DOLLAR ACADEMY INFORMATION BOOKLET: THE SENIOR SCHOOL
For Academic Session 2025/26
CONTACT US
By Phone: 01259 742511
By Post: Dollar Academy, Mylne Avenue, Dollar FK14 7DU
For all General Enqu
For all Admissions Enquiries | r
For all Absences | not@dollaracademy.org.uk
For all Administrative Enquiries | dollar
For all Prep School Enqui
For all Junior School Enquiries | junior@dollaracademy.org.uk
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A WELCOME FROM IAN MUNRO
Dollar is a world-class school, built on the solid values of Work Hard, Get Involved, and Be Kind.
At the heart of our community are our pupils, some drawn into boarding from a diverse range of nationalities and others who are from the central
belt of Scotland. All are inspired by a large, dedicated, and highly qualified staff team who nurture individual interests and enthusiasm.
Of course, the whole business of operating an action-packed all-through day and boarding school requires careful planning, and I hope that the following pages will help families navigate the various ‘nuts and bolts’ of life at the Academy. If at any time you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Ian Munro, Rector
Mr Ian Munro became the fourteenth Rector of Dollar Academy when he arrived in 2019. Prior to this, he held leadership positions at George Heriot’s (his alma mater), Gordonstoun and Shiplake College. He became the youngest serving Rector of an HMC school in the world when he was appointed by Kelvinside Academy, where he gained a reputation for innovation and imaginative educational development.
A WELCOME FROM ROBIN PYPER
I hope this information booklet helps our pupils, parents and carers navigate life at Dollar Academy. There are separate information booklets for Boarders and the Prep and Junior Schools.
Of course, it is impossible to capture on paper the incredible variety and richness of life in a school such as Dollar, and we would always ask that parents contact us directly if they have any questions, reflections or suggestions.
In addition to the information contained within this handbook, you will find further information about our school on the school website and in the policies found here on our website.
Robin Pyper, Deputy Rector
Robin Pyper joined Dollar Academy in 2023. His primary responsibility as Deputy Rector is for the smooth and efficient day-to-day running of the whole school, as well as contributing to the strategic development of the Academy. Additionally, he has overall responsibility for boarding at Dollar and is responsible for our Co-Curricular provision, including our numerous trips and tours.
2025/2026 TERM DATES
Our Term dates can be found here on our website.
Church services are held on the final morning of term at the end of Terms 1
and 2, with the holidays starting at 12.20pm. At the end of term, bus times
are adjusted accordingly. In Term 3 the academic session concludes with
Prize Giving, which all pupils attend, finishing at 12.20pm. The Form VI
Summer Celebration takes place on the evening of the final day of term.
Term dates are published well in advance each year. Where possible, pupils
should not miss school for holidays or other family events. If it does become
necessary, parents/carers should write to the Rector or Mrs MacNish for
Prep and Junior School pupils.
The Academy aims always to remain open during normal school hours. Any
variation from this due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances will be communicated widely.
A DAY IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL
8.45am Registration 8.55am Senior School Assembly (Except Tuesday & Thursday)
am
am
:10am
:30am
THE DINING HALL
All of the latest dining hall information, including menus and prices, can be found on the school website here.
The Dining Hall offers a wide variety of choice; in addition to a three-course
hot meal, the Castle Hill Deli offers individually priced ‘lighter’ options including sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups to take away. There is also
the Glendevon hot food takeaway counter and the ‘Horsebox’ located up at the main school, which offers a variety of snacks and light lunch options.
Pupils may also bring packed lunches which they can take to the Dining Hall
if they wish to eat indoors. Senior pupils in Form IV, V and VI, are allowed
‘downtown’ at lunchtime, to buy food from the shops in Dollar. Normal
school expectations around behaviour apply.
At morning break the Dining Hall is open for pupils in Senior School and sells
a selection of hot and cold food. Pupils are also welcome to bring in their
own breaktime snack. Senior pupils in Form IV, V and VI, are allowed to visit
the shops in the town at breaktime.
All Form I eat lunch in the Dining Hall for the first two terms; this includes
those with a packed lunch. Lunch begins at the following times:
12.25pm – Form I
12.30pm – Form II-VI
PAYMENT IN THE DINING HALL
Dollar operates a cashless catering system using finger-scanning
technology; new pupils will be logged on early in the school term. Parents
can top up their child’s account via ParentPay. The Bursar’s Office will be in
touch with new parents about setting up an account.
Please note that cash is not accepted at the checkouts.
Pupils should come to school with a reusable water bottle and there are
various places around the school campus where this can be filled up
throughout the day.
TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL
By Bus
If pupils come to school by bus, they will be dropped off outside the Dining
Hall; they should then walk up the Heyworth path and avoid using the main
drive for safety reasons. If pupils travel home after school by bus, they
should board it outside the Dining Hall. Please note that the expectations
around pupil behaviour in school also apply to pupils on buses to and from
the school.
For more information about bus services for our pupils, click here.
By Car
The school grounds are very busy during the school day, and pupils, parents
and carers are reminded that they should not drive into the grounds until
after 5pm, and only then if absolutely necessary. The speed limit at all times is 10 mph.
Parents are reminded that they should be considerate when parking in the
vicinity of the school and be sensitive to the needs of residents of Back
Road and the roads surrounding the Junior School. Please take care not to
obstruct entrances to driveways or park on the double yellow lines. Please
use the main Mylne Avenue car park wherever possible.
If you live in the village of Dollar please walk to school when/where
possible.
Where appropriate, drop-off and/or pick up your children from a
location that is not directly outside the school gates.
Please try to keep to an anti-clockwise flow of traffic around the roads
immediately adjacent to the school. This unofficial one-way flow of
traffic helps ease congestion, particularly on Back Road.
Be courteous and thoughtful of local residents, other drivers and, in
particular, pupils and families that are walking to/from school.
Turn your engine off whilst waiting.
Do not drive on to the school site to drop off or pick up your children.
Try car sharing. The school uses the app, HomeRun, to help families
coordinate car sharing.
If pupils wish to drive a car to school they must request permission in
writing from their Head of Year. A completed form is required before the
pupil can start driving into school. This is also required for day pupils who
wish to be driven by other pupils.
Cars and motor-bikes brought to school must be parked in the Dining Hall
car park. Pupils should not use a car or motor-bike during the school day,
including morning break and the lunch interval. Please note that Boarders
are not allowed in Day Pupils’ cars. If the school receives reports of a pupil
driving irresponsibly, we may ban that pupil from driving to and from
school on safety grounds. For further details about travelling to school by
bus and car please click here.
By Bike
Pupils wishing to use bicycles to travel to school should adhere to the
following expectations:
Cyclists must operate with care for, and awareness of, pedestrians and other road users at all times and observe the 10 mph speed limit on the
school grounds.
Bikes can be used only for transport to and from school, at the start and end of the day.
All bikes to be locked when in school and kept in designated places.
Helmets should be worn at all times while riding.
Lights and hi-vis clothing should be used at appropriate times.
ATTENDANCE
If a pupil misses registration, they must sign in at the School Office. If pupils are off school, parents or guardians should email the School Office on each day of absence on not@dollaracademy.org.uk or call 01259 742511. If pupils are returning afte
se
ious illness or injury, they should also see the Nurses on their first day back.
If pupils are absent from a class for any reason, it is their responsibility to find out what work has been done and what homework has been set, and to complete it before the next lesson. If pupils are likely to be off school for some time for medical reasons, their parents should maintain consistent contact with the Guidance Team (Head of Year and Assistant Head of Year) and the Nursing Centre.
Behavioural Expectations
Dollar maintains high expectations of pupil behaviour with our overall aim being that pupils develop self-discipline. We take the opportunity to celebrate success and recognise those who exceed expectations.
There are occasions when a pupil will make a poor behavioural choice and these will be managed in line with our Behaviour and Discipline Policy, which can be found on our website here.
SCHOOL UNIFORM & APPEARANCE
For full details of our uniform requirements please click here.
Our expectation is that pupils are well presented at all times whilst in school
(including after the end of the school day) and when representing the school on trips.
Dress Code
During the school day, pupils should be in school uniform as outlined in our
uniform list. You should wear correct school uniform on all school
occasions, with shirt tails tucked in, ties fully done up and top buttons fastened.
Blazers should be worn to and from school and when walking around the campus. A navy-blue V neck jumper, navy cardigan or Dollar Academy brand mid-layer can be worn when the weather turns colder: no hoodies or fleeces. Whatever is worn under the shirt or blouse should not draw
attention to itself. Kilts must be worn at a smart and respectful length.
When training or representing the school in a sports fixture, pupils should wear Dollar Academy sports kit.
Jewellery
Jewellery must be minimal. The definition of minimal jewellery is: a
maximum of one plain stud in each ear, no hooped earrings; anything worn
around the neck should not be visible; one piece of jewellery on the wrist.
No nose piercings are allowed. All jewellery must be removed for P.E and co-curricular sports.
Appearance
We ask that all personal items, including items of clothing, are named clearly before coming into school. Once a term, all unnamed lost property will be on display, usually in the Library, at lunch time. After this display, any unclaimed lost property will be donated to Pre-Loved at Dollar.
Uniform can be obtained from:
House of Henderson | 6/8 Friars Street, Stirling FK8 1HB 01786 473681 | www.houseofhenderson.co.uk
Stevensons | 21-23 High Street, Perth, PH1 5TJ 01738 637843 | www.stevensons.co.uk
Preloved at Dollar
An excellent second hand shop ‘Preloved at Dollar’ is run by parents.
Preloved at Dollar is located in the basement of the Prep School.
For further information please click here.
OUR CURRICULUM
LEARNING
At Dollar we believe that every situation provides a learning opportunity.
These experiences are not limited to the classroom; we want our young
people to be self-reflective so that they guide their own learning. This could
be learning about how to regulate emotions or behaviour; it could be about
learning a new skill in a co-curricular activity and, of course, it relates to the
development of skills and understanding in the classroom.
It follows, therefore, that mistakes are a good thing! They sometimes provide
the best learning opportunities.
We are not defined by our mistakes; it is how we respond to them that is of
the utmost importance. If a pupil makes a mistake inside or outside the
classroom and learns from it, not making the same mistake again, that is
definitely a positive experience.
Lessons
Lessons vary in style and approach dependent on the age and stage of the
learner and the topic being covered. One constant, however, is that they are
engaging and fun. We focus on developing knowledge, skills and concepts
that will prepare our young people for life after Dollar. Our expectation is
that pupils actively engage in their lessons.
Homework
At Dollar, we believe that homework provides a valuable opportunity for
pupils to consolidate work covered in class already or to develop
understanding prior to a topic being covered. In the Senior School, we offer as a rough guide the following allocations:
Forms I and II: approximately one hour per night.
Form III: approximately two hours per night.
Form IV: approximately two and a half hours per night.
Forms V and VI: as much time as it takes to complete the work (it is
expected that pupils will often need to work at weekends).
Books & Materials
Most textbooks and other learning materials for lessons are provided by the school, although more resources are available online. Pupils in the Senior
School should provide their own calculator. If books on loan are not returned on the date required by the Head of a particular department or on the last day of session, the full cost of replacement will be charged to the end of term account.
The Library
The Senior School library is a well-stocked resource area, and is open on weekdays during term time, and after school from 3.30pm to 5.00pm. Mrs
Rambaut, the Librarian, will always be pleased to help you. The Library may also be used for study at lunchtime by Senior pupils.
Calculators
Pupils are expected to have and bring their own scientific calculator to the appropriate subject classes. The model of calculator we advise pupils to have is the Casio FX83 GT CW or Casio FX85 GT CW. Both are permitted in SQA examinations and can be easily purchased in shops and on Amazon.
Devices
All pupils in the Senior School should have a laptop or tablet available to
bring to school when required. We understand the importance of technology in preparing our pupils for the future, yet we are fiercely committed to
preserving the rich traditions of face-to-face teaching and the development of social skills, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Our approach to
incorporating technology into the classroom has, therefore, been built on
the principle that electronic devices are tools to augment our educational
mission, not replace it. We believe in a balanced approach to education
where technology serves to complement traditional teaching methods. This integration can allow teachers to employ a more diversified instructional strategy.
There are a number of subject areas which in large parts have a requirement to deliver their curriculum using specialist devices (Art, Business Education,
Computing, EDT & Music). These departments will continue to be resourced with specialist dedicated facilities. We have carefully considered a minimum specification for a device, which will facilitate the development of learning and teaching across the rest of the curriculum.
Each pupil in the senior school is entitled to 5 free copies of MS Office
which they can download to any machine of their choice.
The copy of Office is connected to their school email address - the
Microsoft Office suite of applications is already frequently used across the
curriculum.
Minimum Device Specifications:
Laptop or small tablet (not a phone).
Operating System (Android, Apple, Windows) with latest patches.
Screen size: 10 inches minimum.
Display: Full High Definition, Touch Screen with Active Stylus.*
Keyboard.
Battery life: 9 hours or more.
WiFi Connectivity: 5GHz (desirable).
Anti-virus software installed & up to date.
*If your device does not have an active stylus, purchasing a small graphics
tablet (<£30) will add the required functionality.
Personal and Social Education (PSE)
Personal and Social Education at Dollar Academy is organised around these
key themes:
Health and Wellbeing
The Wider World and Relationships
Sexual Health and Parenthood
Pupils cover a diverse range of age appropriate topics in their weekly
lessons in Form I to IV. All lessons are rooted in the Equalities Act of 2010, the UNCRC and the national curriculum benchmarks.
Pupils in Form I to IV will also take part in year group presentations and workshops delivered by external charities and presenters throughout the academic session. Pupils are also supported with study skills relevant to their stage through the PSE programme.
In the senior phase (Form V and VI), pupils do not receive timetabled PSE lessons, but have regular PSE presentations and workshops to prepare and support them with the transition to life beyond school.
Support for Learning
Full details on the Support for Learning department can be found here. The
Support for Learning Department aims to equip pupils with skills and
strategies which will help them to succeed independently and with
confidence in their current and future learning.
Individual Assessment Arrangements (IAA) are carried out in accordance
with policy and guidelines issued by the Scottish Qualification Authority.
Further details can be obtained by contacting the school’s SQA coordinator,
Mrs Mason.
Work Experience
Work experience is encouraged for all pupils, on an age and stage basis.
The opportunity to learn about different industries and the associated skills
and experiences is invaluable. We ask that wherever possible work
experience does not remove pupils from lessons.
Pupils in Form IV and V may have the opportunity to undertake work
experience towards the end of Term 3, and Form VI pupils are encouraged
to do so after they have finished their summer exams.
Careers Advice
Heads of Year, or any member of the Senior Staff, will be willing to advise
about careers. The school also holds a Futures Fair every year.
Higher Education (UCAS)
The UCAS process is led by Mrs Mason, Assistant Rector; however, all
teachers work to help pupils in Form VI through the process of gaining a
place at University or College, if that is their chosen route.
At the beginning of Form VI, each pupil is assigned their Form VI Adviser
who will liaise closely with them throughout the year to support UCAS
applications, or indeed applications to college or work or university abroad.
There is a UCAS parent / pupil evening at the start of the First Term at
which more information regarding the application process is given.
Pupils are ultimately responsible for researching their options, discussing
them with staff and parents or guardians, visiting institutions and finally
making decisions. There are deadlines that have to be met for Vet, Dental,
Medicine and Oxford and Cambridge entries (usually mid-October) in
addition to the UCAS deadline in mid-January.
Open Days
Pupils are encouraged to visit the higher education institutions to which
they intend to apply but ideally, pupils should try to visit out of term time, so
that they miss as little work in school as possible. Pupils will be given
permission to visit institutions’ open days during the school day provided
that the institutions are ones that are high in the order of preference.
COMMUNICATION
with the school. If a parent does not know who to get in touch with, they should direct their enquiry to the School Office who will be able to help them.
Throughout the year, parents and carers will receive formal reports about their child. These will provide information about what their child is doing well in addition to where further improvements can be made.
School Calendar
School activities and events are listed on the online SOCS calendar available here. You can sync this online calendar to your personal/family calendar if you wish. Reports
MySchoolPortal
Parents and carers will have access to MySchoolPortal where all information about their child will be available in one place. The School Office will be in touch with new families about how to set up their account.
Parents will be able to access their child’s reports, information letters, forms, parents’ evening information, homework overview, co-curricular commitments and trips and tours information through MySchoolPortal.
Parents’ Evenings
In the Senior School, each year group has at least one Parents’ Evening each academic session. These take place online and full details of Parents’ Evenings are given before the event.
The dates of Parents’ Evenings are listed in the school calendar. For some of the senior year groups we encourage the pupils to also be present, as we believe it is important for pupils to take ownership of their learning.
Contact Details
It is essential that you ensure any changes to addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact details are updated via MySchoolPortal.
Fortunas
The Dollar Academy magazine
Fortunas is published twice a year.
This is available for the whole
community to enjoy.
There is no charge for this
magazine; however, you must opt-in
to receive a hard copy. This option
will be shared with new parents in
October.
View the latest edition: Fortunas 55.
OUR CO-CURRICULUM
For full details of all our co-curricular activities available please click here.
We encourage all our pupils to become involved in co-curricular activities,
but they are not compulsory. Full details will be published online via
MySchoolPortal which will be updated at the start of term and pupils will be
able to see the activities on offer at the ‘Co-curricular Fair’ held in the first
few weeks of Term 1.
Senior School pupils will be given log in details to the SOCS Co-Curricular
platform and can sign up for activities themselves. To login to SOCS please
click here.
It is possible to juggle quite a few activities and there are many available.
Pupils should remember that to be fair to the others in the group and the staff responsible, once a commitment is made loyalty, and continuous
support are necessary.
Sports
Competitive fixtures against a variety of schools, either on Saturday
mornings or midweek, are a valuable part of the sports programme at Dollar and we encourage parents to come and support.
Trips & Tours
A central part of our educational offering are trips and tours that act to
enhance our pupils’ development. These can vary broadly from one day
local trips to two-week long international trips.
Our aim is to provide as great a breadth of experiences as possible.
Wherever possible we aim to make trips and tours affordable, whilst also
recognising that overseas trips are rarely cheap.
Music & Drama Productions
Performance is an essential part of musical and dramatic life at Dollar.
Whilst subject to change, a likely programme for the year is as follows:
First Term: Form VI play, Christmas Concert, Prep School Nativity.
Second Term: Junior 1 Musical Cantata, Prep 5 Show in a Week, the
Spring Term Concert and Musician of the Year.
Third Term: Form I and II Play, Senior School Musical, Junior 2 Musical.
Once committed to a production, a pupil is expected to attend all rehearsals
as required.
Instrumental Tuition
Full details of Individual Instrumental Tuition and how to apply for lessons, can be found here. Information on Piping & Drumming Tuition can be found
here.
Sports Weekend
The weekend prior to the last week of session is our annual Sports
Weekend.
This starts with the Prep School Sports Day on Thursday, Junior School
Sports Day on the Friday and the Senior School Sports Day on the Saturday
afternoon.
Additionally, on the Sunday, the CCF hold their Passing Out Parade, followed by a display from the Pipe Bands. In the afternoon, there is the
Dollar Dog Show, the Aquathon and the Celebration of Sport.
The Boarding Houses also run other events over the course of the weekend
for the boarding community.
Colours & Internationalists’ Awards
Colours are one of the many ways we celebrate pupil success at Dollar.
They are one of the most prestigious internal awards that the Academy can make to a pupil and as such they are hard to achieve. We award half and full
Sporting and Cultural Colours to pupils in Form IV, V and VI for excelling in various areas of school life.
For full details and criteria for when and how the awards will be presented to pupils, please click here.
Charities Committee
Each session, a new Charities Committee made up of Form VI pupils is
selected. The Committee is responsible for the running of a number of
events throughout the course of each session to raise money for nominated
charities.
In recent years we have raised significant sums for CHAS, DEBRA,
Macmillan Cancer Research, Children in Need, Homestart, Ocean Youth
Trust, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Alzheimer’s Scotland, the Uphill Trust,
Barnardo’s, Aberlour, The Gate and the British Lung Foundation.
The Committee is also heavily involved in the administration of the
Sponsored Walk which takes place in the local hills once every two years.
Enormous sums of money are raised for local, national and international
charities.
GUIDANCE, HEALTH & WELLBEING
For full details please click here.
The school is committed to the principles of Child Protection, with a policy based on
The Children’s Charter,
The Children and Young Persons Act (2014) Scotland,
The Scottish government’s ‘Getting It Right For Every Child’ (GIRFEC) legislation (2022),
The National Guidance for Child Protection (2021), The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1992), as well as on many years of experience.
In this context, there may be occasions when a pupil’s confidentiality is respected and information is not shared or passed on to parents (although every effort will be made to encourage the pupil to discuss a sensitive issue with their parents).
The Child Protection Co-ordinator and Named Person is Miss Langley, who is assisted by Mrs MacNish in the Prep & Junior School and by Mr Baird, Mrs Baird and Mr Chant in the Senior School and Boarding Community.
If pupils or parents have concerns about life at Dollar Academy, they should feel free to raise them with any member of staff with whom they feel comfortable (who can be identified by wearing a lanyard) – they are not restricted to members of staff who have been given particular responsibility for pupils (like Class Teachers, Form Tutors, Houseparents or Heads of Year). Pupils could also phone:
Childline | 0800 1111.
The Care Inspectorate (for boarders) | 01382 207288.
The National Child Protection Helpline | 0800 022 3222.
FORM TUTOR GROUPS & HOYS
In the Senior School, Form Tutors meet with their form group each morning
before lessons and are a vital part of our pastoral care systems. Form Tutors
are responsible for monitoring the day-to-day routines of the pupils in their
group, encouraging curricular, co-curricular and personal progress, and offering support whenever it is needed.
The Head of Year, helped by the Assistant Head(s) of Year, has overall
responsibility for the welfare, progress, conduct and support of the pupils in
the year group and responds to the needs of individuals by encouraging,
motivating, praising achievement and putting in place a range of strategies designed to help overcome any difficulties that pupils may encounter.
Heads and Assistant Heads of Year are the first points of contact for
parents if they wish to discuss any aspect of schooling or welfare. Matters of concern can also be raised with the relevant member of the Senior Staff
Group (SSG).
The Head of Year liaises with the Assistant Rector with responsibility for
their year group: Mrs MacNish for Prep, Junior and Form I pupils; Mrs Miller for Form II; Mrs Mason for Form III; and Miss Langley, who also has the
overview of the guidance system, for Forms IV, V and VI. Assistant Rectors will often become involved in issues of more serious concern. In these
cases, there may be input from the Child Protection Co-ordinator; the
Deputy Rector and/or the Rector.
FORM I HEAD OF YEAR
FORM II HEAD OF YEAR
FORM III HEAD OF YEAR
MR MARTIN HOSE
FORM IV HEAD OF YEAR
MR ROB FLORENCE MRS KAYLEIGH CAINE
FORM V HEAD OF YEAR
FORM VI HEAD OF YEAR
MRS PAMELA WEBSTER
MR FRASER MUIRHEAD
MISS JILLY MCCORD
Mrs Mackie is Dollar’s Pupil Counsellor. She is available to help any pupil
who needs further support, and she will be pleased to discuss matters of
concern with any pupil who approaches her. Mrs Mackie can be found in the
English Department. Pupils are welcome to speak to any member of staff
about any matter that concerns or troubles them, but no member of staff
can promise to keep something secret. Information may need to be shared
because of a possible risk to the pupil or someone else. Members of staff
will ensure that only those who need to know are informed, and that all
sensitive information will be treated very carefully.
The School Nurses are Karen Finnie and Krissy Scott, and they will be happy
to help any pupil who needs attention. If pupils are feeling unwell during the
school day, or are hurt in any way, they can visit the Nursing Centre before
school, at break-time, lunchtime or after school. If necessary, they may be
seen at other times, with a teacher’s permission. If a pupil feels that they
need to go home, they should visit the Nursing Centre to be signed out first.
The Nurses are based at: Nursing Centre, Mylne House, 3 Academy Place.
The Nursing Centre is open from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday - Friday.
When a pupil returns after a prolonged absence due to illness or injury, they
should visit the Nursing Centre so that support can be put in place to
manage their return.
Medicines
Only items such as an asthma inhaler or an “Epipen” , if required, should be
carried by pupils during the day. Over-the-counter medicines can be
dispensed by the Nurses. Medication for the day should be discussed with
the Nurses. Medicines for occasional use (e.g. for migraine) can be kept at
the Nursing Centre. Boarders should hand medicines over to their
Houseparents.
Medical Information
Every year parents and carers are asked to complete a short pro forma with
details of their children’s health, for return to the School Office. This should be completed whether or not there has been a change in circumstances: it is our best way of ensuring that we have up to date information. Medical information about pupils will remain confidential; however will be shared with staff as necessary, with pupil/parental consent.
Infectious Diseases
Parents are asked not to send their children to school if they are suffering from an infectious illness.
The school should be informed if a pupil has been suffering from such a condition during a holiday, or has been in an area of the world where such illnesses are endemic. If a child is suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting they should remain off school for 48 hours after their last episode.
For all Healthcare Policies, please click here.
MOBILE PHONES
We recognise the positive impact mobile technology can have on our lives; equally we know that when misused it can lead to significant issues.
At Dollar, our approach to mobile phones is rooted in our holistic educational values and our aim to prepare our pupils for the world that awaits them when they leave school. This is a world where they will have to be able to use mobile technology in a responsible manner. Thus, we allow pupils to have limited access to their phones so they can develop selfdiscipline.
Senior School pupils are not allowed to have their mobile phones in lessons. Upon entering a classroom each pupil is required to deposit their phone in the pouches at the front of the classroom; they can collect them at the end of the lesson. There are certain areas where pupils are allowed to use their phone responsibly on school site.
These areas are clearly indicated by signs. If a pupil is caught misusing their mobile, they will have it confiscated. You can view our full Mobile Phone Policy on our website here, which allows pupils to see where mobile phones can be used.
All adults have a responsibility to help young people navigate life with
technology. We know that at home it can be difficult for parents and carers
to help their child manage their screen time.
To help, as a school we make the following recommendations:
Parents should carefully consider whether or not to purchase a smart phone for their child. Parents may feel a basic model is more suitable.
Many apps and games are designed to be addictive. Parents should set clear, fair time limits, especially for 'reel' style apps, by putting restrictions on the device or having agreed use times at home.
Parents should maintain open conversations with their child about online activities, including sitting with their child and checking their phone together.
When discussing phone use boundaries, parents should focus on the phone's nature as the issue, not the choices of the child or parent.
We advise that there should be no devices at the dinner table and that the whole family should leave devices downstairs overnight.
OTHER INFORMATION
Visitors
Visitors (including parents and carers) to the school are required to sign in
at Reception, where they are given a visitor badge. The only exception to
this is if family members are coming on school site to support a pupil
performance/match. While pupils are encouraged to offer guidance to
visitors around the school, they should also notify staff if they see strangers
who give cause for concern.
Lockers
Pupils are able to book a locker for the year. Information on this is available
from the School Office.
Lost Property
Any lost property is taken to the School Office. If a pupil is missing
something, they should inquire here. Once a term, lost property is laid out
on the tables in the Library.
Dogs
Parents and pupils are reminded that dogs should be kept on leads in the
school grounds, and should not be allowed to foul any school area. Dogs
should not be brought into either the Prep or the Junior School playgrounds.
CCTV
CCTV cameras are in operation around the site to enhance the safety and security of pupils, staff and property. Our CCTV policy can be found in the policies section of the website here.
Boarding
There is a separate Boarding Handbook. More information about boarding
can also be found here.
Dollar Academy Parents’ Association (DAPA)
DAPA’s main role is to support the school by welcoming new families to the
Dollar Academy community and by supporting at large events. DAPA meets
twice a term, with the AGM (to which all Dollar Academy parents and carers are welcome) taking place in Term 3.
If you would like more information about DAPA, click here.
Thank you for reading the Dollar Academy Parent and Pupil Handbook. We hope this information has been helpful. If you have any questions that have
not been covered by this handbook, please don't hesitate to get in touch
with our school office.
The Dollar Academy Parent and Pupil Handbook
For all general enquires, please contact our school office at dollaracademy@dollaracademy.org.uk or 01259 742511.
Find out more at www.dollaracademy.org.uk.
