Staff Induction Handbook

The Samworth Church Academy

Staff Induction Handbook 2015 – 2016 Being the best we can be

CONTENTS Page

Welcome Contact Numbers Ethos, Pledges, Extended Learning Head Boy and Girl, Year 11 Prefects, School Captains Academy Day, Lunch Times, Tutor Period Safety, First Aid Fire Accident Form Financial Procedures Child Protection, Disclosure, Staff Action SEN Information Staff Issues, Absence from Work, Pay and Conditions Restaurant and Publication Services Academy Announcements, IT and other equipment, Support Services, Site Services, Visitors Student Issues, Appearance, Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices Lunch Time Arrangements, Basic Equipment, On-Call Professional Standards, Dress Code, Deadlines, Communication, Positive Attitudes, Smoking Professional Responsibilities, Duties, Commitment to Students, Commitment to Colleagues Mutual Respect Recognition Behaviour and Sanctions Guide Reports, Post-Exclusion Consequence Behaviour System Emergency Evacuation Procedures Signed Declaration

3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 23 24

Welcome To The Samworth Church Academy Please find enclosed information that you may find helpful during your first few months after joining The Samworth Church Academy.

Mrs Gwen Mountain, SENCO, is the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Academy and Mr Michael Longdon is the designated governor. Mr Adam Cave is the Child Protection Officer.

All staff at The Samworth Church Academy will receive Safeguarding Training conducted by Mrs G Mountain, SENCO and Director Deep Support.

There are various documents that you will need to sign and return to the Finance Department as soon as possible.

The Acceptable Use of ICT (including all digital devices) Policy also needs to be returned as soon as possible to allow the IT department to set access and passwords to the MIS system and email.

All other policies should be read and the Acceptance Declaration document returned to the Finance Office within the first six weeks of your appointment.

If you have any queries concerning any of the above then please contact your Line Manager in the first instance.

3

Contact Numbers This induction booklet is intended to provide you with the information that you may need during your time at The Samworth Church Academy. However, if you need further information please seek advice from your Line Manager.

The Samworth Church Academy is internally organised into five schools; Hardwick, Newstead, Rufford, Sherwood and Welbeck for tutor groups and competitions.

Learning Manager Contact Numbers Year 7 Learning Manager Year 8 Learning Manager Year 9 Learning Manager Year 10 Learning Manager Year 11 Learning Manager Post 16 Learning Manager

ext 101 ext 201 ext 301 ext 301 ext 401 ext 501

4

Ethos The Academy believes that people come first and that everyone should be valued and respected.

The Academy promotes a distinctive Christian ethos, promoting tolerance and mutual respect in a caring and safe environment.

The Academy promotes good attitudes to attendance, punctuality, behaviour, appearance and participation in school activities. Support for this is provided by the tutor groups. Tutor groups are organised in a vertical system which includes students from years 7 to 13. Regular checks are carried out on attendance, punctuality and uniform.

Pledges As part of the Academy‘s expectations each student has ten pledges to carry out or take part in throughout their school career. This is to encourage them to be fully rounded citizens who are willing to get involved in the life of the community. Completion of the pledges is recorded in the students pledge record on the e-portal system, reported half termly to parents. Pledges also contribute to the decision about whether a student should graduate.

Extended Learning / Homework Students are expected to build on the learning achieved in the class room through extended learning tasks or homework. The nature of this work will vary depending on the subject but all work should be marked and feedback given to students.

Round Square The Samworth Church Academy officially became accepted as a Regional Member of the Round Square in January 2014.

Round Square is a world-wide association of schools on five continents sharing unique and ambitious goals. Students attending Round Square schools make a strong commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility.

The Round Square approach promotes six IDEALS of learning: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service. These are incorporated into the curriculum throughout all member schools.

5

Head Boy and Girl The Academy has a Head Boy and Head Girl who participate in organisational and representative roles.

School Captains A sixth form boy and girl take on the role of School Captain and act as ambassadors for their school. This involves peer and student mentoring, running the school’s councils meetings, recording and feeding back minutes. Their role is intended to provide a link between students, school leaders and staff.

The Head Boy and Girl and the School Captains are viewed as leaders within the Academy.

Year 11 Prefects There are 5 prefects in each of the five schools. The duties of the prefects are designated by the relevant school leader, but include attendance at school council meetings and various school events. The prefects can be identified by way of a badge and different tie which a group of prefects designed themselves.

6

Academy Day The Academy Day 8:20 am

Arrival on site

8:25 am - 9:25 am

Period 1

9:25 am - 10:25 am

Period 2

10:25 am - 10:45 am

Tutor Time/Assembly/Break

10:45 am - 11:00 am

Tutor Time/Assembly/Break

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Period 3

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Period 4/Staggered Lunch

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Period 5

2:30 pm onwards

Period 6/Enrichment Activities

We operate a rolling lunch where students will take their half hour lunch break at some point during Lesson 4.

Lesson 5 Each Year 7 and 8 pupil must attend one Lesson 5 of their choice each week. Lesson 5 is designed to stretch students and encourage them to take part in activities outside their normal curriculum.

Tutor Period Is a time for considering progress, target setting, reflection and monitoring uniform and equipment etc.

7

Safety An accident is any unplanned event that causes injury or damage to person and/or property.

If you are involved in an accident you must:  Ensure all injured people receive appropriate first aid  Ensure there is no danger of others being hurt  Report the accident immediately to the Student Information Desk  Assist in the completion of the accident report and investigation First Aid If there is an injury or illness which you do not feel confident to deal with you should:  Stay with the person (unless you cannot get assistance without leaving them), offer reassurance and make them as comfortable as possible  Contact the Student Information Desk or contact the designated First Aider for your area Scott Allott Donna Barnes Elaina Bentley Ruby Dickman James Fenby Lisa Fleet Maria Fletcher Gerald Freezer Fiona Hay Hugo Mahalski

Hardwick B5 B1 Rufford Hardwick Kitchen Newstead Site Support Hardwick

Rachel Mapp Zak Needham Claire Ogden Alison Pass Claire Pegg Les Purcell Aimee Richmond Tyrone Robinson Sara Sheppard Steven Thompson

Support Welbeck Support Student Information Rufford Kitchen Newstead Rufford W30 Support

Fire In the event of you discovering a fire you should:     

Set off the fire alarm using the nearest break glass alarm point Tackle the fire using the appropriate type of fire extinguisher, if you feel confident that you will not endanger yourself or others Ensure all pupils evacuate the building by the quickest, safest route Close all windows and doors, if safe to do so Ensure your own personal safety by leaving the building if you are unable to control the fire

In the event of the fire alarm sounding you should:  

Ensure that all pupils leave the building by the quickest and safest route Ensure all rooms that you pass on your way out are clear and report to the sweep controller those rooms you have checked

8

Accident Form Date of Accident Person Involved

Type of Accident Trip/Slip/Fall

Burn/Scald

Sharp Object

Sport Injury

Chemical Spillage

Impact

Description of Accident/Any First Aid Given/Expected Return Date

Route Cause

Corrective Action

Signed

Date

9

Financial Procedures Buying stationery and supplies If you wish to purchase items you will need to raise an order through the Finance Office.

Under no circumstances should orders be placed over the phone without an official purchase order.

Collecting money All money should be collected via the till at the Student Information Desk. The finance office must be made aware of any collections in advance, otherwise students may be turned away.

Under no circumstances should any other member of staff accept money from students.

If you wish to sell items to students, please ensure you email the finance department in advance so that an account can be created on WisePay (the online payment facility).

Please do not send letters home to parents or students before an account is set up.

Expense claims / Petty cash Permission should first be sought from subject leaders if you choose to pay for something yourself and need to claim the money back. You will need to fill out an expense claim form, print off a copy for your subject leader to sign and send to the Finance Office to approve.

Please ensure all VAT receipts are attached. The finance department will then process all claims over ÂŁ25.00 via payroll and you will receive your payment in your monthly salary.

Please ensure the finance office receives your form no later than the 1st of the month to be paid on the 20th of that month. If your claim is less than ÂŁ25.00 you will receive an email to advise you can collect petty cash.

Alternatively, for small amounts of money, you can advise the finance office in advance and petty cash can be given. Please ensure you obtain a VAT receipt for all purchases.

10

Child Protection Procedure The Designated Safeguarding Lead for The Academy is Gwen Mountain, ext 601.

Gwen is also the Director of Deep Support and SENCO at The Academy and is the lead for students with special educational needs. Mr Cave is the Child Protection Officer and the Inclusion Coordinator.

General Information and Advice for Staff  

It is the duty of all adults in the Academy to protect children from harm.

If you suspect any type of ‘abuse’ of a physical, emotional or sexual nature or neglect, it is your legal responsibility to pass on your concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Child Protection Officer.

If a child begins to disclose to you:          

You must make the child aware immediately that you will have to share the disclosed information and who you will have to share it with.

Do not make any promises.

In an interview situation you are strongly advised to make sure another member of staff knows where you are, or have someone nearby and that the door is left open.

If you still have concerns ask another member of staff to be present.

Do not jump to conclusions.

Do not try to get the child to disclose to you.

Do not speculate or accuse anyone.

Be receptive and accessible, listen carefully and take it seriously.

Reassure the child that they are right to tell their story.

Write everything down, make a note of the time and the place, keep a copy for yourself and give a copy to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Child Protection Officer.

Staff Action   

Inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Child Protection Officer immediately.

Try to pass the child over to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Child Protection Officer as soon as possible to try to avoid making the child have to tell their story twice If in any doubt, REFER!

Tell -Tale Signs We are often in a better situation to see ‘unusual changes’ in a child than almost anyone else in their lives. Tell-tale signs to look out for:    

Sudden changes in personality including anger, aggression, mood swings or loss of confidence; Weight loss; Unusual reactions to unusual situations; Changes in attendance/punctuality patterns; 11



Bruises, grasp/hand marks, self-harming or other visible signs;

If you notice any of the above do not automatically assume ‘abuse’ but do keep an eye on the situation, discuss the situation with another member of staff or refer to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Child Protection Officer.

Please visit the shared drive and read the Child Protection Policy.

SEN Information How do I know if there are students with SEN in my class?

This information is on iSAMS system or on the Inclusion register on the shared drive.

How do I know what their Special Educational Needs are?

On the Staff Share ‘T’ Drive you will find a folder named ‘Inclusion’. If you open this folder you will find a document entitled ‘Inclusion Register’. This is arranged by year group and gives a brief indication of the needs of individual students.

For all students there is a Student Passport which provides a more detailed picture of the nature of the difficulties of the student together with strategies to help to minimise these difficulties.

Please feel free to add any strategies which you have found to help the student.

You may wish to copy the profile into your work area and add targets you have set the student, but please do not copy these back into the shared file. If you wish to add anything please do so on the original document.

12

Staff Issues What should I do if I can’t attend work?

On the first day of your absence you should telephone your Line Manager before 7:45 am or for those whose start time is different from The Academy standard, one hour before the start of your day. You should confirm this absence by texting Mr Wheatcroft immediately after you have spoken to your Line Manager. You will be expected to provide:  The reason for absence  Expected date of return  If your absence continues for longer than one week you should make contact with your Line Manager on every weekly anniversary of your absence.

If you do not return on your expected date of return you should again contact your Line Manager.

Mr Wheatcroft can be contacted on 07766160576.

Pay and Conditions These will be in line with your personal contract with The Academy. If you have a problem concerning this, please contact The Finance Manager in the first instance.

Restaurant Services We are determined that our service will reflect the high standards of The Academy. We are aiming to raise the whole experience of using the restaurant so the following rules will apply to students and staff alike;   

No one should to jump the queue Meals should be eaten at the tables provided Trays should be cleared when the meal is completed

Publication Service The most efficient way to get documents either printed or photocopied is to use the Publications Department. This department will always endeavour to help but can only guarantee a turnaround of three working days. To assist in planning of work please give as much notice as possible. There are several printer/copiers positioned on Academy corridors for urgent copying. Before requesting a colour print please consider whether it is really necessary, as colour printing incurs significantly higher costs.

Academy Announcements Academy Announcements can be found on the ISAMS bulletin page and is a daily update of any events happening in and around the Academy. This can be added to by emailing the PA to the Principal.

I.T. and other equipment You will be allocated all equipment you require to fulfil your duties at The Academy. This may include a laptop or desktop computer. At all times they remain the property of The Academy and we may ask for their return at any time. The security of our computer systems and data is very important to our success.

Please ensure you abide by these simple rules:

13

    

All users must protect their passwords and these passwords should remain confidential to the user.

Mobile communication equipment, such as laptops, mobile phones etc., supplied by the Academy must only be used by the Academy’s employees for Academy business purposes.

Do not add any software on to any system, if you do require any further software adding please discuss your request with your School Leader or Line Manager who will, if appropriate, request the IT department to add the software.

Ensure your password is safe, do not share it with anybody else, do not write it down where other people can find it, do not leave your computer open if you are going to be away from it.

Make sure if you have a laptop it is physically secure where you leave it both in The Academy and away from it.

IT Support Services Support Services will assist with any computer problems. Staff should report problems using the IT Help Desk on the staff intranet.

Site Services If you encounter a problem, site staff will help with any building, plumbing or caretaking problems and can be approached either by phone or on-line.

Visitors Reception should be made aware, in advance, of any visitors that you are expecting by completing the Lettings/Hospitality/Visitors form which can be found on the staff intranet page. All visitors should report to main reception, where they must sign in and obtain a visitors badge that should be worn visibly during their stay at the Academy.

14

Student Issues Appearance It is important that our students present themselves in a businesslike manner, ready to learn.

Although it is the students’ responsibility to make sure they are correctly presented we need to remind them of their responsibilities and that they should be making the right decisions.

What should you be looking out for?        

White school shirt with a top button. Top button fastened and a sensible knot tied at the fastened top button.

TSCA school tie worn to the same length as the blazer piping, as a minimum. Only Academy long sleeved or sleeveless jumper may be worn under the blazer.

TSCA Blazer with Academy badge to be worn at all times. School badge to be worn at all times on the lapel of the Academy blazer. Sleeves worn to at least, the wrists.

Plain black school trousers, not to be tight fitting to the leg. No visible badges, studs zips or other adornments.

If a belt is worn it should be black, discrete and appropriate.

TSCA skirt to be worn AT the knee, not above it. It should not be tight fitting.

Sensible, plain black, polishable shoes.

Plain black or grey socks. If tights are worn they should be black or flesh coloured.

Jewellery 

No visible jewellery other than a practical watch (not an Apple watch)

General Appearance      

If worn, make up should be minimal, discreet and appropriate Hairstyles should be appropriate and not contain colours or exaggerated styles No hats, caps or hoods are to be worn in school other than for religious reasons If belts are to be worn they must be black, discrete and appropriate No badges are to be worn on blazers other than those issued by the Academy Coloured nail varnish, acrylic nails/false nails, gel nails, should not be worn and students doing so will be reasonably requested to remove offending materials.

We all need to be committed to assisting our students to make the right choices and should remind them of our expectations whenever they are not met. If we are not consistent with our approach to uniform we will not achieve the high standard we require.

Sixth Form Dress Code 

Post 16 students should wear smart, business dress at all times.

Electronic Devices Mobile phones and other equipment such as iPods and MP3 players etc. should not be brought into school. However, should students have these devices about them they should be switched off at the school entrance and placed in a bag or pocket. They can be switched on at the end of the school day, once they have left the Academy entrance. If a student is seen with these items in school they will be confiscated and we will arrange collection of the item by a parent/carer as outlined in a previous communication to parents/carers. Students are aware of this rule and any failure to comply should be dealt with according to the sanction policy.

15

Lunchtime arrangements Students must remain on site during the lunch time period unless their carer has discussed with the Academy the reasons why they have a need to leave the site.

Basic equipment All students have been instructed that they need to bring basic equipment to lessons. You can expect them to have at least:      

Pens Pencils Ruler Eraser Calculator Sports kit

On-Call If a student commits a serious offence or repeat a minor offence teachers are advised to use the ‘on-call’ system to have the student removed from the lesson.

The student will be picked up by a senior member of staff and taken back to their school office.

If you need to use on call please contact either a School Office or Reception who will contact the relevant member of staff.

16

Staff Professional Standards Dress Staff need to be dressed in a smart and appropriate way which is relevant to the community we are working in.

Staff and students feel it is inappropriate for staff to wear casual clothing.

Deadlines Where reasonable, all staff should endeavour to meet deadlines, with the understanding that reasonable notice is given of the said deadline.

Where a member of staff is finding it difficult to meet a deadline, it should be emphasised that support is available and where that support should come from.

Communication Communication needs to be open and honest to all staff, to go up, down, and across at all levels where appropriate.

It is recognised that some communication is to be held at a professional level and should not be divulged to students.

Where possible, communication should take place electronically in order to reduce the use of paper.

Smoking All staff are to follow the policy of a non-smoking site.

Any staff who wish to smoke during their break/lunch must leave the school site and be out of view of any Academy students.

17

Staff Professional Responsibilities     

Professional responsibilities are to be adhered to as set down in your conditions of service.

All staff are expected to actively support the Academy’s code of conduct.

All professional responsibilities are to be focused on the enhancement of teaching and learning and must apply to all staff.

As a group of staff we expect the Leadership Team of the Academy to manage the attendance and punctuality of staff effectively and appropriately.

All staff are expected to actively seek to continuously improve their own and others professional practise. This includes participating in teaching and learning reviews, observations and continuous professional development.

Leadership and Responsibility  

All staff in the Academy has the right to be given effective and consistent leadership and support.

Staff are to be empowered with the responsibility to be as effective as possible in order to maximise their effectiveness in their role.

Duties 

All staff are expected to carry out duties as allocated by their schools.

Commitment to Students       

Care for the individual Provide quality teaching and educational experience Support academic work Support and encourage personal development Reward and recognise success Reward and recognise effort Provide a safe and secure environment

Commitment to Colleagues All colleagues will be supportive to each other in the Academy environment.

All colleagues should respect and take into account the decisions and opinions of other members of staff.

Colleagues should be respectful of the role played by all the staff in the Academy.

Mutual Respect To maintain a professional environment all staff should be addressed in a formal way, in the correct forum, to underpin mutual respect.

Mutual respect needs to be established and maintained between staff and students, which reflects the high standards expected by The Academy.

18

Recognition It is important that students’ good behaviour is recognised. This is done through positive comments recorded on individual students’ electronic file and a student’s attitude to learning score which is included for every subject in the half termly report to parents.

Graduation and Celebration As mentioned above, rather than focusing upon tangible rewards, the reporting and assessment cycle will allow us to accurately monitor students’ attitude to learning. The average or termly ATL scores will play a significant role in whether or not a student graduates across a key stage or qualifies for participation at a celebration event. We feel that this type of event will further serve to reinforce positive attitudes and support our achievement agenda encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning.

Reporting to Parents Parents receive half-termly information about their child’s progress and Attitude to Learning.

Parents are invited in to discuss their child’s progress by tutors and at Parents’ Evening.

19

Behaviour and Sanctions Guidance The following list of behaviours has been drawn up to help staff. There are four categories of inappropriate behaviour. Some inappropriate behaviour’s such as using abusive language can fall into more than one category, depending on the context in which the language is used.

Each time an incident is logged by staff, it receives a score that is automatically recorded.

Category 1 behaviours receive a lower score than more serious behaviours. However, the system is designed to ensure that repeated or continual category 1 behaviours will default to category 2 and carry the appropriate sanction.

This is not an exhaustive list, and it is our intention to ensure that the electronic recording system contains a clear, concise and comprehensive list of behaviours.

An important point to reinforce is that the logging of incidents and scoring system will allow repeat offenders to be identified and dealt with. Therefore, we should be able to pick up on students who, for example, continually disrupt lessons. On the first occasion, the incident should be logged and the sanction may only result in 10 minutes Time Owed. If a student continues to repeatedly disrupt, the level of sanction would be 30 minutes Time Owed with a School Leader or more senior member of staff. Following this, a further repeat may result in a period of isolation or a fixed- term exclusion.

Clearly, parents may think it harsh that their son or daughter is being excluded for what might appear to be a minor/trivial offence such as lateness to lesson. However, the real reason for the exclusion would be for “repeated failure to comply with reasonable instructions, as set out in the Home/School agreement.” The great advantage of the electronic logging of incidents is that they provide an excellent evidence trail to support our actions.

Reports A small number of students are on report for poor behaviour or non-compliance with The Academy’s expectations. Students will carry their report with them and it should be completed at the end of each lesson by the member of staff according to attitude, behaviour and completion of work. If the student fails to achieve well, further action will be taken by their School Welfare Manager/School Leader.

Post-Exclusion Students will only be re-admitted to school, following an exclusion period, upon completion of a satisfactory post-exclusion meeting between the parents, student and School Leader.

20

Consequence Behaviour System (C1-C6) Behaviour Sanctions A behaviour system was introduced in November 2014, this system outlines the levels of unacceptable behaviour from students and this ranges from C1-(Minor) to C6 (Extreme) Mr Found asked that this data is reported on the monthly KPI’s, so I thought you may find the following information helpful.

Consequence 1 - Refusal to complete a simple request/disrupts learning.

C2 - Continues disrupt learning.

C3 - Continues to disrupt learning C4 - (4th Misbehaviour). If the student still disrupts learning, the student is sent to a Matrix Room (Classroom) to continue with his/her lesson.

C5 - (5th Misbehaviour).This is issued if the student refuses to attend the Matrix Room or has truanted from another lesson. A C5 consists of the student being sent to the Consequence Room, this room is equipped with individual cubicles and the student works alone with supervision.

C6 - (6th Misbehaviour).Student disrupts or refuses, to attend Consequence room this results in a 1 day Fixed Term Exclusion.

21

22

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES Roles: Incident Controller: Usually the Site Manager or, in his absence, a member of the executive team of the Academy.

Main responsibilities to co-ordinate the actions of the Academy staff to ensure the incident is resolved in a safe manner and to be the main point of contact between the emergency services and the Academy. The incident controller will be responsible for informing the emergency services if necessary.

Sweep Co-ordinator: Usually a member of the executive team of the Academy or, in their absence, the senior member of staff present at the assembly point.

Main responsibilities to ensure the results of the fire sweeps are correctly co-ordinated.

Sweep Marshal: A member of staff working in a room designated as a sweep starting point.

Procedure The signal for the evacuation of the building will normally be the continuous sounding of the alarm bell but, in exceptional circumstances, the instruction may be verbal. On hearing the instruction to evacuate everyone should leave the building via the shortest safe route.

Personal possessions should be left and, if safe to do so, windows and doors should be closed. Where possible a member of staff should lead groups of students to the assembly point on the MUGA via the nearest safe exit.

Members of staff who assume the role of sweep marshal should pick up sweep route map for that route and, if safe to do so, ensure that rooms on the route are clear.

People should only tackle any fire if they are confident in the use of a fire extinguisher and it is safe to do so.

On reaching the assembly point students should line up in tutor group. Sweep marshals should report to the sweep co-ordinator, report the route they have checked and identify any room they have not confirmed to be clear.

Once the sweep co-ordinator has questioned all employees, rooms where no information about their status is known should be identified and reported to the incident controller These procedures will be tested at least once a term.

23

Signed Declaration – Academy Policies I (Name)…………………………………………………………………………………

Have read and understand all Academy policies mentioned in the Starter Pack and listed below at the start of my employment on ……………………………………………

Policies                            

Date

Anti-bullying Student Behaviour Health and Safety Staff Disciplinary Child Protection Code of Conduct Fire Procedure ICT Acceptable Use Abuse Allegation Appointments Blood Spillage Capability Medical Policy Performance Management (Teaching) Performance Management (Support) Sex Education Whistle-blowing Assessment, Recording and Reporting Budgetary Control Charging and Remission Complaints Critical Incident Equality Harassment Outside Learning Race Equality Grievance Sickness Absence

…………………

Signature………………………………………………

24