Parents’ Survey 2022/23 Responses

You said

Extra-curricular activities – make it easier to know when they are and to track attendance

We did

School Cloud system is used to publish all the extra-curricular activities, so that parents can book on to them.  These are then registered so parents know if their child has attended https://holmergreensenior.schoolcloud.co.uk/

You said

Homework – make instructions clearer and in one place.

We did

All homework is placed on Satchel

https://holmergreenschool.satchelone.com/school/home

You said

Achievement points – what do they mean for the students?

We did

Achievement points are issued to students for working hard, being kind, having passion, in their academic work, extra-curricular and in the school community.  Bronze, Silver and Gold badges are awarded based on the number of points achieved.  Some of these students are then also awarded at ‘Excellence Evening’.

You said

Can the range of trips running be increased?

We did

We have a large range of trips running, see below.  Year 11 and 13 attend their Proms and have curriculum specific trips, but we aim to maximise their time in class otherwise.

• Inspector Calls
• MFL trip to Valencia
• English Shakespeare trip
• Poems of the Decade Conference
• Woman in Black
• Brilliant Club - Oxford
• Arsenal Football match
• Hamlet
• Ski trip to St Anton, Austria
• Tech Tournament
• The Tempest
• Dance Live! Competition
• Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
• City London & Borough Market
• Hengistbury Head
• Safe-drive-stay-alive Yr 12/13
• Geography trip to Sicily

• English/History trip to Ypres
• Wicked - Apollo Victoria
• Whipsnade Zoo – year 7
• Brilliant Club - Royal Holloway
• Somerville College, Oxford University
• Bucks New Uni - Dance Show
• Bucks New Uni - Open Day year 9
• Bucks Skill Show – year 10
• The Ritz
• UCAS Exhibition – year 12
• MFL Meal - French
• District Athletics Competition
• Geography - Olympic Park
• National Archives, Richmond
• Mini factory Oxford

You said

How can we find out what our child(ren) should be learning?

We did

Each Department area has a curriculum map so that you know on a half-termly basis what your child will be doing in each year, along with suggested supporting resources.

On the below link click on the relevant subject area, scroll to the bottom and click on the ‘curriculum map’ link.

https://www.hgss.co.uk/page/?title=Department+and+Curriculum+Information&pid=1049

You said

My child has an EHCP, can our voice be collected?

We did

The SEND Department ran four parent voice sessions last year, for years 7-10. 

You said

Confusing to know who to communicate with, can a list be provided on the website with names and job roles?

We did

A list of names and job roles has been provided on the following link

https://www.hgss.co.uk/page/?title=Contact+Us&pid=1013

Btec Tech Awards Construction and the Built Environment - Making structurally sound students!

The academic year 2023-24 has been a busy one for students studying Btec Construction and the Built environment.  With the subject still a relatively new addition to the school curriculum, the D&T department has been delighted with the early success of some of our students. The 2022-23 cohort have already gone on to some exciting new projects, with students studying a range of different subjects such as carpentry, electronics and A-Level Product Design.

Students this year have been working hard learning the basics of health and safety in the workshop, marking out, measuring and cutting their first construction joints, as well as using this newly found knowledge to create their very first simple construction products.

The students have a range of theory units to study, and by the end of the course, will understand how to construct and build a domestic house.

Part of their Unit 1 theory involves understanding the different forces that act on a structure, such as building, bridge or road.  This term the students were set a challenge to design and build a bridge structure that could support a range of weights using only paper and straws.  The year 10s proved that they were all potential structural engineers of the future with a range of fantastic bridges, but nothing compared to the design of Oliver Fairless, Dexter Gilbert and Marcelo Zamora-Mowatt whose winning design held over 50 different weights!

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL OR HAS MEDICAL NEEDS

The school has Medical and Attendance Officers.  They are available during school hours to discuss matters relating to the health of your child.   It is essential that you notify them of any health problems that your child may have (e.g. medical details, particular problems or needs).  We can store spare asthma inhalers and epipens and diabetes monitors.

If your child is taken ill or is involved in an accident during the day, he or she will be looked after in the Medical Room until we can contact a parent or carer.  Students should tell their teacher or report to the Medical Room if they feel unwell and not make direct contact with you by mobile phone.

If your child needs to take medication during the day, it should be clearly labelled with the child’s name and passed to the Medical Officer with a letter from the parent or carer.  School staff are not allowed to give paracetamol to students although students are permitted to bring two paracetamol to school to be kept in their bag for emergencies.  Students who have a medical or a dental appointment should take the appointment card to the Medical Room first thing in the morning.  These appointments should be arranged outside school hours where possible.  We do not expect a student to take a whole day off for a medical appointment.

LATE ARRIVAL AND ABSENCE

The school gates lock at 8.45am, so students must be on site by this time.  Students should be at line up by 8.50am.   If your child arrives after 8.45am they will be marked as late. They are required to sign in at the Attendance/Medical Room.

In the first instance the student will be warned to be punctual in the future.  If a student is consistently late there will be sanctions.  Persistent poor punctuality or attendance will be referred to the Education Welfare Officer.

Email the Attendance Officer if your child is absent or late

attendance@holmer.org.uk

When you know in advance that your son or daughter will have to miss school for any reason, we ask that you inform us in writing beforehand.

However, we reiterate that it is important for your child to attend all lessons, every day.  If your needs to attend an appointment, please try to arrange these in the school holidays or after school.

When absence is due to illness, we ask that you telephone the Medical Room as soon as possible on 01494 719901 or email attendance@holmer.org.uk. PLEASE NOTE THAT ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS OR MEDICAL REASONS WILL BE RECORDED AS ABSENCE ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE AUTHORISED.

Further information on attendance and Medical concerns can be found here: Medical

AUTHORISED AND UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE

Failure to notify the school will result in your child’s absence being classed as unauthorised which may result in school referring to the Education Welfare Service.  Only absences perceived by the school to be genuine will be classed as authorised.  Holidays during term time will not be authorised.  We will authorise one day for Eid celebrations.

At Holmer Green Senior School we expect an attendance of 96% or more for all students—Every Day Matters.