BARKING ABBEY SCHOOL WELCOMES YOU TO THE YEAR 7 PARENTS’ INFORMATION EVENING

1. BARKING ABBEY SCHOOL WELCOMES YOU TO THEYEAR 7 PARENTS’ INFORMATION EVENING HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED AT BARKING ABBEY

2. THIS EVENING PUTTING THE SCHOOL & YEAR 7 INTO CONTEXT THE YEAR AHEAD AND SUPPORT (The PowerPoint will be available on the school website)

3. THE CONTEXT OF BARKING ABBEY SCHOOL

4. 2013 EXAMINATION RESULTS GCSE: 5+ A*-C PASS RATE (inc English and Maths): NATIONAL AVERAGE: 59% BOROUGH AVERAGE: 60% BARKING ABBEY: 65.4%

5. 2013 EXAMINATION RESULTS GCSE: 5+ A*-C PASS RATE: BARKING ABBEY 88.4% BOROUGH AVERAGE = 80%

6. 2013 EXAMINATION RESULTS A LEVEL A* - E Grades: 99.4% A*- C Grades: 74.1% Average Points Score Per Entry: 221.6 (National = 212) Over 600 in the Sixth Form

7. SPORTING SUCCESS Centres of Football (Boys and Girls), Netball, Golf & Basketball (Boys and Girls) Excellence Barking Abbey selected as the first Regional Institute of Excellence by British Basketball £400,000 grant from the Football Foundation for all-weather surface at Lower School New dome structure to provide more indoor facilities at Upper School

8. The Bane of our lives – the internet! Our e-safety work: E-safety committee (staff, police officer, students) E-safety and Acceptable Use policies Smart filters on internet and email access Staff training on e-safety E-safety assemblies with all year groups Police Officer works closely with families experiencing e-safety issues Police monitoring of social network sites Posters on display around the school All students given e-safety guidelines E-safety lessons in ICT and PDC falzona@babbey.bardaglea.org.uk odwyerc@babbey.bardaglea.org.uk

9. The Bane of our lives – the internet! https://onlinefamily.norton.com Control which sites your child can visit Control the time your child spends on the internet Easy to set up Easy to monitor Gives you instant information about each child’s use of the internet Can be used across all the computers in the home One parent bans her child from social network sites and his mobile phone and his PSP during term time. He got an A* in his Maths GCSE at the end of Year 10

10. Dear Mr Lloyd,Following last week’s meeting at Longbridge Road, you gave a presentation on the benefits of Norton Online Family.Well what a God send and thank you very much! I have for a long time been waiting for something like this to be availablebut never thought of searching for it myself, but I have now installed it at home on all 3 computers, much to the displeasure of my son in Year 9! It is so easy to use, and has some brilliant features, like, automatically blocking unsuitable sites and words or phrases, and best of all,the timetable of use you can set up for each child! I have limited my children to 2 hours per weekday on the computer which is sufficient time to complete homework or recreational use.  Instead of sitting at his pc desk, my son is now, completing his homework straight after school, watching a bit ofTV with the family and playing football outside with his brother. Yes, there have been moans, but I can honestly say I have taken back control.

11. THE K.S.3 VISION

12. TWO YEAR KEY STAGE 3 The main aim is to give students a foundation for learning and achievement, in preparation for their GCSEs and examinations at K.S.4 Main Aims Pupils can access the curriculum. Pupils develop the skills to be independent. Pupils feel supported. Pupils feel part of a community. Pupils enjoy learning.

13. RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX EDUCATION (RSE) PDC Department

14. What is PDC? PDC (Personal Development Curriculum) is an umbrella term used in Barking Abbey to describe all aspects of the curriculum which support young people’s personal and social development and well-being. Specifically, PDC lessons cover Citizenship Personal Social Health Education (PSHE). RSE is taught as part of PSHE.

15. Why teach Relationships and Sex Education?

16. What do we teach in RSE?

17. How do we teach RSE? • Specialist teachers • Ground rules • Single-gendered classes when possible • School health advisor • Signposting to external sources of help and advice

18. ‘Ground Rules’ include… Being mature. No personal comments/ questions. No jumping to conclusions. Respecting difference. Using formal language.

19. Learning Resources Example resource: http://vimeo.com/3461394 Am I a freak?

20. Can I remove my child from RSE lessons? DFES 2000 Sex and Relationship Education Guidance: ‘Parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of the sex and relationship education provided at school except for those parts included in the statutory National Curriculum.’ To withdraw your child: • Inform Miss Hart (PDC Co-ordinator) in writing before the 30th September. • Include your child’s name and form. It would also be helpful to know the reason for withdrawal.

21. Any Questions? WolmuthA@babbey.bardaglea.org.uk

22. THE PASTORAL TEAM

23. What is mentoring? Mentoring is aimed at supporting your child so they can achieve their full potential. It’s a regular meeting, once a week at 2.40 to 3.00 with a staff member designated to mentoring/coaching your son/daughter in their studies.

24. What does a mentoring session consist of? • Recognising a student’s strengths. • Developing a student’s skills. • Sharing concerns and solving problems. • Setting targets. • Recognising and recording positive achievements.

25. In Summary - Mentoring Mentoring is an integral part of Barking Abbey School. There is one weekly meeting, between 2-40 and 3pm. Mentoring dates will be in student journals. You may offer parental support by ensuring your child attends mentoring (sanctions will be imposed by the school and parents will be contacted about poor attendance).

26. Attendance We are very proud of the fact that we have very few instances of truancy. Attendance is checked daily by office staff & parents are contacted. We have a dedicated Access & Attendance Officer. From 1st September 2013 Headteachers are no longer allowed to approve holidays during term time, only in the case of exceptional circumstances will leave be approved. This does not apply to Leave of Absence for the observance of Religious Holidays.

27. Anti Bullying Policy Pupils are taught skills to recognise types of bullying and actions they can take to stop it. Achieved through: Curriculum- lessons i.e. PDC, Drama. Pastoral – assemblies, student voice, guest speakers. School Police Officer input. Advertising – journals, emails, posters, plasma screens, news letters. Networks of staff that pupils can talk too – PC/DYC/Mentors/ School Police Officer/Teachers/other Students. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON ACTING QUICKLY!

28. Homework Students regularly receive homework. Recorded in student’s journal. Homework club takes place every evening, between 3.00 to 4.00pm. Parents can check that homework is being completed through the student’s journal and e-portal.

29. CLUBS They run from 3pm, each evening. Students should be recording in their diary when they are involved in a club. Last year, we had over 25 clubs running and this year there will be even more!

30. I.C.T. Students: Active email accounts and internet access – each student has their own password. Parents: Eportal.

31. e-portal passwords will be posted out

32. Communication Parents’ evenings, mentoring day, email, news letter, letters, student journals as a method of communication. Parents can contact the school at any time via a phone call or email though you must book appointments to meet with individual staff.

33. How YOU CAN FURTHER support your child. • Uniform. • Limit the use of a mobile phone, in school. • Check they have packed their journal, books and a compulsory reading book, each day. • Avoid parking outside the school grounds. • Attend parental meetings.

34. FUTURE EVENINGsYear 7 Link Evening.English & Maths. 7pm – Longbridge Road. Tuesday 1st October.

35. Academic Mentors’ Evening Between 3.30 / 7.30 Longbridge Road Tuesday 3rd December

36. In SummarySecrets of our success High standards and expectations. Working together with parents and students. Students WANT to succeed. WANT to learn. WANT to belong to a school that they can feel proud of and feel that they belong!