Weekly information - Wednesday 11th September 2019
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All - School Photographs - Thursday 12th September
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All - Parents Evenings and Progress Reports 2019-20
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PTA - 50/50 Club - win cash prizes!
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All - Go4Schools App
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All - Go4Schools Access
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All - Message from Staffordshire Smart Alert
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All - Medical Information
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Y12 - Information Evening for Parents - Wednesday 18th September.
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Y11 - GCSE Design Technology - upcoming deadlines
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Y11 - GCSE Food Prep & Nutrition - Important Info and Deadlines
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Y10 & Y11 Off-site PE activities
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Y7-11 - Statutory Guidelines Letter
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Y7-11 - Attendance Matters/Turn Up
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Y7-11 - Lateness
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Y7-11 - Low Attendance
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Y7-11 - Medical Matters
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Y7-11 - PE Kit/PE Strike
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Y7 Bonding Day – 7th October
As per our calendar, the school photographers will be visiting John Taylor High School on Thursday, 12th September. Please see the attached letter for details about ordering and a reply slip if you should not wish to view the portrait online.
Photo_Letter_to_Parents_2019.pdf
Parents Evenings and Progress Reports
At John Taylor High School each year group will have a parents evening during one of our 3 terms to give you an opportunity to discuss student progress. In the other 2 terms you will receive a progress report via Go4Schools. One of these will consist of summary data only and the other one will also contain teacher comments. This means that you will receive some form of progress update in all 3 terms. These will take place during different terms according to which year group your son or daughter is in. Dates for parents evenings can be found in the following news feed article:
Parents Evening booking system
Last year we piloted an external electronic booking system for the first time and at the end of the year we invited feedback from both parents and teachers. Whilst there were some positive comments about certain features of the system, unfortunately some of the major limitations of the system are not resolvable at this time. We will therefore be returning to our original paper based system this year. In order to enhance this, when parents evenings are available for booking, we will put a reminder in the weekly news letter and all students will be provided with a booking sheet. This will hopefully ensure that they are able to record their appointments effectively. They should then make appointments with the correct subject teacher themselves.
A reminder that we are now able to offer the Go4Schools app which should make use of the system far easier. At present you can see information regarding student timetable, attainment, attendance, behaviour and homework.
For more information, including how to download the app, please access the parent guide on the Go4Schools website:
Go 4 Schools is our online portal where you can access to all information about your child. This includes assessment results, timetables, attendance, behaviour and homework. It is also where you access termly progress reports. Information about how to access this system can be found in the attached document.
PCSO Mandy Hales has posted a message on Staffordshire Smart Alert regarding local gravel pits. There have been reports locally of young people congregating near to gravel pits and parents have been asked to talk with their children around making them aware of the dangers associated with these areas. More information can be found on the Staffordshire Smart Alert App.
Medication
If your child has a medical condition that requires medication to be kept in the First Aid medicine cabinet , please print the “Student Medication Parental Agreement” form from the school website, complete and send in to school with the medication. We will not hold any medication in school without a signed agreement.
You should also inform the school immediately if your child’s medication changes or is discontinued, or the dose or administration method changes.
Care Plans
If your child has a medical condition that requires an Individual Health Care Plan, or an existing care plan needs updating, please contact the first aid department.
If your child already has a care plan this can be viewed on their Go4Schools dashboard.
If the Care Plan needs updating, either:
- Print out Care Plan from the Go4Schools dashboard, make any amendments required and return paper copy to First Aid or via email to [email protected]
- Request a new blank form from [email protected]
Crutches/Wheelchairs/Arm Casts/Slings
If your child will be coming into school on crutches, in a wheelchair or has an arm cast/sling please inform first aid at the earliest convenience. A risk assessment will need to be completed prior to your child’s return to school.
All Y12 students and their parents are invited to attend an Information Evening with Mr Brackstone and Mrs Spencer. It takes place on Wednesday 18th September from 6.00-7.00pm.
The purpose of this evening is to outline the expectations of Year 12 students and to share strategies on how parents can support their son/daughter with this transition.
GCSE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
**Upcoming deadlines**
Section C: Design Ideas (20 marks)
Due for submission next week in your DT lesson
11A/ Dt1 Tuesday 17th September
11B/ Dt2 Monday 16th September
GCSE FOOD PREPARATION & NUTRITION
**Upcoming information & deadlines**
NEA 1
15% of the GCSE
Theme: Raising Agents
How it's assessed.
Electronic report (1,500–2,000 words) including photographic evidence of the practical investigation.
DEADLINES.
Section A: Research (6 marks). Due 20.09.2019 by 3:40pm
NEA 1 investigations exam: 24.09.2019 9am-1:10pm
Section B: Investigations (15 marks) 18.10.2019 by 3:40pm
Section C: Analysis & Evaluation (9 marks) 25.10.2019 by 3:40pm
Off-site PE activities for pupils in Years 10 and 11 started this week. Would you please make sure payment for these have been made via ParentPay. Thank you.
Each academic year we are advised to remind parents regarding the regulations on requesting leave of absence from school. Please see the full guidelines in the following letter.
Attendance Matters / Turn Up:
At John Taylor High School, we believe that, students need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education and to fulfil their potential. Missing school leaves students vulnerable to falling behind. The reason which is most often provided, for a student to be absent from school, is that they are too unwell. At John Taylor High School, during the academic year 2018-19, 11598 sessions or 5799 days, were lost due to students being too unwell to attend. We ask that as far as possible, parents and carers encourage their children to be up early enough to have a healthy breakfast before they come to school and ensure they follow a healthy lifestyle including the appropriate amount of sleep, exercise, relaxation and study. Should a student be absent for 5 consecutive school days or more, due to illness, it is likely that additional documentation is requested to support and validate this prolonged absence from school. Should your child have any ongoing medical issues, please do let the school know as a Medical Health Care Plan may need to be completed. Should you have any queries or questions about attendance, please do not hesitate to contact Sian Hickey, Attendance Intervention Manager on 01283 247800 or at [email protected] .
Attendance Matters / Turn Up:
Sometimes we run late. There are many reasons why this can be; a lost item of clothing, a malfunctioning alarm clock, an unexpected disturbed night or traffic, to name but a few. Despite our best efforts to gain back those lost precious minutes, sometimes it is impossible and we are late arriving at work, or our children are late arriving to school. Late arrivals can be disruptive to our pupils and sometimes they are embarrassed about joining a class which has already begun. To prevent this, we ask that everything that can be done, to ensure punctuality at school, such as setting off 5 minutes earlier to allow for any traffic eventuality and making sure bags and equipment are packed the night before, is done. Should a student arrive late at school before 9.20am, we ask that they go to their registration class where they will be able to provide an explanation for their lateness. Should a student arrive after 9.20am, they will need to sign in at the Datahub. Late arrivals at school are monitored and any regularity or pattern may lead to a sanction. Where school designated transport is the cause of any late arrival to school, then no lateness mark will be given. Ultimately, what is wanted, is for all of our students to arrive at school on time, to be in lessons on time, and to have the best possible chance of succeeding.
Students should also be encouraged to arrive on time for academic lessons during the course of the school day. As a Parent/Carer, you can monitor lesson marks by checking your child’s timetable on Go4Schools. For students who arrive persistently late to lessons across the course of the week, there will be additional follow up, including lunchtime and after school reflections which will take place on Fridays.
Should you have any queries or questions about attendance, please do not hesitate to contact Sian Hickey, Attendance Intervention Manager on 01283 247800 or at [email protected] .
Attendance Matters / Turn Up:
Attendance Levels Explained:
Please check your child’s attendance level through Go 4 School.
97-100 % - Well Done
93-97% - Risk of Underachievement
90-93% - Serious risk of Underachievement
Below 90% - Serious cause for concern and underachievement. Attendance Intervention Manager Involved.
What is Low Attendance?
In the majority of situations, John Taylor High School will start to monitor and provide input for students whose attendance level is below 93%. Daily reviews of student absences are undertaken, however, contact may be made with the Parents / Carers of any students whose absence pattern gives a cause for concern. All schools have to report to the Government any students who have been absent for over 10% of the school year (19 days+ absence). These students are classed as being Persistently Absent.
What Happens if my Child has Low Attendance?
Support will be offered for any student whose attendance is lower than expected. Students may be spoken with directly, home visits completed, telephone calls, referrals to external agencies, or direct work sessions may be offered. John Taylor High School may request evidence from Health Professionals if relevant. Parents and Carers engagement with this support is paramount.
What are the Consequences of Continued Low Attendance?
Ultimately, the regular attendance of a Statutory School Age student is the responsibility of their Parents / Carers. John Taylor High School works within the Staffordshire County Council Code of Conduct for Issuing Penalty Notice and Statutory Action. Should a student accrue unauthorised absences then the Local Authority may use Statutory Actions to improve this attendance. The Local Authority may issue a Penalty Notice, Education Supervision Order, School Attendance Order or a prosecution under Section 4441 or 4441(a) of the Education Act 1996.
Additional information about School Attendance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance
Should you have any queries or questions about attendance, please do not hesitate to contact Sian Hickey, Attendance Intervention Manager on 01283 247800 or at [email protected] .
Attendance Matters / Turn Up:
We would like to remind parents/carers that routine Dental / Optician / Health / Medical Appointments should, unless it is an emergency or urgent, be arranged outside of the school day. During the Academic Year 2018-19, 1058 sessions (529 days) were lost for students being absent for medical appointments at John Taylor High School. Often, if asked, health services will change appointments to be outside of school hours, if they have the availability to do so. Should a student arrive late to school, or have to leave part way through the school day, then we ask the medical documentation, to validate the students absence during the school day, is provided. Only a responsible designated adult is able to collect a student from school during the school day. Students (Years 7-11) are not permitted to leave school site without a responsible designated adult coming to collect them. Sixth Form Students are permitted to leave without being collected, but medical evidence to validate the appointment should still be provided. Should you have any queries or questions about attendance, please do not hesitate to contact Sian Hickey, Attendance Intervention Manager on 01283 247800 or at [email protected] .
PE KIT: Students who cannot take part in PE need a written and signed note from a parent or guardian to excuse them. They will still be expected to change into their kit and will receive a PE strike if they do not bring this. If at any point a student forgets kit for PE and can change, they will be expected to borrow kit and will still receive a PE strike.
If they have a serious injury and they physically cannot change because of a cast/support for example, this should be detailed in the letter from home and therefore no PE kit strike will be issued.
Thank you. PE DEPARTMENT
A further reminder that this trip is compulsory for all Y7 students. Many thanks to those parents who have already paid via ParentPay. Would those who haven’t yet paid the £15 contribution towards the trip, please do so via ParentPay by Monday 23rd September. Any queries, please contact Miss Bale, Head of Year 7.
Further information regarding the trip will be forwarded to parents in the near future.
Thank you for your support. We’re sure it will be a great day!