Wise Pay
Dear Parents/Carers
Changes to Academy Behaviour Policy and Expectations
We are writing to inform you of some changes in our behaviour policy and day to day expectations. These changes are a testament to the shift in culture that has taken place over the last 16 months and we believe we are now in a position to improve further and place greater expectations on our young people. It is a credit to them that we are in a position to make these changes.
Punctuality
Students must arrive at their designated entrance no later than 8:25am and be in full Academy uniform. Punctuality is one of the key areas we need to improve across the Academy, so from Monday 19th February, any student late to the Academy, without a good reason, will receive either a loss of personal time or spend time in the PC as outlined below:
- Late arrival from 8:26am – 8:40am: Student will attend a 30-minute loss of personal time (LOPT) within their College. Parents will receive a text message regarding lateness.
- Late arrival from 8:41am – 9:15am: Student will attend a 60-minute centralised LOPT. Parents will receive a text message regarding lateness.
- Late arrival beyond 9:16am+: Student will be sent to the PC for the remainder of the day. Parents will be contacted.
All sanctions will be completed on the same day as the lateness to the Academy.
Poor punctuality can lead to a referral to the Attendance Advisory Officer and the issuing of a fixed penalty notice. Please take this opportunity to review morning routines and the journey to school with your child.
Attendance
Our attendance policy follows the government guidance around school attendance. As soon as a student’s attendance drops below 90% they are considered to be persistently absent. If your child does not attend school regularly the Local Authority can take action against you. This can be through a Fixed Penalty Notice (fine) or a summons to appear at a Magistrates Court.
It is vitally important that you ensure your child has excellent attendance to the Academy for the remainder of the academic year, as missing out on more time in the classroom will risk your child falling further behind. We know that those students with higher overall absence achieve less well in their examinations. It is also important for your child’s wellbeing and wider development.
If your child is unable to attend the Academy at any time because they are complying with clinical/and or public health advice then you must inform the Academy through normal absence procedures immediately.
Similarly, If your child is anxious about being in the Academy, then please discuss with your child’s College in order that we can put the right support in place.
The government has made it clear that all students “must be in school unless a statutory reason applies”.
We will be looking to increase our celebration of outstanding attendance and we look forward to celebrating your child’s excellent attendance throughout the rest of this academic year.
Uniform
Students must arrive at and leave the Academy in full uniform and we expect our students to wear their uniform with pride. The Leigh Academy Bexley tie must be worn to an appropriate length and blazers must be worn at all times, this includes when travelling to and from the Academy and during break times, lunchtimes and lesson changeovers. No jeans style trousers, leggings or tight trousers are allowed to be worn in the Academy. Skirts should be no shorter than knee length or below and must be either pleated or a tailored pencil skirt, not jersey/stretchy/tube skirts. Students must be wearing plain black school shoes. In cold/adverse weather, students must wear a plain black coat to the Academy. Hoodies, tracksuit tops, denim jackets or hats (apart from a woollen style hat in cold weather) are not allowed in the Academy. Items that do not meet our uniform code will be confiscated from students. If students fail to adhere to these standards of uniform they will not be in mainstream lessons and you will be contacted by your child’s College. If there are issues with your child meeting these standards, then please contact your child’s College immediately, as the Academy can support families in cases of hardship.
Jewellery and Appearance
Students are only allowed to wear a maximum of one small plain stud in each ear, worn in the lower lobe, and a wrist watch. Rings, bracelets (with the exception of medical bracelets) and piercings additional to one in the lower ear lobe are not permitted. All piercings must be removed to participate in Physical Education lessons. Apple or other smart watches are also not permitted; this is in line with our policy on mobile phones. We ask for your assistance in making sure that your child does not leave the house in the morning wearing any fake tan, nail polish, acrylic or false nails or false eyelashes as these are not allowed at the Academy. If students do arrive wearing any of these we will expect them to be removed in the College office before they attend lessons. Where this does not happen students can expect to be in the PC. No metal toothed Afro combs are permitted on the Academy site.
Chewing Gum
Chewing gum is not allowed on the Academy site.
Mobile Phones/Headphones/Electronic Devices
When students arrive at the start of the Academy day, mobile phones, ear/headphones and other electronic devices must be switched off and put away. They should remain out of sight during the day both in lessons and during break or lunchtime. If a student has their mobile phone, headphones or electronic devices out of their blazer pocket or bag it will be confiscated by the member of staff. It will then be collected from the student’s College office at the end of the day and a LOPT set the same day. The Academy has a legal right to confiscate items such as jewellery, mobile phones or any other item contravening Academy policies. (We may also confiscate items outside the policy if it causes a health and safety concern or disrupts the smooth running of the Academy). The Academy does not take responsibility for loss or damage to any electronic devices brought into the Academy.
Equipment
In order to be ready for learning, all students must bring to the Academy a suitable school bag large enough for their Chromebook, an A4 folder and their Leigh Academy Bexley PE kit on timetabled days. Students must have a pencil case containing pens, pencils, ruler and rubber. There will be regular equipment checks throughout the Academy day.
Chromebooks
All students at Leigh Academy Bexley have been issued with Chromebooks. These are a compulsory part of daily equipment for all students and must be brought to the Academy every day, fully charged. The use of Chromebooks is integrated into daily learning at the Academy. Students who fail to bring their charged Chromebook to the Academy will be issued with a loss of personal time. If there are any issues with the Chromebook then please contact your child’s College.
Energy and fizzy drinks
Caffeinated energy drinks or fizzy drinks are not permitted in the Academy. This is reflected in the Academy behaviour management policy, in line with the national food standards for schools and academies. Consumption of these drinks can lead to poor concentration, lack of energy (when the inevitable ‘crash’ occurs), poor behaviour, insomnia, increased anxiety, nausea, headaches and other health risks. Any student found with these drinks will have them confiscated and a LOPT will be set. When in lessons, students are allowed to drink still water.
In order to further support a healthy diet, students should not bring into the Academy multipacks or family sized packs of crisps, biscuits or confectionery.
Community Conduct
The high expectations of our students extend to the community. We expect Leigh Academy Bexley students to represent the Academy well. When travelling to and from the Academy, students should always be respectful of each other and other members of the community, thinking about the language they use to each other as well as not making excessive noise or behaving in an antisocial manner. It is important that students use appointed road crossings and follow road safety rules. Please reiterate this at home with your child and ensure you know the journey they take to and from the Academy. Your child should be encouraged to go home directly at the end of the Academy day. Our Community Code of Conduct has been delivered to all local shops and establishments.
Safety in the Academy
When on the Academy site students must keep themselves safe and be accounted for at all times. Students who truant and make themselves intentionally unaccounted for will be sanctioned accordingly. During unstructured times they should ensure that they are in the designated areas they are allowed to be and should move safely around the Academy, with respect to those around them.
Students should ensure that when they are using the toilets, they are not permitted to share a cubicle with other students. Students put themselves at risk when doing this as we can not control what might happen in a toilet cubicle. Students who are found in toilet cubicles together can expect to either be placed in the PC or suspended.
Smoothwall is now live and monitors students’ Chromebooks; the software has picked up some key information that has allowed us to protect our students effectively. Equally, it has alerted us to several accounts of inappropriate use of Chromebooks which has resulted in sanctions for students. We would like to remind students that the Chromebooks are the property of Leigh Academies Trust and should be used professionally.
Changes to LOPTs
We are going to be changing the structure of our loss of personal time. We will be running two daily detentions, one is a 30-minute LOPT, which will be sat and run within the Colleges. We will also have a centralised 60-minute LOPT for students who have in any way disrupted learning throughout the day. For more serious behaviour breaches, we will run a 90-minute LOPT on a Friday and will still use the PC or suspension where appropriate. Failure to attend an LOPT will lead to an escalation of the original sanction.
We would like to reiterate the point that we are able to increase our high standards because of the general improvement of attitude shown by your children and Academy culture, focused on student wellbeing and academic rigour. We will continue to improve on the good work in the Academy and hope that both you and your children continue to support us. Thank you for the support you have shown thus far.
Yours faithfully
P Wilson | Vice Principal and Designated Safeguarding Lead
