Lat year Year 6 children were given the opportunity to put their concerns and questions to us, when we visited primary schools, prior to Induction. We thought it might be useful for you to see what their questions were about.
Their main questions were around:
- Safety- wellbeing - friendships
- Homework
- Punctuality
- Sanctions
- Extra curricular activities
We have done our best to answer these questions, and hope that the two Step Up to Secondary Days will help answer some too.
-
Q?
How is bullying dealt with?
-
A.
Bullying is not common at CLCC. The important thing is to report it to the tutor or classroom teacher. We will deal with it and we have an Anti-Bullying Policy. It is hard to say exactly how we deal with each case, because no two cases are the same. Our aim is always to make it stop and we will take whatever actions are needed to make this happen. We will and do use sanctions – but there are other things we might do too. We are prepared to exclude people from College if bullying carries on.
-
Q?
Will I get lost?
-
A.
Probably – it is a big school! There are lots of signs and people to help you and you will have a map. Usually, after a couple of weeks (or once through the timetable) people know where they are going.
-
Q?
What happens if bus fare/pass is lost? Bus times?
-
A.
Any questions you have about buses, need to go to the bus company you are using. If you need to ask anything, your parents can get in touch with them directly.
-
Q?
Can I be with friends?
-
A.
Your primary schools will have told us who works well together and we use this information to help us put tutor groups together.
Remember you are not taught in your tutor groups and lessons are about learning. Social times are break and lunch, when you are free to be with your friends.
-
Q?
Will older students/staff look after us?
-
A.
Step Up Buddies will be there to help you during the Step Up to Secondary Days and during the Autumn Term. These students have been chosen because they are good at helping people.
-
Q?
How do students get detentions and why?
-
A.
Students who are in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing do not get detentions.
If you do not behave well, do not work hard enough, do not hand in homework, disrupt lessons, are not in full and correct uniform, or are disrespectful to adults, then you can expect to find yourself in detention.
-
Q?
Is there healthy food? Vegetarian?
-
A.
Students like the College food. Options are healthy and there is always a vegetarian choice.
-
Q?
Are there many fights?
-
A.
Simple answer – no.
-
Q?
Can we use bikes?
-
A.
To get to and from school yes. Use a bike lock and a helmet and stay safe. The roads around college get really busy at the start and end of the day. There are cycle paths – use them where possible.
-
Q?
Can I get help if I need it?
-
A.
Yes – ask your Tutor, your Teacher, your Head of House, Learning Support Assistant. Any adult in the College will help you. Sometimes this means helping you to help yourself as you start to grow up. Other students, like the Step Up Buddies, or members of your House, will also help you.
-
Q?
How do we make new friends?
-
A.
In your tutor group you will do “getting to know you” activities. You will also do things in your House to help you. Getting involved in clubs and activities is another way of making new friends.
-
Q?
What times does school start?
-
A.
You will get this information in the Parent Handbook and on your timetable. You need to be in your classroom, ready to register, correctly uniformed and with the right equipment ready to start for 8:30am. So get to your classroom for 8:25am at the latest.
-
Q?
Sanctions?
-
A.
We will go over the Behaviour Policy when you get here. If you try hard you will be rewarded with certificates, merits and reward events. If you do not there are sanctions.
-
Q?
How many in a class?
-
A.
Usually about 25 – 28 in year 7.
-
Q?
How strict are teachers?
-
A.
Teachers have high expectations. They want you to learn. If you work hard and use your manners that won’t be a problem.
-
Q?
What colour are the lanyards?
-
A.
Different colours according to which year you are in.
-
Q?
Will we change buildings? How far?
-
A.
We try and make sure you don’t have to change buildings between lessons, but this is not always possible. You have 5 minutes to change lessons. This is enough time to walk between the buildings and be ready to work.
-
Q?
Are all year groups out at the same time e.g. at lunch?
-
A.
At the moment lunch is served at different times according to where you have lesson 4 and what year group you are in.
-
Q?
Are tutor groups made up of Year 7 students only?
-
A.
Yes
-
Q?
How is lateness dealt with?
-
A.
You need to be punctual. If you are late you can expect a detention.
-
Q?
How much is the uniform & how do we know what to wear?
-
A.
All of this information is in the Parent Handbook and is on the website.
-
Q?
What are houses?
-
A.
Houses are made up of tutor groups of students from Years 7 – 13. Everyone is in a tutor group with people in the same year group. Houses feel like smaller schools within our bigger College.
-
Q?
Do we see the Head of Year 7 everyday?
-
A.
We don’t have Heads of Year we have Heads of House and you will probably see them, but it is your tutor who you will see daily and will look after the day to day stuff with you.
-
Q?
How are teachers addressed?
-
A.
By their title and surname – so Mr, Mrs , Ms, Dr etc
-
Q?
How many teachers in playgrounds?
-
A.
Break and lunchtimes are supervised by adults. There are plenty of people around.
-
Q?
How much homework is there? Is homework hard? What is SMH? What if not done?
-
A.
Year 7 up to 20 minutes per subject per week or fortnight. You will get homework daily.
Show My Homeowrk is the College’s on line Homework Diary. You can get it as an app and lots of students find it really helpful. We will go through it in more detail when you are here.
-
Q?
Lesson structure – length, number in day?
-
A.
This information will be in your organiser, on your timetable and is in the Parent Handbook. Lessons are each 1 hour long.