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UPDATED 19/10/20Maidenhill School: Open Evening Frequently Asked Questions. Autumn 2020We hope you find these FAQ’s useful. If you have any further questions for us, drop us an e-mail at questions@maidenhill.gloucs.sch.uk or give us a call on 01453 822469. Any questions that we have received in the last week or any questions we’ve updated with new information have been collated and included here in the relevant position in red.Why are we not holding ‘live’ Open Events this year?Maidenhill has a duty to keep students and staff who currently attend safe. Every school is different in terms of its layout and operation and like most of our neighboring schools, we do not feel we can adequately do this by inviting new parents and students on site. Please watch our open evening video which will be live on our website from Wednesday 7th October 6pm, as well as our ‘A Taste of Maidenhill’ video, currently found on our website.Do you cater for the full ability range of students including those most able?Yes. Our intake is comprehensive and we are proud to be an inclusive school, we cater for the full range of ability. We have a particular drive to ensure our most able students receive a challenging curriculum with the potential for them to reach top grades. We had a record number of grade 9s in our summer 2020 outcomes and those achieving grades 7 or higher was up on both of the previous years.Why do you not have a 6th form; what do students do post-16?We see it being an advantage being an 11-16 school, as all our students have to make a decision about what they plan to do, rather than drift into the sixth form because it is ‘easy’ to stay put. We have very strong working relationships with local post 16 providers and this, coupled with an extensive support programme, enables students to make informed decisions.How does homework work?Students are set independent study depending on the frequency of lessons in each subject. Teachers set a wide variety of tasks for students to complete. Support is offered to students through staffed afterschool sessions.How do you ensure great quality teaching and learning?We have a dedicated group of teachers at Maidenhill focused on developing their own practice. We constantly monitor the professional development of our staff and plan staff training to focus on enabling students to achieve their ‘personal best’. We believe we have a very special team of teachers. They collaborate and share their ideas both within and across different departments. We also look beyond Maidenhill to learn about good practice from other schools. We support our teachers in establishing links with professionals from other schools and plan various collaborative training opportunities with our STAR group (Rednock, Sr William Romney’s and Archway schools).How are classes determined and do you have mixed ability sets at GCSE?We put students into the classes where they learn best. For some subjects this is mixed ability and for others students are in sets. We work closely with our primary schools to ensure we get detailed information on each student’s strengths. Then, on their arrival in Year 7, each student completes a series of Cognitive Abilities Tests to give us more information on students’ relative strengths. Currently, maths, computing and French are taught in streamed classes, and all others are mixed ability. What is your intake and how many students are in a class?Our current allocation is 157 students per year group and we are oversubscribed in Years 7 and 8. This academic year, the average class size for Year 7 is 26.5; the average class size for Year 11 is 21. We always make our classes as small as possible, within the constraints of our budget. We prioritise our Year 10 and 11 GCSE classes.How are lessons structured – duration and number of lessons?There are five lessons in the school day, each lasting 60 minutes each. There is no fixed ‘structure’ for lessons at Maidenhill as we encourage our teachers to be creative within their subject area. Some lessons are practical, some are completed in silence, whereas others are full of discussion and debate. Students get a take part in a wide range of learning activities and no day is the same!My son/daughter dislikes Drama as he/she is very shy. Can he/she be withdrawn from this?No. We absolutely believe that all students need a broad and balanced curriculum and we will support all students to ensure they can participate. Often, we are able to make reasonable adjustments in our teaching and learning styles to best support students.What are the timings of the school day and what does the start of the day look like?At this current time, students are not allowed on site any earlier than 8:25am. We use two entrances to keep students as separate as possible. Students must be on site by 8:40am and they go straight to their tutor base and register at 8:45am. School finishes at 3:00pm. We have an extra-curriculum provision through our Study Zone which currently allows different year groups to attend on different days.What does your extra-curricular provision offer?In normal times we offer a range of activities. Study Zone and SEND support offer students the opportunity to use our hi-tech computer suites after school to complete independent study. Various PE teams from football to netball occur in every year. Our Performing Arts team put on a variety of shows and concerts throughout the year. All departments offer various aspects of after school support for Year 11 students in the run up to their GCSE exams. They also engage in external competitions and activities ranging from the national “maths challenge” to Future Chef. We offer a wide variety of trips and visits and these have included a bi-annual ski trip to Austria/Italy, cultural visits to France and Germany, museum visits, trips to the capital, as well as more local visits. Recent visitors to the school include professional chefs, representatives from charitable causes and the Stroud Conservative MP Siobhan Baillie. Take a look on our website at our most recent Newsletters for more information.Can my son/daughter have music lessons?Yes. We offer a wide variety of peripatetic music lessons on a variety of instruments including piano, drums, guitar, bass and singing. These are chargeable. Students leave their regular lessons to attend these on a timetable that constantly rotates to reduce the amount of time a student is missing any one given lesson.How do you reward students?Students receive electronic reward points on a day to day basis from teachers for demonstrating our mantra ‘Be kind, Work hard, Look smart’. Students also receive reward points on a weekly basis for excellent attendance and high-quality independent study. In the last week of every term students can choose to ‘spend’ their reward points on various items in our student reward shop. The items students can purchase change from term to term but have so far included Amazon vouchers, stationary, queue jump tickets for the lunch queue, and a hot chocolate lunch fwith friends. Students will also be rewarded in other ways for such as Student of the term and termly 100% attendance.How do parents’ and carers’ evenings work?In normal times in Year 7, there is both a ‘meet the tutor’ and Year 7 parents’ and carers’ information evening event held early on in the autumn term. These are being done virtually this year and will soon be going live on our website. We also hold a Year 7 face-to face meeting later on in the year. A parent is very welcome to contact the school at any time if they’d like more information about their son/daughter or if they have any concerns. This of course needs to be proportional and moderate, but we’re always happy to discuss the progress of students. Similarly, if we have concerns about the conduct or progress of a student, you may hear from us more frequently.What are your current key areas of development as a school?Our current priorities for 2020-21 are:Manage the school as safely and as effectively as possible during the current Covid-19 pandemic, including the provision of blended learning (home learning in the event of a partial lockdown or the need to self-isolate)Continue to improve attendanceContinue to improve outcomes in all curriculum areasDevelop resilience and responsibility amongst our studentsChallenge our most able studentsNarrow the achievement gap by developing oracy and extending vocabularyHow do you report on students’ progress?We have three reporting points per year that get shared with parents at the start of Terms 2, 4 and 6. These assess students’ attitudes to learning, independent study (homework) and organisation. Depending on the year group, they may also contain a progress indication. Students also receive one full written report each year. How to you manage incidents of poor behaviour?We have a very clear set of expectation for our students and a very clear behaviour policy for students to adhere to. Where these incidents occur in lesson they are dealt with professionally and swiftly to reduce the negative impact on the learning of others.What happens if students are absent or late?At Maidenhill we actively encourage students to attend every day. We do understand that students get ill from time to time. We ask that all parents speak to our attendance team daily to report absence. The more a student is absent, the less their attendance will be and this will impact their future success. If a student is late, they will automatically be placed in a detention at lunchtime that day for 10 minutes.How is the Headteacher held to account?It is the Governing Body’s statutory responsibility to hold the Headteacher to account. Annual targets are set in consultation with an external advisor. Progress towards those targets is monitored through the year and finally through a Performance Management review meeting with a panel of three governors in the autumn.What if new students get lost on their first day in school?Maidenhill has a strong sense of community and staff are out and about for students to be able to ask. Furthermore, older students in the school are always keen to assist younger students and take pride in helping out.What if students are injured or get sick during the school day?We have trained first aiders in school, but they are not medically trained. Wherever possible, we try to keep students in school and build their resilience, so for example if students present with a headache or stomachache, they might be lent a hot pad and sent back to lessons. Staff are not able to administer pain killers. If there is uncertainty, then parents are expected to collect their son/daughter from school. In the current climate, any student presenting with Covid-19 symptoms must stay at home, as should close contacts of confirmed Covid cases.What if students need to go to the toilet during a lesson?We ask all students to use our toilet facilities when they arrive at school and at break and lunch time. For students with a medical condition where access to the toilet is needed more frequently, this can be arranged.How do I apply for Free School Meals?There are details on our website about this process.What provision to you have for students with a Special Educational Need or Disability?What if my child currently has an EHCP?Our learning support department provides many different types of support for learners of varying needs. In addition to our SENCo and Assistant SENCo, we have a strong team of Learning Support Assistants. The team work in a range of small group and 1:1 scenarios to ensure our students receive the appropriate support for their needs. Children who already have an EHCP will have contact from the team to support transition to the school. The number of students with SEND changes from year to year, as does the number with an EHCP. Does the school cater for special dietary requirements?When parents sign their consent for our cashless system, they can inform us of any dietary requirements. This information is then logged and any issues flagged as the student passes through the tills in the canteen.What is the process for buying and paying for school dinners?We operate a cashless biometric system called Parent Pay. Parents load their siblings’ accounts with adequate money and students pay with their thumb! This allows parents to monitor what students purchase and removes the chance of money being lost on their way to school!Can students bring their own packed lunches to school?Yes, absolutely. Students may eat in our canteen alongside their peers receiving a cooked lunch or may eat outside.What equipment are students expected to bring to school each day?Students will be required to bring a fully equipped pencil case with them each day. Full details of this will be communicated to parents once a place has been allocated. We offer an introductory equipment pack at a great price!What happens if students go on holiday during term time?Holidays during term time are actively discouraged and not authorised, as students quickly get behind and, from our experience, get stressed about not being in class.What happens on wet/rainy days?All year groups have an allocated indoor space that can accommodate the entire year group. Students are welcome to use this space in the event of adverse weather or indeed all year round if they wish. How much is the school uniform and where can it be purchased?The various different parts of our uniform vary in price from ?6 for a school tie to ?38 for a large black blazer. We work with Bateman’s sports in Stroud to provide this and more information can be found under the parents and students section on our website.What happens if a student forgets their blazer or is not wearing full uniform?If possible, a replacement will be given depending on the item. If the student refuses to wear the borrowed item they will remain in the student referral room for the day. In all cases we will contact parents to discuss and resolve.Does the school have a translator?No. However, if a translator s required for specific events, we will work with parents to see how we can support this.How can parents get a copy of their child's timetable?Timetables will be issued to all students at the start of the academic year. We ask them to copy this to their planners so in effect they have a second copy. Further copies are available from the school shop.How are parents involved in school life?Parents and their involvement with the school is probably one of the single most important aspects about the home-school relationship. Parents who are supportive of us, who work us and who reinforce expectations at home, most normally have children who enjoy school, who appreciate boundaries and who mature in a wider context that will help prepare them for adulthood. Specifically, at the start of the year we hold parents’ information evenings for various year groups. We hold a once yearly parents evening. For Year 6 parents we also hold a ‘meet the tutor’ event prior to your son/daughter starting with us. During the year we actively encourage contact with your son/daughter’s class teachers as well as their tutor. If you feel you need to escalate any concern, Learning Community Leaders and Subject Leaders are available to discuss matters with. Finally, parents get involved in other ways including our sports day, via our Maidenhill Friends association (PTA) and be being representative on the governing body.What happens if bus fare or bus passes are lost?We will support the student to contact home to resolve the missing pass. If needed we will support the student to ensure that they can get home that evening.Can students use their mobile phones in school?Students are not permitted to use their mobile phones in school whilst inside of the building or in between lessons. Students are permitted to use their mobile phones outside at break and at lunchtime. Students use their phones at their own risk. What would I do if my son/daughter had a problem in school?If a student has an issue or a problem in school the first port of call is their tutor. Students see their tutor every morning during registration. If the problem occurs during their lesson then they can talk to their subject teacher and staff are always on duty at break and lunch for students to talk to if needed.Tell me about the staff at your school. We have a very strong body of staff including 5 on our Senior Leadership Team who lead on various aspects of whole school strategy from Teaching and Learning to Raising Attainment, Safeguarding to careers information, advice and guidance. We have many teachers, Learning Support Assistances and staff fulfilling other rules within the school. We have a very low staff turnover. Staff who do move on, often do so for professional reasons and often for promotion elsewhere. As we are rated Ofsted ‘Good’ we are able to recruit NQTs and benefit from the fresh perspective they bring. This number will fluctuate constantly from year to year as staff progress to become ‘recently qualified teachers’ or RQTs. Relationships between staff are strong; we have an open-door policy which includes all members of the SLT.What careers advice do you give, and when is this given?Careers education is built into our Learning for life and Philosophy and Ethics curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 11. We also have a careers advisor who interviews students several times during their time with us. We prepare students well for the world of work by helping them to prepare for, and by giving them a mock interview by an industry professional.Do you do anything to celebrate Halloween? How do you celebrate other occasions? No, we don’t do anything to specifically celebrate Halloween. We normally run a Christmas fayre in the final week of Term 2 though this is more about participation and teamwork than it is about Christmas. Through our Religious Studies programme we study many different religions and cultural events.Do you have a parent survey I can view?Given that we have not been inspected for a few years, there is currently no parent survey available to view on the Ofsted website.Do you have a swimming pool?We used to, though sadly not any more. There is no provision for our students to swim. This said, if students choose to adopt swimming as one of their GCSE PE sports in Year 10/11, they may do so and be assessed on this.Why are you not quoting the percentage of students who receive 5+ or 7-9 grades?The government has moved away from reporting figures like this, instead opting for a more progress-based approach. It is expected that a school that operates in an area where there are grammar schools will have a comparably lower 5+ or 7-9 figure due to the comprehensive intake. Similarly, one would expect a grammar school to have a significantly higher percentage of top grades as they are selective at the point of entry. Students at Maidenhill can go on to achieve as well with us as they could have done in any other school. Where do your students go for further education?Our students go to a wide variety of different Post 16 destinations. The advantage of an 11-16 school is that students have to make a conscious decision about where they do go, rather than merely ‘falling’ into the sixth form centre associated with their school. In recent years we have seen more than ever go on to our local grammar schools and a large number to Cirencester College. Our students also go to SGS and other colleges such as Hartpury. They also go on to do apprenticeships and into the world of work.I would like my son to attend Maidenhill next year. Do I need to be in contact with you now?No, not any more so than soaking up all of the information here and on our website. Once places have been allocated, you will be told and we will begin to be in touch with you then.How are you keeping students safe in the current Covid climate?We follow advice from the DfE and Public Health England. We have a comprehensive risk assessment that has been approved by both our governing body and the local authority. Examples include hand sanitising on entry to school and at the start of each lesson, staggered break and lunch times and a one-way system. Full details can be found under our ‘Response to Covid-19' section on our website. ................
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