The School Day

THE SCHOOL DAY

The school day begins at 8.50 a.m. You will meet your form teacher at this time each morning for prayers and registration. He/she will also give you any daily information you need to know. On Mondays, you will go to the Assembly Hall for Year 8 Assembly.

8.50 a.m. School day starts

Make sure you go directly to your classroom where your form teacher will be waiting. You will have nine classes each day, some of which could be single, double or triple in length.

Teachers

Don’t worry about such a large number of teachers! Remember, some of them are new also. In your first year you will get to know some of them very well – your Form Teacher, your Year Head and your Class Teachers. They will all help you to settle into your new surroundings.

Form teachers

Each class has a form teacher who takes a special interest in every pupil in his/her form. The form teacher will be the first teacher you will meet when you come to the Academy in September. Your form teacher will meet you four days a week for prayers and registration. If you are anxious or worried about anything, this is the time to talk to your form teacher. Remember – your form teacher can only help you if you confide in him/her. They will also take you for Personal Development once weekly. You will find out more about this very interesting class during your first few days in the school.

Year Heads

Each year has a Year Head, a teacher with a special interest in the entire year group. Miss Barker is Head of Year 8. She will help to organise the Year 8 Parent-Teacher Meeting and other events or outings throughout the year.

Settling in and making friends

You may already know some of the other pupils in your class, but even if you do we want you to make lots of new friends and to build friendships that last. It can take a little bit of time to settle in so don’t expect to form lots of new friendships immediately.

In mid-September, you will take part in a friendship-building programme called Find, Follow and Connect on the Yellow Brick Road. This programme will help you learn about building friendships and coping with all of the challenges that you may face in this new phase of your life. You will be guided to discover the values of courage, compassion and wisdom that are reflected in the well-known story of The Wizard of Oz.

Behaviour for Learning

Every organisation or club has its rules, rules which ensure the safety and welfare of individual members

Our rules have not been made to make your life difficult for you, but rather to ensure that everyone, both staff and pupils, may work in an orderly and safe environment. We try to keep them to a minimum, and we expect them to be obeyed. You will be issued with the full Code of Conduct in September and your form teacher will discuss it with you. We have included some of the points below:

You should show courtesy, good manners and consideration for others both inside and outside the school.
Be punctual
Follow the rules of the classroom

Treat your fellow pupils with kindness: bullying behaviour will not be tolerated

If mobile phones are brought into school, they MUST be switched off throughout the school day (unless a teacher has asked you to use your phone for educational purposes).

If you need to contact your parents during the school day, please ask at the school office.

We have a Code of Conduct for ALL students. This helps to ensure everyone is happy in the Academy. We also have rules about uniform. We want you to always look your best as later in life, this is something employers will ask of you

Social Responsibility

Charitable activities can help develop a sense of citizenship and social responsibility. They teach our young people that they are part of a larger community and through this work pupils can grow up with a healthy sense of compassion and

a strong charitable spirit.

Such activities also help to build a strong school ethos and a sense of common purpose among pupils, knowing that they are helping those who are less fortunate. We are grateful for our parents’ support and the very fine young people they have raised, who so willingly give their time and efforts for very worthwhile causes.

Our Year 8 pupils were first to get the fundraising underway this year with their fancy dress event for St Vincent de Paul. They raised an incredible £3,500

The Academy has developed long standing relationships with many leading charities such as Trocaire, Concern, Cycle Against Suicide and The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. Each year group choose a charity and organise a fundraising event, raising large sums of money through their own ingenuity and hard work. Our Year 8 pupils were first to get the fundraising underway this year with their fancy dress event for St Vincent de Paul. They raised an incredible

£3,500 and enjoyed an afternoon of fun. Year 9 pupils reached out to Team Hope, a Christian organisation that works in Africa and Eastern Europe, and contributed 134 shoeboxes, making a real difference to the children who will receive

them this Christmas. In the lead up to the holiday period, our Year 11 &12 pupils joined forces to host a glitzy fashion show, working with local fashion retailers to raise vital funds for their chosen charities – Maire Currie and Air Ambulance.

Our sixth form also organise fundraising events throughout the year, however they take their work a step further by working actively within the community. Our Pope John Paul II Award volunteers work both in the parish in roles such as ministers of the Eucharist and word as well as offering their time in community initiatives aimed at helping and setting an example for others. Many students give up their free time and volunteer for local organisations such as, Buddy Bear Trust, Sperrinview Special School, and the Southern Area Hospice. At Christmastime, our students visit a local care home to sing carols and deliver cards to bring much valued Christmas cheer. Through such opportunities our pupils develop a range of social skills such as empathy, compassion, and respect whilst developing a sense of purpose and fulfilment from their involvement. These activities help them understand the needs of their community and the positive role they can play in reaching out to others.