The Park View Code
- Follow staff instructions immediately;
- Settle every task quickly without disturbing others;
- Bring all necessary equipment and arrive on time, correctly dressed;
- Be polite to adults and other students;
- Chewing, bad language, and litter are not acceptable.
The Code makes our expectations clear. At times, our young people need to be reminded of the correct way to behave and to perform. Your child may be asked to do extra work at home or at school to make up for time wasted or work not done during a lesson.
School Statement
We promote quality in all aspects of school life in order to develop well-qualified and balanced individuals who can play positive roles in society. Within a well-disciplined and caring atmosphere we value:
- Achievement in all aspects of school life;
- Equality of opportunity and mutual esteem;
- Co-operation with others;
- Honesty;
- Responsbility and self discipline;
- Tolerance;
- Consideration for others;
- Spiritual awareness.
We aim:
- To promote the values of the school;
- To give students relevant and engaging learning activities and experiences in a secure and pleasant environment;
- To maintain high academic standards;
- To nurture students' individual talents;
- To prepare students for adult life;
- To develop harmonious and productive relationships between home and school;
- To promote the place of the School in the wider community;
- To develop the skills and effectiveness of all staff;
- To make best use of the facilities and resources available.
These priorities help students to become well-balanced, happy and interesting people who are a pleasure to meet and know.
Partnership with Parents
We see the partnership of student, parent and staff as an essential element in the educational process.
Parents are informed of all activities and successes through regular newsletters and our publication, 'Park Views', delivered to all homes locally. In September of each year parents of all students in Years 7 to 10 receive a 'Curricular Outline' that provides an overview of the year's work in each subject. In addition, our reporting and profiling systems keep parents informed of their child's progress, with an end of year report which includes comments by subject teachers and tutors.
Parents are invited to attend Parents' evening once a year but are encouraged to contact us at any time if they have queries or concerns. The Tutor or Year Co-ordinator should normally be the person to speak to but if someone has a particular matter to discuss with the Head or Deputy Head, this can be arranged. If there is a need to see a particular member of staff it is wise to make an appoinment, either by telephoning the school office or by sending a note. An opportunity for written contact exists through the student organiser, which acts as a valuable home-school contact book throughout the year.
In the very rare event that a complaints arises, the School should be contacted in the first instance. If the problem cannot be resolved by the options above, details of a formal complaints procedure can be had from the school or County Hall.
Facilities
Being a large, thriving school we are able to offer an extensive range of high standard facilities. All subjects have their own accommodation, and enjoy an excellent level of resourcing. Facilities available to all pupils include:
- A library resource centre;
- Computer networks on both sites as well as computers in classrooms;
- Video conferencing;
- Widely accessible Internet links;
- A fully equipped theatre and conference hall;
- Sports hall, floodlit astroturf, running track and fitness room;
- A thriving community association.
How Our School Tackles the Issue of Bullying
Bullying is a complex aspect of human behaviour that is not always easy to understand or deal wtih. It takes many forms and occurs in all walks of life and all schools. Any bullying, whether physical, verbal or psychological, causes distress and in some cases long lasting harm and we therefore take all reasonable steps to eliminate it in school. We are only relieved that, in Park View, it is not the significant problem it is in many other schools. Nevertheless you should be aware than we have a clear school policy on its prevention: a policy in which parents, as well as teachers and students, have a part to play. This is our Anti-Bullying Policy:
Definition
Bullying is the wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten a person by someone who has some sort of power over the victim. We acknowledge that bullying (physical, verbal and psychological):
- takes place in Park View as in any other school;
- causes distress, and in some cases long lasting harm;
- should not be excused or taken lightly;
- is the responsibility of all members of staff.
Mission statement
We seek to provide all students with a safe and caring environment in which they can take full advantage of their educational opportunities. We will therefore take all reasonable steps to eliminate bullying in the school. Proposed Actions
Through our tutorial programmes, assemblies and normal subject lessons, we will encourage mutual respect between students and develop an appreciation of inappropriate social behaviour; Students and parents will be encouraged to report all incidents of bullying; All reported incidents will be investigated and referred to Year Co-ordinators; All alleged victims, alleged bullies and the parents of both will be listened to, given a timescale for any investigation and informed of what action will be taken; Both victims and bullies will be counselled by Year Co-ordinators; Persistent bullies will be dealt with under the disciplinary code of the school. Advice and Guidance for Parents
At Park View, we treat all cases of bullying very seriously indeed and all reported cases are dealt with immediately. However, we do realise that, sometimes, when bullying takes place it is not reported and children suffer in silence. There are a number of reasons for this but it can be the case that students feel that they cannot or do not want to talk to an adult, be it a teacher or one of their parents. Parents have an important part to play in the elimination of bullying in school by talking to their children and discussing with us any problems sooner rather than later. Watch for signs of distress in your child:
- an unwillingness to attend school;
- a pattern of headaches or stomach aches;
- sudden stammering;
- equipment that has gone missing, is destroyed;
- requests for extra money;
- damaged clothing or bruising;
- schoolwork appears to be suffering for no obvious reason.
If you are worried that your son/daughter is being bullied:
- ask him / her directly;
- take bullying seriously and listen;
- do not agree to keep the bullying a secret;
- tell his/her tutor, Year co-ordinator or another member of staff;
- arrange to meet your son/daughter if the bullying is happening on the way to or from school;
- help your child to practise strategies such as shouting no and walking away with confidence;
- Do not encourage your child to hit back. It usually makes matters worse;
- keep a written diary of all incidents;
- refer to the list of ‘signs’.
If your child is being bullied or suspected of being a bully, we will ensure:
- that he/she will be listened to in an appropriate setting and that every effort will be made to establish the facts;
- that appropriate action will be taken to ensure that there is no recurrence;
- that the action the school intends to take will be made clear to the child and if appropriate, to the child’s parents.
Encourage your son/ daughter to talk to you about what has happened. Any marked change in behaviour indicates a problem that needs investigating. The problem may be bullying; it may be family difficulties or another problem. With a sensitive approach, the child and the bully can be given the help they need.
Behaviour
It is expected that the behaviour of sutdents will bring credit to themselves, their parents and the school. We aim to work with parentsto ensure students are diligent, reliable, co-operative and courteous. Minor misdemeanours may lead to sanctions such as extra work; detentions, sometimes after school, are imposed on persistent offenders. Bullying of any description is not tolerated. Serious offences are dealt with in accordance with disciplinary procedures laid down by the Authority and may lead to exclusion from school.
Rewards
In order to motivate students and reward good practice, Park View operates a merit system. Students receive merits for progress, effort, initiative, quality of work, good attendance and service to the school and the community. In Years 7 to 9 these awards lead to Merit Certificates; in Years 10 and 11 they are linked to motivational rewards with real currency for older students.
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