Other useful information

ACCIDENTS TO STUDENTS

Any student who is injured or taken ill whilst on school premises must go to the school office where trained first aiders will assist.   

CAR INSURANCE                                                              

Please see Anna del Vecchio, Facilities and Contracts Manager, if you require information regarding the use of your car on school business.   Members of staff are covered by the school’s insurance for ‘Motor – Occasional Business Use’.   Please note that commuting is not regarded as business use.

CATERING – INNOVATE CATERING SERVICES

All food is cooked on the premises by our catering company, Innovate.  They cook all food from fresh, local ingredients daily and promote a menu of first class, healthy, nutritious and varied meals. The Fast Supper is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm daily (hot meal served period 5 only) and the Sixth Form Café is open from 8.00am to 2.30pm.

CASHLESS CATERING

SJB operate a cashless catering system managed by Claire Antal. You will be given detailed information regarding setting up your account on your first day. Once you have your link code letter (issued by the Finance Office), you need to go to the SCOPAY website (www.scopay.com/login.html) to register your account. Once your account is activated, and you have topped up your balance, you need only to have your finger scanned by the Data Manager, Alison Rolland to be able to enjoy all the fabulous catering facilities available at SJB.  Please ensure that your catering account is kept in a credit situation.  Debts on your catering account are not permitted.

CATERING FOR EVENTS

If you require any catering for events, you are arranging please contact Claire Antal with exact information as to your requirements.  Please allow at least 5 working days’ notice for any catering requirements. This will then be organised through Innovate Catering Services and delivered to you in time for your event. Claire will need to know which cost centre is to be charged at the time of booking.

If you have adhoc visitors that require lunch, there is a General Hospitality Account or some departments have a Departmental Hospitality Account. This can be used at the till point on the day in question.  If you have visitors that will be in school on a more regular basis, please advise the Claire Antal who will arrange for them to have a cashless catering account of their own.

DELIVERIES

If you do need to have a personal parcel or Amazon delivery, please feel free to have it delivered to school as the office is manned all day and we have arrangements for the weekend.   Please see the office staff for further information or advice on this service.

DRY CLEANING

We provided a service where you can get your dry cleaning collected from school and then returned – there is a 1 week turn around, Wednesday to Wednesday. All you have to do is leave it tied up in a carrier bag with your name on in the box in finance, pay Finance before it’s picked up on a Wednesday and then go and collect it the following week.

END OF TERM

At SJB we never ‘wind down’ at the end of term.   Normal lessons and homework take place right up until the final assembly.   Students and staff then ‘wind down’ by going home early on the last day!

EXAMINATIONS

We are currently recruiting for a new Examinations Manager. Until we do so, Sally Powell is able to help with any queries including assigning logins to the exam board websites etc.

GOVERNORS

We are extremely fortunate at SJB to have a very active and supportive Governing Body.  Our Chair of Governors is Ruth Egan and she can be contacted by addressing an email to her at governors@sjb.surrey.sch.uk

THE HUB

The Hub is open daily from 8.15am until 5.30pm. It is a multi-purpose learning space where the students can work independently or collaboratively; read quietly, do their homework or use their iPads and access PCs and printers – the sky’s the limit! The space can be used by any students. The space is supervised before school from 8.15-8.45am and during period 5 lunch. After school the learning support department run a homework club in there that is available to any students who wish to attend.

The Hub can be booked out by prior arrangement with Adelina Berishaj who supervises in there from 8.15-8.45am each day.

MOBILE PHONES

We do not allow any Year 7 to 11 students to have phones on site. If seen they should be confiscated and taken to the front office asap for safe-keeping. They will then deal with next steps. For your reference the following sanctions apply.

Sanctions

  1. First offence – parents will be able to collect the phone in person from their HOY. They should contact the relevant HOY via email to arrange a suitable time for collection
  2. Further offences – students will be able to collect their phones from their HOY after 2 weeks.

PLASMA SCREENS

Any information to go on the main school plasma screen (e.g. photos of school trips etc.) may be emailed at any time to plasma@sjb.surrey.sch.uk.   Please ensure you include in your email the time and date you want the information displayed.   For information relating to Sixth Form plasma please email details to the Sixth Form Assistant Manager, Jennifer Damiano (j.damiano@sjb.surrey.sch.uk)

PAPER

We are trying hard to get rid of every unnecessary piece of paper.  Please think carefully before circulating pieces of paper.  Most things can be sent electronically now and accessed on staff/student iPads – if it can be viewed electronically, don’t print it!  All the time we are circulating/filling in unnecessary pieces of paper we are not preparing outstanding lessons.   Please email whenever possible.

Any unnecessary bits of paper should be given to a member of the SLT.   Please remember:

  • no agendas to be circulated
  • no typed minutes of meetings – any action points to be noted in the meeting and communicated electronically
  • no evaluation forms, queries etc. to be circulated – see Frazer Harte if you’d like an electronic survey created

REPAIRS

If you see any item of furniture, equipment or fabric of the building which is in need of repair, please email the details to maintenance@sjb.surrey.sch.uk.  Similarly, if you would like anything done to your room please email the same address.

SCHOOL MINIBUS

If you wish to use a minibus, please speak to anyone in the Finance Office.  All drivers must to be over 21 years of age and to have held a full car licence for two years.  In addition, it will be necessary to take a minibus driving assessment for which you should see finance at least 2 months prior to you needing it! If you would like to drive the minibus please see Anna del Vecchio to arrange a test.

SECURITY KEYS

Tony, Premises Manager, Rohan, Assistant Premises Manager and Greg our Maintenance Assistant, open the building at 6.00am and lock up at 6.00pm.   All members of staff are asked to vacate the building by that time in the evening.  The site team do a great job but they find it really difficult to lock up at 6.00pm as they can’t get staff to leave the building.   Please do your bit to help them by leaving on time.   If that is not possible, arrangements must be made with them to ensure the building is properly locked overnight and the security alarm is not improperly activated.

Individual members of staff may hold keys for frequently used rooms.  Please see Anna del Vecchio, if you need a key.

All external doors to the main buildings are secured by a key held only by Tony, Rohan, Greg, Headteacher and Deputy Heads.

STAFF SICKNESS / ABSENCE

Staff absence comes in all shapes and sizes and at one point or another we all need to take time off, whether it be due to sickness, because one of our children is ill, a family wedding, or a child’s graduation; we are fortunate that in general it is very low. As a school we have always tried to accommodate requests for absence. For example, we are understanding when a member of staff must take the day off because their child is ill; and we try our hardest to accommodate staff wanting two days off to go to their best friend’s wedding abroad. We know how hard you work, and we want to be as flexible and accommodating as we can be.

Xavier does have two policies that cover staff attendance and leave (Attendance Management Policy and Special Leave Policy). We think they are very restrictive; they don’t allow for the give and take required to make for a happy and healthy working environment, but they are there for us to fall back on should we need to. We want to remain lenient and facilitate requests for special leave where we possibly can. We want you to feel that you can come and ask for a day off to attend your best friend’s wedding, or the morning off to attend your child’s sports day, we want you to come forward for support when you’re struggling because these things are important. We want to remain flexible and accommodating and we don’t want anyone to feel guilty when they genuinely have no alternative other than to take the day off and look after their ill child or are sick themselves…

But we do need all staff to to understand that the consequence of that flexibility is cover and that there needs to be give and take. We all need different things at different times in our lives and in a school where the timetable is rigid for the 39 teaching weeks each year, we have to work together as a community to facilitate time for each other. But absence during term-time needs to be kept to a minimum for us to do the best job for the children. It’s all about balance. If things ever become unbalanced for individuals, we will have to default to the Xavier policies.

For unplanned absence please email both your line manager and cover@sjb.surrey.sch.uk (teaching staff) l.davis@sjb.surrey.sch.uk (support staff) before 7.30am so that Lee/Lucia can pick up that request. We ask you to make sure that you leave a phone number so that you can be contacted if there are any queries. Or instead phone Lee (ext 136) or Lucia (ext 112) directly.

We will be having a big push with attendance for students in September, and this is important for staff too. To do a great job, we need to be here! The Headteacher will see all staff following a period of absence for their return to work discussion, please don’t worry this is just to check in, make sure you are all set and able to work and see if we can help with anything.

STAFF DRESS

All staff are expected to dress smartly in formal business wear to set a positive example to the Sixth Form students whose dress code mirrors that of the staff.

STAFF PAY                                                                       

Staff will be paid on the 22nd day of each month or on the preceding Friday if the 22nd falls on a Saturday or Sunday.   If you have any problems with pay, please see Lucia Davis.

STAFF WITH CHILDREN

Please have alternative arrangements in place so that you don’t need to take time off if your child is ill.  Unpaid leave may be taken to look after children who are ill where there is no alternative.

STUDENT MEDICATION

There are a number of students in the school who take medication.   The medication is stored in locked cupboards in the school office.   All details will be on Arbor including where a student has an IHP (individual healthcare plan). If students are out on trips, please check required medication with the school office.   There is separate information regarding procedures in the event of a student becoming ill or having an accident; please familiarise yourself with these guidelines.

Staff & Student Wellbeing

Lisa Kenny oversees student wellbeing across the school. She works closely with the pastoral team, Laura Kern as PSHE Curriculum Leader and Emily Cavell as Assistant Head i/c Learning and Teaching, to ensure that wellbeing is addressed in all areas of school life. There will be a number of CPD opportunities throughout the year where we will provide training on different areas of wellbeing, however, please feel free to chat to Lisa at any point if you have any questions.

STUDENT WELL-BEING

Wellbeing is delivered through PSHE, form times, assemblies and lessons. We have a focus on resilience and the use of a ‘growth mindset’

If you have concerns about a student:

  • The form tutor should always be the first point of contact.
  • Any concerns from staff should be directed to the Head of Year or if it is a safeguarding concern, should be raised on Arbor by clicking on the ‘Safeguarding Reporting’ button which can be found in the “School Notices” section on the dashboard.
  • The Head of Year or DSL (as appropriate) will decide what the next steps should be.

We follow the Thrive Framework for school wellbeing with the first stage being signposting support. The school website has some great resources that students and parents can access, and you will see posters around the school directing students to additional support. We have a comprehensive package of additional support that students can be referred to by their HOY:

  • Coping strategies
  • Anxiety workshops
  • Self-esteem workshops
  • Wellbeing mentors
  • Peer mentors
  • School Listeners
  • An early interventions worker
  • CAMHs school support
  • ELSA support

As a school, we are fortunate to be able to offer short term counselling to our students. The School Counselling Service provides friendly, approachable and confidential support.  Our School Counsellor, Nicole Swann, is in school 5 days per week and works closely with the Pastoral Team to identify which students may benefit from the offer of extra support. Referrals must be made via HOYs.  Nicole offers support with:

–       Anxiety

–       Self-esteem

–       Anger management

–       Peer relationship issues

–       Depression/self-harm

–       Family support

–       Liaising with external agencies

–       Drug and alcohol concerns

–       School adjustment

–       Developing strategies to assist students with their social, emotional and academic development

STAFF WELLBEING

If you feel that you need someone to talk to or additional support, there is always someone available:

  • Jamie Haselden oversees staff wellbeing; he is always there to listen and to take on board feedback about how we can improve our provision for staff
  • Megan Hodgson provides an open heart and a listening ear
  • Line managers / CLs
  • Members of the SLT
  • Staff who have attended Mental Health First Aid Training and are always available to support you. This includes the pastoral team (AHOYs and HOYS), Key Stage Leads (Caroline, Lee and Simon) and members of the Leadership Team.

We also have some very experienced staff coaches and mentors who work within departments. Please reach out if you would appreciate some additional support, someone is always available. If you’d prefer some additional support from outside of school, there is an excellent app created just for teachers called MeeToo Connect. You can also contact Education Support www.educationsupport.org.uk who offer a range of services specifically aimed at supporting people who work in education.

SCHOOL CHAPLAIN

Megan Hodgson is our School Chaplain. In addition to her responsibilities for leading the Spiritual Life of the school as detailed above, she will be providing wellbeing support for staff and for students in specific areas:

The School Chaplain is responsible for:

  • Masses (inc. Friday Masses) & Liturgies
  • Reconciliation mornings
  • Staff prayer group
  • Reflection Days
  • Form Time Prayer Resources
  • Parish & diocesan links
  • Chapel
  • Lourdes & SJB Day
  • Chaplaincy Team
  • Pastoral support especially bereavement, struggles with sexuality & serious medical issues

We run an Alpha course to help staff on their own spiritual journey; more details will be provided in the autumn term.

YOUNG CARERS

A number of our students find themselves in the position of being a Young Carer. Jamie Haselden is there to ensure they have the support that they need as they navigate the challenges that their responsibilities bring.

Key Information

This section contains information on all the little things that you just need to know. We’ve tried to categorise it to help you find your way around.

Meetings

ACADEMIC PLANNER

The academic planner outlining all meetings is available to download below. Staff are expected to attend the relevant published meetings outlined on this calendar.

TBC

A3 printed copies can be collected in September from reprographics. Please be aware sometimes the odd thing changes throughout the year and it is the online version which is updated – this can be accessed through MS Outlook. There are 4 main calendars – staff, student, exams and school holidays. If you any of them are missing from MS Outlook or your iCal app then please go to IT and they will help you.

Our aim is to preserve Friday as a meeting free day.  Meetings should be purposeful and short! A good rule is to aim to finish by 5pm at the very latest.  They should not, however, take place for the sake of it so if you don’t need to meet then please cancel.  All meetings must have Learning and Teaching as the main focus of the agenda; otherwise we can get bogged down in administration and lose sight of why we are here!

DEPARTMENT MEETINGS (DM)

Department meetings dates/times are not scheduled centrally.  This is to allow CLs to schedule their meetings as and when is most appropriate for their team. As a minimum we expect the whole department to meeting once per half term but many departments choose to meet more frequently. Please get the dates directly from your CL so that you can put them in your diary straight away so that you can attend.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT MONDAYS

Every Monday there is 1 hour set aside for staff development. Period 5, 6 and 7 are 40 minutes long and the school day finishes for the students at 2.55pm so as to allow all for the weekly development time (Every Monday 3.10-4.10pm). This time is broken town into: whole staff meetings, CfM time (Collaboration for Mastery time) and elective CPD sessions.

This ‘Collaboration for Mastery’ time, will be used specifically for the development of subject pedagogy and practice so that as a school we can better realise our vision for learning. All this time will be directed by the Curriculum Leader based on their curriculum action plan. It is expected that all members of staff working on those days, will attend the meetings. Please see James or Anna personally if you wish to miss a Monday development hour for exceptional circumstances.  

STAFF MEETINGS (SM)

This takes place once every half-term on a Monday; it sits within the staff development time.  All teaching staff are expected to attend despite other commitments.  All support staff are also invited.   Please see James personally if you wish to miss a staff meeting for exceptional circumstances.  However, dates are published in advance so please make arrangements to ensure you can attend.  Staff meetings are led by Emily Cavell and learning and teaching will be the main focus of all staff meetings. There will be 30 minutes of ‘input’ all together followed by 30 minutes of time as a department to undertake set activities and discussions following on from the input. Meetings start at 3.10pm promptly.

YEAR MEETINGS (YM)

These take place once per half term. All form tutors are expected to attend these meetings despite other commitments. The meetings are led by the Head of Year and will be the main vehicle for supporting with the delivery of the PSHE curriculum next year.

INSET DAYS

Throughout the duration of the year there will be a number of days set aside for staff INSET days both internally and across Xavier CET.   Some of this time is spent as a whole staff where we may have an external speaker or alternatively colleagues present key strategies in relation to our school priorities.  You will also have valuable time working within your own department.

Part-time staff are expected to attend the proportion of INSET days that they work. If an INSET day falls on a day that you would normally work then you are expected to come in but should it fall on a day that would normally be your day off then you may come in and either take a day off in lieu, get paid for it or stay at home – your choice.   Certain dates are really important e.g. all part-time staff are asked to attend the INSET day on Monday 4th September 2023.

LEARNING GROUP (LG)

This takes place once per half term. Staff from across all departments, as well as the MAT, meet to share L&T ideas in relation to our school priorities. Staff at Learning Group also support research projects that are undertaken and support in trialling out ideas/ strategies before they are shared on INSET days or in staff meetings. Everyone is welcome to come along; please speak to Emily Cavell for further information.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING TEAM (CLTs)

There are 3 CLTs that meet regularly each term to explore 3 specific aspects of learning and teaching identified as areas for whole school improvement. These teams are research driven, discussion based and staff within them trial strategies that arise from this. These are then disseminated through staff meetings and INSET.

This year (2023-24) the foci are:

  • Sixth Form CLT – Feedback – Getting students to respond to feedback effectively
  • 4C CLT – Disciplinary Literacy – Reading for pleasure & explicit vocabulary instruction
  • Mastery CLT – Oracy and classroom talk

Everyone is welcome to join at any time during the year, please speak to Emily Cavell for further information.

Staff Development

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

We are committed to providing staff with the very best opportunities for professional development, no matter what stage of their career they are in!

Staff in their first few years of teaching are supported through the 2-year ECF programme and our supplementary Year 3 provision. Further professional development opportunities are varied and include: internally-led CPD workshops, learning group (LG), best practice visits, Collaborative Learning Teams (CLTs) and research projects as well as external leadership programmes such as the SSAT Leadership Legacy Project and NPQs. All staff are also encouraged to make use of the National College, where they can access an array of webinars and courses tailored to their specific CPD needs.

Emily Cavell is in charge of Learning and Teaching as well as Staff Development; she is the person to see if you require any support or have any questions about your professional development. If there is a particular external CPD opportunity that you feel it would be beneficial for you to attend, please see your line manager to discuss it before completing the Professional Development Application Form (available to download from the School Hub). This form must also be filled in by support staff.

LEARNING COACHES

Every member of staff has a Learning Coach to support their personal development. There will be one Learning Coach linked to each department and whilst working with you individually to coach you in relation to a personally identified aspect of pedagogy, they will also work with Curriculum Leaders to support the departmental learning and teaching aims.  Chris Wall oversees this team so please speak to him if you have any questions.  There is an online portal to record observations and reflections.

PART-TIME STAFF

We do have some part-time staff.   We try to be as flexible as possible given people’s personal circumstances.   For this to work best there needs to be give and take.  Part-time staff are expected to attend the proportion of INSET days that they work. If an INSET day falls on a day that you would normally work then you are expected to come in but should it fall on a day that would normally be your day off then you may come in and either take a day off in lieu, get paid for it or stay at home – your choice.   Certain dates are really important e.g. all part-time staff are asked to attend the INSET day on Monday 4th September 2023.

Part-timers are expected to attend all meetings on the days they are in school but obviously there is ‘give and take’ depending upon personal circumstances.   Part-time teaching staff are asked to go to check the cover board in the morning in case they are required to cover registration.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT            

Performance management at SJB uses a 360 process where self-evaluation, staff feedback and reflections on the year are all discussed and new targets are set. For teaching staff it happens in June/July each year. For support staff it is in Jan/Feb. We try to make the process as simple as possible and reduce the amount of time required by both parties. All new staff will meet with their line manager in September to set targets for the year ahead.

The feedback meeting is a good opportunity to discuss how the year has gone for you with your line-manager and what further support or CPD/training you may need to continue to develop. For those staff on UPS or at the top of the main scale, the process is a good way of providing the necessary evidence of wider contribution to the school, required to be on (or move up through) UPS. It is also an opportunity to thank you formally for all you have done over the year, the many ways you have contributed to the SJB community and the support you have provided for students and other staff.

The starting point for all 360s is the individuals self-evaluation. This is an opportunity to reflect on all the things that have gone well over the year and what has contributed to the successes; it provides an opportunity for celebration and recognition. Alongside this, there is a chance to learn from the aspects that haven’t quite gone to plan or where an individual feels there is room for improvement and set targets for the year ahead. Where an individual requests or a line manager deems helpful, we may ask for feedback from other staff or students in advance of the 360. We hope that it is a positive experience for all involved!

The aim is to provide a more personalised process and allow staff to focus more specifically on areas in the self-evaluation, gathering of feedback and 360 discussions that are more appropriate to the time spent in the role.

ECTs are not part of the 360 process as they complete their review as part of the ECT programme.

STAFF INDUCTION

There is a full staff induction programme for all new staff and ECTs.  Anna Dwyer is responsible for new staff and their induction – all new staff will have been in contact with Anna already!  All new staff are allocated either a buddy, a mentor or a coach depending on their role to help them settle into life at SJB.  Rachel Davis is in charge of ECTs. Pete Bergin is in charge of Trainee Teachers.

Below is a letter from our most recent ECT to all the new ECTs:

Dear SJB ECTs,

Welcome to SJB – we hope you enjoy your year ahead! Our top tips for surviving the ECT year are as follows:

  • Make as many friends as you can. People at SJB are so friendly! Use the other ECTs for both professional and personal support but also go to the staffroom at breaktime and lunchtime to talk to all sorts of people.
  • Trust in the people around you (mentor, professional tutor, HODs and HOYs) and lean on them for support. They will always have your best interests at heart!
  • Teach the way YOU want to teach. Take ownership for your classes and their learning and be confident sharing your ideas and resources with the department – remember that you are likely to have the most up-to-date training and the most frequent CPD! Don’t be afraid to share your amazing-ness.
  • Observe a range of people with different teaching styles. This will help you gather a range of ideas and work out who you want to be. 
  • Choose reflective journals that are useful rather than just to tick boxes. If you pick things you enjoy and genuinely want to improve on, you’ll actually find them enjoyable and therefore improve your teaching with ease.
  • Get involved with extra-curricular clubs and activities. It’s so great to see the students in different lights. Get to know as many students ASAP.
  • Eat properly! Make lunch or plan lunches and if you end up in the canteen – pay off your Scopay account!!
  • Learn to say no and don’t try and do too much too soon. Put time aside for yourself on evenings and weekends. Keep your own hobbies. Have a laugh!

We are always here if you need us – and are proof you WILL survive!

Love,

SJB ECTs xxx

Technology @ SJB

ARBOR

We use Arbor to register the students, nominate them for their positive contributions, log behaviour incidents, design seating plans and access parent contact details etc.

Registers should be taken at the start of registration and in the first 15 minutes of each lesson so that we can track the students.

It is also important that all seating plans are recorded and up to date on Arbor.

Here is a list of some of the key elements available on Arbor:

  • Timetable
  • Registers
  • Nominations & House Points
  • Behaviour Incidents
  • Seating Plans
  • Student information & contact details
  • Staff Notices – contains links to CPOMS, School Hub, SEN Register and other vital things
  • Details of Disadvantaged and SEND Learners
  • Monitoring
  • Homework Assignment
  • Emailing parents / classes / groups etc.

This is a platform that can be accessed by staff from any computer with an internet access. Staff, students and parents all have logins.  There is a link on all school iPads as well as on the web browsers when you open them on a PC. You can find a range of how to videos on the IT helpdesk 

ICT HELPDESK

If you have any issues with technology (iPad, PC, Projector, software, IWB etc.) not working please email helpdesk@sjb.surrey.sch.uk to register the issue with the helpdesk. If you report a non-urgent issue verbally you will be asked to email the helpdesk so that there is a record of the ticket. If you have a class in situ, please send a student up to the network office to request support immediately.

There are a whole range of how to guides (text and video) that can be accessed here https://sjb.freshdesk.com/support/home . There is a link to this on your iPad.

iPADS

All staff and students have iPads and love using them each lesson – they are definitely the experts and will be able to point you in the direction of the best apps for anything you want to achieve with iPads, students are more inspired, creative and empowered. The iPads should be viewed as standard lesson equipment, so feel free to give a student a detention if they don’t have it in your lesson! There’s no excuse except for possibly that it is in for repair and you can easily check the list on the Arbor Notices under ‘Student iPad Status’.

The Apple teachers in school have created a wheel of core apps that will be on your iPad when you receive it.  These are an excellent starting point and training is provided throughout the year to give quick win strategies and further support.  Kate Atherton is in-charge of the Digital Learning and is the person to speak to if you have any ideas or would like some additional support.

We have a system of ‘whitelisting’ apps for students so that they cannot download games or social media apps. The list of whitelisted apps is available on School Hub – if there is an app that you want the students to use and it is not already whitelisted please email helpdesk@sjb.surrey.sch.uk with a link to the app making that request.`

If you have any technical issues with your iPad please see a member of the Network Team.

SCHOOL HUB – STAFF

This is an in-house platform that can be accessed from a PC, Mac or mobile device and provides quick access a variety of tools including:

  • Access to key documents e.g. school handbook, trip approval forms etc.
  • Student iPad Status
  • Peer observations and precision coaching meeting records
  • Performance management
  • Link to access the shared area from home
  • Previous Monitoring
  • Exam access arrangements

There is a link on all staff iPads or School Hub can be accessed via schoolhub.app 

If you have any suggestions, would like to find out more about it or have any technical problems with it then please email helpdesk@sjb.surrey.sch.uk – your login will be given to you on the first day in September if you don’t already have one!

PASSWORDS

It is very important that you change your passwords frequently and that you keep them secret – if you suspect someone knows your password then you must change it. We have a policy for your main network password (used for computer access and email) which will require you to set a password that is 12 digits or more and include 1 capital letter, 1 number and 1 punctuation mark – you will not be able to use part of an existing password. You will be prompted to change your password the first time you log on in September.

ONE DRIVE

All shared files have now been moved over to OneDrive and are mapped to the school PCs so that they are easy to access when you login. From within OneDrive you can access your own personal files as well as any folders that you have been permission to view/edit (for example your department folder).

Spriritual Life

Throughout their time at SJB all members of our community are offered a variety of opportunities for prayer, thanksgiving, reflection and spiritual development.   We appreciate that many members of staff are not familiar with Catholic liturgy and practice but please do not panic as there is plenty of support and help is always at hand!

CHAPLAINCY

Megan Hodgson is school Chaplain and leads the Spiritual Life of the school alongside Jamie Haselden (Assistant Head i/c Catholic Life) and James Budzynski-Seymour (Curriculum Lead for RE). Together they plan and co-ordinate the liturgical and charity fundraising events which occur in school and ensure that occasions of worship are of the highest standard.

Megan is able to offer support, guidance and resources to staff who are preparing either year or whole school assemblies.  A Pause for Prayer resource is provided for all tutors to use at the start of form time.  Megan is responsive to the spiritual needs of all members of the community (students, staff and parents) – a ‘listening ear and an open heart’.  She is always available for you to talk to in confidence, particularly if you are experiencing any difficulty or stress.   Megan will be working closely with the Priest Chaplain to SJB, Fr Rob Esdaile, who is Parish Priest at St Dunstan’s Church, Woking.

MASS

This is the most important celebration at school and we try to do everything we can to make it a special and meaningful occasion.   Whole school Mass is celebrated at the beginning of the school year and at the start of each term.  The co-operation of all members of staff is appreciated to ensure the atmosphere needed is quiet and reverent.   Please don’t worry about what to say or do in Mass if this is an unfamiliar experience for you.  Full instructions will be given throughout the service.

THE CHAPEL

Friday morning Mass at 8am is celebrated in the School Chapel which is off the hall (all staff, parents and students are welcome), you may receive a special invitation from Megan! All staff are also invited to join us for prayer at 8.15am in the Chapel every Wednesday. The Chapel is open to all staff and students for prayer and quiet reflection throughout the day from opening time until closing time.  Forms are able to use the Chapel during form time for prayer and reflection with guidance from the Chaplaincy Team.

REFLECTION DAYS

We organise Reflection Days for most year groups.  Megan and the Heads of Year plan these days.  Form Tutors are closely involved and lead a large part of the day.  We also aim to extend Away Weekend opportunities for staff so that they too can benefit from taking time out for rest, relaxation and reflection.

 

Homework

HOMEWORK

It is widely recognised that homework makes an important contribution to students’ progress. At SJB, it is felt that work completed at home is an essential part of school work. When homework is used properly, it extends the challenge open to the students and ensures that teaching time is used to maximum effect. It also prepares students gradually for the more independent demands of study as they mature. Equally, we believe it is important that all students have time in their day to ‘play’ and spend time participating in extra-curricular activities. For this reason, our homework gradually increases from 50 minutes per night in Year 7 to around 1.5 hours per night in Year 11 and 2-3 hours per day in the Sixth Form.

In Year 7 and 8 there is a blend of ‘subject’ homework as well as the development of literacy and numeracy skills; every night students will complete 30 minutes of ‘subject’ homework as well as a further 20-30 minutes of homework focused on the development of literacy and numeracy skills as we believe these are fundamentally important in being able to access learning across the curriculum. In addition Year 7’s are expected to read to or with their parents every day. From Year 9 onwards there is a greater ‘subject’ focus. Further to this, each half term, there will be a minimum of one homework aimed at improving vocabulary and one aimed at improving reading and comprehension skills.

We set homework for the following reasons:

  • It encourages students to develop the skills, confidence, and self-motivation needed to study effectively on their own.
  • It consolidates and reinforces knowledge and skills being developed at school.
  • It extends school learning (for example, through additional reading).
  • It sustains the involvement of parents in the management of students’ learning and keeps them in touch with what is happening in the classroom.
  • It helps students to develop their time-management and organisational skills.
  • It enables students to better manage the increasing demands placed on them as they get older and become young adults.

It is vital that we stick to the homework timetable so that the students can balance their work and their extra-curricular lives!

Things to consider:

  • Homework tasks should be planned so that they support/complement the overall curriculum plan.
  • Marking of and feedback on homework tasks is vital; students must feel like the work they are doing at home is valued and valuable.
  • What you believe is a 30 minute task may take some 15 minutes and others 1 hour. It should be made clear to students that they should not spend more than the set time on their homework even if the work is not complete.
  • Reasonable adjustments to the task set (not necessarily just the length) for some of our SEND children who without this will struggle to access the learning.
  • Students should be able to gauge whether the homework they completed in 30 minutes is acceptable for the level they are working at (ie. Linked to the KS3 Frameworks & GCSE target grades)

All homework is to be communicated with the students using Arbor so that they can easily keep track of it and also so that it is visible to the parents. You can set the homework in advance and schedule it to be released at a certain day/time or you can schedule it quickly during lessons – How to set a homework assignment on Arbor

The homework timetable will be issued during the first week in September and should implemented from the start of the first full week back for the students.

Day to Day

ASSEMBLY CYCLE

Mornings 8.55-9.15am

Year Group/Key Stage
Mon
KS3 or KS4 or 5 on rotation
TueYear 12 & 13 on rotation
WedYear 10 & 11 on rotation
ThurYear 7
FriYear 8 & 9 on rotation

We will be operating assemblies on a fortnightly rota so that each year group have one Key Stage assembly and one Year Group assembly per fortnight. All assemblies are in the main school hall.

There is a fortnightly theme linked to our values (Integrity, Service, Love, Aspire, Respect) which is used in the key stage assembly, year assemblies, form time prayer and Mass.  Members of staff are invited to lead key stage assemblies once every two years.  This is always a stimulating experience, and we have plenty of resources to supplement your own ideas if you wish to use them.

Staff are asked to sit with the students in the middle of the rows and not as ‘police’ on the end – this is not necessary at SJB and gives an impression of ‘us and them’, it’s also a little off-putting for the person leading the assembly!

STUDENT ATTENDANCE & LATENESS

Registers must be taken on Arbor during Form Time and every period of the day. It is imperative that we know where the students are at all times so that we can keep them safe. Please ensure that registers are taken promptly and accurately.

If a child is marked present earlier in the day and they are missing from your lesson, please send a student to the office to notify them.

If students are late to your lesson particularly after break and lunch please ensure that you make sure the register reflects this and that you give the student a negative comment for ‘late to lesson’ on Arbor. It can then be followed up as per our behaviour policy – missing just 5 minutes per day after both break and lunch equates to a whole week of learning missed in 1 school year!

COVER / ROOM CHANGES etc.

The daily bulletin is posted on the staff notice board (outside Lee Evan’s office) by 8.30am. This includes the cover rota, any re-roomings and details of relevant sports fixtures which require students to leave lessons early. Cover lessons are also visible on via ‘Registers’ on Arbor so you can easily access the register and seating plan. Staff requiring cover must set that on Arbor as an assignment – you can watch a video on how to do this here.

All duties will be covered; if your absence is planned please arrange a swap with someone else and notify Lee Evans so that he can action it on Arbor (this helps to keep it fair as we do not have a pool of cover staff for break and lunch duties). If Lee isn’t informed of a swap or your absence is last minute then he will arrange for it to be covered.

EMAIL 

Please do not put pieces of paper in everyone’s pigeonhole!   We are trying hard to be paperless.   Please do not send emails at the weekend or after 6.30pm and only send to those who need to know.  Please do not send a whole staff email unless it has been approved by Lee Evans.

“the relief you feel from sending that one email late at night doesn’t outweigh the stress you may cause another by sending the email”

Also please avoid reply all and one-word emails. You can email all classes through MS Outlook as well as tutors, HOYS, SLT etc. as there are groups already set up. You can email individual parents or parents of your whole class through Arbor.

ENTERING & LEAVING THE PREMISES

We have electronic gates on the main gate, you will need your staff ID card to open the gates. They are open in the mornings until 8.50am to allow the students to enter and then again at the end of the school day. The school is locked at 6pm each evening; please ensure you are off-site by then.

If you leave the premises during the school day please sign out/in at the school office on leaving and returning, this is in case of a fire emergency/practice.

FIRE INSTRUCTIONS

Detailed instructions will be put in pigeonholes in September – please read them carefully and then put it up in your classroom/office. Contained in the booklet is a map of the school detailing the assembly point for each year group. Fire practices will happen for each year group in September, please familiarise yourself with the exit routes and where your tutor group should line up.

OPEN DOOR

The SLT operates an ‘open door policy’.   If you have any concerns or worries please say so immediately.   If you have any suggestions or ideas, please say so.   If you are feeling hard done by in any way at all you must come and talk about it.   We are always looking for ways to improve the school and to support you – our primary job as a School Leadership Team is to serve every member of staff, so if there is something we can do better please let us know!

REPROGRAPHICS / PRINTING

We have a ‘follow me’ printing system which means you can send, print and then collect it from any of the machines located in the school including those in the Reprographics Room which is located opposite the Hub.  Please note that it is considerably cheaper per copy to print to the large multifunctional copiers located there and in the staff room than the small printers dotted around the school.

Our Reprographics Co-ordinator, Dawn Wheeler, carries out all colour copying and all large volume black and white.  Dawn can also design, produce and give advice where needed.  Please email your requirements to d.wheeler@sjb.surrey.sch.uk allowing at least 24 hours’ notice (large volume booklet printing will require more notice).  If you do not have electronic originals please leave your work in Dawn’s in-tray together with a note.  Printing via Dawn is cheaper for your department as she knows all the tricks so please use her where you can!  If in doubt, please seek advice from Dawn on layout/printing BEFORE you start your project. Please note Dawn also works up in IT some of the time so she isn’t always at her desk in reprographics!

We have two multifunctional copiers (colour, booklets, folding, stapling) located in the Reprographics Room and one black and white copier in the Staff Room (no booklet or folding function but does staple).  These are used by all staff requiring photocopying, printing or scanning where less than 35 copies are required.  Please note than any document that consists of more than 4 pages is half the price to print as a booklet, rather than corner stapled. Please see Dawn for advice.

We are trying to reduce the amount printed work that we use so we now have a system in place where Dawn will scan sections of textbooks for you to use in class or send to students. Please see Dawn for the full details.

Please do not buy-in any printed materials without checking with Dawn first, as we may be able to produce it in-house much cheaper.

New members of staff will need to be issued a printing card, which can be obtained from the Network Team. Training can be arranged for new staff on photocopying, printing and using the follow me printing if needed.

Sixth form students get a certain amount of printing free each year, once they have used this they have to top up their print credit via Scopay.

All staff and students can send to print via email from their SJB email address by emailing directly to printing@sjb.surrey.sch.uk

SEATING PLANS

All seating plans must be on Arbor within the first week of term. Once a seating plan is drawn up, you can easily take registers from it and view various student information about the student. Please use this to help target your questioning and other class-based activities.

WEEKLY BRIEFING

There is a full staff briefing every Monday morning, or the first day after a holiday, at 8.15am promptly (the notes from this briefing are posted on the School Hub) and on every second Tuesday at 8.15am for an update from the Heads of Year.  This is to brief staff on any students who need additional support.

Staff briefings are held in the Sixth Form LRC; please ensure you are there promptly so that we can start at 8.15am.

SEND

THE TEAM

Lisa Kenny is our SENCO; she is responsible for all the SEND students in the school. She is supported by three Age Phase Coordinators:

  • Bron Donovan (Year 6/7)
  • Tara Branson (Year 8/9)
  • Rosie Hilton (Year 10/11)

They work with a brilliant team of LSAs who all know the children’s needs really well.  Please make time to see the Ages Phase Coordinators to discuss the needs of the individuals in your classes before you have your first lessons with them.

The department is structure can be found here Dept Structure 2022-23.

THE STUDENTS

We have 45 students with EHCPs across the school and around another 220 SEN Support (K) students who all need varying degrees of support.

Students are listed on the SEND Register in two categories:

  • EHCP (E)
  • SEN Support (K)

We expect staff to know who the SEND students are in their classes, what their needs and to plan learning so that their needs can be met. Some students will have the support of an LSA in lessons, others will not.

You can clearly see on Arbor who the SEND learners are that you teach. In addition, we expect all staff to look up their SEND learners on Provision Map (Edukey) so that you can get to know the students better.

If you have any concerns at all about a student then please see the relevant Age Phase Coordinator in the first instance.

PROVISION MAP (EDUKEY)

Provision Map is a piece of software that does exactly what its name suggests! It maps the various provisions (interventions and other key aspects of support) that our students are engaged with and helps us to monitor their impact and record progress. The information contained within Provision Map is constantly being updated so it is important to check it regularly. It can be accessed here.

You are expected to use it to:

  • Access the ‘Pupil Passports’ for every student that you teach who has a SEND so that you can better understand their needs and the support they require to flourish in your classroom.
  • Access the ‘Plans’ for all the students who have one. There are several types of ‘Plans*:
    • Individual Learning Plan – Every EHCP student will have one. It highlights the specific annual targets that they are working towards. Teachers will be expected to comment on progress towards these targets prior to the students annual review.
    • SLCN Targets & Outcomes – Every student with SLCN (those working with Helen Bowerman our Speech and Language Therapist) will have one. It highlights the specific annual SLCN targets they are working towards. Teachers will be expected to comment on progress towards these targets prior to the students annual review.
    • Medical plan – Ad hoc plan where a student has a medical need that requires specific intervention or action.
    • Safety plan – Ad hoc plan where a student requires specific intervention or action in order to keep them safe.

 * We are in the process of building this library; more plans may be added in time!

You can access training videos via the knowledge base.

LSA TIMETABLES

We publish LSA timetables in September so that you can find out who to expect in your lessons. It is important that all staff meet with their LSAs and discuss the needs of the students and how best to support them in class.