Dear Parents/Carers,
This letter sets out a range of updates with regards to standards, behaviour, and communication around sanctions. We have been working hard to improve the process, and respond to comments that you have raised during the parents forums, and with the school.
Punctuality
Part of our role at the academy is to prepare students for their futures and help them get into the right habits, including the importance of punctuality. The students’ first lesson starts at 8.30am every day, therefore students should arrive at their class in plenty of time for the start of the lesson, ideally no later than 8.20am. Unless there are extenuating circumstances that we are made aware of, if a student is late to school, they will be issued with a 15 minute detention on the next day. Punctuality to lessons during the day is equally important, if a student is late to two lessons during the week they will be issued with a catch up club detention.
Standards & Uniform
Please find below a summary table as a polite reminder of the standard required for both uniform and equipment at the academy. The detailed list can be found in the behaviour for learning policy. If a student receives two logs for improper uniform during the week they will be issued with a catchup club detention.
- Black Blazer
- Bespoke Academy kilt style skirt (these must be worn 2-3 inches below the knee when standing) or Black tailored school trousers
- White blouse or shirt (plain with no logos)
- Plain black socks/tights
- Plain, flat black formal shoes only
- Black V-neck jumper with Academy logo (optional)
- Black Blazer
- Academy Tie (with the colour stripes of the college)
- Black tailored school trousers
- White shirt (plain with no logos)
- Plain black socks
- Plain, flat, black formal shoes only
- Black V-neck jumper with Academy logo (optional)
- Coats/Jackets – should be plain with NO writing or commercial logos.
- Students are also welcome to bring a plain umbrella if rain is forecast during the school day.
- Jewellery – Students are NOT allowed to wear jewellery.
- Watches may be worn and handed to a teacher during certain activities such as PE. The Academy is not responsible for the loss or damage of any jewellery.
- Nails – fake nails of any kind, including tips are not permitted. Nail varnish is not suitable and not permitted. Students will be required to remove nail varnish or lose all social time if wearing fake nails.
- Make-up – fake tan, fake eyelashes, lipstick, mascara and excessive make up is not suitable for the Academy. Students in Year 7 and 8 are not allowed to wear make-up of any kind. Students in Year 9-11 may wear subtle, natural make-up. Students wearing excessive make-up will be required to remove it.
- Hair – Extreme hair colours are not permitted and hair must be one tone and a natural colour. Unusual hairstyles, including tram lines are not permitted.
The Academy has the final decision on uniform. Students who do not comply with the above standards & uniform will be sanctioned accordingly. This could be losing all social time or isolation for standards that are not addressed (such as false eye lashes or incorrect footwear).
Equipment
All students must bring their fully charged device into school every day.
Every student must have a suitable school bag which can hold an A4 book/folder/laptop.
A suitable pencil case which includes: 2 pens (blue or black), a red pen, HB pencil, 30cm ruler, rubber, sharpener, highlighter, reading book and a scientific calculator.
Maths set (a protractor and compass minimum) and PE kit as set out in the uniform section.
Students are not required to bring in scissors.
All students must bring their fully charged device into school every day.
Every student must have a suitable school bag which can hold an A4 book/folder/laptop.
A suitable pencil case which includes: 2 pens (blue or black), a red pen, HB pencil, 30cm ruler, rubber, sharpener, highlighter, reading book and a scientific calculator.
Maths set (a protractor and compass minimum) and PE kit as set out in the uniform section.
Art students require a variety of drawing pencils, watercolour palette and brushes and colouring pencils.
Students are not required to bring in scissors.
Changes to Detentions and Notifications
What you’ve said: Sometimes multiple detentions are scheduled for the same day.
How we’ve responded: Detentions will now be scheduled via BromCom, if a student already has a detention on that day it will select the next available slot.
What you’ve said: You would like to know when a detention is issued.
How we’ve responded: You will now receive an automated notification (as an MCAS message for most people) when a detention has been issued, or approved (CUC). This message would also be sent if a detention is rescheduled. You will still be contacted by your child’s teacher to discuss the actions that lead to the sanction.
What you’ve said: You would like to know if your child did not attend detention.
How we’ve responded: You will now be able to view any detentions, and if they were attended on MCAS for all types of detention. We are still working with the external provider – BromCom – in order to add this functionality to the MCAS App but it is available on the website.
Changes to Behaviour Events
What you’ve said: For lates and uniforms you want to know how close they are to receiving the sanction
How we’ve responded: MCAS will now show you the ‘Action’ total – indicating the number of late or uniform logs received this week, contributing to a CUC.
What you’ve said: Some behaviour event names can be confusing.
How we’ve responded: Coming – September 2024
We are changing the names to make them more clear. A full list of names and descriptions will be available from the academy website.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs S Goodall
Head of Jupiter College
School Behaviour Lead
Apollo College – apollo-admin@wilmingtonacademy.org.uk
Minerva College – minerva-admin@wilmingtonacademy.org.uk
Jupiter College – jupiter-admin@wilmingtonacademy.org.uk
