Heathcote School & Science College - New Parent Handbook 2020 2021
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Heathcote School
& Science College
New Parent Handbook
2020 - 2021
1
Introduction to the School - Headteacher’s Welcome
Dear Parent/Carer,
We are delighted you have chosen Heathcote School for your child and that this is the start of a
happy and successful journey for you all. I have been the Headteacher since September 2017
and I, along with my team, are absolutely committed to making this school the best it can be. We
have made a significant number of changes over the last two and a half years and we are now
seeing the impact of this in improved behaviour and, prior to Covid-19, we were expecting the
best set of results the school has ever had this summer. Pupils are happy and safe in school and
the current Year 7 had a brilliant year. Some of the routines that we have introduced
successfully over the last year, such as line-up and one way systems, will have to be put
on hold or amended as a result of Covid 19, but we plan to reintroduce these as soon as
we can.
We are continuing to focus on increasing pupil leadership and parental links next year and hope that many of you will
get involved in the life of the school as part of a Parent Council or PTA. The new Junior Leadership team will be
launched in 2020-21 allowing pupils from all year groups to become involved. In addition, we hope to introduce a
pupil pledge which will offer pupils in Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9) a huge number of opportunities such as trips and
chances to participate in charity work which will enhance their school experience. This, along with clubs and
activities, may have to be put on hold due to Covid 19 in the first instance.
We have however never changed for change's sake - everything has been carefully considered to ensure your child
receives the best education both in the classroom and outside, ensuring nobody is left behind socially
or academically and that we develop well-rounded individuals who are challenged and stretched whatever their
starting point. I am lucky enough to have fantastic staff who are totally committed to your children and ensuring their
experiences are fantastic and that they are happy and safe.
Please make sure your child is fully aware that every second counts in school and they need to be ready and
prepared for learning from day one; making sure they are properly dressed and fully equipped as well as being on
time for school every day - 'the bus was late' is not an acceptable excuse at work and also not acceptable at school.
Pupils need to work closely with teachers and support staff and build strong relationships as they grow through
school towards the new and more challenging GCSEs and beyond. We will not tolerate disruption to your child's
learning and our Behaviour for Learning Policy is vitally important. We hope that many pupils will then stay on to our
Sixth Form, which currently has some of the best progress results in London.
We may not agree about everything over your time here (and may not get everything right!) but please remember we
are on the same side - my team and I want the very best for your children. Please come and talk to us calmly if you
are unhappy or concerned about your child or issues in the school and we will work together to help. Please always
support the school in front of your child so they can see we have a united front.
I have an 11 year old girl starting secondary school this September so I am with you on the journey. I always ask
about the education we provide here; 'Is it good enough for my child?' and, if it is, it is good enough for your children.
We will not rest until this school is the best it can be and our community have the greatest life chances in the future
and are able to achieve their ambitions. With a strong Ofsted and increasing academic and social success, we are
well on the way to becoming the best school in the area.
Have a wonderful summer and please do email me (ehillman@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk) over the summer if you
have any queries or questions. The office is closed for much of the summer (re-opening Wednesday 26th August)
and I know it can be frustrating if you cannot find an answer to something. I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
Best wishes and looking forward to the start of our journey.
Emma Hillman
Headteacher
2
School Ethos and Aims
Encourage – Challenge – Succeed
Encourage - We encourage our pupils to take pride in their learning and community – to work hard, pursue
continual improvement and achieve to the best of their abilities. Pupils seek and embrace feedback and show
tolerance and mutual respect to each other.
Challenge - We challenge our pupils to take responsibility for their learning, to be resilient to failure and to self-
regulate their behaviour. All our staff and governors are determined that all pupils confidently strive for success
and expect them to be present and punctual.
Succeed - We succeed when all pupils reach their academic potential and are thoughtful, caring and honest
citizens; leaving Heathcote fully prepared for the next stage of their life – whether that be in education, training
or employment. We succeed by letting them do so in a comfortable and safe environment where they take a
proactive role and develop socially.
Heathcote's Aims – 2020-21
The school community will all work towards these key school improvement priorities:
Pupils are proud of Heathcote and self-regulate their behaviour both in and out of school creating a calm
and orderly environment. These high standards are supported by robust structures, staff and pupil
leadership and increased parental support to ensure exceptional behaviour, high levels of tolerance and
respect for all and highly positive attitudes
High quality CPD and line management enables Middle Leaders to be highly visible, develop a coherent
vision and challenge and support staff to meet the highest possible standards in all areas
The broad and balanced curriculum is reviewed and developed to ensure we have the right intent,
impact and implementation for our Heathcote learners at all levels; it is understood by all and
ambitiously delivered to ensure all pupils achieve highly
Both in and out of class, tutoring, learning and teaching, work-related learning and other opportunities -
including the pupil passport - are exciting, engaging and allow unique opportunities for all learners
ensuring Heathcote provides extensive cultural capital
Robust monitoring and leadership of attendance enable pupils and their families to take responsibility for
school attendance leading to attendance levels above the national average for all groups of pupils.
The financial deficit is reduced in line with robust targets by ensuring the best deployment of physical
and human resources
All school processes and guidance described in this document may need to be temporarily
adapted as a result of Covid-19.
3
Introduction to Key Staff
At Heathcote School we are lucky to have an extremely talented and enthusiastic body of staff that
are committed to ensuring the highest standards of educational provision for our pupils. If you would
like to provide us with feedback about any element of the school’s processes or would like further
information about any aspect of the school then please do not hesitate to contact the relevant
member of staff as detailed below:
Senior Leadership Team & Chair of Governors
Role Name Email
Headteacher Emma Hillman ehillman@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Deputy Headteacher Ben Abbot babbot@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Quality of Education
(Learning and Teaching)
Deputy Headteacher Ms Sonia Close sclose@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Behaviour, Attitudes and
Personal Development
Assistant Headteacher Ms Hibo Elmi helmi@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Assistant Headteacher Ms Miriam Argyrakis miriam.argyrakis@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Raising Standards Leader
(KS3 - KS5)
Assistant Headteacher Mr Neil Hutchins nhutchins@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Safeguarding Lead
Assistant Headteacher Ms Laura Tobia ltobia@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Director of Sixth Form
Assistant Headteacher Mr Ross Gallacher rgallacher@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Learning and Teaching
Chair of Governors Mr Mike Ashwell mashwell@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
To speak with any member of the SLT please call the main school reception on 020 8498 5110
and press 0 or hold.
For full details of all members of our Governing Body and to find out how you can become
involved as a Governor, please see the website.
4
Subject Leaders
Subject Head of Department Email
English (Literacy) Ms Sita Bashal sbashal@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Maths (Numeracy) Mr Christopher McLean cmclean@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Science Ms S. Faria and sfaria@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Dr A. Tsui atsui@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Business/Computing/ ICT & Mr Andre Henry ahenry@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Economics
PSHCRE Ms Sam Donoghue sdonoghue@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Creative Arts Me Ben Eva beva@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Design and Technology Mr Andy Dolan adolan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Geography Mr Adam Quirke aquirke@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
History Ms Hayley Bearcroft hbearcroft@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Modern Foreign Languages Ms Sharon Gooden sgooden@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
PE Mr Joshua French jfrench@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
SENDCO Ms Julia Gardiner jgardiner@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Heads of Year
Year Name Email
7 Ms Danielle Clancey dclancey@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8 Ms Natalie Gasper ngasper@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9 Ms Asiya Gite agite@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10 Ms Maria Page mpage@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
11 Ms Dena Kee-Rose dkee@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
For full details of all of our teaching staff, please access the staff list available on our website.
Key Support Staff
Role Name Email
Home-School Worker Ms Caroline Warden cwarden@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Data Manager Mr Nick Tilbury ntilbury@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Examinations Officer Mr Lutfhur Rahman lrahman@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Inclusion Manager Ms Emma Austin eaustin@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
HR Manager Ms Heather Fleetwood hfleetwood@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Attendance Officer Ms Rahana Hussain rhussain@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Careers Ms Michelle Burnett mburnett@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
5
Who to contact if you would like support
If you have any question / concerns or would like to discuss anything relating to your child’s time
in school then we would recommend that you contact their form tutor or Head of Year in the first
instance:
Head of Year 7 Email Tel
Ms Danielle Clancey dclancey@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk 0208 498 5110
Form Form Tutor/Room Email
7.1 Ms Chana/Ms Johnson- achana@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Kelly (7106)
7.2 Mr Karim (712) mkarim@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7.3 Ms Bearcroft (7017) hbearcroft@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7.4 Ms Sajid (7116) zsajid@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7.5 Ms Hussain (7117) yhussain@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7.6 Ms Smith (7108) gsmith@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7.7 Ms Ali (7105) aali@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Head of Year 8 Email Tel
Ms Natalie Gasper ngasper@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk 0208 498 5110
Form Form Tutor/Room Email
8.1 Ms Mahmood (H105) smahmood@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.2 Dr Tsui/Ms Ahmed (H101) akarpinska@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
afahmed@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.3 Mr French/Mr Monksfield jfrench@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H103) omonksfield@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.4 Ms Faria/Ms Le (H100) sfaria@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.5 Ms Zaman/Ms Hodges szaman@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H104) shodges@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.6 Mr Eva (H137) beva@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
8.7 Dr Barard/Ms Krakue (710) sbarard@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
pkrakue@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Head of Year 9 Email Tel
Ms Asiya Gite agite@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk 0208 498 5110
Form Form Tutor/Room Email
9.1 Ms Collins/Ms D’Ottavio jcollins@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H119) edottavio@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.2 Ms Gooden (H114) sgooden@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.3 Mr Talbot (H113) rtalbot@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.4 Ms Watson (H115) awatson@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.5 Ms Dadzie (H120) margaret.dadzie@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.6 Mr Argyrakis (H54) cargyrakis@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
9.7 Mr Rattan (H53) grattan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
6
Head of Year 10 Email Tel
Ms Maria Page mpage@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk 0208 498 5110
Form Form Tutor/Room Email
10.1 Ms Hannigan/Ms Roberts rhannigan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H202) gharding@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10.2 Ms Reid (H205) sreid@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10.3 Ms Thomas (H203) lthomasheathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10.4 Mr Chambers (H200) achambers@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10.5 Ms Ismail (H204) sismail@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
10.6 Ms Khan/Ms Lamont skhan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H201) mlamont@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Head of Year 11 Email Tel
Ms Dena Kee-Rose dkee@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk 0208 498 5110
Form Form Tutor/Room Email
11.1 Dr Kazanidis (H125) pkazanidis@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
11.2 Ms Ahmed/ Mr Leipper fahmed@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H126) pleipper@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
11.3 Ms Nawaz/Ms Altaf (H129) snawazkhan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
maltaf@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
11.4 Ms Hyde /Ms Ulgur (H128) hhyde@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
11.5 Mr Waterman-Wiggins jwiggins@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H127)
11.6 Ms Jacobs/ Ms Manyumbu ljacobs@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
(H124) emanyumbu@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
7
School Routines & Expectations
The School Day
Our School Day begins at 8.45am and finishes at 3.00pm. We run a two-week timetable
consisting of 5 x 60 minute lessons per day. The day begins with a 20-minute tutor period in
mixed tutor groups, which develops key learning skills. Pupils will attend a whole school
assembly reflecting on an aspect of Social, Moral, Spiritual or Cultural (SMSC) understanding
once a week.
8.40am Latest time for pupils to be on site
8.45am Registration & Tutor time/Assembly
9.05am Lesson 1
10.05am Lesson 2
11.05am BREAK
11.20am Lesson 3
12.20pm Lesson 4
1.20pm LUNCH
2.00pm Lesson 5
3.00pm School Ends
Your child’s individual timetable will be provided at the beginning of each academic year (or when
they start the school if they join during an academic year) and can be accessed for you to view
through your SIMS Parent App. The plan is for each child to have a lanyard that they will wear every
day and a copy of their timetable will be attached to this.
Each child will have a planner and further instructions will be given to pupils and parents in
September.
It is important that your child arrives at school no later than 8.35am each day as the gate closes at
8.40am. This will ensure that they do not miss out on any of their learning. Please be aware that if
your child arrives late to school then they will receive a detention that day – for further details of how
this operates please see our new Behaviour Policy.
Pupils can gain access to the school site from 7.45am and purchase breakfast or attend a Breakfast
Club for certain pupils.
8
Term Dates
It is an expectation that your child attends school every day during the school term and that any
family holidays (or other such events which require your child to be absent from school) should be
scheduled outside of these dates.
Heathcote School term dates for this academic year are as follows:
Autumn Term 2020
Starts Ends INSET Days
(school closed to pupils)
Autumn 1 Wed 2nd Sept 2020 Fri 23rd Oct 2020 Wed 2nd Sept 2020
(pupils return Fri 4th) Thurs 3rd Sept 2020
Half term Mon 26th Oct 2020 Fri 30th Oct 2020
Autumn 2 Mon 2nd Nov 2020 Fri 18th Dec 2020 Fri 27th Nov 2020
Christmas Holidays Mon 21st Dec 2020 Mon 4th Jan 2021
Spring Term 2021
Starts Ends INSET Days
(school closed to pupils)
Spring 1 Tues 5th Jan 2021 Fri 12th Feb 2021
Half term Mon 15th Feb 2021 Fri 19th Feb 2021
Spring 2 Mon 22nd Feb 2021 Thurs 1st Apr 2021 Mon 15th Mar 2021
Easter Holidays Fri 2nd Apr 2021 Fri 16th Apr 2021
Summer Term 2021
Starts Ends INSET Days (school
closed to pupils)
Summer 1 Mon 19th Apr 2021 Fri 22nd May 2021
Half term Tues 1st June 2021 Fri 4th June 2021
Summer 2 Mon 7th June 2021 Thurs 22nd July 2021
Bank Holiday: Mon 3rd May 2021 and Mon 31st May 2021
To help provide you with as much notice as possible, full details of term dates for forthcoming
academic years are published in advance through our website.
9
Key Events
Details of the dates and information relating to any special events that will be taking place in the
school are provided through the School Calendar displayed on our website. You will also receive
specific information from the school about events that apply to your child at timely intervals via
Parent Mail.
Parent & Carer Evenings
Your child’s annual ‘Parent & Carer Evening’ is an important event as you will have the opportunity
to meet each of your child’s individual subject teachers and discuss the academic progress that you
child has made. It is also an opportunity to identify any support that they will require to continue
developing themselves to be the best that they can be. Dates of these will be sent out via Parent
Mail and will be on the school website.
Meet The Tutor Afternoon
There will be 1 opportunity to meet your child’s form tutor at the start of the year and to discuss
progress and conduct. School will finish at lunchtime on this day.
Breakfast Club, School Lunches & Free School Meals
We use Waltham Forest Catering to provide breakfast, break and lunchtime food. This will operate
using a cashless catering system via a pin number activation. Pupils will be issued with their pin
numbers on the first day of term. You will need to credit your child’s Parent Mail plus account with
funds to enable your child to purchase food from the canteen. . Please allow 24 hours for this to
register on your child’s account in school. Full details of how to set up/amend your child’s catering
account will follow.
The cost of a two course lunch will be £2.56 per day. Menus will rotate on a three week basis and will
be available on the school website shortly.
We run a Breakfast Club which operates in H56 between 7.45am until am registration each
morning and is run by school staff. Our Breakfast Club currently offers pupils a choice of cereals,
toast, fresh fruit, fruit juice or milk and is free of charge and open to all pupils who may require
additional support with reading. Pupils will be invited to attend during the first few weeks of term.
In addition to this, we offer a normal breakfast service from 7.45am in the main school canteen.
Ensuring that your child has a wholesome and nourishing diet is important as this provides them with
fuel for their learning throughout the day and a healthy and nutritious lunch is an important aspect of
this. We have worked hard to ensure that our school catering provider offers a wide range of
nutritious hot and cold meals each day and we ask that you ensure that any food brought into school
also meets these requirements, whether part of a packed lunch or otherwise.
If your child is using the school canteen then they will have a choice of hot and cold meals from the
daily menu, including at least 1 vegetarian choice. Your child will also have the opportunity to
purchase sandwiches, baguettes, etc. at morning break and will need additional money on their
account to do this. All meat in our school lunches is halal.
10Free School Meals
If your child is eligible, or you believe they are eligible, to receive free school meals, then you will be
required to complete an application via the London Borough of Waltham Forest. If your child is
entitled to receive free school meals then their school catering account will be credited with the
appropriate amount on a daily basis. To find out further details about this application process and a
copy of the application form then please access further information from the LBWF website or contact
our Home School Worker. The free school meal allowance can only be spent at lunchtime. If your
child wants to purchase food at break they will need to have funds on their ParentPay account to do
so.
Healthy Food and Drink
Parents are asked to ensure their children eat healthily at school. Pupils should bring a water bottle
to school.
We discourage the consumption of large packets of crisps or. Fizzy drinks and energy drinks are
banned and will be confiscated and disposed of if seen. Chewing gum and bubble gum are also
banned.
11Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting
Curriculum Overview
The intent of the knowledge rich curriculum at Heathcote School is to;
Encourage pupils to be inquisitive, curious and thoughtful.
Challenge pupils to be creative, independent and resilient.
Succeed in pupils who value their own ability to learn, cherish their education, find their voice
and use it with confidence.
This is underpinned by a set of curriculum learning pillars taught through Rosenshine’s Principles of
Instruction.
Our school curriculum has been designed to enable all learners to achieve their absolute potential.
Our unique curriculum meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum and has been designed
to provide a broad-based approach which is relevant to life in modern society.
Throughout their time at the school the curriculum your child will follow is both varied and stimulating,
providing depth, breadth, challenge, enjoyment and progression at all levels, promotes choice and
allows specialisation and enables all learners to work towards fulfilling their aspirations.
To help support your child’s progression and provide access to the widest possible range of
opportunities, the focus and content of your child’s curriculum will change as they move throughout
the school. Full details of the programme of study for each year group can be found in our curriculum
guides on our website.
School Assessment and Examinations
We run Challenge Weeks where all pupils undertake exams and assessments. Further details of
these will be sent out via Parent Mail and will be on the school website.
The Curriculum and Religious Observance
At Heathcote School we celebrate the cultural diversity of our pupils and appreciate the importance
of religious observation across each of the faiths represented by our pupils.
During any period of religious observation, pupils are expected to fully participate in all lessons. This
includes the full music and PE curriculum (Ramadan excepted)
Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Education at Heathcote School
At Heathcote School everything we do creates a learning environment which promotes respect,
inclusion, diversity and self-awareness. This equips all of our pupils with the knowledge, skills and
values they will need to succeed in their future lives.
Our curriculum provides a wide range of artistic, sporting and leadership opportunities that
encourage pupils to work together and use imagination in their learning. Through these activities
students reflect and empathise with others as well as giving them the confidence to provide their
opinions and develop their own view points.
12At Heathcote School the spiritual, moral, and cultural development of students involves learning
about:
Beliefs, feelings and values.
Recognising right and wrong, understanding consequences, investigating moral and ethical
issues.
Diverse viewpoints, resolving conflict; engaging with 'British values', respecting and
tolerance.
Appreciating cultural influences; the role of Britain's parliamentary system;
understanding, accepting, respecting and celebrate diversity.
All subjects within our curriculum develop aspects of students SMSC development, but SMSC is
specifically delivered through:
Weekly PSHE and Citizenship lessons at KS3.
Weekly assemblies with a thematic SMSC.
KS4 tutor time and off timetable events.
Celebrating SMSC events across the school e.g. International Women’s Day, LGBTQ
Month, Black History Month, Holocaust Memorial Day, Human Rights Day.
Philosophy, Identity and Ethics – PIE (previously PSHCRE)
We teach Philosophy, Identity and Ethics in order to enable pupils to lead healthy, independent
lives and become responsible citizens Pupils receive one lesson a fortnight in Years 7-9 currently
but this will be reviewed during the year. The curriculum is supplemented by tutor sessions, one-off
events and drop down days. At Key Stage 4, pupils receive PIE through tutor time sessions and
drop down days. Sex and Relationship Education is also delivered through PIE.
Sex & Relationships Education
Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) involves learning about sex, gender, sexuality, consent,
healthy relationships and sexual health. Our SRE curriculum is designed to prepare all pupils for
healthy and respectful relationships and to empower them to make informed choices. In keeping with
our school ethos of inclusion and diversity, our SRE curriculum is LGBTQ inclusive. This will be
reviewed in line with DfE Guidance and we will involve parents/carers in our planning in line
with Local Authority guidance to introduce the new curriculum in Summer 2021.
In Key Stage 3, pupils currently cover the following topics:
Healthy life styles
My changing body and puberty (SRE)
Reproduction and menstruation (SRE)
Forced marriage and FGM
Forming healthy friendships and relationships
Gangs and crime
Sexual relationships and consent (SRE)
Sexuality and gender identity (SRE)
Online safety
British values
Poverty and economics
In Key Stage 4, pupils currently cover the following topics:
Understanding alcohol and substance abuse
Mental health and well being
Careers education
Financial literacy
Law and youth offending
13 On-line safety
Healthy relationships (SRE)
Sexual activity and associated risks (SRE)
Sexually transmitted infections (SRE)
Becoming a parent (SRE)
Sexual activity and technology (SRE)
Procedures for Pupil Withdrawal from Sex and Relationships Education
Parents currently have the right to withdraw their children from any SRE that does fall within science
lessons on human reproduction. In the first instance parents should contact Ms Donoghue (PIE Co-
ordinator, sdonoghue@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk) to discuss their concerns. Should parents still
decide to withdraw their child from SRE the school will make provision for the supervision of the child
during SRE time.
Physical Education
We are committed to providing a high quality and inclusive physical education curriculum which
promotes participation in sport and inspires pupils to become involved in a wide range of physically
challenging activities. We also aim to enable our pupils to undertake a variety of roles and
experiences within PE that is intended to develop them holistically. Pupils will develop critical
thinking, evaluative and innovative skills via PE. We label this as head based objectives. Pupils will
also develop physically and psychologically (heart). Additionally pupils will develop key skills related
to their sports (hands), with the hope of developing both confident and competent pupils. In
accordance with the national curriculum, participation in Physical Education lessons is compulsory
and all pupils, therefore, receive 2 periods of core PE lessons each week in Key Stage 3 and 2 a
fortnight in Key Stage 4. Whilst the activities will vary dependent on year group, all PE lessons are
physically active and focused on developing expertise across a broad range of sports through
practical participation.
Alongside core PE lessons we also currently offer pupils in Year 10 & 11 the opportunity to study
GCSE Physical Education and /or a more vocational course. We also offer the opportunity for
pupils of all year groups to participate in a range of additional extra-curricular PE activities.
As a school we benefit from having a range of on-site sporting facilities, including an indoor sports-
hall, two outdoor hard courts, a tennis court, a fitness suite and a large field. Lessons will take place
on site using these facilities.
All pupils are required to be dressed in their full school PE kit and bring appropriate footwear to all PE
lessons. We understand that pupils may sometimes have illnesses or injuries that prevent them from
participating. Should this be the case a note should accompany the pupil. If this is a longer term issue
then a Doctor’s note should accompany them. Pupils should bring and change into kit unless
physically unable to (e.g. a broken arm).
During times of religious observance we are aware that pupils may be fasting. In these cases pupils
can opt out of participating with a note from home. Pupils still play a role in the lesson via coaching,
officiating, etc. Pupils are still expected to bring kit and change into this.
Please be aware that appropriate changing facilities are available within PE lessons and pupils
are, therefore, expected to change from / to their full school uniform before after each PE lesson.
14Assessing your child’s progress
Assessment of your child’s progress and attainment in each of their subjects is completed as part
of a continuous process. Each of your child’s individual teachers will assess their progress on a
lesson by lesson basis and cross-reference this against specific planned assessed tasks set as
homework, classwork as well as during more formal assessment weeks each term, called
Challenge Weeks.
Throughout each stage of your child’s learning there are planned points where they will receive
feedback and suggestions for improvements to help them progress further. At each of these points,
written or verbal feedback will be provided and it is an expectation that your child makes every effort
to incorporate this into their future work within this subject.
Pupils will be expected to access offered intervention at various stages in their school career to
support their learning. This may be after school or during the day.
Academic Reports
Alongside our schedule of annual Parent & Carer Evenings and Meet the Tutor Events, we will also
provide you with three written academic reports. Each of these reports will provide you with details of
your child’s current attainment & progress, information about your child’s attendance & conduct and
details of your child’s engagement with their learning.
15Attendance and Absence from School
Good attendance and punctuality are essential if your child is to achieve to their full potential. As a
school we believe that ensuring pupils attend school, on-time every day, not only supports their
learning but also helps them to develop good habits which help improve their future employability and
are, therefore, committed to supporting you and your child to ensure they achieve the best possible
attendance and punctuality.
As a parent you, of course, play the most significant role in ensuring that your child develops a
positive approach in these areas and we therefore ask that you:
Make medical appointments outside of school hours, where possible. Appointments
must be made in advance and an official note shown to the office or pupils may not be
allowed to sign out
Refrain from taking holidays during term time. We will not authorise holidays at all, even
very short ones.
Assess any illness that your child is experiencing and only keep them off school if it is
serious and/or likely to prevent them from learning.
Contact the school on the first day of absence, explaining the reason and expected length
of absence.
Contact our Home School Worker, Ms Warden, if you wish to discuss any issues with
attendance or punctuality
Absence from School for Religious Observation
Please be aware that the school can only grant one day of authorised absence for observation of any
specific religious event per year. For pupils who are celebrating a religious event on a school day,
permission must be sought from the school in advance by requesting a day of absence for religious
observance. If permission is not sought from the school, this may be recorded as unauthorised
absence.
Reporting your child’s absence from school
If your son/daughter is going to be absent from school, please inform the school by 8.15am on
each day of their absence, by telephone on 0208 498 5110.
Lateness to school.
Pupils must be at school by 8.35am, ready for line up at 8.40am. Pupils arriving after 8.45am will
receive a detention afterschool in the week.
If pupils are late to school regularly parents will invited in for a meeting to discuss the issues.
Lateness to lessons.
Pupils who are late to lesson for more than 5 mins a week will be placed in a weekly detention.
16School Uniform (see appendices for further information)
At Heathcote School we believe that school uniform plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive
community, providing a school identity and demonstrating equality amongst pupils. Pupils are
expected to wear school uniform at all times and a high standard of dress is required both within the
school and when representing the school in the community. Whilst this list below is not definitive or
exhaustive, pupils are expected to be appropriately and respectfully dressed for school. The
emphasis is on formal dress. Final decisions regarding the appropriate nature of uniform choice will
rest with the Headteacher.
Items with an * must be purchased from Speedstitch, our uniform supplier.
All pupils must wear at all times:
A black blazer with a Heathcote Badge (sewn or ironed on)
A plain white shirt with collar, tucked in (any clothing worn under shirts must be white)
A school tie * (with year group colours), with a minimum of 5 bars of the stripe showing.
Black school style trousers (not tight fitting), knee length skirt or full length skirt.
Black leather or leather look school shoes - this includes a trainer style but must be leather or
leather look. No canvas or suede or labels.
White or black, ankle / knee length socks or tights.
Year group tie colours 2020/2021
Pupils to keep ties for their time at Heathcote.
Year 7 8 9 10 11 Prefect
Colour White Yellow Red Green Black Black
.
Optional
School style black V- necked jumper
Muslim girls may wear a plain black hijab. For other pupils hair accessories should be plain
white or black
Sikh boys may wear traditional turbans.
Please Note
Belts, hair bands and other accessories must be plain and in school colours.
Boots may be worn to school in bad weather but must be changed for school shoes on arrival
at school.
Waterproof coats and hats should be worn to and from school during colder and wetter months
and should be plain coloured and sensible. This is more important than ever during the
recovery curriculum period as there will be more exposure to outside areas.
Hairstyles should be suitably formal. Significant hair colouring or shaving of hair (including
patterns) is not permitted.
Hair accessories should be plain and simple. Bands and Ribbons should be black or white.
Bandanas are not allowed.
Light make-up is permitted. Nail polish and acrylic nails are not permitted.
One discreet item of jewellery per student may be worn i.e. 1 small pair of plain gold, silver or
diamante stud earrings. Earring must only be worn in the ear lobe.
17 No other piercing is permitted.
Watches are encouraged.
A large formal style school bag is compulsory (big enough to carry A4 books)
PE kit
School navy polo shirt (compulsory)
School navy blue shorts (compulsory)
School navy blue football socks (compulsory)
School navy blue tracksuit top and bottoms or
School navy blue leggings
School navy blue sweat shirt (optional)
Black/White Trainers (with non-marking soles to protect sports hall floor)
Towel
Drama kit
Drama socks with a gripped sole.
Our school uniform suppliers are Speedstitch (Address: Speedstitch, Unit 32, Walthamstow
Business Centre, Clifford Road, Walthamstow, E17 4SX, 020 8531 4446 – Opening times 9am
– 5pm Monday to Friday). All information regarding prices and stock can be found on the
website. You are able to purchase all of the school uniform from Speedstitch, but you may
prefer to buy some items from other suppliers (such as supermarkets).If pupils in any year lose
their ties or need a replacement, these can be obtained from the school office or Speedstitch.
Badges can be purchased from Parent Mail or ready-sewn onto the blazer if you purchase this
item from Speedstitch.
18Behaviour Policy & Pupil Expectations
At Heathcote School, we expect high standards of positive behaviour, both in school and out in the
community. We believe that good behaviour underpins success and pupils can only reach their
potential if their standard of behaviour is consistently high, and if learning is not disrupted by the
negative behaviour of others.
With this in mind, our rewards serve to recognise and positively reinforce your child’s good behaviour
and the sanctions serve as a consequence if our expectations are not met. As members of the
Heathcote community, we believe that your child should understand that there are always
consequences associated with good and bad behaviour.
We do not allow disruption to learning and do operate an IEU system for pupils that disrupt lessons
on more than 3 occasions.
Please make sure you read our Behaviour Policy on the school website.
Banned and Prohibited Items
To help us ensure a positive learning environment where your child and all other pupils’ primary focus
is on their learning, there are a number of items that we do not permit pupils to bring into school
for Health and Safety reasons and/ or because valuable teaching time can be lost when items are
misplaced.
We request that parent/carers ensure that the following items are NOT brought into school under any
circumstances. We therefore do not accept responsibility for any missing or stolen items that are
listed below. Confiscated food and drink will be disposed of. The list is not exhaustive and may be
subject to change by the Senior Leadership Team at any time. We operate search arches each term
to ensure all pupils are kept safe.
Pupils will be sanctioned for bringing these items into school and likely to have them confiscated at
the very least. We currently operate a Red/Yellow bag policy for confiscated items and this will be
explained in more detail at the start of term.
Mobile phones (Pupils are permitted to use the phone in the office in an emergency)
Music devices and earphones
Large amounts of money (no more than £10)
Expensive ICT devices
Electronic equipment including portable game consoles
Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes, lighter and matches
Stink Bombs/ Water Bombs
Laser of any description
Energy Drinks/ Fizzy Drinks
Knives, screwdrivers, tools or items that may cause harm
Metal tooth/ pin tail comb
Hoodies / Caps/ hats /Bandanas
Jewellery (except small studs)
Sweets/ chocolate/ chewing gum
Aerosols
Make up/ Mirrors
Compass (will be given by teachers in lesson)
19In addition pupils are NOT ALLOWED to at any time
Wear excessive jewellery or body piercing (please see the uniform guide)
Buy or sell items to other pupils
Lend or borrow money
Play penny up
THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP
TEAM
20Safeguarding & Keeping Your Child Safe
The School’s Commitment to Safeguarding
As a School we take our Safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. We are committed to
providing a safe environment for all members of the school community and ensuring the safety
and well-being of your child whilst in school, travelling to/from school and at all times when they
are involved in school co-ordinated activities.
To help us achieve our aims all staff at Heathcote school are trained in the key aspects of
Safeguarding, Child Protection and the Prevent strategy and receive annual updates to their training
to ensure that their expertise reflects changing priorities within the community. For further details of
our commitment to Safeguarding and for information about the processes in place to protect your
child, please see the website.
Safeguarding and the Curriculum
We believe that providing your child with honest, transparent and relevant information about the
potential risks that they might face helps develop their awareness and ability to manage these
risks in the modern world. With this in mind, we have developed links to a number of the key topics
within the following curriculum areas:
21We have also worked in partnership with specialist external organisations to develop your child’s
awareness and provide support with a number of potential safeguarding / well-being issues,
including gang involvement, substance abuse, radicalisation / extremism, demotic / honour based
violence, forced marriage and FGM. For further information about our work in each of these areas
please visit the “Keeping Safe” section of our website.
Who to contact if you have a concern or would like support
All staff at Heathcote School are trained in the key aspects of Safeguarding, Child Protection and the
Prevent strategy and would be able to offer you advice about keeping your child safe and/or refer
any concerns you might have to our designated Safeguarding team. We would recommend that, in
the first instance, you contact your child’s form tutor or Head of Year. You may alternatively wish to
contact a member of our Designated Safeguarding team directly to discuss any concerns you might
have, using the contact details below:
ROLE STAFF NAME EMAIL
Designated Safeguarding Mr Neil Hutchins n.hutchins@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
Lead Assistant Head Teacher
Deputy designated Ms Emma Austin eaustin@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk
safeguarding Lead
Deputy Head Teacher
E-Safety advice to parents
The internet and digital technologies are integral parts of the lives of our 21st century children. The
ability to access and exchange information from anywhere has many educational and social
benefits but ensuring that it is used appropriately by children and young adults can often be
challenging for us all.
There are many different websites which offer parents information about online safety issues and
how their child can ‘Stay Safe’ online (Please see below for links to some useful websites) but it’s
also important that you know how to use these technologies and are aware of how your child is
using the internet.
Each parent will, of course, decide what is right for their child but general advice and guidance
from the key internet safety organisations includes the following:
Helping them to understand the risks; for example by having many online ‘friends’ might mean
your child may be revealing personal information to complete strangers.
Ensuring they set their social network profile settings to private and keep their personal
information private at all times.
22 Regularly discussing with them the kind of websites that they use, how to set safety
features and how to report concerns.
Encouraging them to think about who their online ‘friends’ are and remind them not to
arrange to meet up with someone they only know online, and tell you if someone asks.
Encouraging them to think before they post, send or forward any content online as they
need to be aware that they cannot control its distribution once posted.
Ensuring that they know they can discuss anything that happens online that worries or
upsets them and that you will support them to resolve the issue.
Ensuring your child does not have access to use your credit card or bank details whilst
they are online.
It is worth remembering that children do not always fully consider the risks and can often be
concerned that they will lose access to the internet if they reveal they have got into trouble online.
It is, therefore, important to ensure that these things are regularly discussed to make sure that
your child feels that they can raise any concerns with you. For more information please see our
website here.
Setting parental controls through your internet provider
Almost all UK internet providers, mobile service providers and reputable websites offer free parental
controls which can be activated at any time. Parental controls are designed to help you manage
your child’s use of the internet and can be used to limit access to only age-appropriate content, set
usage times and provide details of your child’s internet activity.
Full details of how to set up your parental controls will be available through your service providers but
useful information about the four main places that parental controls are available is provided by
Childnet.com:
Internet provider: you can set up filters to help block access to inappropriate content on
any device that connects to your home Wi-Fi
Mobile operator: filters are often automatically set up on mobile contracts, but you
can double-check with your provider
Devices: many devices have parental control settings, for example, to help restrict
spending in apps or disable location functions
Online services: reputable websites such as BBC iPlayer and YouTube have parental
control settings to help restrict access to inappropriate content
It is worth remembering that parental controls are not perfect and can often be bypassed by
technically minded young people and access to the internet can take place anywhere and at
any time so it is also important you make sure your child is able to use the internet safely.
23Useful websites to provide you with further information
A wealth of information is available to help you understand the key information relating to online
safety and the steps that you can take to help keep your child safe. As a starting point, you may
want to consider the following:
Child Net Parent Hub CEOP
Think You Know Safer Internet Kid Smart
Bullying Chatdanger Internet Matters
Social Media
Please monitor your child’s use of social media and also restrict it. Mobile phones and tablets should
not be used at night, as the blue light emitted from the screen restricts the body’s natural production
of melatonin – a hormone that regulates sleep.
Use of ICT within School
The use of ICT and the internet within the classroom has tremendous potential for education but they
need to be used responsibly to ensure that the maximum benefit is achieved. We, therefore, offer all
pupils ‘controlled’ access to ICT facilities / use of the internet and have the expectation that all pupils
adhere to our ‘Acceptable Use of ICT Protocols’ and any other guidance provided by staff.
Acceptable use of ICT Protocols
Rationale
Network Facilities have tremendous potential for education but they need to be used appropriately.
As part of the school’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme we offer pupils
supervised access to the Internet. Access to the Internet will enable pupils to explore thousands of
libraries, and databases. In spite of the tremendous potential for good that is available, you should
be advised that some material, accessible via the Internet, contains items that are illegal,
defamatory, inaccurate or potentially offensive to some people.
The Internet Provider, Cyber sitter software and the web caching box which we use in school
provides a service which prevents most access to such material. However, no filtering service can
be completely fool proof.
24Whilst our aim for the Internet use is to further educational goals and objectives, pupils may find
ways to access other materials as well. In school, teachers will guide pupils toward appropriate
material and do all they can to ensure pupils do not access undesirable sites. We believe that the
benefits to pupils from access to the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities
for collaboration, exceed any disadvantage. But ultimately, parents and carers are responsible for
setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media the
information sources.
Principles
Access is a privilege, and pupils are responsible for good behaviour and positive digital
footprints on the school network and the Internet.
Pupils are not allowed to have unsupervised access to computers or the Internet.
The school can and does track information on work carried out on sites visited on the Internet.
Parental support is sought for upholding high standards.
Pupils and parents/carers are required to sign an agreement, which they must honour.
Rules for Pupils
Most Internet use will be clearly defined as part of a lesson. Outside of this, you may have other
opportunities to use the Internet, e.g. Homework Club or in the Library. These may apply to all
situations and may also apply to home or outside school use.
1. You must only access those services you have been given permission to use.
2. You must not access the service without a supervisor. A supervisor can either be a teacher
or the Librarian or other adult that is employed in the school.
3. Any work/activity on the Internet must be directly related to your school work.
4. Do not disclose any password or login name you have been given to anyone.
5. Do not give personal addresses, telephone/fax numbers of any person. Under no
circumstances give addresses/telephone numbers/fax numbers of any teachers and pupils at
Heathcote School. Use of names of pupils or photographs of pupils is forbidden.
6. Do not download, use or upload any material or use material which is copyright.
7. Do not download any software on to the school network.
8. Do not damage computers, computer systems or computer networks.
9. Do not trespass in another user’s folders, work or files.
10. Do not give your name/password to another user or adult.
11. Do not post anonymous or personal communications.
12. Do not waste resources (such as on-line time, paper).
13. Under no circumstances should you view, upload or download any material which is likely to
be unsuitable for children or schools. This applies to any material of a violent, dangerous,
racist, or inappropriate sexual content. If you are not sure about this, or any materials, you
must ask your supervisor.
2514. You must agree for the systems supervisor to view any material you store on the school’s
computers, or software you use on the school’s computers.
15. Be polite and appreciate that other users might have different views than your own. The use
of strong language, swearing or aggressive behaviour is not allowed. Do not use computer
systems to threaten, scare or bully any other member of the school. Do not state anything,
which could be interpreted as libel.
Failure to comply with these rules will result in one or more of the following:
A. A ban, temporary or permanent, on the use of the Internet facilities at school.
B. A letter informing your parents/carers of the nature and breach of rules.
C. Appropriate sanctions and restrictions placed on access to school facilities to be decided by
the Head of Year/Head of Department.
D. Any other action decided by the Head teacher and Governors of Heathcote School.
Sanctions
Violations of the above rules may result in a temporary or permanent ban from the facilities.
Disciplinary action will be taken in line with the school’s discipline policy; this may include
detentions and in serious cases fixed term exclusion.
For serious breaches of the above rules, the police may be involved.
Further details are provided to all pupils and parents and are available on the school website.
Please see senior staff if you are unclear about any aspect of the policy.
The school will set up an E-safety working group run by a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Please contact heathcote.school@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk if parents/carers wish to be part of this
group.
26Home-School Partnership
Expectations of Parents
At Heathcote School, we place a great deal of importance on working closely with the
parents/carers of the young people at our school. We look to develop strong links with home and
we expect high standards of engagement from the carers within our school community. Our
expectations are designed to maximise the success of pupils and are, therefore, obligatory to all
members of the school community.
Our Home/School Agreement set out the responsibilities of the School, Parents and Pupils are
designed to ensure that everyone is aware of their respective roles in ensuring a successful
educational outcome for your child. As working effectively in partnership is fundamental to ensuring
the success of your child, all parents are requested to sign our Home/School Agreement before their
child begins at the school.
As a parent/carer we trust that you understand and commit to all elements of the support required
within this partnership and ask that you also ensure that your child understands the part they must
play.
Additional opportunities to work in partnership with the School
We are committed to working in partnership with parents/carers about all areas of school life this
year and encourage you to join the Parent Council or PTA.
27Communicating with the School
We understand that, as a parent/carer, you often want to be able to contact the school to find out
important information or ensure that your child receives an important message from you. To make it
as quick and simple as possible we have incorporated a range of technologies into our school
communication systems and currently offer the following methods of contacting the school:
Contact Details Other Information
0208 498 5110 School reception is open:
Mon–Fri: 7.30am – 4.30pm
Term Time Only
Heathcote.school@heathcote.waltham.sch.
Monitored by reception from
uk
Mon–Fri: 7.30am – 4.30pm
Term Time Only
We welcome your comments, questions and feedback either through any of the above contact
methods or through direct contact with your child’s subject teachers/form tutor or the relevant
subject leader/Head of Year.
Complaints Procedure
At Heathcote School it is our intention that you and your child always receive the highest quality of
provision and that every child is very happy here. We recognise, however, that there may be an
occasion when you are not entirely happy with an aspect of the service that we provide, and we are
committed to ensuring that any concerns or complaints that might arise are swiftly and effectively
dealt with.
If you are not happy about any aspect of the service provided by the school then we ask that you
register your concern at the earliest possible opportunity as the vast majority of concerns can be
resolved quickly and effectively without evoking the formal complaints procedures. Full details of our
process for responding to concerns or complaints are available in our Complaints Policy on the
website.
What happens if expectations are not met?
We firmly believe that close partnerships between parents/carers and the school helps improve the
educational outcomes for our pupils and are committed to developing a constructive dialogue with all
parents. As such, the school will make every effort to provide opportunities for parents to contact
and/or meet with staff and it is our expectation that parents/carers act appropriately when in contact
with members of school staff and at all times when in (or around) the school premises.
The school is committed to providing a safe and purposeful environment for all pupils, staff and other
members of the community and therefore does not tolerate any behaviour which might contradict this
purpose. If a parent’s behaviour causes concern (e.g. abusive, aggressive, threatening or otherwise
28anti-social behaviour) then the school will cease the discussion and ask them to leave the premises
immediately. In the instance of any severely inappropriate behaviour, or in the event of repeated
concerns, then the school reserves the right to bar any parent from the school premises and will, if
appropriate, refer any such concerns to the Police.
29Communication Systems
All letters and texts are sent out via ParentMail. This is also the way you make on-line payments
through ParentMail. All details for this are on www.parentmail.co.uk/help/parenthelp/. You can also
download a free app for you to use on your smart phone. Simply search for ‘Parent Mail’ in your app
store. If you have any difficulty, please contact Filis Aksan (faksan@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk) or by
phone via the school office. If you are not registered, please read below:
A ParentMail registration link will be sent to parents once they have signed up. Click on the green
‘Register’ button within the email. In the browser window that now pops up, click on ‘I don’t have a
ParentMail PMX account’. Enter your child’s date of birth and then click ‘Verify Now’. On the
following screen, check that your details are correct and enter a password in the boxes provided.
Click ‘Complete Registration’ and you will now be logged into the ParentMail website where you can
view letters and texts that have been sent. ParentMail apps are also available for your smartphone
from the Apple App Store and from Google Play. These can be downloaded from:
Google play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.parentmail.parentmail
Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/parentmail-pmx/id937274547?mt=8
Please note that if you have a child in another school that uses ParentMail then we must have the
same mobile number and email address that you use for the other account or the accounts will not
link correctly.
SIMS Parent App
This gives you information about your child’s progress, attendance and behaviour. This is how you
access the school reports that are sent out three times a year. If you are not already registered,
please read below:
In September you will receive an email invitation for the ‘SIMS Parent App’. It will be titled ‘Heathcote
School and Science College - SIMS Online Services Invite’. The SIMS Parent App is separate to
Parentmail and will give you specific information for your child/children (eg. attendance, reports,
behaviour, etc).
In the email, there will be a link that is specific to you. When clicking on it, it will ask you to register
using a Microsoft, Office365, Twitter, Facebook, or Google account. Click on whichever account type
you wish to use and follow through the registration process. Once complete you will be able to
access your child/children’s information from the website https://www.sims-parent.co.uk.
There are also apps available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play which allow you to receive
the same information on your smartphone. These can be downloaded from:
Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.capita.sims.mobile.parentapp
Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sims-parent/id1106452691?mt=8
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