Welcome to Year 7 Tool Kit 2020-2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Welcome to Year 7
Tool Kit 2020-2021
1
Contents
Hello Year 7! ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Who is in the Year 7 Pastoral Team? ................................................................................................................................................................3
Who should I contact? .......................................................................................................................................................................................3
School Day ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Morning Reading................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Assembly .............................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Character Education and Tutor Programme ...................................................................................................................................................5
Break and Lunch .................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Clubs ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Attendance .............................................................................................................................................................................................................7
Punctuality ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................7
Behaviour: Rewards ..............................................................................................................................................................................................8
House System .....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
House Points .......................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Celebration Assemblies .....................................................................................................................................................................................8
Behaviour: Support If You’re Getting It Wrong .............................................................................................................................................9
Three Important Classroom Routines ..............................................................................................................................................................9
Reports ................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
Bullying ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Online Behaviour ..............................................................................................................................................................................................10
Important Expectations .....................................................................................................................................................................................11
Homework .........................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Uniform ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Equipment .........................................................................................................................................................................................................12
Support ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Learning Support Faculty ................................................................................................................................................................................13
Counselling........................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Behaviour Support ...........................................................................................................................................................................................13
Other ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
ParentPay...........................................................................................................................................................................................................14
The Library .........................................................................................................................................................................................................14
School Email and School ICT Systems ...........................................................................................................................................................14
Prohibited Items ...............................................................................................................................................................................................15
Celebration Transition Evening and Academic Review Days ......................................................................................................................15
Frequently Asked Questions .............................................................................................................................................................................16
Useful Contacts ....................................................................................................................................................................................................18
2
Hello Year 7!
Welcome to the City of London Academy Southwark (CoLA)! We know that your journey to secondary
school is sometimes a difficult challenge, particularly considering the current situation that we find
ourselves in. However, we are confident that come September you’ll be ready and happy to start at CoLA.
This Transition Tool Kit contains information about some of the rules, policies and expectations for you at
CoLA. We would encourage you to read through this with your Parents/Carers so that they also know how
things work.
Who is in the Year 7 Pastoral Team?
The Year 7 Pastoral Team are the key people to support your transition from primary to secondary school
and their job is also to ensure that you are supported throughout your entire school journey, both
academically and pastorally. Please speak to us about support or any problem you experience.
Miss Bateson is Head of Year 7 and is a History teacher (dbateson@cityacademy.co.uk)
Mr Reddin is Deputy Head of Year 7 and is an Art teacher. Mr Reddin is also Transition Coordinator.
(areddin@cityacademy.co.uk)
Mrs Jalbe is the Pastoral Support Manager (PSM) for Year 7. (njalbe@cityacademy.co.uk)
Tutor Groups. Year 7 will be organised into eight Tutor Groups. Your Form Tutor is the person who
will look after you on a day-to-day basis and is the first person you should contact if you have any
problems. In Year 7 the majority of your lessons will be in your Tutor Groups.
Who should I contact?
There are many things that you and/or your Parents/Carers might want to speak to someone at school
about. If the question is about a specific subject e.g. “I am confused about my Maths homework” or “I’m
not sure what my Science grade is” then you should contact your Subject Teacher. If the problem or
question is about something which is impacting a number of subjects or if you have a question and you
need more support, please speak to your Form Tutor or the Year Team.
In addition to this, your Parents/Carers have the option to call or arrange a meeting. If we cannot take their
call at that time, someone from the Year Team will call back within 24 hours. Please ensure that your
Parents/Carers arrange a meeting time before coming to see us in school as the Year Team may be
teaching or in other meetings.
If you are unsure, please come and speak to us. We will be able to direct you or your Parents/Carers to who
you need to contact. All staff email addresses can be found here: https://www.cityacademy.co.uk/staff-
contact-list/237.html
3
School Day
Breakfast Club begins at 07:45 and if you receive Free School Meals, your breakfast will be paid for by the
school. Other than attending this, we do not expect students to arrive before 08:00am. Our school day
starts at 08:25 each morning, when you must be lined up with your Reading Group, and finishes at 15:25.
Each day you will have six lessons that are fifty minutes long, a twenty minute Morning Break and a forty
minute Lunch. It is important that you keep your copy of your timetable safe and check your Planner each
morning to ensure you know what lessons you have for that day.
You will be taught most of your lessons in your Tutor Group which are mixed ability. However, for some
lessons, you will be taught in different groups:
PE is taught in Boys’ and Girls’ groups. Time Year 7 School Day
Graphics, Food Technology and ICT are 08:23 First Bell
taught in smaller groups. These lessons 08:25 Line Up
will be taught on a carousel which means 08:30 Morning Reading
that you will complete one subject each 08:55 Lesson 1
term. 09:45 Lesson 2
Modern Foreign Language lessons will 10:35 Break
be in groups of either French or Spanish 10:55 Lesson 3
according to your choice of language 11:45 Lesson 4
and information from your Primary 12:35 Lunch
School. These groups will change within
13:15 Assembly/Tutor Time/Character Education
the first term to ensure that you are all in
13:45 Lesson 5
the correct group for your ability.
14:35 Lesson 6
Maths will be taught in ability groups
15:25 End of School
that are chosen in your first term.
15:30 Clubs/Detentions Start
English and Science will be taught in
16:30 Clubs/Detentions Finish
your Tutor Group.
Morning Reading
If you love reading, you’ll love CoLA. If you don’t love reading, you soon will! Each day begins with a
Morning Reading session from 08:30 – 08:55. These will be done in groups with other Year 7 students who
are of a similar reading age. Why read? Have a think about this quote: “A reader lives a thousand lives
before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one”.
Assembly
Year 7 will have an inspirational assembly once a week which is normally led by a senior member of staff. In
2020/21 every Assembly will be focused on the story of an inspirational person whose life we can all learn
from. They will also have different theme, depending on the national and school calendar, which guide the
focus of what is said. How we conduct assemblies is important and someone from the Senior Leadership
Team, including Mr Baxter, will normally attend. In each Assembly we follow these rules:
all students enter in silence
you must sit with your Tutor Group in your allocated space with your Form Tutor
your bag must be on the floor and you must be in the correct uniform (wearing your tie and blazer)
you must stand when the person who is delivering your Assembly comes to the front
you will be dismissed one line at a time and you should leave the Hall quietly and calmly,
proceeding straight to your lesson.
4Character Education and Tutor Programme
Character Education and Tutor Time happen on the days when Year 7 do not have their Assembly. In these
four sessions you will cover the following:
Session 1 – Half-Term Theme Session Delivery. This consists of a group of sessions focused on a
specific topic which are directly taught by your Tutor with some individual/pair/group work.
Session 2 – Weekly Theme Debate. Your previous week’s assembly is used as the platform to
devise a debate question for your Tutor Group to debate.
Session 3 – Current Affairs Debate. Either a student in your Tutor Group or your Form Tutor will
identify a current news story worthy of discussion.
Session 4 – Prep, Mentoring, and Weekly Shout-Outs. You will work or read independently whilst
your Form Tutor speaks to individual students and goes through Tutor Group admin. This session
will also include an opportunity to celebrate the successes of students that week, and the Student of
the Week will win the ‘Hot Chocolate and Waffle’ Prize to have on the following Monday.
Break and Lunch
You will have your Morning Break with all other students. However, your Lunch will only be with Year 7/8/9.
You may bring a packed lunch in each day or buy lunch from our canteen or outdoor kiosk. Different
students will be allowed to queue for lunch first depending on their Year Group, with Year 7 being first in
September.
Please remember the following rules throughout Lunch:
line up sensibly in the queue – only students with a Queue Jump award card are allowed to jump
this queue
pay for food via your ParentPay account or through Free School Meals (if you are eligible for this)
you are not allowed to take food onto the Hard Courts and AstroTurf
put your tray away and any rubbish in the bins provided
you are allowed to go to the Library or the Learning Support Faculty (LSF) but otherwise you need to
stay on the Ground Floor because some students will be in lessons
Key Stage 3 and 4 students are not allowed to leave the school premises at Lunch (or throughout
the school day)
If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies and would like to eat school dinners, please speak
to a member of the Year Team or your Form Tutor.
Clubs
There is a range of enrichment activities and extra-curricular clubs available. These clubs may be Sports,
Subject, or Activity focused. Please remember to let your Parents/Carers know which club you will be
attending and what time your club finishes. Our clubs that were available last year are shown below.
56
Attendance
The links between attendance and achievement are strong; the higher your overall attendance rate is
the more likely you are to achieve your potential. This includes both time taken off of school for sickness
and time not spent in lessons as a result of poor behaviour.
You should be aiming to achieve as close as possible to 100% attendance. At City of London Academy, we
expect every student to have at least 96% attendance so if your attendance is below 96% this is a
significant concern. Your attendance is monitored closely and good attendance is rewarded. Your Form
Tutor and Year Team will be phoning home and organising parent meetings if your attendance is a concern.
Please only phone in sick if you are feeling unwell and unable to work and ask your Parents/Carers to book
any appointments (where possible) outside of school hours. If you cannot come to school because you are
ill, your Parents/Carers should call the school on 02073945100 and leave a message or speak to our
Attendance Officer, Mrs Goddard (sgoddard@cityacademy.co.uk).
If an appointment during school time is unavoidable (e.g. a Hospital appointment that cannot happen at
16:00 or later), your Parents/Carers will need to bring in or send a copy of the letter from the Hospital to
school. You should show your Form Tutor and give a copy of the letter to our Receptionist who will pass it
on to our Attendance Officer. For Hospital appointments we will usually only authorise a half day absence,
so you should come to school for the remainder of the day.
We do not authorise holidays during Term Time other than in exceptional circumstances. If your
Parents/ Carer wish to take a holiday during Term Time, your Parents/Carers must write to the
Principal, Mr Baxter, for permission. Miss Bateson and the Year Team are unable to make this
decision.
It is your Parents/Carers legal responsibility to ensure you come to school, so if your attendance is very low
(without a sufficient and proven reason e.g. prolonged Hospital admission) then your Parents/Carers could
become subject to legal action.
Punctuality
It is important that you arrive to school and your lessons on time. School starts at 8.25am – this means you
must be lined-up in alphabetical order in the Year Seven playground with your Tutor Group from 8.23am.
Ensure that you leave your home on time to ensure you are in the Year 7 Playground by 8.25am. Listen to
the Bell at Break and Lunch because this gives you a five minute warning so that you have time to go to
your lesson. If you are late to Line Up or to your lesson you will be given a Detention. We do understand,
however, that in the first couple of weeks you might get lost around the building. If your punctuality is a
concern, the Year Team and your Form Tutor may need to monitor this and speak to your Parents/Carers.
7Behaviour: Rewards
Our main aim is to reward you for your successes.
House System
CoLA is organised into four Houses: Mandela, Parks, Seacole and Hawking. Every student and member of
staff belongs to a house. Achievement Points and Competitions give you an opportunity to gain points for
your House, and the House Cup winner is announced at the end of each academic year.
House Competitions are advertised in advance through the Student Bulletin, in Assembly and around the
Academy to encourage competition. Our annual House Competitions have the most points available. These
include Sports Day, the CoLA Christmas Show and the Singing Competition.
House Points
You can receive 1, 2 or 5 House Points for showing the values of our Academy.
Ambition: If you show positive ambition for yourselves and/or for others (e.g. completing
outstanding homework).
Resilience: If you show resilience when experiencing a challenging situation (e.g. working hard to
understand something that you find difficult).
Duty: If you act in a way that puts the needs of others, our community or wider society before your
own (e.g. supporting someone that is upset).
Integritas (which is Latin for Integrity) is the guiding value of our Academy. You have an opportunity to be
awarded 10 House Points each Half Term if you are given an Integritas nomination from a member of
staff. Following these nominations, Mr Baxter chooses one student as the Integritas winner. For this they are
given the Integritas award, school tie and a lunch of their choice with five of their friends and Mr Baxter. See
below for pictures of other students who have won this award.
Celebration Assemblies
Your Year 7 Celebration Assembly is organised for the end of each Half Term. This is an Assembly to
celebrate your successes. Some of these awards include:
opportunity for Queue Jump tickets for students with 100% attendance and a high number of
Achievement Points
Termly Celebration Breakfast for all students on 100% Attendance.
Termly Greatest of all Time (GOAT) status for students with 96%+ attendance and positive Attitude
to Learning in all lessons
Tutor Group and Head of Year awards for the Star Student
Head of Year award for the Turnaround Student who has transformed their attitude to school
8Behaviour: Support If You’re Getting It Wrong
Behaviour of all students at CoLA needs to be positive and in line with our values of Integritas, Duty,
Resilience and Ambition. If you struggle with your behaviour and fail to show these values we will support
you to think about your actions and learn not to do it again.
It is important to remember that negative behaviour will have a direct impact on those around you,
potentially disrupting the learning of other students. In the initial instance, your teachers and Form Tutor
will support you to improve your behaviour. However, should poor behaviour continue, then Miss Bateson,
Mr Reddin and Mrs Jalbe will organise interventions, calling home to organise parent meetings where
appropriate.
In the classroom and around school staff will remind and/or warn you if your behaviour isn’t meeting our
expectations. However, there may also be times when your behaviour will result in a sanction according to
our Behaviour Policy. Detentions happen each day after school. If you receive a Detention, your
Parents/Carers will be informed before the end of the school day. However, students could also be removed
from the classroom and be given either an Internal or External Exclusion should behaviour be exceptionally
poor or persistent. Currently, our Behaviour Policy is being reviewed. In September we will talk you through
how this works in detail. Please contact Miss Bateson if you have any questions about this.
Three Important Classroom Routines
At CoLA there are three important classroom behaviour routines to learn before you join:
1. Sound Dots
Every task will have one of the following Sound Dots. This lets you, the student, know
how much you are allowed to talk during the activity. Your teacher will add the
appropriate Sound Dots to every slide of their PowerPoint and reference whether tasks
and activities are “Red Dot”, “Yellow Dot” or “Green Dot”.
2. Red Dot Do Now
Every lesson in every subject will start with a Red Dot (Silent) Do Now. This is a silent five minute task to
address misconceptions from your previous lesson and support memory recall.
3. Removal from Class – Reminder/Warning/Detention
Removal from class for poor behaviour does not happen often. However, if you show poor behaviour that is
disrupting the learning of others you will be given a Reminder, then a Warning and finally a Detention. If
you still continue to behave poorly, your teacher will contact On Call. This means that you will be removed
from the classroom and be out of your lessons for 24 hours.
Reports
If your behaviour is repeatedly a concern, you might be placed on Report to either your Form Tutor, the
Year Team or the Senior Leadership Team. Your Parents/Carers will be told if this happens. Reports are
designed to monitor you closely and to help inform your Parents/Carers of your progress. You will be
responsible for ensuring your report gets signed by your teacher for every lesson. You must also have it
signed by the member of staff you are on report to, and your Parents/Carers should also read and sign the
report daily.
9Bullying
At the City of London Academy, we do not tolerate bullying of any kind. We define bullying to be “when
someone intimidates or causes harm to another person on purpose usually over a period of time”. Bullying
can significantly impact others. Everyone has the right to come to school feeling safe and happy.
There are many different types of bullying, but bullying behaviour can include:
being called names
being put down or humiliated
being teased
being pushed or pulled about
having money and other possessions taken
being subject to rumours
being ignored and left out
being hit, kicked or physically hurt
being threatened or intimidated
We take immediate action against anyone found to be bullying others at CoLA. This also includes
Cyberbullying through email and Social Media (e.g. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp). We will
endeavour to do all we can to prevent bullying and will seriously deal with those found to be demonstrating
bullying behaviour. Bullying is a crime. This means that in some cases our school Police Officer may
become involved.
Online Behaviour
Although this may not take place in school, if students of City of London Academy Southwark are involved
in Cyberbullying, we do have the power to address this. In order to avoid issues online, ensure that you
understand and act on the following:
do not join Social Media platforms before the appropriate age
do not post pictures or videos which reveal your location, personal details and information (e.g. your
age, address, phone number etc.) or your school (e.g. in your school uniform)
check your privacy settings (get an adult to help you) so that people you don’t know cannot look at
your photos or see your information or activities
do not “speak” to people online who you do not personally know
if you have any concerns, report them to an adult as soon as possible
do not post/email anything offensive or use bad language
do not name call or target others online
do not post/email pictures/videos of others without their consent
do not argue with others online or say anything which could be misinterpreted by others
10Important Expectations
Homework
Homework is an important aspect of secondary school. It will support you to consolidate and extend your
learning. When you receive homework, ensure that you write this in your planner. Your Form Tutor will
check that this is happening.
Show My Homework (Satchel One https://www.satchelone.com/login) is an online platform showing you
information about your homework, including deadlines and attachments. All homework set by your
teachers will be displayed online using Show My Homework. Your Parents/Carers also have the ability to
access this.
Tips for Completing Homework
If you are unsure about what to do or have lost a worksheet – ask! However, ensure that you speak
to your teacher before your homework is due so you still have time to complete the work.
Check Show My Homework to see what homework has been set for you and read all instructions.
Record your homework in your planner and tick when you have completed it and given it to your
teacher. This means that you, your Parents/Carers and your Form Tutor can see your progress.
Create a routine: try to set aside time each day to complete your homework in a quiet place at home
or at school (e.g. complete your homework as soon as you come home from school)
For longer homework projects, break the task down into smaller steps and allocate specific time for
this – stick to your schedule!
Work with others where you can. This does not mean that you copy another person’s work. It is
sometimes helpful to complete your homework with a friend.
Come to Homework Club in the LSF or the Library! This means that there will be people to support
you if you are confused. This will be confirmed in September.
Once your homework is complete, ensure you put it in your bag ready to hand to your teacher!
Uniform
As you are representing the City of London Academy, it is very important that you look smart in your
uniform at all times – even coming to and from school. Our uniform is part of our identity as a school and
our students take pride in this!
From September 2020, all Year 7 students must have the Academy bag. This will be available at Whitehall
Clothing Uniform Suppliers (See: “Uniform Suppliers”) from the start of August.
purple school blazer with school badge, to be worn at all times
plain mid grey trousers, tailored not tight (no jeans or leggings)
plain white shirt with top button done up
mid grey skirt, on or below the knee or City of London Academy summer dress in the summer term
school tie as appropriate to Year Group (Year 7 is a blue and purple striped tie) showing the
dragon below the knot
City of London Academy mid grey sweater with logo (no hoodies)
plain black leather look shoes (no trainers, boots, canvas shoes, plimsolls, suede shoes, ballet pumps,
coloured stitching/laces, logos or buckles, shoes above on or above the ankle)
plain black or grey socks or tights (no ribbons or frills)
plain black, navy blue or dark grey coat with only small (2 inch maximum) logos
black City of London Academy school bag (a PE bag is also allowed if you have a PE lesson that day)
11 religious headwear must be plain navy, black or dark grey
any scarves or hats must be plain navy, black or dark grey
one small plain gold, silver or pearl earring stud in each earlobe is permitted. No other piercings are
permitted (no diamante, glass, shaped or coloured earrings. No nose studs. If these are worn, you
will be asked to remove them)
no other jewellery is permitted except a wrist watch (no bracelets, necklaces or rings)
false, varnished or coloured nails are not permitted
excessive make up or false eyelashes are not permitted
no sculptured hairstyles, unnatural hair colours, mohicans or shaved patterns in hair
only official school badges to be pinned to clothing (blazer)
The PE Kit consists of:
purple polo shirt with school logo
purple rugby shirt with school logo
fleece with school logo
CoLA grey joggers
CoLA PE socks
black shorts
running trainers (no suede, canvas, plimsolls, Vans, Converse or obvious logos)
towel
Uniform Suppliers
1. Whitehall Clothing, 77 Camberwell Road, London, SE5 0EZ [bags]
2. APT Clothing, 26A Rye Lane, Peckham SE15 5BS
Equipment
Students should bring the following equipment to CoLA each day:
2 black pens
1 blue/purple pen
1 red pen and a pencil
ruler
scientific calculator
eraser
transparent pencil case
planner (if you lose your planner you need to buy a replacement on ParentPay)
subject exercise books
completed homework
reading book
PE kit (if you have PE on that day)
12Support
Learning Support Faculty
There may be times where you feel you need some additional support or help at school. If you are a student
with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, you will receive support from the Learning Support Faculty
(LSF). We also offer a variety of interventions in Literacy and Numeracy – your Parents/Carers will receive a
letter if you are invited to participate in these interventions.
If your Parents/Carers have a question about Special Educational Needs or Learning Support, they should
contact our SENCO Ms Dearing (cdearing@cityacademy.co.uk) or Miss Bateson.
Counselling
If something is worrying you or you would like someone to talk to, the Year Team will ask if you want to be
referred to the School Counselling Team. You could also speak to your Form Tutor about this or you can go
directly to the counsellor and self-refer. Our Lead Counsellor is Ms Lartey: jlartey@cityacademy.co.uk
Behaviour Support
Sometimes you might need additional support managing your behaviour. If you are struggling with your
behaviour, come and speak to us. We might also refer you to the Ambition Centre. This will involve a
meeting with your Parents/Carers. In the Ambition Centre you will work with Ms. Ronan and Ms. Course
who will support you with your specific behavioural needs.
13Other
ParentPay
If possible, letters, trip information and other communications are sent via ParentPay. Your parents must
ensure that both their email address and mobile phone number are updated and correct on ParentPay. If
there is a change to their address, email or mobile phone number, you or your Parents/Carers should notify
the Academy Office.
CoLA is a cashless school. This means that you do not need to bring in dinner money. Instead your
Parents/Carers either pay for this online using their username and password (sent in a letter) or at a
PayPoint using the barcode on their letter. You cannot add money to your dinner card at school. Your
Parents/Carers can also logon to ParentPay to pay for resources (e.g. calculators, revision guides) and a
replacement Planner, dinner card or Academy school bag. The ParentPay website address
is: https://www.parentpay.com/ If your parents have any questions regarding ParentPay or Free School
Meals, they should contact MIS either by phone or email – info@cityacademy.co.uk
The Library
The COLA Library is located in the Atrium at the heart of the school. Within your first couple of weeks, your
class will have an introduction to the Library. You can borrow books from the Library as your dinner card is
also your Library card. Some of your English lessons will be in the Library. However, you need to ensure that
you follow the Library rules at all times.
School Email and School ICT Systems
All school email and Internet use within the Academy is monitored. Everyone at the Academy has a school
email address. Your username will usually start with the year you began at the City of London Academy,
your first initial and your surname e.g. 20dbateson@cityacademy.co.uk You will be given your username
and password within your first week. You should change your password when you first log on. This
username and password will also allow you to log on to computers throughout the school.
This email is for school and educational purposes only, and you can use your school email to email your
teachers (and each other). However, ensure that you think about the following:
be polite in your emails
do not send spam or junk mail to others
do not use offensive/inappropriate language (these will be ‘flagged’ and Miss Bateson alerted)
do not download anything to school computers
do not share your password
check that your password is something you can remember
do not play games (unless educational games approved by your teacher)
do not try to access inappropriate content or social networking sites (
do not touch others’ computers (this includes turning them off or turning the monitor off)
ensure you log off school computers and email before you leave a room
If you use school email/ICT inappropriately, this privilege can be taken away and you can be blocked from
school emails and using school ICT.
14Prohibited Items
There are a number of items which are prohibited from the City of London Academy. This is a list of
examples so you can get an idea of what you should not bring into school. If any of these items are seen,
they will be confiscated and, in some cases, further action might be taken.
any item which could be classed as a weapon
compasses – compasses can be used, as they were intended, in lessons. However, if they are used /
carried around outside of lessons, they are treated as potential weapons. Compasses should be
secured stored in a pencil case and school bag outside of lessons where they are required.
shisha pens or similar items
laser pens or similar items containing lasers
hoodies – in winter, jumpers, scarves etc. should be stored in bags and kept out of sight.
mobile phones (See: FAQ) and electronic items such as hand held consoles and tablets
fizzy drinks, energy drinks e.g. Lucozade and Red Bull
unhealthy snacks e.g. sweets, chocolate and crisps
Celebration Transition Evening and Academic Review Days
Our Year 7 Welcome Evening will take place in late September (subject to Government advice around social
distancing). This is an opportunity for your Parents/Carers to meet your Form Tutor and the Year Team, and
discuss your first weeks at CoLA. It is an opportunity to talk about any concerns in addition to highlighting
any successes or positive achievements you have made since joining.
In 2020/2021 CoLA has three Academic Review Days scheduled for: 2nd November 2020, 23rd February
2021 and 14th July 2021. These sessions are designed for you and your Parents/Carers to meet with your
Form Tutor to discuss your academic progress and set targets. Students are expected to wear full school
uniform to Academic Review Day.
15Frequently Asked Questions
What if I receive Free School Meals?
You will need to ensure that your Parents/Carerss have completed the FSM form and handed in copies of
the relevant evidence (this is listed on the form). You can obtain forms from the Office
(info@cityacademy.co.uk). Once you are accepted for Free School Meals, your dinner card will be topped up
by the school to include your dinner money. You will need money on your card if you wish to buy snacks at
break time. Please be aware that Free School Meals do not include a dessert or drink – water is available to
everyone at the water fountains and each child is provided with a reusable water bottle.
What is there to do at Break and Lunch time?
You can go to the Library or Lunch Club in the LSF if you would prefer to be in a quieter space. The Year
Seven Playground is exclusively for Year 7. We suggest if you want to play football or basketball, you should
use the Hard Courts and AstroTurf in the main playground. The AstroTurf is available for all students to use.
We do ask that you bring your own ball and change into trainers to use the AstroTurf. We also expect good
sportsmanship on the AstroTurf and reserve the right to ban individuals or groups who do not behave
appropriately. There are is also Table Tennis under the Arches. If you wish to use these, you will need to
bring in your own table tennis bat and balls. There are a number of seating areas in the Year Seven
Playground, around the Canteen and by the Arches.
food and drink litter must be placed in the waste bins located all around the playground.
playfighting and banter is not allowed.
water fights are not allowed
behave sensibly in the playground and be aware of others around you.
if there is a problem, see a member of staff
Can I go home for lunch?
No. Only 6th formers are allowed out of the school premises at lunch time.
What if I forget my Homework and/or PE kit?
You will not be allowed to go/call home to collect forgotten items. Please ensure you pack your bag the
night before to make sure you have everything you need. Forgotten homework is sanctioned in the same
way as homework which has not been completed. You will have a detention so don’t forget it!
What if I come to school in the wrong uniform and/or shoes?
If you come to school in the wrong shoes then you will be given some CoLA shoes for the day. If you are
unable to correct your Uniform, you will be sent to the Reintegration Room until the issue is fixed. Please
ask your Parents/Carers to contact us if there is a problem with your uniform.
What if I get a detention I don’t agree with or I have an issue with a teacher?
The Year Team cannot ‘undo’ sanctions for you as this undermines the teacher who issued the sanction. You
should go and see the teacher to politely speak to them about the reasons for this. This should be done at
Break or Lunch. Do not argue with members of staff – remain polite and speak calmly. If you cannot resolve
the issue, come and speak to the Year Team or your Form Tutor.
What if I cannot complete a sanction?
Unfortunately, your detention takes priority. Therefore, if you have a football match or have to collect a
brother or sister from school, this will not excuse you from the detention. If there is a genuine reason (e.g. a
Hospital appointment), your Parents/Carers must contact Miss Bateson to ask for the sanction to be
rearranged. If you don’t turn up, you sanction will be escalated (increased) for the following day.
16What if I’m having a bad day or if something is happening outside of school?
This is normal. Sometimes things happen outside of school which can affect us and we are all upset from
time to time. Speak to your Form Tutor or Year Team if there is something wrong. Your Parents/Carers can
also contact us to inform us of any issues (e.g. bereavement, house moves, family issues etc.) which may
affect you in school and we will do our best to help.
What if I don’t like my Tutor Group?
We try not to move people Tutor Groups unless it is absolutely necessary as it is disruptive for your
learning. We will only move you Tutor Group if there is a serious issue which cannot be resolved. We will
try a number of strategies to help make things better for you before we move groups.
What if I don’t make any friends?
Starting secondary school can be difficult. It may seem as though other students have made friends quickly
or know many students in the school. However, everyone is in the same position as you! It may take a while
for you to get to know other people in your class and Year Group – so be patient. If you are really finding it
difficult and this is making you feel unhappy, please speak to the Year Team and we will see what we can do
to help.
What if I get lost?
Anyone in a new school could easily get lost! Don’t worry – in the first couple of weeks, we would expect
Year 7 to get a little lost. Ask a member of staff (there’s always someone around!) or another student in the
school who will show you where to go.
What if I need to go to the toilet in a lesson?
You cannot use the toilets during lessons unless you have a medical reason. The only toilet which can be
used during lessons is the Medical Room toilet. Any student out of class without a written note and medical
card will be logged for truancy. Please speak to your teacher if you need the toilet.
What happens if I lose something?
The City of London Academy holds no responsibility for lost items. It is important that you look after your
belongings and try not to lose them! You label your uniform items, bag and PE kit with your full name. Do
not bring valuable items into school (See: Mobile Phones). Check your work area before you leave each
room. If you have taken your blazer off in a lesson, check you have the right blazer before you leave the
room.
What if I’ve lost something?
check with Lost Property, located in the Medical Room and Reception
check the areas where you have been
ask your teacher/friends/people you were with
report the loss and, where possible, we will try to help you to locate the item
if you suspect an item has been stolen, we will do our best to investigate this. Stealing is not
acceptable at CoLA and if a person is found to have been stealing (either from an individual, or the
school) there will be immediately sanctioned for this.
During PE lessons, there will be many people getting changed at the same time. This means that items can
easily be lost/misplaced. DO NOT leave valuables in the changing room . Give them to your PE teacher.
We cannot be responsible if items go missing from the changing rooms because you have not stored them
safely.
Where can I store my bike in school?
17If you ride your bike to school, please ensure that you store your bike in the bike racks behind the main
office (walk into school through the atrium and take the first doors on the right). You must lock your bike
securely using an appropriate lock. You park your bike in school at your own risk.
Am I allowed a Mobile Phone in school?
For students in Year 7 to 11 mobile phones are banned from the school site. If a mobile phone is seen or
heard it will be confiscated and will not be returned until the Friday of that week. If it is a Friday then your
phone will be kept until the Monday. In both instances the Year Team will contact your Parents/Carers.
Confiscated items must be picked up by your Parents/Carers.
Useful Contacts
Head of Year 7 Miss D. Bateson
dbateson@cityacademy.co.uk
Deputy Head of Year 7 Mr A. Reddin
areddin@cityacademy.co.uk
Pastoral Support Manager Mrs N. Jalbe
njalbe@cityacademy.co.uk
Vice Principal Safeguarding Ms M. Swartz
mswartz@cityacademy.co.uk
Assistant Principal Behaviour Mr J. Pelling
jpelling@cityacademy.co.uk
Attendance Officer Mrs S. Goddard
sgoddard@cityacademy.co.uk
Admissions, Free School Meals and Parent Pay info@cityacademy.co.uk
SENCO Ms C. Dearing
cdearing@cityacademy.co.uk
Lead School Counsellor Ms J. Lartey
jlartey@cityacademy.co.uk
18You can also read
