General Information

MISSION STATEMENT

St Wilfrid’s believes that children learn best in a happy, secure and stimulating environment where a positive attitude to learning is developed so that we lay firm foundations for present and future learning. We seek to give all pupils every opportunity to reach their full potential, academically, socially and personally, so as to give them the best possible preparation for adult life. We would like our pupils to be confident within themselves and considerate to others.

The staff are aware of their obligation to safeguard, as far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare of all pupils in the school.

PUPIL ENTRY

Over the years St Wilfrid’s has developed a firm reputation as a caring school teaching children who have a range of abilities from academically gifted to those who may need a little more support. Whatever level, each pupil thrives in this unique environment. Our policy has never been to subject any potential pupil to the pressures of an entrance examination. Instead parents are invited to visit the school where they can meet the staff and pupils and see at first hand how the school operates. We then ask each child to spend a day at the school alongside their peer group where they will be informally assessed to ascertain their social and academic abilities. On this basis a place may then be offered in light of what is best for the child. Consequently, a place is not automatically given and the Headteacher reserves the right to award or refuse a seat at St Wilfrid’s. St Wilfrid’s has a limited number of spaces available for children who need additional support for numeracy and literacy.

SCHOOL DAY TIMINGS

Lower School & Upper School		Club Day (Friday)
Warning	8.45	Warning	8.45
Registration	8.50	Registration	8.50
Period 1	9.00	Periods 1	9.00
Period 2	9.40	Periods 2	9.35
Period 3	10.20	Periods 3	10.10
Break	11.00	Break	10.45
Warning	11.15	Warning	11.00
Period 4	11.20	Periods 4	11.05
Period 5	12.00	Period 5	11.40
LUNCH	12.40	Period 6	12.15
Warning	1.15	LUNCH	12.50
Registration & Form Period/Assembly	1.20	WARNING	1.15
Period 6	1.35	Periods 7	1.20
Period 7	2.15	Periods 8	1.55
Period 8	2.55	CLUBS	2.30
Pack-up & Tidy Rooms	3.35	Pack-up & Tidy Rooms	3.35
* Lower school pupils leave *End of Day; pupils leave	3.30 3.40	* Lower school pupils leave *End of Day; pupils leave	3.30 3.40

HOUSE SYSTEM

There are three houses: Churchill – Blue, Nightingale – Green, Pankhurst– Red. Each house has a boy and girl captain, chosen by the pupils, who organise regular house meetings in order to arrange inter-house competitions in a variety of activities. All staff members, except the Headteacher, are attached to a house and ensure that activities are organised properly. Points from these activities, plus those from the pupils’ credit system, are added towards the awarding of the Annual House Cup.

WORKING WITH PARENTS / KEEPING IN TOUCH

At St Wilfrid’s we believe that education is a three-way partnership between parent, pupil and school. It is, therefore, essential that all three partners work together if pupils are to make the most of their time with us.

The school operates an ‘Open Door’ policy; parents are encouraged to contact us immediately if they have any queries or concerns and similarly staff will contact parents when necessary. On a more formalised basis we ask for views of the parents/pupils using questionnaires and use the results to help in our future planning.

Parents are also encouraged to assist in a voluntary manner with field trips, clubs, work experience and school events.

The homework diary is the key to general contact between home and school and must be brought to school every day. Please check daily for any messages and that homework is being correctly recorded. Parents must sign the diary each week to acknowledge that any messages have been received.

A calendar of events is posted on the School web page along with term dates, fees and all points of interest. Each year group has at least one yearly Parents’ Evening timetabled on a rolling programme. In addition we hold a Year 8 Options’ Evening for pupils and parents where KS4 opportunities are discussed. In September, Year 11 pupils, their parents and staff meet to discuss coursework progress, target setting and obligations. They meet again in February to finalise GCSE entries and discuss mock examination results. Parents’ Evenings take place between 4 & 6 pm and are limited to 15 minute appointments per teacher. Those parents who wish a more in-depth discussion may make an appointment through the school secretary. About two weeks before a Parents’ Evening a reminder is sent home for signature and return.

Each term a progress report is issued for every pupil. The school also produces a monthly newsletter.

The annual Prize Giving and Carol Service are held in St David’s Church and mince pies and coffee are served following the event.

ABSENCES

If your child is absent for any reason the office must be informed, preferably before 8.30am and, on return, a note, explaining the absence, is required. Similarly, please notify the office in advance of doctor/dental appointments. It is a legal requirement that leave of absence for holidays is not an entitlement and has to be authorised by school. Parents are, therefore, requested not to remove children during term time for family holidays. Years 10 and 11 will not be given permission to take time out.

ILLNESS

Any pupil who is genuinely unwell will be sent to the office from where a parent will be contacted to come and collect him/her. Please keep the office informed of any change in your emergency contact number.

HOMEWORK

All pupils have a copy of their homework timetable in their diary. At KS3 we expect individual homework tasks to take 30 minutes whilst at KS4 they should take 45 minutes. Most work set is for completion the following day, although some projects will be set for completion over a number of weeks. If for any reason homework is not set at a specified time then N.S. should be entered at the appropriate place in the diary. Pupils are required to write down all set tasks.

Homework :

encourages pupils to work independently

encourages them to take responsibility for organising their work

encourages good study habits

helps show if class work has been understood

allows consolidation and extension of class work

may take a variety of forms e.g. research,, learning, reading or written work.

Please help by :

providing a quiet place to work

encouraging homework to be completed early in the evening

helping your child to understand the task where necessary

helping them to prioritise the tasks and use time effectively
letting us know of any concerns.

SECURITY

The upper and middle juniors and all pupils in the upper school have lockers in which they store books, equipment, bags and coats and which must be kept locked with a personal key. The key is the pupil’s responsibility and must be replaced if lost or misplaced.

Nothing should be stored or placed on top of the lockers.

Mobile ‘phones are collected at morning registration, signed for and placed in a box which is kept in the school office. They are returned at the end of the school day.

All articles of clothing must be clearly labelled with the owner’s name.

Money must be kept in a safe place or given into the school office.

Those who cycle to school must have written authority from their parents, ensure their machines are in good order and wear appropriate safety equipment. Cycles are left in school at owner’s risk.

Any damage to school property must be reported and the cost of repair/replacement will be charged to the pupil(s) responsible.

School gates are locked at 8.45am and pupils entering/leaving after this time must do so via the school office and must sign the In/Out register.

Pupils are not allowed to leave the premises, except in exceptional circumstances, and only with written parental approval. Pupils who forget lunch must inform the office by breaktime so that arrangements can be made for them.

SPORTS FIXTURES AND TRIPS

Regular sporting fixtures including rounders, football, hockey and netball, are held against other local schools, and are usually played after school hours.

Trips take place on a regular basis both at home and abroad in order to extend or reinforce work carried out in the classroom or purely for pleasure. Detailed information letters are sent to parents and written parental permission is mandatory for all trips.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

A School Council has been introduced to facilitate discussion and exchange of views between staff and pupils. This consists of a representative from each year group plus the Headteacher and Head of Lower School. Staff members are invited to attend on a rotational basis. Meetings are held once per term and the agenda, and subsequent written minutes, are posted in all form rooms.

FINANCE

Parents may pay school fees either termly, yearly, or by monthly direct debit. GCSE entries are invoiced separately in the Spring Term of year 11. Additional payments are kept to a minimum and are invoiced when they occur .This is generally for revision guide books for GCSE, books which need to be annotated and for trips or specialist clubs etc.

Some small school bursaries are available every year and are awarded in the Summer Term. Bursaries normally remain with the pupils throughout their school life but are dependent on continued effort and acceptable behaviour.

It is very important to contact the School Bursar if there is a difficulty in meeting payment of fees. There are various ways in which the problem may be addressed and we are always sympathetic and willing to help wherever possible.

A term’s written notice, sent by recorded delivery, is required on the removal of a pupil, otherwise a term’s fees will become due.