E-mail address for any correspondence regarding attendance, absences, illness, medical appointments, etc: sixthformabsences@lawrencesheriffschool.com
School Address
Lawrence Sheriff School
Clifton Road
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV21 3AG
Sixth Form Centre Phone number: (01788) 843793, (01788) 843749
School Phone number: (01788) 843700, (01788) 542074
Sixth Form Email address for correspondence: Debbie.Hill@lawrencesheriffschool.com or govinder.fatania@lawrencesheriffschool.com
General Email address for other correspondence: lss@lawrencesheriffschool.com
We like to be able to email sixth form parents with regular updates of key events as we have found this to be the most reliable means of communicating, so it is important that the email address you have provided is the one you wish us to use and is correct.
The Weekly Word is our school newsletter that contains a wide variety of information which is absolutely vital to your son’s/daughter's school career. Essential information about Lawrence Sheriff life including updates on important events like parent consultations, trip information, exam deadlines, school closures, and more. Don't underestimate the importance of the Weekly word to keep up-to-date with what is happening at LSS.
To receive The Weekly Word and other electronic communications, we will use the email address you have provided us with. You will then need to add lssparentportal@lawrencesheriffschool.com to your contacts to avoid any email filtering.
By the end of September, parents and carers new to the school will receive the necessary information to enable them to log onto EduLink One, our online parent communication portal. EduLink offers secure access to your child's school data, including attendance, merits, strikes, timetables, full reports, and allows you to book Parent/Carer Consultation Evening appointments.
We'll provide login details and instructions on how to access EduLink after your son/daughter joins in September.
Make sure the email address you have provided is valid and one that you check regularly.
Please, keep your login details secure
All Sixth Formers have a school ID card which has different privileges to the younger members of the school community. Once issued, you should have your ID card and House Lanyard with you at all times. There is a small fee to replace lost or damaged cards.
Students are expected to wear a House lanyard at all times so that they can be easily identified as a member of the school.
Use of mobile phones is restricted to the Sixth Form Centre ONLY and mobiles must not be used elsewhere around the school under any circumstances. See also the Mobile Device Policy on the following link;
http://www.lawrencesheriffschool.net/parents-and-students/key-information/school-policies
No mobile devices should be charged up at school.
If you would like to access the school BYOD WIFI, you will need to complete a Google Form.
Please read the guidelines carefully and ensure you have also read the link to the Acceptable Use of IT agreement. Please note, mobile phones are not permissible to connect to the WIFI network and laptops must run using Windows.
Once you have completed the attached form, please contact Mr Slaughter, adam.slaughter@lawrencesheriffschool.com to arrange the connection of your device to the WIFI network.
Please note: these dates may be subject to change
Autumn Term
Monday 1 September 2025 Training Day
Tuesday 2 September 2025 Term starts for Years 7 and 12
Wednesday 3 September 2025 Term starts for other year groups
Thursday 2 October 2025 Training Day
Monday 27 October to Friday 31 October 2025 Half Term
Friday 28 November 2025 Training Day
Friday 19 December 2025 Term Ends
Spring Term
Monday 5 January 2026 Term starts
Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February 2026 Half Term
Wednesday 4 March 2026 Training Day
Friday 27 March 2026 Term Ends
Summer Term
Monday 13 April 2026 Term Starts
Monday 4 May 2026 Public Holiday
Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May 2026 Half Term
Monday 20 July 2026 Training Day
Although an official school uniform is not worn in the sixth form, there is a dress code, namely that both male and female students should be dressed appropriately for a formal business environment. The dress code is intended to give sixth formers a pride in their appearance and in the school and to ensure fairness to all. The dress code should be adhered to when attending school and on school trips, unless specific permission is given to the contrary.
The dress code for all students is smart business wear of a formal jacket or blazer with trousers, skirt or dress. Male students are expected to wear a tie. Smart, low heeled shoes should be worn. A plain knitted jumper may be worn under the formal jacket/blazer when it is cold .
All clothes, whether skirt, dress or trousers should not be too tight and should be of a non-clingy fabric.
Long hair should be tied back when in practical settings such as laboratories and workshops. Extremes of hair styles, shaved heads or patterns shaved into extremely short hair are not acceptable. Where a beard is opted for, it should be short and neatly trimmed.
Make-up and nail polish should be discreet if worn.
Jewellery should be suitable for a formal business environment i.e. small ear studs or small nose piercing.
All inappropriate appearance will not be permitted, and the Headteacher reserves the right to decide the suitability of appearance and clothing for school wear, especially as fashions are constantly changing and particularly in response to any particular cultural/medical requirements.
In addition to being dressed appropriately for a formal business environment, students should always have around their necks their House lanyards with their ID cards displayed clearly.
If you have any questions about this dress code, please contact Mr Bedgood, Head of Sixth Form.
Bus Companies
WARWICKSHIRE BUSES
Telephone: 01926 412929 (£10.00 for a replacement pass)
Email: busservices@warwickshire.gov.uk
Twitter: wcc@busservices
Further information about school bus timetables can also be found on the Warwickshire County Council website:
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/schoolbustimetables
Please note that these timetables are provided for information only and may be subject to change.
Local Coach Company Contact Details
A number of school bus services operate across Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. Some are open to pass holders only, whilst others are local buses available to the public.
A-line Coaches - 02476 450808
Arriva Buses - 0344 800 4411
Catteralls - 07926 843192
Terrys Coach Hire - 02476 362975
National Express Coventry - 02475 268103
National Express (cont.) - 02475 268103
Ridleys Coaches - 01926 430130
Stagecoach Midlands - 0845 600 1314
Warwickshire Travel - 01926 699555
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COACH SERVICE
Hunters Coaches – Daventry Tel: 01327 312958
The Sixth Form Centre has a canteen on the ground floor, which is purely for the use of Sixth Form students. In the canteen you will be able to choose from a variety of food at break time and at lunch time.
Paying for your food
All students at Lawrence Sheriff are given an ID card, which is used to pay at the canteen tills via tapping the payment machine. Parents are able to top up the money available on your cards via cheque (made payable to Alliance in Partnership) or by using the online payment system ParentPay.
In the Sixth Form Canteen, students are also able to pay by cash.
Free School Meals Information
Free school meals are available to children up to 19 years of age who attend a state funded school in England on a full-time basis and whose parents/carers claim a qualifying benefit.
Who can claim free school meals?
Families who receive the following are eligible for free school meals:
Income Support
Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
Both Income-based and Contribution-Based JSA/ESA if you receive the same amount for both. You should also qualify if you receive both but the Income-based amount is greater, but not if the contribution-based amount is greater.
Families who are awarded Child Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by HMRC, not in excess of £16,190 are also eligible to claim free school meals providing there is no entitlement to Working Tax Credit (unless in respect of a 4-week ‘run-on’).
How to apply for free school meals
Applications for free school meals should be submitted online, via the following link:
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
Alternatively, you can contact the Customer Service Centre by phone on 01926 359189.
Further information
There is no legal requirement for the local authority to provide a free school meal to a child, although the child may otherwise be eligible, where no application has been made.
There is no legal requirement for the local authority to backdate entitlement or compensate families for the cost of school meals taken prior to the date an application for free school meals was made.
It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to notify Warwickshire County Council of any changes to their benefit or circumstances during the school year which may affect their entitlement to claim free school meals.
For further information about free school meals please contact Warwickshire County Council:
Telephone: 01926 742543
E-mail: freemeals@warwickshire.gov.uk
We use a secure online service called ParentPay to pay for school meals, trips and music tuition online. You will be receiving your unique ParentPay account activation details from the School Office in due course
We are working towards no longer accepting cash and cheque payments, making the school a cash-free environment. Parents who need to continue making payments by cash or cheque may do so for now.
Making secure payments online using your credit or debit card
ParentPay offers you the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available.
You will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password; you will be prompted to change these, and to keep them safe and secure. You will be receiving your unique ParentPay account activation details from the School Office in due course. Once you’ve activated your account you can make online payments straight away.
Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay holds a payment history for you to view at a later date; no card details are stored in any part of the system.
Making payment by cash or cheque
At present, we accept cash and cheques in school. All cash and cheque payments are recorded in your ParentPay online account, giving you a complete record of the payments you have made to school, regardless of the payment method used.
Payment for school meals
For canteen meals, we will accept a minimum amount of £10.00. Please make all cheques to the canteen payable to “Alliance in Partnership” and enclose all cash or cheques in an envelope marked with the student’s name.
All other payments
We would prefer to receive payment for trips, music tuition and home to school transport via ParentPay. We will also accept cash and cheque payments. Please make cheques payable to “Lawrence Sheriff School” and enclose all payments in an envelope marked with the student’s name.
We hope you will support us in achieving our goal to become a cashless school.
ParentPay FAQs
When can I log in to my account?
Once you have received your activation letter from school with your activation login details you’ll be able to activate your account and start making payments.
Which cards can I use?
ParentPay accepts Mastercard and Visa credit cards, and Maestro, Switch, Delta, Electron, Solo and Visa debit cards.
Is it safe to make payments on the internet?
Yes. ParentPay uses leading technology to process your card transactions securely. All communication with the bank is encrypted and neither ParentPay nor the school have access to your card details.
How can I check that it is secure?
Standard website addresses begin with http, the address for a secure site will always begin with https. You will also see a padlock at the bottom/top right of the screen on the ParentPay login page and after you have logged into your account; never enter your card details or personal data on any web page whose address does not start https.
What about our personal information?
ParentPay holds a very limited amount of information about you and your child solely for the purpose of administering your account; however ParentPay does not use your personal information other than for supporting the school. We do not share or give information to any other organisations. We operate under strict guidelines set out by the General Data Protection Regulations 2018.
ParentPay will NEVER contact you by phone, email or mail and ask you to divulge confidential information like passwords or card numbers. If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to be from ParentPay, please contact us immediately on 0845 257 5540.
For more information please visit www.parentpay.com.
You are expected to come fully equipped to all of your lessons.
Advice will be given by the school on the purchase of suitable dictionaries, reference works and other supporting books for courses when required. Copies of these resources will also be available in the school library.
If any item is lost or damaged, it must be reported at once. Individuals responsible for such loss or damage will be charged with replacement.
Sixth Form students are allowed to bring their own device (laptop, tablet) into school for use in Private Study in the Sixth Form Centre. These devices should be carried on the student's person and he/she is responsible for their security. Students are not allowed to charge their devices on the school site.
The Governors cannot accept responsibility for personal items brought onto the school premises and it is therefore advisable to include an all risks personal insurance on any valuable personal items which are brought regularly to school.
The School Library is situated on the top floor of the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) and is normally open from 8.30am-4.30pm, excluding P4. All students are members of the library and can borrow books without a library card. Most books can be taken off-site: those that can only be read in school are clearly marked. Sixth form students allowed 6 books for 6 weeks. The library, as well as being a good place to read and work quietly, is an outstanding resource for information, stocking a number of periodicals and having a compact careers section. A number of groups and clubs take place in the library either at lunchtime or after school, being updated at the start of each academic year. Library information including events, recommended reading lists, etc. are available on the School Library Website.
Teams of prefects assist members of staff with a range of tasks around the school. Most prefects are drawn from the Sixth Form and there are a team of Head Prefects who each lead a team of Senior Prefects. To provide an early experience of taking responsibility, a representative selection of students from Year 10 are also offered the chance to take on the role of a prefect.
Prefects are organised into day teams and carry out tasks such as supporting lunch and break time supervision. Students are expected to respond with respect and courtesy to prefects, who play a crucial role in the running of the school. The prefects are also vital in the successful implementation of the school recycling policy on behalf of the Eco Committee. This has been a hugely popular initiative and relies upon the prefect body to function effectively.
You are welcome to come to school on a bicycle, and accommodation is provided for bikes. Please make sure you have had it coded and that you always lock it away.
The Governors cannot accept responsibility for cycles left on the school premises or playing fields. We therefore suggest you also insure it.
Please wear a cycling helmet for your safety.
If a student is absent from school because of illness or unforeseen circumstances, the school should be informed by 9.30am on the first day of absence and every day thereafter if necessary. Points of contact are:
Sixth Form Centre phone: 01788 843749
EduLink via school website (log in information for parents new to the school to follow in September)
If a student feels ill or has an accident during school time, he/she must report to the Sixth Form office and must never leave the premises without permission and signing out.
Absence for any other reason must be approved in advance. For the sake of the student and as part of the school’s support for the student’s work, after-school classes may be organised for the recovery of missed work.
Sixth Form students are expected to:
Attend all of your lessons.
Ensure you are punctual to all lessons and register your attendance.
Get permission in advance for valid time you need to take off.
Contact the school before 9.30am, on each day of absence, reporting the reason for not attending school.
Provide written confirmation from a parent or carer on the first day of return from absence if requested.
Getting permission for an absence
It is understood that there are occasionally reasons why you may need to apply for permission to be absent. Permission should always be requested prior to an absence from school. Where possible, students should attend school prior to the appointment and after the appointment.
The following list gives the occasions permission may be granted on a limited basis:
Medical or dental appointment (not routine check-ups)
Practical driving test (not driving lessons or theory test)
Attendance at exams
Attendance at a funeral
Religious holiday
Visit to a university either to attend a limited number of Open Days (maximum 3) or for interview
Participating in a significant extra-curricular activity (for example; taking part in a regional, or national event such as drama, music or sport)
Work experience (in addition a work experience form should be completed)
For hospital appointments, we will accept an official appointment letter or email.
For practical driving tests, we will require sight of the driving test booking.
For University interviews, we will require sight of the invite from the University.
For all other occasions, a letter signed by a parent or guardian must be provided to support your reason.
As a matter of courtesy, a student should see his/her teachers in advance if lessons will be missed.
Other kinds of absences
The following reasons for absence would not be acceptable:
Holidays
Part or full-time work which is not part of your programme of study
Leisure activities
Birthday or similar celebrations
Babysitting younger siblings
Shopping
Attendance at music festivals
Wellbeing SUPPORT
We appreciate it is a difficult transition between GCSE and A Level studies.
Students with concerns (academic or social) can be reassured by seeking advice from one of the Sixth Form team, who will be introduced on the induction day.
Students can be guaranteed that personal matters are kept confidential.
Sixth Form students are allowed to bring their own device (laptop, tablet) and mobile phones into school for use in the Sixth Form Centre. If they are used anywhere else on the school site (without permission from a teacher), they will be confiscated.
Arrangements are made for the custody of valuables (watches and small change) during PE and games, but at all other times these articles should be carried on the student’s person and he/she is responsible for their security. Watches, calculators and other personal equipment must be marked.
Other items of value which are necessary to studies (eg musical instruments) should be stored in a secure place by arrangement with the appropriate member of staff.
The Governors cannot accept responsibility for personal items brought onto the school premises and it is therefore advisable to include an all risks personal insurance on any valuable personal items which are brought regularly to school. The school specifically asks that musical instruments, which are available through the Warwickshire County Music Service, be placed on parents’ all risks policies for the duration of the arrangement. You may also wish to consider taking out personal insurance cover for your son/daughter.
Enquiries should first be made to the Sixth Form Staff Office or the Front office
It is advised that as much uniform and equipment is labelled as is possible. This will allow us to identify and return it to students.
Year 12 students have Games afternoon, once per fortnight, where they can opt for a variety of sports. Lessons are either on the main school, at Hart Field, or at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee sports centre, where students have the opportunity to use the Gym.
Illness or Injured Policy
If you are ill or injured and feel that you need to be excused from physical education then you will need to bring in a letter from your parent or guardian. This will have to be handed to the physical education teacher at registration of that lesson. You are still required to attend this lesson as this letter will excuse you from physical activity and not from the lesson.
Furthermore you will be required to bring your sports kit and get changed! This means you are still taking part in the lesson in another role. We expect all students to get changed even if injured and take part in the lesson in another capacity (coach/leader/official). Students should attend the lesson with extra kit to keep warm and dry. This ensures that everyone is taking an active role in PE.
Hart Field – students will still be expected to walk to Hart Field when injured or ill unless they have provided a note from home prior to the lesson that identifies a clear reason to be excused from the short journey (e.g. leg in a plaster cast or injury that causes undue physical pain). If students experience illness or injury in school on a day they have PE they should report immediately to the Sixth Form Centre, who will then refer them to Pastoral for assessment.
For long-term absenteeism, a doctor’s note will be requested.
Lessons at Hart Field or The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Sports Centre
Students will walk from the main school site to Hart Field or the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Sports Centre where their double Games lessons will take place.
Students will leave school site at the end of lunchtime and met at Hart Field or the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Sports Centre by members of staff.
House competitions
There are many internal competitions organised on a House basis. Such competitions cover sports such as rugby, cross country, cricket, athletics, tennis, hockey, basketball, swimming, table-tennis and badminton.
Extra-curriculum Activities
Cricket is offered to all year groups in the summer with fortnightly fixtures.
Trips
The PE department is always looking at providing valuable life experiences. Look out for sports tours, ski trips and more...
Rewards
In PE students can gain achievement points for a variety of reasons; leadership, skill, analysis, coaching, officiating, and many more…they can also be rewarded during our awards afternoons and celebration assemblies with the prestigious ‘house colours’ or trophies that recognise specific achievements and efforts.
Mr Orford
Head of Physical Education
There are inevitably times when the school needs to contact a parent urgently - on occasions of sudden illness, for example.
It is of critical importance to supply the school with reliable emergency phone numbers, and to inform the school immediately of any change of address or emergency contact details.
The Parents’ Association is the oldest in the country and has an outstanding record of supporting the school. Family membership of the Association is free and automatic on the student’s entry to the school. The committee meets at school on the second Wednesday of every month during term time at 7.00 pm. All are welcome and encouraged to play a full participating role.
The Association has previously supplied funding for a wide range of needs from a Testicular Cancer Presentation and music technology equipment to sponsoring the successful Specialist School Status. They look forward to your collaboration but if you find that you cannot be actively involved with their events then please pledge your ongoing support to the school by donating funds to the PA gifted aided fund.
More details about the Parents’ Association can be found on the main school website: http://www.lawrencesheriffschool.net/parents-association-information
At the end of Year 13 you will be emailed with information on how you can join the LSS Alumni community. This includes ways to network with other past staff and students, and you can join the Alumni database so you can stay in touch with the school regarding events and opportunities to contribute to the school in the future (e.g. careers talks).
From the start of Year 12 you can also join the Old Laurentian Society which keeps former pupils in touch with the school and each other by newsletter (mailing list of well over 1000) and reunions. It provides prizes and a wealth of support to the school. The Membership and General Secretary can be contacted via the Old Laurentian Society web page - https://www.oldlaurentian.org. The subscription is £10.00 for a life membership.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility at Lawrence Sheriff School. Safeguarding includes the establishment and implementation of procedures to protect children and young people from deliberate harm, however, safeguarding also encompasses all aspects of pupils' health, safety and well-being.
At Lawrence Sheriff we are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils, and expects all staff, governors and volunteers to share this commitment. Everyone who comes into contact with pupils and their families has a role to play in safeguarding; and this means considering what is in the best interests of the pupil at all times. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals adopt a child-centred approach.
Lawrence Sheriff has a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Child Protection Policy which can be viewed in the policies section on our website. The school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns with parents about their children. There may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Social Care and/or the Police without parental knowledge (in accordance with Child Protection procedures). The school will, of course, always aim to maintain a positive relationship with all parents & carers and aims to take a considered approach when dealing with all safeguarding matters.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is:
Mrs N Dandy (Deputy Headteacher)
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
Mr A Evans (Deputy Headteacher)
Mrs A Merrigan (Pastoral manager)
Ms R Fox (Pastoral manager)
Parents / carers and pupils can contact the team of safeguarding leads via the following email address:
The latest version of the school policies are found on the school website: http://www.lawrencesheriffschool.net/school-policies
Please familiarise yourself with them, particularly the:
Behaviour policy (including consequences if expectations are not met)
Charging and remissions policy (sets out what charges will be levied for activities, what remissions will be implemented and the circumstances under which voluntary contributions will be requested from parents)
Mobile device policy (sets out expectations if students bring a device into school, and consequences if expectations are not met)
Parental communication policy (addresses how the school ensures effective two-way communication between the home and school)
Relationships sex education policy
There is a legal definition of those who are the parents of a pupil and a separate definition for who has parental responsibility for a pupil. In many cases parents may be the only people with parental responsibility for a pupil, whilst in other cases there may be parents who do not have parental responsibility or non-parents who have acquired parental responsibility for a child.
In the box naming each contact for a child the data sheet asks you to indicate Yes or No for whether each contact has parental responsibility. Please would you read the definitions below and check the data sheet so that we can ensure our records are completely up to date.
Definition of parent
Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines 'parent' as
all biological parents, whether they are married or not
any person who, although not a biological parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person
any person who, although not a biological parent, has care of a child or young person (having care of a child or young person means that a person with whom the child lives and who looks after the child, irrespective of what their relationship is with the child, is considered to be a parent in education law).
Parental responsibility
Having parental responsibility means assuming all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent of a child has by law. People other than a child's biological parents can acquire parental responsibility through:
being granted a residence order
being appointed a guardian
being named in an emergency protection order (although parental responsibility in such a case is limited to taking reasonable steps to safeguard or promote the child's welfare)
adopting a child
(in the case of step-parents) in agreement with the child's mother (and other parent if that person also has parental responsibility for the child) or as the result of a court order.
Where a child's parents are not married to each other, the child's father can gain parental
responsibility by:
registering the child's birth jointly with the mother
subsequently marrying the child’s mother
a 'parental responsibility agreement' between him and the child's mother
result of a court order.
In addition, a local authority can acquire parental responsibility if it is named in the care order for a child. Parental responsibility can also be acquired through other routes and if unsure you can contact the school to discuss.
We apologise if asking for this information has caused any concern, but would like to thank you for helping us fulfil our legal obligations to support your son/daughter.
We expect all students to behave in a courteous, mature way at all times, during the school day and when representing the school at other times.
In the event of repeated or serious misconduct, the school’s academic and pastoral discipline routes will be implemented. Please refer to the school’s behaviour policy on the following link;
http://www.lawrencesheriffschool.net/parents-and-students/key-information/school-policies
School equipment
All students make use of a large amount of school equipment (books, games equipment etc.). If any item is lost or damaged, it must be reported at once. Individuals responsible for such loss or damage will be charged for replacement.
Incidents off-site
If a behaviour incident occurs off-site but has a direct impact on the welfare or activities of students in school, the school may investigate and issue sanctions if appropriate. The school reserves the right to use its professional discretion when deciding whether an off-site incident is investigated or not.
Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is not allowed in school or in the vicinity of the school.
Alcohol is not permitted on site at any time and must not be consumed during the school day. There is a zero tolerance policy on alcohol. Any student on site having consumed alcohol will be asked to leave school permanently.
Drugs. There is also a zero tolerance policy on drugs.
These rules also apply when a student is taking part in a school trip or representing the school off site, whatever the time of day.
The latest version of the school admissions policy can be found on the school website: http://www.lawrencesheriffschool.net/school-policies