SHOREFIELDS SIXTH FORM - GUIDELINES

Pastoral

These guidelines are intended to provide a framework for all Sixth Form students.

Sixth Form Policy - Absence from Classes

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that if you have any absences from school, including registration and lessons, they can be managed in a fair and sympathetic way. It is also to ensure that you are clear what will be deemed authorised and unauthorised absence, and its impact on EMA payments and entry to examinations.

Attendance

All students attending Shorefields Technology College are required to strive to achieve 100% attendance. If you cannot attend, you must contact the school before 9.00 a.m. on the first day of absence.

You will need to give a reason for your absences, and how long you think you will be absent, and which staff need contacting. Your initial contact MUST be your Tutor.

All absences, and reasons for absence, will be recorded. A record will be kept of your absences, and it will be regularly monitored for any trends.

Maintaining a high level of attendance is important for the following reasons:

1. For eligible students, it can affect your ability to receive your Educational Maintenance Allowance.
2. It may affect your eligibility to sit your examinations.
3. It may affect your ability to receive travel support.
4. It may affect your status as a 6th Form student.

On returning to school after any absence, you must complete the Authorised Absence form available from Mr. White, or your Tutor, on the same day. Failure to do so will jeopardise the payment of your EMA.

Authorised Absence

Some absences may be classified as authorised and, in these cases, students will be marked as present on 6th Form registers, although this does not necessarily mean you are entitled to EMA payment.

If you are absent for any reason (including internal truancy), your EMA payment will be cancelled. In order to receive payment at a later stage you MUST complete an appeals form to your TUTOR for consideration to be given regarding payment.

Shorefields Technology Colleges’ definition of authorised absence is as follows:

• A medical appointment, which cannot be arranged out of school hours
• Caring responsibilities (on an occasional basis)
• A religious holiday
• University or career-related interview
• A non-waged work experience placement, which is part of your course
• Attendance at a funeral
• Severe disruption to transport
• A driving test (but not driving lessons)
• Study leave

PLEASE NOTE: The above list is not exhaustive, and other reasonable requests for absence to be authorised will be considered.

Foreseeable Absence

If a reason for absence can be foreseen, then you must apply in advance for the absence to be authorised. You cannot miss classes without prior notification. Where this occurs, absence will be categorised as unauthorised.

Unauthorised Absence

All other absences will be categorised as unauthorised. Only in exceptional circumstances will sickness be classified as authorised.

Examples of unauthorised absence are shown below:

• Driving lessons
• Dentist and doctor appointments
• Shopping
• Paid work
• Holidays

It is also important to note that:

1. Significant lateness to a lesson will be deemed an absence.
2. Inappropriate behaviour may also result in an absence, leading to you losing a payment.

Any student having an unacceptable pattern of absence will meet formally with the head of 6th Form to review matters. Possible outcomes of this meeting could be:

1. Suspension of EMA payments until a full week’s attendance has been achieved.
2. Withdrawal from public examinations.
3. Withdrawal from school.
4. Request to undergo a medical, to determine if there are any underlying problems, about which the school should be aware.

Bonus Payments

Up to eight bonus payments of £100 can be made to a student receiving an Educational Maintenance Allowance and attending courses of three years duration.

These bonus payments are payable in January and July of a student’s first year of study, and in September, January and July of the second year. September, January and July of third year.

The September (second year) bonus and September (third year) bonus are dependent on certain attendance requirements having been satisfied, whilst all other bonus payments require you to attain agreed learning goals.

The school’s definition of these learning goals is set out below. Failure to meet one, or more, of these goals may result in non-payment of a bonus.

Bonus Payment Criteria:

Completion of coursework:

Students must have handed in all coursework / assignments by the set dates.

Progress:

Students must have demonstrated satisfactory progress.

Attendance of examinations:

Students must have attended all public examinations for which they were entered. (Except in the case of illness supported by a doctor’s note).

Successfully complete criteria of Part 2 Shorefields contract:

The tutor will supply information to make this decision.

Appeals procedure

This document outlines what you have to do if you wish to appeal against a decision to withhold your EMA payment.

1. Initially, discuss the matter with the Head of 6th Form and show the evidence you have to justify your payment. It may, for example, be a medical note to confirm that there was a genuine reason for your absence.
2. If your case is not accepted, you can make a formal appeal. The final decision will be made by a school officer with no direct involvement in the system. You have the benefit of a neutral person to consider your case.
3. If you think you have a valid case for appeal, you must complete the pro-forma, obtainable from your Tutor or Mr. White. You will need to state the grounds for your appeal, and produce evidence to justify your claim.

At the appeal hearing, you can have an advisor with you. The advisor may state the case on your behalf. However, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) emphasises that “Legal representation is wholly inappropriate.”

J. Brown

Head of 6th Form

Application for Absence to be Classed as Authorised

Download and print off the following form and when completed, hand in to your Tutor or Mr. White

Absence to be Classed as Authorised

Lateness to School

All students arriving late must report to the school office. Students should note that lateness will be recorded on reports. Persistent lateness is regarded as a serious matter, a detention is first issued by the Tutor and, if this does not improve a child’s punctuality, an 8.00 a.m. detention is given by the Head of Year.

Attendance at Lessons

A register will be kept by each subject tutor for each session taught. Students who are poor attenders may find that there is no longer a place for them on the particular course.

Lateness for Lessons

All students must attend lessons on time, repeated failure to do so will mean suspension from the course pending investigation.

Signing out

Students are allowed to leave the site during study periods. They must record the fact in the book provided in the office.

N.B. In all cases where permission has been given to a student to be absent from school all staff affected must be informed politely and an explanation given. This must be done in good time and not through message on the same day given verbally by another student. Missed work must be caught up.

The consequences of poor attendance

Laying aside genuine illness there will be serious repercussions arising from poor attendance. Sanctions may include:-

1. probably non-entry for exams,
2. the school being unable to recommend the award of a maintenance grant.
3. expulsion from the course.

1. Academic Progress

All students will be monitored throughout their course by their Tutors. The outcome of this monitoring will be in the following forms:

1. written or oral feedback directly to the student,
2. a written report to students parents at the beginning of the Spring Term.

Tutors will monitor and comment on attendance and punctuality, academic progress, and effort. Failure to complete work set may also lead to the school being unable to recommend the award of a maintenance grant. Subject Tutors will liaise with Form Tutors through the referral system (see below) – meeting deadlines for project/ assignment work is crucial to all aspects of Sixth Form life.

2. The Referral System

Although most students will not need to be referred to the Head of Year it is necessary to lay down the procedure.

(i) The Initial Stages

Subject teachers who are concerned about the progress or absence/lateness of a student, often the two are linked, may send a written comment to the students Personal Tutor. These comments will be discussed with the student. It will then be up to the discretion of the Tutor as to the next step. Advice and study guidance may be given and targets set.

(ii) The Later Stages

Where a student’s difficulties are on-going the Head of Year will be informed and parents invited to attend an interview. Here specific targets will be set and/or there will be a discussion about whether a student should continue his/her education in Shorefields.

3. Disciplinary Procedure

This is distinct from the referral process although it must be admitted that often academic/vocational problems have arisen as a result of a breach of the
Sixth Form Contract

Students who do not co-operate with basic rules laid down either in the Contract or in this document will receive a formal warning from the Head of Sixth Form. Persistent non-cooperation will usually result in parents being informed and the possible termination of the student’s placement.

Final Remarks

The Sixth Form is only as good as it’s members. The Sixth Formers are expected to adopt an enthusiastic and consistently conscientious approach to school life and their studies. They must remember that we expect them to act as positive role models for younger students, by being active in the day to day running of the school and Sixth Form Centre.