1. AIMS OF THE SCHOOL
‘Each talented. Each different. All valued.’
Our Quaker Ethos underpins our policies and practices and is expressed through the following aims:
• To create and maintain a culture in which all members of the community can be themselves, developing confidence, self-esteem and tolerance by ensuring a secure setting in which they feel valued and respected.
• To enable every pupil to recognise and acknowledge his or her individual talents and to help each one realise his or her full potential.
• To meet the needs of our pupils, be they educational or pastoral.
• To provide our pupils with a thirst for lifelong learning and an active concern for their immediate environment and the wider community.
• To welcome parents into a partnership embracing trust, understanding and mutual support.
The following are central to our life as a community:
• Respect
• Relationships
• Resilience
• Responsibility
• Reflection
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
Sibford is a busy school with lots going on each week. We will be sharing exciting stories across the following social media channels:
• Facebook. Like SibfordOxon
• Twitter. Follow SibfordOxon
• Instagram. Follow SibfordOxon
3. COMMITTEE
Sibford School’s Governing Body is known as ‘School Committee’. The School address is the registered office of School Committee.
The full School Committee meets three times a year, while two sub-committees (‘Finance and Premises’ and ‘School Life’) meet on a further three occasions, usually on a Saturday.
Most members of the governing body are ‘Friends’ (that is members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers), nominated through a committee set up by Sibford General Meeting, which meets annually. School Committee is also supported by one Old Scholar representative and two parents.
The Chair of the governing body is known as the Clerk of School Committee. They can be contacted via the school office (telephone 01295 781200) or emailing Julia Morel, Head’s PA (jmorel@sibfordschool.co.uk)
Staff from Senior Leadership Team attend.
4. ABSENCE
If a child is unable to attend school due to illness, parents must telephone the school or email absence@ sibfordschool.co.uk by 09.00am on each day of absence.
This should be followed up immediately with an email to the tutor explaining reasons for absence.
Parents requesting pupil absence, other than for illness, must seek permission from the Head by completing the Application for Leave request form which can be found on the Parent Portal here. This should be returned to the school at least one week prior to the absence.
Parent/Guardian absence: Parents of boarders who are away from home for an extended period must inform the school, and supply the name of a guardian and emergency contacts if they are out of the country. If a guardian is away from home for an extended period or is unwell and unable to fulfil their duties (for example in hospital) the parents and/or guardian must inform the school.
All parents are asked to keep to the school’s holiday dates so that pupils are not hindered by unnecessary absence.
Click here to see the 2023/24 term dates
Pupils are not allowed to leave the school site during the school day without permission of a senior member of staff.
We expect all pupils to be present at school for our annual Celebration Day on Saturday June 15th.
• Click here to read the Missing Child Policy.
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5. ACCESS TO PUPIL INFORMATION
There are two distinct rights to information held by schools about pupils.
1. Under the Data Protection Act 1998*, a pupil has the right to a copy of their own information. In certain circumstances requests may be made by a parent on behalf of their child.
2. Under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005, a parent (or those acting as, or for, parent, such as a legal guardian or foster parent) has the right to access their child’s educational record.
Sibford School is required to make a pupil’s record available to a parent or the pupil on receipt of a written request. A response to such a request must be made within 40 days.
The school reserves the right to make an administrative charge for photocopying. This charge will be no more than £10.00 in accordance with section 7 of the Data Protection Act.
*The Act does not specify an age at which a child can make their own request for access to their information. As a general guide, a child of 12 or older is expected to be mature enough to understand the request they are making. A child may, of course, be mature enough at an earlier age or may lack sufficient maturity until a later age, and so requests should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
6. ADMISSIONS POLICY
Click here to read the Admissions Policy.
7. ALCOHOL, DRUGS, TOBACCO AND VAPES
No pupil of Sibford School should buy, possess, consume on campus, or supply to others, any form of drug including alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is a drug and abuse thereof will be dealt with in the same way as any other drug misuse. It will lead to suspension, either fixed term or permanent.
If any pupil becomes intoxicated, either at school or off campus, he/she is likely to bring the name of the school into disrepute and will be dealt with accordingly.
The school does not permit smoking or vaping in any form anywhere on the campus. Pupils caught smoking or vaping will face severe sanctions, in most cases a period of suspension. Pupils may not have cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaporisers, matches, lighters or any other smoking equipment on their person or in their boarding rooms.
INAPPROPRIATE ITEMS
The general power to discipline (‘Discipline in Schools’ DfE – Teachers’ Powers) enables a member of staff to confiscate, retain or dispose of a pupils’ property as a sanction, so long as it is reasonable in the circumstances.
Staff are protected by law from liability for damage to, or loss of, any confiscated items provided they have acted lawfully. Items confiscated will normally by returned to the pupil or parent within a stated time period depending on the offence.
Staff have power to search without consent and to confiscate items considered inappropriate.
Such items include:
• Knives and weapons
• Alcohol
• Illegal drugs
• ‘Legal’ highs
• Stolen items
• Cigarettes, tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaporisers and cigarette papers
• Fireworks
• Pornographic images
• Any article likely to be used to commit an offence, cause personal injury or damage to property
• Any banned item under school rules including mobile phones
Serious sanctions are employed to give a clear and strong message to the guilty party, and the rest of the school community, about what is acceptable behaviour.
• Click here to read the Behaviour and Social Respect Policies on the school policies section of the website.
• Click here to read the Safeguarding policies
8. BEHAVIOUR
Our Quaker values underpin Sibford School in all areas of school life. Pupils and staff adhere to the Code of Conduct in line with our school ethos. Details of age appropriate procedures are included in the school ‘Behaviour – Rewards and Sanctions Policy’ which can be found here on our website.
At Sibford we hope to recognise the ‘good’ within each person and try to find peaceful and reasonable resolutions to conflict, as a clear reflection of our Quaker principles. Our positive ‘culture of praise’ informs our day-to-day work with pupils and expectations that good behaviour and kindness are the norm. We expect pupils to treat staff and each other with consideration and good manners.
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Our key focus with pupils is on developing three core areas: Respect, Relationships and Resilience, Responsibility and Reflection
An important part of the Quaker contribution to the spiritual life of the children is that through the silence of Meeting for Worship, they have time for quiet reflection on their behaviour and actions. As our overall aim, discipline is based on respect and trust as well as collective and individual responsibility. We treat everyone as an individual and are strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or disability. However, there will be occasions when sanctions must be imposed in the interest of the wider community.
In circumstances where things do go wrong, guidance and support are offered through our pastoral system where strong tutor/class teacher/house parent relationships exist.
• Click here to read the Behaviour and Social Respect Policy.
9. BOARDING
Boarding at Sibford School is an enriching, positive experience where all are encouraged to live adventurously.
We take boarders from Year 7 and ensure we provide an environment where all of our students feel valued, respected and part of the community. Boarders at Sibford have the opportunity to develop not only socially but also personally and intellectually; it is a great experience and one where memories that will last a lifetime are made.
The aim of our boarding provision is to provide a safe ‘home from home’ environment for our boarders and we feel that the community atmosphere of Sibford School is supportive and nurturing for all our boarders. Our houses are run by House Parents (some of whom are also teachers) who work hard to create a family style environment. House Parents live at either end of the boarding houses and get to know our boarders well, and, like parents they try to keep informed of their progress at school whilst also giving them a secure home to retreat to from the pressures of academic work.
Diverse Community
We are proud of the wide range of backgrounds that boarders bring with them to Sibford and feel this adds an international dimension to a rural school. This in turn adds to the diversity of Sibford and provides increased understanding of different cultures for all.
Boarding Options
We offer a variety of boarding packages, namely full boarding, weekly boarding and occasional boarding. Some full boarders have their family homes in the UK; others come from abroad. Full time boarders live on site in a boarding house at Sibford School for seven nights a week during term time. The school is responsible for the pupil’s care and wellbeing 24 hours a day. Full boarding fees include:
• Accommodation
• Laundry
• Help with travel arrangements
• Health care
• All meals during the week
• Weekend brunch and Sunday evening meal at weekends plus a food allowance and a supply of staple foods (milk, bread, fruit etc.)
Our flexible weekly boarding options work well for students who have a lengthy daily commute to Sibford School, but still want to travel back home at weekends. Students who choose to stay five nights a week have the option to arrive on Sunday night or Monday morning and depart on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Students can regularly stay for one to five nights a week, meaning the school can work effectively around family life and work commitments. For more information, on weekly boarding, click here
Occasional/flexible boarding is available for any day pupil in Year 7 to 13 board other than as a full boarder or weekly boarder, whether for a single night or for a longer period. Authorisation forms are available from the Head of Boarding for parents to complete and return. The charge (2023/2024) is £75.00 per night. The cost includes 24-hour care, full board with meals and bed linen. We offer a 50% discount on the cost of occasional boarding should your child be staying over as the result of a school-based event such as an open evening, sports fixture or school trip.
During the week there are evening clubs, practices, fixtures, outings and other activities. At weekends there is a range of activities available, for example, visits to places of interest, sports, visits to the theatre or cinema, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award training, expeditions and other commitments, shopping outings and on-site activities.
Health and Pastoral Care
The boarding environment is sensitive to the needs of all individuals. Our aim is to have an emphasis on the pastoral support that strongly reflects the school’s ethos and provides outstanding care for boarders. Our House Parents and pastoral staff are always on hand to talk to boarders and ensure they are having the best possible experience. We appreciate that living away from home is a big change, so we keep a watchful eye to support and help the children and make they are comfortable and
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feel part of the family. Staff get to know our boarders well, and, like parents, try to keep informed of their progress at school, whilst also giving them a secure home to retreat to from the pressures of academic work.
All boarders are registered with the School Health Advisor who is based at the Health Centre on-site. Appointments are made through the School Health Advisor if pupils need to see a doctor. The School Health Advisor must be informed of any medication prescribed by other practitioners, for example, during school holidays so that out of school treatments are fully integrated within the school care programme. In addition to the School Health Advisor, there is a team of qualified First-Aiders on site.
Laundry
Fielding has its own arrangements for laundry. Personal laundry, bed linen and towels are dealt with by the school’s laundry. Boarding houses all have their own laundry facilities should pupils wish to do their own laundry.
Personal electronic equipment
Boarders may use their own personal electronic equipment. All such equipment must comply with school safety checks and parents should arrange suitable insurance for these items. Access to the internet through the wireless network is monitored for the purposes of network security and pupil safety. Pupils may, of course, use the school computers for their internet access needs, such use being at the hours prescribed by Housestaff.
Mobile Phones
Junior boarders (up to Year 11) hand in all mobile phones / WiFi technology by 9 pm; these are returned to pupils at 8am.
Pocket Money
Pupils’ pocket money should be left in the care of Houseparents; the school cannot accept responsibility for money left in dormitories or other areas in school. Pupils should arrange withdrawals of pocket money with their Houseparents. All boarders have lockers for the safe keeping of small amounts of money and valuables.
10. CAREERS AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Careers Education, Guidance and SELF begins in Year 7 through to Year 13, through event days and the tutor based PSHE programme. In addition, visiting speakers address assemblies and subject teachers help pupils explore careers related to their subjects. We also provide parent information evenings relating to careers information and support.
We use the platform Unifrog, introduced in Year 7, to support, guide and advise students on their choices and options that they make at various points in their Sibford career. Unifrog provides a one stop platform for students to take individual responsibility for their future choices and where they create and record their own portfolio of skills, competencies, and experiences. One-to-one careers guidance and advice interviews are provided to all Year 11 students on the various Post-16 options choices available.
Year 9 Take your child to work day
It is an important aspect of the PHSE and Careers
Curriculum that students have the opportunity to explore the world of work. In Year 9 we would like to begin this programme with a ‘Take your Child to Work Day’. This needs to be arranged by parents/carers and conducted during the Easter holidays. Students will be given a handbook to take notes and record their experiences of the day. The experience will give students an idea of the workplace and start the process of gaining ideas about their extended work placement in Year 10.
Sixth Form students are supported fully, with focus on personal statement writing, Curriculum Vitaes and UCAS applications. Students are also encouraged to undertake independent research, build their skills set and their personal portfolio to enable them to apply for their preferred Post-18 choices. Students are expected to undertake work experience and attend Higher Education Information days and National Careers and apprenticeship Fairs.
11. CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT
The school recognises its responsibility concerning environmental issues, and actively endorses and implements sustainable environmental programmes promoting and encouraging energy conservation, recycling and waste management. Pupils, staff, suppliers and others involved in school operations are all expected to play their part in helping the school fulfil these responsibilities.
12. CATERING
At Sibford, we encourage all pupils to eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Our caterers, Thomas Franks, offer a creative and varied range of menus that provide for a wide range of tastes. Food is prepared at the school with ingredients that come from local, family owned suppliers.
Day pupils must attend lunch and may attend tea if staying for prep (48 hours’ notice via Reception is required). Boarders must attend all weekday meals (breakfast, lunch and tea). There is some flexibility at weekends but brunch for boarders on Saturday and Sunday and the Sunday evening meal are compulsory.
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Meals are served at the following times
8am: Breakfast
From Senior School Lunch
12.50pm: (Year group rotas published at start of term)
5.45pm: Tea
Snacks are available for pupils to purchase during morning break in the school dining room. Fresh fruit is also available. In addition, we have regular charity cake sales.
At 4.15pm (Monday – Thursday) a snack/fruit and a drink are served in the dining room for boarders and day pupils staying for prep / activities only
Please note: Sibford School is a Nut Free Zone
With a number of children suffering food allergies, and in particular nut allergies, Sibford School has taken the decision to reduce the risk of allergic reactions by ensuring that there should be no nuts, or products containing nuts, present in the school environment. This means that our Catering Department, Food Technology Department and, indeed, all other departments, do not use nuts or nut products.
We also ask that any cakes or food brought into school for whatever reason (fund raising, celebrations, gifts etc) do not contain nuts.
16. CURRICULUM
Sibford school believes in providing an education for the ‘whole person’. We offer pupils a broad and balanced curriculum which includes experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, horticultural, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative education. Our curriculum extends beyond the classroom and includes a wide range of extra-curricular activities and experiences, appropriate for the ages and aptitudes of all pupils, including those with a statement of Special Educational Needs.
Click here to read the Curriculum Policy.
17. CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT WEEK
Curriculum Enrichment Week takes place during the last week of the summer term. All pupils in the Senior School (apart from Year 11 and Year 13) are taken off the normal timetable and given the opportunity to try an activity that is new, exciting and perhaps something that they would not normally undertake. Experience and feedback tells us that the pupils benefit greatly from these activities and it also gives them the opportunity to enjoy time together as a year group. There is a cost implication in taking pupils out of school, whether it be for residential visits or on day excursions, however, we try to keep this to a minimum and we hope you will agree it represents excellent value for money.
13. CODE OF CONDUCT Guidelines for Pupils at Sibford School
Produced by Student Forum
• Mutual respect is key.
• Look after the school environment.
• Look after each other.
• Social media - think before you post.
• Do something wrong - own up.
• Stressed or sad – ask for support.
• Be loyal to the school, teachers and pupils.
• Always report bad behaviour.
14. COMPLAINTS
• Click here to read the Complaints Policy.
15. COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE
• Click here to read the Computer Acceptable Use Policy.
18. DAY HOUSE SYSTEM
Sibford School operates four Day Houses, Clark, Fry, Gillett and Nansen. These are led by a staff Head of House, and a Year 13 and Year 9 House captain.
Upon joining the school, each pupil is allocated to a House, and will follow family connections. Houses are distinguished by colour. House scarves may be purchased from our uniform supplier, Schoolblazer.
There are weekly House meetings and House run socials once a year, have a special meal, and throughout the year there are many inter-House competitions. At the end of each term a special House Meeting is held, and cups are presented along with the termly points shield.
19. DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME
Sibford offers three levels of Duke of Edinburgh: Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Students can sign up for their Bronze award from the age of 14 and, on completion of all three sections, are invited to sign up for the Silver Award.
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The Gold Award is available to Sixth Form students. Usually they will have completed their Bronze and Silver first although it is possible to have direct entry into the Award at Gold Level.
The school organises expeditions at all three levels where students will be expected to camp and undertake outdoor skills. Recent expeditions have been in Oxfordshire (Bronze), the New Forest (Silver) and the Lake District (Gold).
20. EDUCATIONAL VISITS
School visits provide a great opportunity for pupils to gain experience and face a range of challenges that can contribute significantly to their personal development.
Any overnight educational visits are reviewed and approved by the school’s governing body.
Outings to the theatre, exhibitions, conferences etc are regularly arranged for all pupils. The cost of these trips is extra and can be added to the termly fee account.
In the Senior School, day pupils may be able to stay overnight in one of our boarding houses for a small charge if a trip/outing is scheduled to return to school at a late hour. Permission needs to be obtained from the house staff in advance.
The school also runs a number of residential trips, some directly associated with curriculum subjects e.g. Geography Field Trips and other more recreational visits such as the Ski Trip.
Click here to read the Educational Visits Policy.
21. ENRICHMENT
There is a wide variety of lunchtime clubs and activities on offer covering a range of subjects including crafts, board games, music, drama and sport.
All pupils in Years 7 and 8 must attend three lunchtime clubs/activities per week. Year 9 pupils are required to attend two per week, these will be chosen in the first week of each term and attendance at these is compulsory. We also run a number of before and after school clubs. Click here to learn more about the extra-curricular activities available at Sibford School.
22. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Click here to read the Community Equality Policy.
23. EQUIPMENT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES
ESSENTIAL
EQUIPMENT
Pupils require the following equipment in school:
• Reading book
• Pen (ink or equivalent)
• Pencils and coloured pencils/pens
• Pencil sharpener
• Eraser
• Highlighters
• 30cm ruler
• Casio Scientific Calculator (not mobile phone calculator)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Protractor and compass
• PE kit (on appropriate days)
• Clear water bottle
• Laptop
• Charger
• Headphones
COMPUTERS
The use of the latest technology is actively encouraged at Sibford School but with this comes a responsibility to protect both students and the school from abuse of the system. Guidelines for the responsible use of technology are available on the Parent portal on the School website.
Pupils are expected to behave responsibly on the school computer network, as they would in classrooms and in other areas of the school. We therefore ask that pupils adhere to the Sibford School Student Computer Acceptable Use Policy which can be found on the school website here This policy covers all computers, laptops and electronic devices within the school, irrespective of who owns the device
LAPTOPS
Pupils in KS3 / 4 and 5 should have a laptop or other device (not a mobile phone) which is capable of Office 365 and researching.
Recommended specification
As of 2023, the minimum recommended specification for a new student laptop is as follows, for Year 7-13:
• Laptop with a minimum 14” screen
• Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor
• 256GB SSD (Solid State Drive) Hard Drive
• 8GB Memory
• Windows 10 PRO (not home)
Sibford School do not recommend the use of MacBook or Chromebook computers.
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Students studying Design Technology GCSE or Product Design AS/A level must have a Windows laptop to access the software required for these courses. It is essential that the laptop runs Windows Pro as this will allow full access to the Microsoft services available at Sibford School. Companies such as Dell and HP frequently have offers on these business style laptops, so it is worth shopping around for the best deal. This specification should give at least 3 years of use. There is no requirement for students to upgrade an existing laptop, however these recommendations should be considered if a device is to be replaced soon. A small number of students might have more specialised requirements, such as running Photoshop in Art; please contact the appropriate teacher for recommendations in this case.
All pupils are permitted to use laptops during certain parts of the school day either at the discretion of the SfL Department or as directed by another member of staff. Laptops must be registered with the Head of ICT (see laptop registration form under ‘Useful Documents’ on the Parent portal here Personal laptops can only connect via the student network service. Pupils must use wireless connectivity – laptops should not be cabled to the network and must have up to date anti-virus software installed.
Laptops are expensive tools for work and pupils should not abuse this privilege by using them for unsuitable purposes.
If pupils bring a laptop to school they must comply with the Laptop Code of Conduct which can be found under ‘Useful Documents’ on the Parent portal here. Pupils must also ensure that their laptop is locked away when not in use.
MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Mobile phones are not permitted to be used in school. If pupils need to use a phone during their journey to and from school they should ensure that it is turned off and stored safely during the day. Should a pupil need to contact home, they may use the phone in Reception.
If a pupil is found to be using their mobile phone in school the following sanctions will be applied:
• First offence - the phone will be removed for up to one week and returned on Friday at 4.15pm.
• Second offence – as first offence BUT parents/ guardians will be informed that any further offence will result in a Senior Leadership Team Detention.
• Third Offence – Senior Leadership Detention (24hrs notice after school 4.30-5.30pm). The phone will be returned to parents upon school collection time and will meet with a member of the senior leadership team. Pupils will be asked to keep the phone at home for five working days or they will have to hand in their phone into school for five working days.
Pupils must not use any kind of camera or video facility to photograph or record pupils or staff at school. Misuse of mobile phones and other electronic devices can be a criminal offence. Failure to adhere to this rule is likely to result in a serious sanction.
24. FEES
Details of current fees can be found on the school website here.
School fees are set for the academic year but invoiced termly and are payable three working days prior to the beginning of term. Payment can be made by bank transfer or direct debit. A late payment charge of 5% will be added to any amounts outstanding after the due date.
The school’s bank account details are as follows: Allied Irish Bank Account Number: 26774108 Sort Code: 23-85-85
For international parents the IBAN reference is: GB53AIBK23858526774108
In addition, Sibford School also offers a number of other payment options which parents may find helpful: -
1. Parents may also choose to pay in monthly instalments by direct debit.
2. The school is able to offer the facility for parents to pay termly fee bills by credit card or debit card.
3. For parents who wish to pay fees in advance, the School can fix the termly fee for an agreed future period, based on the appropriate published fee prevailing at the time such an arrangement is made (please note that where a fee increase has already been notified, then the advance payment would be based on the new fee). The amount payable will be in multiples of the agreed termly fee and will remain constant for the number of terms covered by the advance payment received.
4. To set up a direct debit or to discuss any other payment option please contact Nikki Tunnicliffe in the Accounts Department on 01295 781212 or email ntunnicliffe@sibfordschool.co.uk,
Additional Payments
Parents, Staff and Friends Association
A £5 per term payment to Sibford PSFA (Parents, Staff and Friends Association) will automatically be added to your bill. Should you wish to opt out of this payment please contact Nikki Tunnicliffe in writing/by email (ntunnicliffe@sibfordschool.co.uk).
Pupil Absence Insurance
A pupil absence insurance scheme is available to help with the cost of school fees if your child is forced to miss school for an extended period of time because they are
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ill or injured. Conditions apply and further details are available on the school website. The cost of joining the scheme is calculated as a percentage of your termly fee bill, excluding extras (currently 0.87%). This is an OPT IN scheme. If you would like to be included, please return the application form which can be found under ‘Useful Documents’ on the Parents area of the website here
Scholarships, Bursaries & Sibling Discounts Sibford School awards a limited number of scholarships and bursaries. The school also operates a ‘Sibling Discount Scheme’.
In the Senior School and Sixth Form, general academic scholarships are awarded together with subject specific scholarships for Art, Music and Sport. Scholarships consist of a maximum 10% discount on fees. Scholarships are offered for the following Year Groups:
• Senior School - for entry to Year 7 (offered until the end of Year 11)
• Senior School - for entry to Year 9 (offered until the end of Year 11)
• Sixth Form - for entry to Year 12 (offered until the end of Year 13)
Sibford School also offers a limited number of means tested bursaries to pupils throughout the school. These can be awarded to both Quaker and non-Quaker families.
For more information on scholarships and bursaries click here.
Notice of early withdrawal
You are required to give the school one clear term’s notice, in writing, if you intend to withdraw your child from the School. Failure to give notice will result in a full term’s fees being charged.
Full terms and conditions of admissions can be found on the school website here
Sibford School is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England under number 3487651, Registered Charity No. 1068256.
25. FIREFLY
Your child is supported in their independent learning by the school’s VLE platform, Firefly. We are pleased to be able to offer you access to the school’s Firefly Parent portal where you will be able to see up-to-date information for your child/children.
Through the Parent portal, you will be able to see your child’s prep tasks and access the subject pages where
each department provides resources to support your child’s learning.
You can log on and find this information from your PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone.
Pupil Login Information:
Pupils can access their Firefly page by going to Sibford.fireflycloud.net
They should then log in with their school username (email address) and password by clicking on the Office 365 logo (not the cloud user login box).
It is a good idea to copy a link to the Firefly page to your computer desktop to make navigation more straightforward.
The password needs to be prefixed with 00
Parent portal login information:
The address you will need to log onto the Parent Portal is: Sibford.fireflycloud.net.
Please use the email account that the school has on file for you to log in to your account. This will ensure that you are linked to the correct pupil information.
Further help can be found here:
• https://helpcentre.fireflylearning.com/students/ getting-started/logging-in (students)
• https://helpcentre.fireflylearning.com/parents/ getting-started/logging-in (parents)
SOCS is used for listing fixtures, displaying team sheets and for signing up to KS3 clubs. There is a link to SOCS on the Firefly homepage.
If you continue to have difficulties, please refer directly to the Firefly support team: support@fireflylearning.com
26. FIRST AID
Click here to read the First Aid Policy.
27. HEALTH AND SAFETY
Click here to read the Health and Safety Policy.
28. HEALTH CENTRE
Sibford School has its own Health Centre and employs a School Health Advisor, Miriam Bibb. The school also has a separate Wellbeing Room and employs trained wellbeing coaches who are available to talk to students on a confidential basis on two days a week in term time.
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The Wellbeing coaches are available for appointments that can be arranged by emailing help@sibfordschool. co.uk or via tutors or Head of Key Stages..
The Health Centre is open between the hours of 8am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted via School Reception on 01295 781200.
Pupils wishing to access the Health Centre or see the School Health Advisor MUST go via Reception.
The School Health Advisor is responsible for collecting in and dispensing medication. Pupils should not have any medication in school other than that kept by the School Health Advisor. All medication should be brought to school in its original packaging clearly labelled, in English, with the pupil’s name and the dosage required. A permission form is required for any medication administered at school. This form is available here. Out of hours first aid is covered by a team of first aid trained staff.
Any pupil experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting should not come to school for 48 hours after they are symptom free.
The Wellbeing coaches are available for appointments that can be arranged by emailing help@sibfordschool.co.uk or via tutors, Heads of Key Stages or the School Health Advisor
29. INSURANCE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
See details of Pupils Personal Effects Insurance under ‘Useful Documents’ on the Parent portal here
30. LANYARDS
• Sibford School operates a lanyard system.
• All staff wear ID badges attached to a GREEN lanyard.
• Visitors to Sibford School must sign in and will be given a Visitor’s Badge attached to RED lanyard.
• Visitors who have been DBS checked and work regularly on behalf of Sibford School will be given a Visitor’s Badge attached to an ORANGE Lanyard.
• Visitors wearing a red lanyard should not be alone with a pupil
31. LIBRARY
The School Library is open every school day, from 8.30am until 4.30pm, and during Prep from Monday to Thursday. Students use the Library during Break and Lunchtime for study and reading and sixth formers are encouraged to use the Library during their study periods.
The Library provides books and magazines for all to encourage leisure reading, independent learning, support academic studies etc. Our English specialist and librarian promotes good use of online resources providing links to many useful websites as well as offering sessions to promote study skills and encouraging reading. If students need advice, recommendations or support, our School Librarian, is ready to help them.
32. PERIPATETIC LESSONS
The Music Department provides peripatetic teachers who offer tuition in most orchestral instruments, piano, singing, drums and guitar.
Lessons take place during the school day and are organised to cause the minimum disruption to curriculum lessons.
Piano, violin, recorder, guitar/ukulele and drums are the most appropriate for Junior pupils. Woodwind may be considered as the children grow and develop the necessary span, stretch or breath control. The school can provide a double bass, half and threequarter size violins, cellos, clarinets, flutes, cornets, French horns and saxophones. Pupils studying other disciplines will need to provide their own instruments. Music staff are always happy to advise on the suitability of an instrument and recommend taster lessons to help with the choice of instrument.
The cost of individual music tuition is in line with the recommendation of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. Please contact the Music Department for further details.
LAMDA Classes
Sibford also offers LAMDA classes, which give young people the opportunity to receive tuition in Solo Acting, Verse & Prose and Public Speaking. These lessons are either individual or paired. Please contact the Music Department for fees and further information.
33. PREP
Prep is assessed and marked on a regular basis and should be a reflection of the pupils’ own work.
A prep timetable will published at the start of the academic year.
Pupils in Years 7 and 8 should spend approximately 2030 minutes on each prep set and also complete at least 10 minutes of private reading.
Pupils in Year 9 should be spending approximately 30 minutes on each prep set and also complete at least 10 minutes of private reading.
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Pupils in Years 10 and 11 will have a minimum requirement of approximately 40 minutes per subject, but this may vary with the demands of the GCSE courses.
MISSED PREP
Failure to complete prep or to produce work of a satisfactory standard will be followed up, in the first instance, by the subject teacher. If pupils have a valid reason for late or poor quality prep, an extension may be given to allow for satisfactory completion.
If pupils are absent from school or miss a lesson they are expected to check Firefly and catch up on work missed.
FIREFLY
All Senior School prep is posted on Firefly (our Virtual Learning Environment) for pupils to access.
34. PSFA
The PSFA (Parent, Staff and Friends Association) is run by volunteers drawn from the ranks of parents, teaching and non-teaching staff, school management and members of the school community.
ROLE OF PSFA
THE PSFA exists to:
• Give parents a voice
• Organise fund raising events and to provide skills and resources to enable the school, its teachers and pupils to realise goals and to undertake special projects that would not be possible through school resources alone.
• Help the school to communicate effectively with current and prospective parents
• Organise activities and events that build a sense of community amongst parents, guardians, staff, pupils and friends of the School.
Events that members of the PSFA regularly get involved with include:
• Celebration Day
• Open Mornings
• Christmas Fayre
• Social events
• Charity Ball
VOLUNTEERS
All parents are automatically members of the PSFA and are entitled to attend meetings. There is also a chance to get more involved by actively helping out at events etc.
CLASSLIST
Regular parent to parent communication is important in helping us build a supportive and welcoming school community. Recent data protection changes mean parents now rely on a variety of informal channels to contact each other, ranging from ad-hoc email lists to social media groups on Facebook and WhatsApp. These can work well but raise important concerns over inclusiveness, security and safeguarding - particularly when used to distribute personal data, and exchange information and images about children.
PSFA, working closely with the school, has looked carefully at what might serve parent needs best in this area and as such we are committed to the ‘built for purpose’ app called Classlist. This enables parents to find and contact each other securely, whilst giving each parent complete control over what data is shared. Classlist, which is UK based, holds appropriate security and GDPR certifications and recently won top prize at BETT, the world’s largest education technology event.
Our parent community is of course much more than an online address book. Using Classlist you can set up events; form special interest groups; discuss arrangements for parties or lift shares; find a home for old bicycles or school blazers, and volunteer.
It takes only a couple of minutes to get started - first download the Classlist app on iOS or Android select ‘Sibford School’ and choose what data to share with your fellow parents. There is also a link to Classlist on the Parent portal on the school website here
Up to date information on PSFA can be found here
35. PSHE
Click here to read the following PSHE Policies:
• PSHE Policy Key Stage 3
• PHSE Policy Key Stage 4
• PHSE Policy Sixth Form
36. QUAKER EDUCATION
Sibford School was established in 1842 as a boarding school for the children of Quaker families. Over the years, the school has undergone many changes and developments, as it has adapted to meet the needs and aspirations of its pupils. However, there is one factor that has remained constant in the life of the school, our Quaker values that recognise that of God in everyone.
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Translated into everyday life, this means:
• valuing and nurturing individual talents;
• respecting each other; and
• helping each individual to become the very best they possibly can.
Although the majority of pupils and staff at Sibford School are not Quakers, there are three main factors that set us apart from other schools.
Meeting for Worship
Instead of having an assembly, the school community gathers together for a Meeting for Worship. This is a time when all staff and pupils, of whatever faith, share in a period of quiet reflection - a rare opportunity in today’s world. Meeting for Worship is also an opportunity to pass on congratulations, messages and notices. All pupils are expected to attend.
Meeting for Worship is held at the beginning or end of the week for the whole School, with various split meeting by house and year group inbetween.
Quaker Grace
We don’t have a spoken grace at lunchtime but frequently during the lunch-time sittings we will have a Quaker Grace, a short period of silent thankfulness for the meal and for each other.
Quaker form of address
The Quaker form of address, especially in correspondence, has no titles, simply the full name. Hence Mrs R Evans becomes Rebecca Evans. Letters are addressed not with a ‘Dear Sir’ but with ‘Dear John Smith’ and, respectful of our Quaker tradition and heritage, we encourage pupils throughout the school to address their teachers in the same way … the Head, therefore, should be addressed as Rebecca Evans.
37. SAFEGUARDING
• Click here to read the Child ProtectionSafeguarding Policy.
38. SHAPE OF THE DAY
8.40am Pupils to register in form rooms
8.45am Meeting for Worship/Tutor Time
9.10am Periods 1 & 2
10.15am Break
10.35am Periods 3 & 4
11.45am Periods 5 & 6
12.50pm Lunch
1.50pm Pupils to register in form rooms
2.00pm Periods 7 & 8
3.10pm Periods 9 & 10
4.15pm End of lessons
Snack for boarders and day pupils staying for prep available in dining room.
4.30pm Prep/Activities
Pupils who have booked to stay for prep are registered in prep room. Pupils staying for activities register in Reception.
5.45pm Tea for boarders
Day pupils may stay for tea provided they have booked 48 hours in advance.
Any pupil who is late or for any reason has changed their plans must notify Reception. If their parents are late collecting them or if they miss the school bus, they need to report to Reception and sign-in on the prep register.
39. SOCIAL RESPECT
Click here to read the Social Respect Policy.
40. STAFF
The following staff make up the school Senior Leadership Team (SLT):
• Rebecca Evans, Head
• Phil Tattersall-King, Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Jessica Boyle, Director of Studies
• Edward Rossiter, Head of Junior School
• Ally Lynch, Business Manager
A full list of all staff that work throughout the school can be found on the school website here
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41. STUDENT FORUM
At Sibford, we recognise the value and importance of our students contributing their opinions about all aspects of school life. The group consists of a member of each tutor group in the senior school, with Year 7 represented from the Spring Term onward. The group is run by Tracy Knowles, Assistant Head Pastoral, half termly. Minutes are taken, and the members required to feed back to their tutor groups on projects and ideas. The group has a small budget to work from to improve some aspect of school life.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE
General:
• Staff are deployed to ensure the proper supervision of pupils.
• Pupils are not allowed on site without supervision. At least one member of the teaching staff is always present in order to supervise pupils whenever they are in the school outside normal school hours. Arrangements are made to ensure pupils are supervised during play and concert rehearsals, or other events that bring small groups into school out of hours.
• Members of the PE Department supervise pupils on both home and away matches.
• Suitable staff/pupil ratios are in force during outings and visits abroad. (See the separate Educational Visits Policy for further details.) Whilst appropriate staffing ratios are adhered to, school may vary this as necessary according to the nature of the activity and the age of the pupils.
Before School Care and Supervision:
Early morning swimming club is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (spring term) from 7.15am to 8am. Pupils who wish to take part return the sign-up form at the start of term. Pupils are expected to go to the dining hall for breakfast after swimming, before going to their tutor bases for the start of the school day. There is a small charge for breakfast.
After School:
Parents of day pupils complete and return the sign-up form at the start of each term indicating if they wish their child to stay for prep/an activity on a regular basis. Parents are requested to let Reception know if their child cannot attend for any reason. Additionally, pupils are aware that they must notify Reception staff of changes to their routines.
Duty staff go to the dining room at 4.15pm to supervise the After-School Snack session until 4.35pm when all pupils go home or to prep/after school activities.
Supervision of Prep:
Prep (during the period from 4.35 pm. until tea at 5.45 pm)
Years 10/11: ICT rooms.
Years 7 – 9: English rooms or Library
Years 12/13: Sixth Form Centre.
SfL – 1 SfL Department. A senior colleague will be on duty from 4.30pm – 5.45pm.
Duty staff supervise the dining room at tea from 5.45pm until 6.30pm at which time day pupils are collected by parents and boarders return to their boarding houses.
42. TRANSPORT OWN TRANSPORT
Parents who bring their child to school by their own transport should use the school’s Hook Norton Road entrance. To keep our pupils safe, please do not use any other entrance.
Senior School pupils should be dropped off and picked up at the ‘kiss and drop’ point. Parents of Junior School pupils should park in the Junior School Car Park.
Junior School only: In order to protect your child, it is important that we know who is going to collect him/her from school on a regular basis, be it parent, grandparent, child minder etc. Please therefore include this information on the General Admissions Form. Should you need to make alternative arrangements for your child’s collection please inform the class teacher and the Junior School office in advance.
Sixth Form only: Sixth Form students who have passed their driving test may bring their own car to school provided that they first obtain a Parking Permit from the school office. Sixth Form students are NOT allowed to give lifts to other pupils and may only give lifts to siblings with the agreement of the Head.
BUSES
We use a mixture of coach hire and our own minibuses. Pupils in Year 3 and above may travel to/from school on our minibuses. Pupils in Year 5 and above may travel to/ from school on coaches.
Younger pupils may be able to travel on minibuses/ coaches if accompanied by an older sibling in certain circumstances. We ask that you seek approval for this from the Head.
The routes we currently operate can be found here
For further information (including details of charges) please contact Kate Oldroyd on travel@sibfordschool.co.uk
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BICYCLES
Any pupil in Year 7 upwards may bring a bicycle to school. It must be registered with the main school office using the ‘Riding a bicycle to school’ form, available from the school office. Bicycles must be kept padlocked in the designated area when not in use.
Junior School pupils can only bring bicycles to school if they are undertaking the Cycling Proficiency Course. Cycles must be roadworthy and should be clearly named.
Insurance for bicycles is the responsibility of parents.
A cycle helmet must be worn at all times when the cycle is in use.
43. TUTORS
The Tutor is responsible for the wellbeing of pupils in their tutor group. Pupils meet with their tutors in the morning and afternoon for Registration, and twice a week for a longer session when tutor group activities take place and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) is delivered. In Year 7 the majority of lessons are held with tutor groups, but increasingly as pupils progress through the year groups, pupils will be with others of similar academic ability, particularly in Maths, Science and English.
44. UNIFORM
SENIOR SCHOOL UNIFORM LIST
Senior School uniform is to be worn by pupils in Years 7-11.
Items in bold should be purchased from Schoolblazer
Click here to see the full uniform list on the school website.
All items are compulsory unless stated otherwise. Schoolblazer can supply all uniform items with the exception of shoes/trainers etc.
School Uniform
Blazer (see note for Year 11 below)
Sibford School Blazer (or Year 11 navy blazer, see ‘how we wear our uniform’)
White shirt - either button to collar which must be worn with the school tie or revere collar, must be worn without a tie.
Sibford School tie - (not required with a revere collar shirt)
Charcoal grey tailored trousers or Black Watch kilt
Pullover – navy V neck long sleeved with school crest
Ankle socks - black, charcoal, grey or navy
Black tights
School scarf in House colours - (optional)
Outdoor learning clothes – as appropriate for the season
Black or blue outdoor coat
Shoes – Shoes should be black, sturdy, smart and formal with no embellishments and securely fastened to the feet. Heels should not exceed 4cm. Strictly no trainer or canvas type shoes.
SPORTS KIT (Years 3 to 13)
¼ Zip Tracksuit Top
Navy Tracksuit Bottoms or Navy Base Layer Leggings worn with Rugby Shorts or Navy Skort
Navy Rugby Shirt or Navy Polo Shirt
Navy Rugby Shorts or Navy Skort
Navy Mid Layer
Navy Games Socks with Bottle Turnover
White P.E. Socks
Navy Base Layer Top (optional)
Navy Puffer Coat (optional)
Navy Swim Jammers or Navy Swimming Costume
Bottle Green Swimming Hat
Towel
Trainers – non-marking soles
Football Boots / Rugby Boots / Hockey Boots
Shin Pads
Mouthguard - compulsory
Hockey Stick (as required)
Please note: Year 11 – may wear a tailored navy blazer in place of the Sibford School Blazer; must be colour matched to the Sibford School navy pullover.
Pupils in Years 10 and 11 may require additional items of sports clothing depending on options and activities.
45. USE OF PUPIL IMAGES
Click here read the Use of Pupil Images Policy.
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46. TERM DATES
AUTUMN TERM 2023
Year 7 and Sixth Form induction
Monday 4th September
Term starts
Tuesday 5th September
Half term
Monday 23rd October to
Friday 3rd November
Term ends
Friday 15th December
Voluntary Exeat Weekends
Friday 29 September 4.30pm to Sunday 1 October 6pm
Friday 24 November 4.30pm to Sunday 26 November 6pm
SPRING TERM 2024
Term starts
Monday 8th January
Half term
Monday 12th to
Friday 16th February
Term ends
Friday 22nd March
Voluntary Exeat Weekend
Friday 26 January 4.30pm to Sunday 28 January 6pm
Friday 8 March 4.30pm to
Sunday 10 March 6pm
SUMMER TERM 2024
Term starts
Monday 15th April
Exeat
(Compulsory) Friday 3rd May
4.30pm – Sunday 5th May 6pm
All boarders to go home or to their guardians.
Half term
Monday 27th May to
Friday 31st May
Celebration Day
Saturday 15th June
All pupils to attend; boarders may go home afterwards.
Term ends
Friday 5th July
A letter containing key dates will be sent to parents in early September.
Key dates for Parents’ Evenings can also be found on the Parent portal on the school website here
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