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School Rules

 

These rules apply not only within school, but also when travelling to and from school, and outside school hours when students are part of an organised school group.

  • Students must show a high standard of courtesy to everyone, staff, fellow students and others at all times. Under no circumstances may a student interfere with, threaten or strike any other person connected with the school.

  • Students must not trade in, possess, or use tobacco, alcohol or any illegal substance within the school or school grounds.

  • Students are required to wear the regulation school uniform neatly at all times. While doing so they are representing the school and all school rules must be observed.

  • Students are required to treat all property within school with care. If property is damaged or lost, students will be expected to pay the cost of repair or replacement.

  • Students must not enter laboratories or practical rooms unless a teacher is present. Classroom equipment is not to be used without the permission of a teacher.

  • Students are expected to keep mobile phones switched off during registration and all classes.  Infringements of this rule will lead to the confiscation of the phone. Students are not permitted to use the camera facility on their phone in school or during school related activities.

  • Personal music players should not be used in school, in the school grounds, or on the way to and from school.

Referral System

 

  • All members of the school staff work to promote positive behaviour in the school.  Minor infringements are dealt with by the teacher in charge of the class. 

 

  • In more serious cases a student may be spoken to by her Form Teacher or Head of Year or Senior Teacher who may impose an appropriate sanction.

 

  • Repeated or very serious offences are dealt with by the Vice-Principal or a Senior Teacher.  If appropriate parents will be informed and are expected to ensure that the student’s future behaviour is acceptable. 

 

  • Sanctions imposed may include lunchtime or after school detentions.  A letter will always be sent home if after school detention is given.  In such instances it will be the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to make appropriate travel arrangements for their daughter.

 

  • In the most serious cases students may be suspended by the Principal.

 

The Board of Governors has the authority to exclude any student who is persistently infringing the school rules.  Those found to be trading in illegal substances will be excluded.

Mobile Phones

 

Mobile phones must be switched off by 8.55am when registration / assembly begins and should remain switched off during all lessons throughout the school day.

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Mobile phones should be stored in the inside pocket of blazers.

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Inappropriate use of mobile technology will be dealt with under the Positive Behaviour Management Policy.

 

Mobile phones must not be used for photographs or recording purposes under any circumstances

 

Rules and Guidelines for Handheld Devices including Mobile Phones

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Students who wish to bring a mobile phone or electronic communication device to school must follow the rules below which are also outlined in the student planner / homework diary.#

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  • Mobile phones or electronic communication devices should be switched off by 8.55am when registration / assembly begins and should remain switched off during all lessons throughout the school day.

  • The recording, taking and sharing of images, video and audio on any mobile phone or electronic communication device is prohibited.

  • If a mobile phone or electronic communication device has been used for taking pictures or filming, the phone will be confiscated and forwarded to the Principal who will contact the parent / guardian requesting him / her to come to the school to discuss the issue and collect the phone / device.

  • The school may retain any mobile phone or electronic communication device on the school premises where there is a reasonable suspicion that it may contain undesirable material, including those which promote pornography, violence or bullying behaviour.

  • Mobile phones and electronic communication devices will not be used in any way during lessons, assemblies or registration unless explicitly directed by a member of staff.

  • Mobile phones or electronic communication devices may not be used as a calculator during lessons.

  • Mobile phones or electronic communication devices must never be brought into exam venues; this includes centres where controlled assessments are being held.

  • Mobile phone or electronic communication devices should not be used in school for playing / listening to music.

  • Mobile phones and electronic communication devices are not permitted to be used in certain areas within the school site e.g., changing rooms, toilets and designated health and wellbeing areas.

  • If a mobile device is seen or heard during lessons, assemblies or registration it will be confiscated and given to the Principal. Students must call to the main office to collect the phone / device at the end of the school day.  If the Principal is unavailable, the student must call back at a time convenient to the Principal.

  • Mobile phone and electronic communication devices brought into school are the responsibility of the device owner. The school accepts no responsibility for the loss, theft or damage of personally owned mobile phones or electronic communication devices. 

  • Students have the opportunity to use personal ICT devices to support Learning and Teaching in the classroom as explicitly directed by and under the supervision of the class teacher. There use must comply with the school Bring Your Own Device Policy.

  • Parents are strongly advised to speak to their daughter regarding the safe, responsible and legal use of communication technology. Parents have full responsibility regarding the material students have access to on their personal mobile phone or electronic communication devices. These issues are covered as part of the school’s preventative curriculum but ultimately, responsibility for the use of such equipment lies with the owner.

  • The Principal’s decision on all matters of mobile phone or electronic communication device protocol is final.

Textbooks

 

Textbooks are the property of the schools and must be returned in good order at the end of the school year.

When textbooks are issued, they should be properly backed / covered and kept in good condition.

Parents will be sent an invoice to cover the replacement of lost or damaged books.

Students in Years 12 and 14 must return all textbooks before the end of their examinations.

Lockers

 

Lockers may be hired annually.

Locker areas are allocated to Years 8 to 11 students.

Students in Years 12 to 14 can hire a locker if they wish.

Locker hire is £10 (non refundable)

Any inappropriate behaviour or misuse of lockers will result in access to the locker being removed.

Medical Information

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Information relating to past or present illness or physical disability should be conveyed to the school for record purposes. Parents/guardians should give details in a letter to the principal, marking the envelope: 'CONFIDENTIAL - MEDICAL RECORD'. The school must have the name of the student's GP, and also someone in addition to the parent/guardian to contact in the event of illness or emergency.

It is important to keep the school up to date in terms of any change in your child's medical condition.

 

Medication

The school specifies that medication should not be administered by school staff. Where a student requires medicines of any kind, a written arrangement can be made between the parent/guardian and the school for such to be kept safely in school and made available to the pupil when needed. It is important that parents ensure that any medication kept in school is replaced before it goes out of date.

In case of emergencies, it is important that the school has up-to-date contact details for parents or guardians.

 

Student Illness

If your daughter is obviously ill, she should not be sent to school.

The school must have a reason for students being absent.

A student should bring a written note signed by her parent/guardian stating the cause of the absence and give it to her form teacher on her return to school. A number of absence notes are included in the Homework Diary / Student Planner.

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Feeling unwell during the school day

  • If a student is feeling unwell in school, they must first ask permission from their teacher to visit the sick bay. 

  • When they leave the classroom, they must go immediately to Mrs Doran (Sick Bay Attendant) who is available in the Main Staffroom.

  • If they need to go home, parents/guardians will be contacted by a member of staff and asked to collect their daughter at the Main Office. 

  • Students must not make any independent arrangements via a mobile phone.

 

Again, it is important that school has up-to-date contact details for parents or guardians.

 

Appointments

Doctor / Dental appointments should, unless in an emergency, be made outside school hours.

Attendance and Punctuality

 

Good attendance is important so that students do not miss out on their learning

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Students are expected to attend school consistently and punctually.

 

Attendance: Miss School = Miss Out

 

Every single day a young person is absent from school equates to a day of lost learning.  Attendance percentages can be misleading.  For some parents 90% may seem like an acceptable level of attendance, but the reality is that 90% attendance means that your child will miss half a school day each week or 19 days of school during the school year – that’s nearly 4 school weeks.

 

Give your daughter the best start in life; every school day counts.

 

The table below will guide you:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Department of Education, has been considering how it can better present pupil absence statistics to help inform and support, schools, parents and pupils regarding the scale of the challenge and the impact which pupil absence can have on outcomes. They have suggested using a tiered approach which is outlined as follows.

Procedures

 

  • If unavoidably absent from school, a student, on her return, must provide her form teacher with a note explaining the absence.  Some absence notes are included in your daughter’s homework diary / student planner. This note should be signed by her parent/guardian. A second note should be sent with the student so she can show it to her class teacher.

  • If a student is absent for three consecutive days, parents/guardians may receive a courtesy telephone call from the Form Teacher.  This protocol ensures good home school communication and enables the school to provide appropriate support when necessary.

  • Parents/guardians will be contacted if a student’s attendance is giving cause for concern.  If there is no improvement in the student’s attendance, a referral may be made to the Educational Welfare Service.

Arriving late to school

 

If a student arrives late because they have had a doctor’s/dentist’s appointment, then they must bring a note to that effect from parents/guardians.  On arrival, they must report to their Form Teacher to be registered.

 

Permission to leave the premises during school hours

 

Students must not leave the premises during school hours without permission.  Requests to have time off from lessons should be kept to an absolute minimum.  They should only be made when medical or dental appointments cannot be secured outside of school hours.  The school actively discourages requests for time out to attend social events.

Year 13 and 14 students will be allowed to attend driving lessons during Non-Teaching periods ONLY and should request permission from their Form Teacher in the normal fashion.

 

 When permission to leave school is necessary, a student is required to:

 

  • Present a letter of explanation dated and signed by the parent/guardian to the Form Teacher before or during registration on the day of the planned absence and obtain a permission slip.

  • Receive a signed permission slip from the Form Teacher which must be produced on request.

  • Go to her normal class on her return to school (if the absence is for part of a school day only).

  • In exceptional circumstances a parent may need to phone the school to request permission for his/her daughter to leave during the school day. Should this arise, the student must be signed out by the Head of Year in the usual manner. 

  • Students may not leave school in response to a call that has not gone through agreed channels of communication; should this occur; sanctions will be applied in line with the Positive Behaviour Management Policy.

 

At Post 16 students will, on occasion, need to attend an interview or Open Day which was not available during holiday times.  If this situation arises, the student must submit a letter from her parent or guardian to the Principal requesting time off to attend well in advance of the assigned date.

 

Post 16 students attending specific Fermanagh Learning Community courses are provided with taxi transport to and from the host school / campus.

 

 

The Department of Education has informed schools that students should not be absent from school for family holidays during school term time.

Please make every effort to adhere to this guideline.

 

 

Punctuality

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  • Registration each morning for all students is at 8.50am

  • Students should be punctual to registration and to class

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