Moving to secondary school is a big step and your child and you will experience a range of emotions when considering this prospect. Most children will be ready for the challenge and responsibility of growing up; experiencing new lessons and opportunities. However, a few will have worries and anxieties about what the move will hold for them. With this in mind, we have put together a simple checklist about what can be done on a practical level through the summer break to lessen anxieties and so that uncertainties become familiar and manageable:

• Buy uniform in good time and check that it fits before term begins in September

• Help your child to gather together the necessary equipment (please see our list of essentials below)

• Students will be aware that they will need to manage their time to ensure homework is done. This has been discussed at all of the transition visits to our partner primaries. Organisation is the key to successful study habits – have you given thought to where your child will study at home and where they will store their things for school?

• Rehearsing travel routes and plans will alleviate many worries. See our section on bus routes and expectations. Alternatively, walk the route to school with your child, timing how long it will take and which is the safest route to take, avoiding areas where the pavement does not exist.

• Make sure you and your child are aware of what will happen on the first day. Run through this together a number of times, so that your child will know the expectations.

Students will need the following essential equipment for lessons each day:

• Strong waterproof school bag

• A scientific calculator

• A pencil case containing the following:

  • Pens and pencils

  • Coloured pencils

  • Pencil sharpener

  • Rubber

  • Ruler

  • Compass

  • Protractor

  • Glue stick

  • Paper scissors

What date does school start?

Thursday 5th September 2019

What time do students arrive?

From 8:30am, but before 8:40am

Where do students go?

On arrival staff will show students to the Hall

When will students get thier timetable?

On the first day

What do they bring?

Students shuold bring a school bag with all their equipment and their PE kit.

Yes

• A Watch
• ONE Ring
• ONE earing in each ear, in the lobe only. It MUST be a simple stud or small sleeper
• ‘Medicare’ braclet, if required
• Tailored, full length, black school trousers
• Tailored and ideally pleated black school skirt that has a hemline no more than 100mm above the knee
• Black leather belt
• Black school shoes – leather or leather effect
• Warm hats and scarves may be worn outside in social areas
• Transparent nail varnish
• Make-up that is subtle is allow as long as it is ‘natural’
• Black v-necked jumper or tank top may be worn during cold weather. These must only be worn UNDER the blazer
• Simple black hair bands that are specifically for keeping hair back
• Sensible coat for warmth and to keep dry. Can be worn on the way to school and outside in social areas but not inside school
• Clipper cuts, but nothing below a grade 2
• Top button done up
• Short black socks or black tights

No

• Additional jewellery
• No dangling earrings, big studs, fashion earrings, flesh tunnels/stretchers. No facial or tongue piercings
• No bracelets
• Jeans/ Chino style trousers, light or “skinny” trousers. jeggings or leggings
• Tight or short skirts i.e. below the minimum length stated
• Fashion belts, including anything patterned or branded, any belt that is coloured
• Trainers, skate shoes, canvas shoes, fashion shoes, any type of boot, shoes with heels, shoes with industrial or steel toecaps. No suede or suede effect shoes
• No hats or scarves allowed inside the building at any time
• Coloured nail varnish.
• Make-up that is brightly coloured, can be seen from a distance or glittery is unacceptable. There must not be any heavy eye-liner or mascara worn. No fake tan.
• A jumper that is not v-necked cannot be worn, nor can cardi-gans. No jumper can be worn in place of a blazer.
• Hair decorations that are coloured, fashion accessories, braids or coloured extensions are not allowed.
  Accessories that serve no real purpose are not allowed.
• Fashion coats that are not useful to keep warm and dry. Hood-ies – even to and from school.
• No unnatural hair colour. This means that you may not use dye to change your hair colour to make an obvious fashion state-ment. No “Tram Lines” or “Rats Tails” etc.
• No shirts/blouses without top buttons. Top buttons must not be un-done.
• No coloured lights, lights with patterns, coloured/patterned socks, white socks or trainer socks.

How does my child get a bus pass?

If your child is eligible for a bus pass, it will be issued directly by County Hall. Once you child has been given a place with us they will send the bus pass directly to your house during the summer holidays. For enquiries, please call school transport at Cornwall Council on 0300 1234101.

What happens if my child loses their bus pass?

Your child can obtain a temporary bus pass from the Mrs. Higman in the Finance Office. However, this pass will only be valid for 5 days. You will need to apply for a new pass from Cornwall Council by calling school transport on the number given above.

If my child needs medication during the school day what do I do?

Your child should take the medicine, along with a signed consent form from you stating that you give permission for us to administer the medicine, to the First Aider. It will then be stored safely in the First Aid room.

What are the rules on picking up students from school by car?

If you need to pick up your child from school by car, please arrange to do so after 3.45 pm. The bus bay is for our buses only between 3.15pm and 3.45pm. With over 600 students to dismiss from the school site, our bus duty staff would greatly appreciate cars do not obstruct the entrance, exit and turning points for our buses. We ask this on behalf of all our students to ensure their safety. Thank you.

What After School Clubs are available and how can we find out about them?

We have lots of different clubs running during the year and during your child’s first week they will be introduced to our online list of the school activities available. These usually finish around 4.30pm. We also run a late bus if your child wishes to attend. If you would like more information, please ask at your child’s Parents’ Information Evening.

What happens if a student gets lost?

It is normal for Year 6 students to worry about this but few do actually get lost! There will always be someone who can point students in the right direction and reception is always a good starting point.

What happens at lunchtime?

Students can choose to eat in the canteen or to bring a packed lunch (no fizzy drinks, please.) Packed lunches are eaten in the designated rooms but FRA students are not permitted to eat outside. Arrangements for paying for canteen food will be explained at the Open Evening.

How do I find out about important dates?

The Academy calendar will be posted on the FRA website and we will use Parent Mail to send out a message

What do I do if my child will be absent from school?

If the absence is due to illness, we ask that you phone the academy before 9am each day of absence. When your child returns to school we require that they bring with them a note to cover the dates of absence.

If the absence is due to an appointment, please ensure that your child has a note, either when they arrive late due to the appointment or with them if they need to leave the academy site during the day. In either case they will need to go via reception to be signed in or out as appropriate. However, our expectation is that, wherever possible, appointments will be made out-side of school hours.

If the absence is going to be due to a holiday then a holiday request form must be picked up by your child from the year 7 office, completed and returned to the Attendance Officer at least 10 days prior to the proposed holiday. Senior staff will look at your child’s attendance and potential clashes between the proposed absence and events such as exams and assessments and decide whether the absence can be authorised. You will receive a letter confirming this decision. Please be aware that the Government policy is that schools should not authorise absence for holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Regardless of the circumstances of absence, all students will be expected to catch up on the work missed during any absence and tutors will issue students with a catch-up form to ensure this work is completed.

What happens if I forget to phone the school when my child is absent?

We have an attendance policy, in-line with Government expectations, which means that we will call you each day of your child’s absence if you have not already informed us. This ensures that both the academy and you, as parents or carers, are aware of where your child is during the school day. It is therefore essential that we have up-to-date daytime telephone numbers and that you inform us immediately of any changes.

What happens if my child is well enough for school but not fit to take part in PE?

Your child will be required to produce a note stating why they cannot participate in the lesson. However, this is closely monitored and it will be challenged if a pattern is emerging. Naturally the academy cannot authorise repeated or long-term withdrawal from these lessons without a clear and substantiated explanation.

What happens if my child loses anything?

Any lost property which is found is held in the Compass Centre. This sometimes takes a few days and so, if your child loses anything, we advise them to think back carefully to where they last saw the missing article – usually that is where they will find it.