Year 6 Admissions 2022 

The Dane Court Ethos and Behaviour Structure

At Dane Court we pride ourselves on being a caring, open minded and principled community, based upon an ethos of doing the ‘right’ thing in all aspects of life. Our behaviour policy helps to reinforce this ethos.

The core of our Behaviour Diamond is below and reflects the ethos we expect to see throughout our school community:

Learning Support and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Dane Court Grammar School is committed to inclusive teaching and staff are able to accommodate a range of learners within the mainstream classroom. Some students may need additional support at different times during their school career, and the learning support department can provide a range of strategies to help, ranging from small group and one-to-one interventions, personal plans and in some cases, one-to-one support.

The school’s SEN policy is reviewed annually by the governing body and is in line with the SEN Code of Practice. Our SEN procedures include area meetings where outside agencies give input and support and annual reviews of those students with Education, Health and Care Plans. The SEN co-ordinator works closely with the pastoral team, year leads, mentors, subject teachers and teaching assistants as necessary.

Pastoral Support

When they enter the school, every student is placed in a mentor group. The mentor group and its members are an integral part of the year group and each year group is led by a Year Leader and Deputy Year Leader.  We also have a House system, with each student being placed into one of six Houses. This system runs alongside the Year system and is a key component in the extracurricular offer of the school.

The mentor group is led by their mentor, who is responsible for monitoring each student’s academic progress and welfare. Academic mentoring and assemblies take place each day of the week. Students will also take part in small group extended mentoring sessions, enabling them to have another forum of communication with their mentors. The pastoral support team is comprised of pastoral support assistants, the year leads, deputy year leads/heads of house and the support team. In addition, an assistant head teacher in charge of student welfare and a deputy head teacher in charge of behaviour and attitudes, work closely together to ensure that every student receives any additional support they might need during their time at Dane Court. Further, we have the services of a school counsellor who is able to offer more specialist help should the need arise. The SEN department provides structured support for any student who faces a barrier to their learning, including those with specific educational needs.

There is a regular programme of progress checks and reports which are sent home and which help to keep parents informed of their child’s progress. These are supplemented with parents’ evenings during the school year. In addition, curriculum information evenings specific to year groups are held.

We encourage parents to contact their child’s mentor, or any member of the pastoral support team, should they have any concerns regarding their child.

Governors’ Policy on Charging for Education Activities

The governors will follow the guidelines on charging laid down by the Education Reform Act of 1988.  These may be summarised briefly:

All books, equipment and stationery required for the delivery of the school curriculum will be provided free of charge by the school.

1. Any trips or outings that are a necessary requirement of an examination course will be paid for by the school.

2. Where trips or outings are arranged during the school day, voluntary contributions towards the cost of the trip will be asked for. The trip will proceed, subject to there being sufficient voluntary contributions forthcoming.  No student will be debarred from participating because of parents' inability to make a contribution.

3. Where trips of a curriculum-led nature take place out of school time a charge may be made. Where parents are unable to meet the charge, the school will make every effort to meet part of the cost.

4. Where trips of a social nature are organised out of school time a charge will be made.  The school will not usually subsidise such trips but may do so in particular cases of special need.

Complaints

Parents are encouraged to keep in close contact with the school should they have any concerns about their child or indeed the school itself.  In the first instance this should be through the form mentor but more serious concerns will be dealt with by the Head of House, Assistant Headteacher or Head of School. Should you still not be happy with the school’s response we would ask that you follow the school’s complaints procedure by submitting a formal complaint in writing to the Head of School. The Head of School will consider complaints as quickly as possible and in any event will inform the complainant within fifteen school days of:

1. their decision

2. any action taken or proposed

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the Head of School’s response, or has not received a response within the timetable mentioned above, he or she may refer the matter to the governing body via the clerk to the governors, who will provide details of the procedure and of the complainant’s rights.

Careers

Dane Court students are encouraged to strive for excellence. This is regarded as being a key to career success.

Academic qualifications alone are not sufficient however, and much effort is directed towards nurturing self-confidence, self-discipline, and the skills necessary to prepare students to face the realities of the outside world.

Particular phases in a student’s secondary school career require specific attention. All students are interviewed individually at crucial stages in their development in order to ensure that decisions are made against the background of the fullest possible information and advice.  All students participate in a structured programme of social and vocational guidance from years 7 to 13.

Religious Education

The governors at Dane Court Grammar School recognise the fundamental importance of religious education in the school’s curriculum. Religious education in the school is based on the syllabus produced for Kent by the Kent Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education. This seeks to promote knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other faiths. Whilst recognising the importance of Christianity in British society, religious education at Dane Court will not seek to further the aims of particular faiths or sects.

Nevertheless, governors recognise the right of parents to withdraw their children from religious education on the grounds of deeply held religious conviction. Parents who wish to exercise this right should write to the Headteacher.

Sex and Relationships Education

Sex education is currently provided through the curriculum in Key stages 3 and 4.

It is taught in the context of education about the importance of stable relationships.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from sex and relationships education and should contact the Headteacher should they wish to do this.