and designed for theeducation of pupils with statements of emotional andbehavioural difficulties.

Classrooms are designed for small class sizes and haveaccess to ICT facilities. There are specialist rooms forpractical subjects such as Food Technology, DesignTechnology, Art, Drama, and Science.

The grounds of the building also serve as an area for sportsand Physical Education.

There is a play area for primary pupils.

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CurriculumCurriculum, learning environments and teaching approachesWe provide a curriculum that is broad and balanced andmeets the needs of our pupils and the requirements of theNational Curriculum.

Our students have usually had very negative experiencesin schools and with their learning. Their self esteem is lowand this often shows as reluctance to engage with thelearning process. To compensate, our curriculum must be richand well resourced in order to motivate our students to learn.

Our main curriculum aim is to ensure that our students aresuccessful members of society. The emphasis in ourcurriculum is on developing sufficient life skills in literacy,numeracy and ICT so that our students feel confident intheir ability to meet the demands of the world of work.Throughout the school we strive to ensure that ourstudents acquire sufficient learning skills so that they canachieve success with their GCSEs and other relevantqualifications at the end of Key Stage 4.

Our curriculum is determined by the small size of theschool as a community. We take every opportunity tocompensate for this by engaging in a wide range ofenrichment activities and community links. This aspect ofour curriculum is important to develop a sense ofcitizenship in our students.

term datesTerm Dates 2012/13Autumn TermStart of Term: Monday 5th September 2011Half Term: Monday 2th October 2011 – Friday 28thOctober 2011 End of Term: Friday 16th December 2011

Spring TermStart of Term: Wednesday 4th January 2012Half Term: Monday 13th February 2012 – Friday 17thFebruary 2012 End of Term: Friday 30th March 2012

Summer TermStart of Term: Wednesday 18th April 2012Bank Holiday – Monday 7th May 2012Occasional day for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – Tuesday8th May 2012Half Term: Monday 4th June 2012 – Friday 8th June 2012 End of Term: Friday 20th July 2012

School DayBreakfast ClubRegistration 9.00am - 9.10amPeriod 1 9.10am - 10.05amPeriod 2 10.05am - 11.00amBreak 11.00am - 11.15amPeriod 3 11.15am – 12.10pmPeriod 4 12.10pm - 1.05pmLunch 1.05pm – 2.05pmPeriod 5 2.05pm - 3.00pmRegistration 3.00pm – 3.10pm

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attendanceAll research shows that a child’s achievement isintrinsically linked to attendance. For a child to learn andfulfil their educational potential they must be present inschool and lessons.

Children are expected to attend school for the full 190 daysof the academic year, unless there is a good reason forabsence. There are two types of absence:Authorised (Where the school approves pupil absence)Unauthorised (Where the school will not approve absence)

If a child is absent, parents should call the school on eachday of the absence stating a reason. A letter should be senton the day the child returns to school explaining theabsence. The school will then decide whether to authorisethe absence. If authorisation were to be refused, forinstance if a child was kept off school for a birthday, thenthe parents would be informed. A letter is essential for theauthorisation of absence.

If contact, explaining the child’s absence, fails to be made byparents or carers, then the school would contact the homeby telephone on the initial day, following this with a letter after3 days of unexplained absence. This contact is recorded inthe register by the Finance and Administration Officer.

Completing the RegisterIncomplete or inaccurate registers are unacceptable forseveral reasons. Registers provide the daily record of the attendance of allpupils they are documents that may be required in a courtof law, for example as evidence in prosecutions for non-attendance at school.They may also contribute to pupil’s end of term reports andto records of achievement. For these reasons registers are required to be marked inink and not easily erased, and all alterations should bevisible and explained.

Good AttendanceIf a pupil has attended all week, they are awarded 50tokens and the class is presented with an AttendanceCertificate in Assembly. This encourages personal andcollective responsibility.

Family Holidays during Term TimeParents are strongly urged to avoid booking a familyholiday during term time. Parents do not have the right totake their child out of school for such a holiday, but theschool may choose to grant leave of absence of up to 10days in any school year. In exceptional circumstances itmay be necessary for longer planned absence. All suchcases must be presented to the Headteacher in a letter.In considering whether or not to authorise leave for a familyholiday, the School will consider each case individually,taking into account a child’s overall attendance and thereason for the holiday. The school will not authoriseholidays taken in September, October, May and June asthis is the time we assess pupils in school and the time forpublic exams.

A pupil’s absence during term time can seriously disrupttheir continuity of learning. Not only do they miss theteaching and learning opportunities provided on the daysthey are away, they are also less prepared for the lessonsbuilding on that after their return. There is a consequentrisk of underachievement and disaffection which must beavoided.

LatenessSchool begins at 9.00 a.m. and all pupils are expected tobe in school for registration at this time. Any child arrivinglater than 9.00 a.m. should enter school via the mainentrance reporting to the School Office. If accompanied, aparent or carer should give a reason for the lateness, whichwill be added to the register. The child will then be sent totheir classroom.

Pupils who are consistently late are disrupting not onlytheir own education but also that of others. Wherepersistent lateness gives cause for concern further actionmay be taken.

Parental Responsibility in ensuring good attendanceLet the school know as soon as possible why their child isabsent.Send a note when their child returns to school.Try to make appointments outside school time.Not allow their child to have time off school unless it isreally necessary.

Parental Responses when their child has poor attendance(less than 95%)Talk to their child to determine the reason.Talk to their child’s Form Tutor at the school.They could contact the Education Welfare Officer, who willwork with the child, parents and school to resolve thesituation. (Number available from the School Office)

Further ActionThe school may refer the pupil to the Education WelfareService. Parents may be prosecuted.

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Action Person Responsible

Red diagonal line to denote presence. Form Tutor

Black circle to denote unauthorised absence. Form Tutor

No tippex. Form Tutor

Red circle with correct symbol recordedinside in black for authorised absence following enquiries

Finance and Administration Officer

Daily and weekly attendance figures completed.

Finance and Administration Officer

Maintain running totals of authorised and unauthorised absence.

Finance and Administration Officer

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anti-bullyingRationaleEveryone at Aylands School has the right to feel welcome,secure and happy. Only if this is the case will all membersof the school community be able to achieve to theirmaximum potential. Bullying of any sort prevents this beingable to happen and prevents equality of opportunity. It iseveryone’s responsibility to prevent this happening andthis policy contains guidelines to support this ethos.

Where bullying exists the victims must feel confident toactivate the anti-bullying and behavioural systems withinthe school to end the bullying. It is our aim to challengeattitudes about bullying behaviour, increase understandingfor bullied pupils and help build an anti-bullying ethos inthe school.

This document outlines how we make this possible atAylands School.

Definitions of BullyingBullying is deliberately hurtful behaviour that is repeatedover a period of time, making it difficult for the peopleconcerned to defend themselves. This can take the formof name-calling, violence, threatened violence, isolation,ridicule or indirect action such as spreading unpleasantstories about someone.

The school works hard to ensure that all pupils know thedifference between bullying and simply “falling out”.

Actions to Tackle BullyingPrevention is better than cure so at Aylands we will bevigilant for signs of bullying and always take reports ofincidents seriously. We will use the curriculum wheneverpossible to reinforce the ethos of the school and helppupils to develop strategies to combat bullying-typebehaviour.

Pupils are told that they must report any incidence ofbullying to an adult within school, and that when anotherpupil tells them that they are being bullied or if they seebullying taking place it is their responsibility to report theirknowledge to a member of staff. The incident will be recorded in the “Bullying IncidentBook” held in the main office.

All reported incidents of bullying will be investigated andtaken seriously by staff members. The procedures set outin the Behaviour Policy will be followed. A record will bekept of incidents. The member of staff who witnessed theincident will be responsible for this and will be required togive a copy of the incident report and the action taken tothe Headteacher. In order to ensure effective monitoring ofsuch occurrences, and to facilitate co-ordinated action, allproven incidences of bullying should be reported to theHeadteacher. If bullying includes racist abuse then it

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should be reported to the Headteacher to be recorded inthe Racial Incident Book in the school office.

Upon discovery of an incident of bullying, we will discusswith the pupils the issues appropriate to the incident andto their age and level of understanding. If the incident is nottoo serious, a problem-solving approach may help. Theadult will try to remain neutral and deliberately avoid direct,closed questioning which may be interpreted asaccusatory or interrogational in style. Each pupil must begiven an opportunity to talk and the discussion shouldremain focused on finding a solution to the problem andstopping the bullying recurring. Pastoral Care support willbe given to all pupils concerned.

There are various strategies that can be applied if morethan one pupil is involved in bullying another. PSHE,Citizenship, Role-play and other drama techniques can beused. This is an effective way of sharing information andprovides a forum for discussing important issues such asequal rights, relationships, justice and acceptablebehaviour. It can also be used within the affected group toconfront bullying that already exists.

Victims who are worried about openly discussing anincident when the aggressors are present (e.g. tauntingduring a lesson) can be given strategies to overcome thisproblem, e.g. to go to the teacher with a piece of work,using this as a reason to speak to the teacher. Victimsneed to feel secure in the knowledge that assertivebehaviour, and even walking away can be effective ways ofdealing with bullying.

Parental InvolvementThe parents of bullies and their victims will be informed ofan incident and the action that has taken place and askedto support strategies proposed to tackle the problem. Thebully will also be reminded of the possible consequencesof bullying and the sanctions for repeated incidents will beclearly explained to him/her. (Persistent bullies or pupilsfound to perpetrate an incident of serious bullying may beexcluded from school). A monitoring tool, in the form ofincident reports (kept in pupil files) and the “BullyingIncident Book” is also be used; usually incorporating areward for achieving desired behaviors.

Whilst there is little history of bullying at Aylands, webelieve that one case is one case too many and we believeit is essential to constantly review this policy to ensure weare in a position to strengthen our approach to this issue.This policy is seen as an integral part of our Behaviour andDiscipline Policy.

Review Date: Sept. 2012

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behaviour policyMission StatementAylands School is a place where pupils are safe to learnand staff are safe to work.We believe a person’s physical, mental, social, emotionaland spiritual well-being should be nurtured and respected.It is a place where rights are valued and all are treated withlove respect and equity. Every person at the school shouldhave equal opportunities to learn, develop their skills andfulfil their potential. We work to ensure that this is a placewhere all can contribute positively to the organisation andits development and where all are supported andencouraged to be their best. We believe we should all bevalued for the exceptional people we are.

PrinciplesThe rewards and sanctions exist to help fulfil the aims setout in the mission statement of the school. This forms thebasis for principles underlying the Behaviour for Learningpolicy:

Respect for the dignity of others and respect for eachother, acknowledging the complementary rights andresponsibilities of each member of the community.A recognition that unacceptable behaviour will always bechallenged.

An acceptance of the equality of all in the schoolcommunity, independent of individual differences,knowledge, information, abilities and position.Collective ownership through leadership and developmentof the Behaviour Policy. Ensuring that all governors, staff,pupils and parents or carers have the opportunity tocontribute.Protecting and nurturing children and adults in anenvironment that’s safe, permanent and creates a sense ofbelonging.

AimsTo provide a rationale for a whole school approach torewards and sanctions.To create a positive ethos and a sense of fun andbelonging in which all students can achieve to the best oftheir ability.

To establish a balance between rewards and sanctions.To ensure that expectations throughout the school withregard to behaviour are fair and consistent.To ensure that all members of the school community areaware of the school’s expectations.

RationaleThe policy seeks to use rewards and sanctions to influencestudent choices and conduct.It allows staff to operate within a clear structure in which toadminister sanctions confidently and consistently, as wellas the opportunity for skilful interaction with students to

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avoid escalation. The clarity of the structure and the clear communication itencourages allows both staff and students to makeinformed choices that offers protection for all andencourages an atmosphere of mutual respect

Standards for BehaviourAll students have the right to: Respect and fair treatmentLearn, without being distracted by othersFeel safe and be safe

The responsibilities go with rights: we all need to careabout ourselves, other students, parents, carers, teachers,belongings, our school and equipment. There is arequirement for all members of the school community toshare the responsibilities.

Rules exist in order to help protect our rights & toencourage responsibility.

Procedures for managing sanctionsGood classroom management and appropriate lessonpreparation, structure and learning materials willimmediately minimise the need to issue sanctions. Beforeany sanctions are issued, assertive discipline techniquesand the language of choice must be employed. Theyshould continue to be employed when issuing a sanction.It may be appropriate for a ‘Front Room’ to be given by amember of staff or used by a student as an opportunity forthe student to reflect on and change their behaviour.

Roles and responsibilitiesThe responsibility of staff• To ensure that all students are treated as individuals.• To ensure inclusion and equality of opportunity.• To apply all rewards and sanctions with consistency.• To offer lessons that are interesting and stimulating.• To ensure that parents are involved in student’s

educational progress through school.• To create an environment of mutual respect and

politeness.• To offer a safe and stimulating environment for working

and learning.• To help students develop or maintain a good behaviour

pattern and to support students whose behaviour is in need of modification.

• To challenge unacceptable behaviour.• To ensure that students always have an opportunity to

give their version of events.

The responsibility of parents and carers• To explain to students that school is primarily a place for

learning, and that they must work as hard as possible togain as much as they can from the opportunities presented at school.

• To explain to students that they must value and respect all other students and all those who work in the school.

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• To explain to students that they should not interfere withthe learning of other children. Parents/carers should impress on their children that all disputes should be settledthrough discussion and with the help of a relevant adult.

• To support the school by being actively involved in theirstudent’s education and progress.

• To ensure that their child attends every day and is punctual. Parents/carers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their ward is in school regularly and must produce a note to cover any absence.

• To ensure that the students is in the best possible frameof mind for learning.

• To contribute to any costs incurred through wilful damage or loss of school property.

• To ensure that the student is in correct uniform.• To help their student to develop or maintain a good

behaviour pattern.• To actively participate in any behaviour modification

programme that the school may implement.

The responsibility of students• To be polite, kind and considerate to all adults and pupils

in the school.• To try hard with all aspects of school life.• To work with all members of the school community, to

support the learning of others and to avoid any behaviourwhich would prevent others from working.

• To do nothing that will intimidate others.• To accept responsibility for actions and to accept

reprimands gracefully.• To accept and follow the School’s CODE OF CONDUCT.

Managing BehaviourThe Token SystemThere will be a maximum of 5 tokens per lesson forbehaviour and work.1 = Poor2 = Unsatisfactory3 = Satisfactory4 = Good5 = Excellent

Praise & RewardThe display of students’ work around the school.The prompt marking of a student’s work.The end of lesson appraisals can be used to reinforcepositive behaviours.The use of medals, certificates or trophies for individualachievement. e.g. academic achievement awards andsporting medals.The class behaviour shield is awarded to the student ineach class with the highest number of tokens for that week.200 tokens are awarded to the shield winner and can besaved and /or exchanged for a reward.A cup is awarded weekly for an outstanding personal andspecific achievement either in or out of class. This is worth100 tokens.The end of half term awards for the best-behaved student

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in each class over the half term.Headteacher special awards for the most improvedstudent. The Praise Card competition, and the regular sendinghome of Praise CardsThe use of privilege and responsibility to foster positiveBehaviour – eg year 11 act as mentors.

The Front RoomThe front room is used to sepearte students from theirclass at times when they are causing a disruption, which isjudged to be interfering with the teaching and learning ofothers. The front room is a place for reflection. The use of whole school systems.The use of whole school systems to manage behaviour canbe broken down into systems that reinforce positivebehaviour and systems that challenge negativebehaviours. These are both outlined below:

Sanctions1 The use of warnings for negative behaviour2 Detentions at breaks or before school 3 After school detentions.4 Withdrawal of privileges5 Multiple break detentions 6 Special Measures 7 Internal exclusions.8 Fixed term exclusions.9 Permanent exclusion.Points 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are administered by the Head teacher.

* It should be noted that persistent issues or a seriousincident can lead immediately to sanctions at a higher level.

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ContactContacting the schoolYou can contact the school in a number of ways.

Telephone 01992 761229Fax 01992 767032or write to us at - Aylands School Keswick Drive Enfield EN3 6NY