FAQs
You might have lots of questions about secondary school! We have tried to pick out the consistent questions below and answer them for you. I hope this helps.
How do I get to school?
- Some of you will obviously walk to school, if this is the case think about the following.
- You will want to arrive in good time so you are not rushing and you have a positive start to the school day.
- It is always great to see students catching up before the day starts, some just chat, others work in the canteen or have a bit of extra breakfast, it is a nice time of the day. Those students who give themselves 10 or 15 minutes are able to fully engage during period 1 having had the catch up and relaxation prior to going to class.
- Plan your journey if you are walking, what time do you have to leave? Where are you going to meet friends/who will you call for on the way.
- Some of you will travel by bus and further information for parents can be found via the link below. https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/school-and-college-transport
- What time does your bus arrive, make sure you are 5 minutes early to the bus stop, who will you call for on the way or sit with on the bus.
- You can use your phone/ipod or similar on the bus, but this must be on silent or turned off and in your bag safe before your bus crosses the purple line at the entrance to the school site (further detail on phones further down)
What happens if I am late?
- To school – Period 1 starts at 8.45 so if you are running late to school then you will miss part of your first lesson and the learning that goes on, which will make it difficult for you understand the lesson.
- To lesson – It is really important that you are on time to your lessons so that you do not miss the first instructions and so that the teacher can start the lesson in an ordered manner. Having said that if you do find your self being late to class you should ensure you arrive and apologise quietly to the teacher, sit down and get your things out without interacting with others.
- Get a signed note in your planner from the teacher who has kept you behind explaining your lateness.
- Quietly explain your reason when you class teacher asks you why you are late, this will probably not be on your entrance to the classroom.
- As a new year 7 do not worry about this we anticipate that students will take a little time finding their way around the building.
- However if being late to class or school becomes a consistent issue then you will be issued a consequence for this.
What happens if I forget something?
Equipment
- It is really important to have all the equipment you need for school, including the things you need for PE, food technology, enrichment and any other practical subjects. You should have a suitable bag to carry these things in and a pencil case for all your writing and drawing equipment.
- By having the correct equipment you are able to access the tasks the teachers set you, and no time is wasted with teachers providing equipment.
- If you find yourself without equipment we will support you in being more organised and teachers will lend you what you need, but clearly this is not ideal.
Uniform
- Academy staff will check your uniform on entry to the school site in the morning to ensure you look smart.
- As with lateness, if it becomes a consistent issue then we will support you in getting it right but a consequence will be issued for incorrect uniform.
What if I see someone being unkind?
- The students at Outwood Academy Easingwold are fantastic, but unfortunately sometimes unkind words and actions are shown.
- As a community we do not tolerate this type of behaviour but need the support of all the Academy members to ensure it does not go on unchallenged.
- Your role is simple in this.
- Always ensure that you are kind in all your interactions, including face to face in school, or on the journey to and from school, online and on social media and when talking to friends about others. You will find if you are kind to others then they will be kind to you.
- If you see people being unkind inform a member of staff as quickly as possible (everybody will help) and support the person if they are upset. It is really important to give as much detail as you can as quickly as you can if you see an incident.
Am I allowed my phone at school?
- The first thing I need to tell you is that we are a phone free school. Lots of detail as to why this is the case can be found here https://parentsandteachers.org.uk/the-phone-free-school-campaign-an-open-letter/
- If we see you using your phone in school, we will confiscate it and ring home to ask a parent/carer to come and collect it. We only ever release phones to parents/carers or other suitable adults and never straight back to the student. This may mean that you are without your phone for a few days.
- However we also accept that you will want to bring a phone for lots of reasons and this will be up to your parent/carer whether you can do this or not. If you have a phone in school please ensure it is turned off, or at the very least on silent (including notifications) whilst you are in school. Airplane mode is a good idea.
- Finally if you do bring your phone please look after it. They are expensive and often quite precious to you. They are your responsibility so look after them carefully.
How does Enrichment Work?
- It is really important that you involve yourself in the whole life of the school as we offer so much more than just your lessons. We run many activities straight after school through the ‘Enrichment Programme’ including academic enrichments, sporting clubs, creative and performing arts opportunities alongside a robotics club and debating club (we competed in this last year for the first time ever and did very well) and many others. The link below will take you to the current programme so you can see it. https://www.easingwold.outwood.com/enrichment-activities
What are the Pledges?
- At Outwood Grange Academies Trust we feel that as you grow up you should experience lots of things, with both school and family. Due to this we set you the challenge of completing 10 ‘Pledges’ before you leave us at 16 or hopefully 18. These can be found via the following link, and I would very much encourage you to start planning how you are going to do these. https://www.easingwold.outwood.com/pledges
Remember this is about you challenging yourself in some cases, and in others experiencing things that will broaden your cultural and social perspective.
What happens if I get into detention or the reflection room?
- Firstly let me set you mind at rest! Lots and lots of our students go all the way through school with no detentions. And many others might get the odd one or two. It is really easy to stay out of detention all you have to do is turn up on time, correctly dressed and with the right equipment, do what you teachers ask first time, ask for help if you need it and be kind to each other. If you do this you have nothing to worry about.
- We have rules in school to ensure your classrooms are productive, the students, teachers and environment are respected and social time is safe and friendly.
- It is also important to remember that we all make mistakes from time to time, and the most important thing is how you pick yourself up and bounce forward from these mistakes. If you do get a detention then just complete it, learn from it and move on.
What trips can I go on?
- We run lots of trips as an Academy, and although they are open to change each year, we hope that you will get the opportunity to enjoy some of the following experiences.
- A residential trip at the end of Y8 to camp and complete outward bound activities.
- A trip to Ypres in Belgium to see the World War 1 Battle Fields, museums and many of the reconstructed buildings in the town.
- A trip to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland.
- A trip to the Auschwitz Memorial Museum in Poland.
- Many opportunities to visit Sporting events as a performing representing the school, but also to watch professional and international sporting opportunities.
- Many opportunities to visit the theatre, or other venues to watch performances to enhance your experiences and support your learning in Creative and Performing Arts and English.
- Trips to other venues to support and enrich your academic learning.
Can I represent the School in sport?
- Absolutely! The PE department run teams in lots of sports, including all the main ones. Selection for these teams happens through the enrichment programme, so get involved quickly. The new sports hall and 3G pitch will allow us to expand what is offered, so look out for new sports coming soon.
Finally, my very favourite question of all!
What if I get lost?
- Our school site is much bigger than your primary school, but it is not as confusing as it looks to start with. You will quickly find your way round
- However I have seen many Y7’s (and some teachers) crying on the corridor, unable to find G6 for example, so you will not be the only one. Everybody in school will have been lost at some point.
- Just ask! All of our students love to show Y7 to class in the first few days so do not worry, and if you cannot find anyone, just pop into the nearest classroom (scary I know) and ask the teacher, they will send a nice member of their class with you to get you to your lesson.