The General Care Of Students

Heads of Year at Newport Pagnell and Heads of Upper/Lower School at Olney each have general oversight of the progress, welfare and discipline of the students in their Year up to age 16. In the Sixth Form this responsibility lies with the Heads of Years 12 and 13. Within each Year the care and monitoring of the individual student is the special concern of the form tutor.

The form tutor will aim, through personal contact with each student and a structured tutorial programme, to foster a sense of belonging; to generate a sense of security and confidence, and to make the students feel that they are known individually and that the form tutor is concerned about them.

The form tutor will also help the Heads of Year monitor, through termly Reviews, each student's progress, keeping parents informed of any changes in achievement and behaviour for the good as well as the bad. Parents wishing to raise a query about the general progress of their child are asked to contact the Form Tutor in the first instance. It is the Heads of Year who writes references and testimonials for those seeking jobs or places in Further Education. They work closely with the school matron to ensure that children with medical problems are helped in school and they monitor students' attendance records.

If a child is generally under-achieving or misbehaving, it is the Head of Year who will write home to parents, perhaps inviting them to interview. It is normally the Head of Year who will discipline a child for persistent, uncooperative behaviour within the school or refer to a Deputy Headteacher if the situation is serious.

On the other hand all teachers recognise the importance of rewarding children for good effort and work. Parents will see "Commendations" awarded for good effort, contributions or work in the student's school planner.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS/EMERGENCY CONTACTS

We ask that parents inform the Form Tutor in writing of a change of address or other personal circumstance.  It is also important that we are notified of any change to parents’ day-time telephone contact numbers.  This is essential information in times of emergency such as accidents.

MEDICATION/ILLNESS

Students taken ill or having an accident at school will be seen by our school Matron, Mr Brenda Rourke at the Newport Pagnell Campus and Mrs Iona Glover at the Olney Campus.  She alone will determine whether or not a student needs to go home or receive treatment beyond the school.  ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD STUDENTS LEAVE THE SITE FOR REASONS OF SICKNESS WITHOUT FIRST HAVING SEEN MATRON.  With the exception of asthma inhalers all medication should be lodged with, and administered, by Matron.

Parents of students with long-term illnesses are advised to keep Matron informed of progress.  Heads of Year (Newport Pagnell Campus)/Head of Upper/Lower School (Olney Campus) will advise about how to secure home tuition for students confined, for certified medical reasons, to the home.  Students should not return to school on crutches without parents having first contacted Matron.

EMPLOYMENT

Many students have paid employment though few of us realise that unless a child has a WORK PERMIT any employment is illegal and could be dangerous.  Until compulsory schooling ends it is illegal to employ: 

• anyone under 13 years of age
• a child without a work permit
• a child for more than 2 hours on a school day or Sunday
• a child in a factory or industrial undertaking (including the preparation and cooking of food)

Application forms for a work permit are available from, and should be returned to:

                            The Education Welfare Service

                            Holne Chase Centre

                            Buckingham Road

                            Bletchley

                            Milton Keynes

                            MK3 5HP

                            Tel: 01908 657800

HELP

Adolescence can be a turbulent time and a minority of young people do experience considerable anxiety due to relationship, work, self-image and health pressures.  Parents and teachers will, we know, do their best to help but in extreme cases it is recognised that specialist guidance may sometimes be necessary.

Within the school the following staff are available for students: