- How do new students cope with ½ hour for lunch?
You will find that most new students adjust very well to the new timetable with earlier starts and finishes plus shorter lunch breaks by the end of term two (Christmas). As students from all year groups are spread across the shift system the younger students quickly learn to follow the lead set by the older ones and so adapt very quickly. One thing to bear in mind is that when a double PE lesson falls before lunch, extra time is not allowed for changing so I suggest that you encourage your child to: change as quickly as possible, visit their locker to put away their kit and go to the dining hall without delay. If you have concerns about your child’s speed at getting dressed, why not get them to take a packed lunch with them on the first few PE days so they can collect it from their locker when they put their kit away and save time queuing.
- What’s on the school menu?
We have a healthy school policy and therefore the catering provided by South Gloucestershire Catering Dept. reflects this with plenty of choice from the salad bar, jacket potatoes and various fillings, freshly made baguettes and healthy meals cooked from scratch in our own kitchen, which are provided along with daily specials selected and made by our kitchen manager and her team. We are also looking to introduce more fair trade items and your child will be pleased to learn that portions are larger than at primary level. If your child is really organised they can use the option to pre-order baguettes (with their preferred filling) at break time.
- Can my child bring sandwiches?
Yes, of course. Lunches are stored in student lockers and eaten in the dining hall with everyone else having school meals. We are keen to encourage healthy choices and water jugs are available on every table.
- Is there a breakfast club?
Yes, there is no charge for attending and breakfast club runs from 7:45 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. daily; offering a range of healthy drinks, cereal, toast etc. all at low cost and run by our own staff. Payment for items purchased is via students’ catering cards, the same as for break and lunch.
- How do I help my child get organised?
Rest assured that actually most students have a problem with organisation initially. - I found that getting a hard plastic wallet / box (approx 3cm in width from places like WH Smith) really helps to keep all books / loose pieces of schoolwork / pens etc. together in one place (students are not allowed to carry their bags around with them during the day – they have to be left in their lockers).
- Independent learning (homework) problems can arise initially as students need to take responsibility for handing it back in on time rather than waiting to be asked!
- A list of essential equipment and uniform is in their student organisers along with a ‘What to do’ page for different situations e.g. if they lose something. Spare equipment can be purchased from the LRC.
- locker keys and cashless catering cards are frequently forgotten and it does take a long time for office staff to sort everyone out in the morning which can result in students being late for lessons. Please check with your child(ren) as they leave the house in the morning that they have these two items with them!
- Do I need to upgrade my home computer?
No, the Learning Resource Centre or LRC is staffed and open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily except on the last day of term when typically it is shut from lunchtime. This is a valuable resource giving students the opportunity to book and use the computers and/or use the books, DVDs and audio tapes. Students are expected to sign in and out and get on quietly but they will need to pre-book a computer if they want to use one to finish their independent learning (IL = homework) before going home at the end of the day. To maintain the 2:1 ratio of students to computers, in addition to the LRC, computers are also available in one of the computer rooms after school for the first (and busiest) hour. We will make more computers and/or rooms available if they are needed.
- I’m worried about my child travelling to school on their own?
I do know exactly what you mean but I found that when it boiled down to it, it was more about me adjusting to the idea of more independence than my child! As a school we have found that the majority of students do relish taking responsibility for getting themselves into school and home again. My experience is that they are surprisingly capable (despite all reservations!) and also very safe in view of the large numbers of teal sweatshirts travelling to school from all parts of Bradley Stoke via the numerous footpaths, cycle routes and crossings. There are definite benefits in making that break now as you will find in the longer term, it also helps to prepare them better for becoming more independent in other aspects of school life. Be aware that students are expected to wear a fastened cycle helmet if they choose to cycle as they will be banned from cycling to school if caught without one or wearing it improperly on three occasions.
This strict approach is only out of concern for student safety and support from all parents on this matter specifically and encouraging independent travel to school would be greatly appreciated. Cycle training will be provided during the year for those who need it. Students can cycle as soon as they start at school providing they wear a helmet and bring a bike lock! Use the front cycle racks just inside the main entrance and if it looks full, use both sides of each pole or rail to lock your bike. I suggest making sure the saddle is in the centre i.e. under the covered area so it doesn’t get wet if it rains and lock your bike. Helmets should be put into students’ lockers.
- Are mobile phones allowed?
Yes, but only before and after school starts so that they can use them should they need to on the way to or from school. Mobile phones must be turned off when they enter the building and stored in their lockers. Any phones found on a student will be confiscated and can be collected from the office at the end of the day. Again, if you’re worried about safety, make arrangements with your child(ren) to phone you when they arrive or leave school so you know what time to expect them home.
- What happens if new students get lost and are late to lessons?
You will find that all tutor groups stay together for most lessons so it doesn’t happen very often but just in case, tell your child not to worry and speak to any member of staff who will be happy to reassure and re-direct them. There will be no sanctions for being late during this time of settling in. A floor plan of the school can be found in the front of your child’s organiser.
- Do the new students mix with the older children?
Yes, at lunchtimes and through whole school activities put on during activities week and inter-house sporting events. You will find that our older students feel a great sense of responsibility and ownership when it comes to BSCS and are very involved in things like the Peer Mentor scheme which is where older students help others with any concerns or problems including settling in and friendship issues. Students can self-refer using the little green forms which can be found in the letter rack outside the main office window.
- Are you strict about the uniform?
Yes, but this actually makes it easier for everyone in terms of everyone knowing exactly what’s expected, maintaining quality and a smart appearance. Proper black shoes are expected as trainers are NOT allowed except for sport. NO make-up or jewellery apart from a watch (which is required) and a maximum of one stud earring in each ear. A member of staff is on duty at the school entrance every day and any student not in full uniform will be asked for an explanation and have to borrow uniform if necessary; this includes black daps if they are not wearing the correct footwear.
Uniform lists and prices should have reached every new parent/carer by now but they are always available on the website or from the school office. The governors completed a review of the uniform and a comparison of pricing with all other local secondary schools and our prices are lower than most as the school doesn’t look to make any money on uniform.
Requests for partial financial assistance can always be submitted in confidence for uniform or trips etc. to the Governing Body via the school office / email.
One rule to highlight is that PE kit must always be brought in even if a student is unable to participate in physical activity due to illness / injury so that they can help referee, coach, monitor equipment etc. if judged by staff to be appropriate and required.
- Can letters home also be made available electronically?
Yes, from September 2008 the main form of communication will be email. We are currently surveying parents / carers to gather up-to-date email and contact information and so it is vital that parents respond to school questionnaires. There are three main reasons for this change:
- The current system relies on students handing newsletters, trip authorisation forms etc to their parents. From experience and parent feedback we know that a lot of communication is ‘lost’ somewhere between school and home which results in a lot of unnecessary staff time being spent chasing things up and a very poor attendance or response rate to parent information evenings and consultation opportunities
- The school is striving to achieve an eco award and is committed to being a sustainable organisation. This means we need to make considerable cost, paper and time savings which can be achieved through electronic communication as opposed to paper based information. Rest assured that those who don’t have email addresses will still be able to apply for paper copies. However, this will be the exception rather than the ‘norm’.
- A new learning platform will be launched during the next academic year providing a parent portal via the website. This portal will allow parents to sign in to a password secure system to access newsletters, up-to-date reporting information on their child/ren plus other information to make it easy to check what’s happening and when. We can send you newsletters direct via email now! To do this please email: admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk type “email newsletters” in the subject line and just tell us the name of your son(s) / daughter(s) and which tutor group they are in and press send!
- Is there a problem with bullying?
Not if the school is told as soon as possible. We do sometimes have minor incidents e.g. name-calling, moving belongings etc. but we are keen that every child should be happy and thrive at BSCS and do act on any incidents brought to our attention. If you have any concerns please give details to your child’s form tutor in the first instance so that the matter / incident can be looked into and resolved quickly. Your child should also be encouraged to notify a member of staff quickly so it can be dealt with as soon as possible. If they have any worries about anything another option is to ask to speak to a member of the Behaviour 4 Learning team so that they can buddy your child up with an older student for extra support. We also do not allow students to linger around the locker areas at any time during the day and there are security cameras positioned in these areas for extra monitoring.
- Do you have a credits system?
Yes, we have credits as part of our rewards and sanctions scheme.
- Credits for contribution, improvement and achievement are marked by teachers in the front of student planners where details about expected behaviour, BSCS values – sanctions can also be found.
- Our postcard scheme is also a great way of recognising good effort or work with a teacher making a comment and posting it home. All the postcard photos are of items found around the school, so they are totally unique.
- BSCS places great emphasis on good attendance in view of the research findings showing the detrimental impact absence has on achievement, so individuals and tutor groups are given special rewards for making every effort to attend. Be warned the Governors and Headteacher all take a very strong stand on any request for holiday in school term time!
- How much homework to they get and what can I do to support them?
- They will be given a booklet about IL (independent learning = homework) expectations. Although, initially not a lot is given to allow time for students to adjust to secondary school, the most important habit for students to get into is to write their homework in their student organisers (A5 diary provided free of charge to each student) so they can keep a track of everything.
- To support them parent only information evenings are offered on different subject areas i.e. SEN, English, maths, science etc. These sessions have proved to be very beneficial and so are definitely worth attending as methods have changed since we all went to school so don’t worry – you won’t be on your own!
- BSCS also offer an adult and family learning programme every year to help encourage and support learning back in the home. Based on survey findings, this year’s programme included: ICT – building a website, basic holiday and conversational French, relaxation techniques through Indian Head Massage, an introduction to beauty therapy and parenting for secondary aged children (I found the parenting skills really helpful in preparing me for those “Kevin” moments!). If you would like to be contacted with details of the next programme or to suggest any ideas for new workshops please email: admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk
- Will everything fit into the lockers?
Yes, I don’t quite know how but it’s a bit like Dr Who’s Tardis and does all fit in even if it’s a bit of a squash. Coats and wet weather gear can be left on coat pegs next to student lockers. Ask your child to talk to a music teacher about making arrangements for instruments to be left locked in the music rooms on the first floor near F12 if required.
- How much notice do we get for trips and costs?
Usually a list is given out in September / October showing all the trips and diary dates planned for the whole year. A list of all the session 16 activities and costs for the year will be issued in September and plans and costs for Activities Week will be issued during term 1 as well. A payment card system will also be on offer to allow parents to spread the costs over the year.
- What after school clubs are on offer?
Numerous activities are available and change regularly to add variety and choice throughout the year and yes they can opt out if they don’t enjoy them. These clubs are optional and in addition to the enrichment activities available. Enrichment is compulsory for all students and again a wide choice is available. Students are asked to indicate their choices at the beginning of Term 1 and again at the end of each team thereafter for the following term. Most activities are run by staff but we have a lot of community groups using the school facilities out of hours and so we encourage them to offer their professional coaching services to the students in exchange for a discount! All coaches are CRB checked.
- Are showers available after sport?
Yes, students are encouraged to take a shower after sport but a teacher does not stand over them to ensure that this happens so whether or not they do is down to each individual.
- How much money do they need on their cashless catering cards and how do you top up?
It does vary according to what they have but to top up the cashless catering cards I usually write a cheque for £20 every 2 weeks or so which is enough for a baguette / salad most days and a hot meal and pudding once a week. You can also request to put a daily spend limit on a card beyond the default maximum of £3 per day. Don’t forget to allow extra money if they use the breakfast club or want a healthy snack or drink at break time.
To top up you can:
- write a cheque payable to South Gloucestershire Council and put it in an envelope marked ‘cashless catering manager’ together with your child’s name and tutor group to be put in the post box outside the kitchen and dining room. However, be aware that using this method you need to allow 48 hours for the money to be credited to your child’s card.
- use cash in the top up machines located outside the dining room and also at the far end of the front corridor in school and this will be immediately credited to your child’s card.
- For the future we are looking into a web-based system but this currently incurs a charge to the school. The same system would also allow parents to pay for trips electronically or via standing order. Unfortunately we are not yet able to offer BACs as a payment option.
- How can I find out how my child is getting on?
You can always call in between 8.00am – 8.30am each morning without an appointment if you need to on any school day, but twice a year a spotlight report is produced, which is a two-page document, giving brief details on how your child is progressing against their targets. Very detailed reports are produced in July for year 7 students which give marks for achievement, contribution and attainment and an overall end of year level against their expected level. Detailed and personalised comments are made on a separate page for each subject area by their teacher along with a few suggestions on areas they could try to improve. An opportunity is given after the reports have been received for parents to hold a ten-minute discussion with separate teachers if they wish.
- Can musical instruments be hired?
Yes we can hire musical instruments at £20.00 per term - no deposit.
We don't currently provide taster lessons but this is something that we need to look at through the specialist school status in performing arts (and modern foreign languages). The school does have a large range of instruments available for use through the normal curriculum based music lessons which all students do.
- What languages do students study and when do they choose German?
Tutor groups B, G and O learn French as their first foreign language and tutor groups P, R and Y learn German as their first foreign language. They learn the other language in years 8 and 9 and can study both to GCSE.
- What does a Parent Working Group do?
This is a new way for parents to have their say by getting groups together to focus on specific short-term projects e.g. the school report. The layout has been changed, the amount of personalised comments have been increased with detail about what was being studied reduced as a direct result of parent feedback. The group met four times for approx 1½ hours over a four-month period. New projects will call for new parent working group volunteers each time via the newsletter.
- What do governors do?
We work throughout the year to ensure accountability, provide strategic direction and act as a critical friend. As a new and growing school we have a lot of work still ahead of us to develop and prioritise our plans for the benefit of all our students. We hold bi-monthly Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings and two sub-committee meetings every other month to concentrate on Finance and Premises (F&P) and Teaching and Learning (T&L) as well as a number of different and informal working group meetings for small groups of governors to focus and progress a particular piece of work e.g. the specialist school bid. We have parent, community, staff and local authority governors who all have very different experiences and backgrounds with the majority not working in the education sector and also leading busy lifestyles. Please ask for a governor nomination form if you would like us to place you on the waiting list for any future vacancies.
- What is the Friends of BSCS?
It’s the same as a PTA or PTFA really but it’s only just getting started and could really do with some more mums / dads / carers / grandparents to get involved in organising some fundraising events. If you are interested in helping to provide the best for your child and other students please contact the office on 01454 868840 or admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk
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