Policies

Our child protection programme supports each child’s development in ways which foster security, confidence and independence.  The Academy has a duty of care and the right to take reasonable action to ensure the welfare and safety of its pupils.  If a member of staff has cause to be concerned that a child may be subject to ill treatment, neglect or any other form of abuse, the Academy will follow child protection procedures and inform social services of its concern.

The Academy has to conform with the government’s Charging for Activities regulations.  No charges can be made for any activity in Academy time or which is a part of the Academy’s national curriculum provision.

However, charges can be made for the following:

• Board and lodging on residential visits.  The cost must not exceed the actual cost of the provision
• The proportionate costs for an individual child of activities wholly or mainly outside Academy hours (‘optional extras’) to meet the costs for;
• Travel
  • Materials and equipment
  • Non-teaching staff costs
  • Entrance fees
  • Insurance costs
  • Teaching costs engaged specifically for the activity and supplying such staff with travel, board and lodging
• Individual tuition in the playing of a musical instrument
• Re-sits for public examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the Academy
• Costs of non-prescribed examinations where no further preparation has been provided by the Academy
• Examination fees for entries which the student fails to attend (including failure to complete the required coursework) except by reason of sickness
• Any other education, transport or examination fee unless charges are specifically prohibited
• Breakages and replacements as a result of damages caused wilfully or negligently by students
• Extra-curricular activities and Academy clubs

Voluntary Contributions

The Academy may ask parents for a voluntary contribution towards the cost of any activity which takes place in Academy hours.  The contribution must be genuinely voluntary, but students of parents who are unable or unwilling to make a voluntary contribution must not be discriminated against.

Where there are not enough voluntary contributions to make the activity possible, and there is no way to make up the shortfall the activity must be cancelled.

Remissions

Students whose parents are in receipt of the following support payments:

• Income Support
• Income Based Jobseekers’ Allowance
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit, where the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit and whose annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) does not exceed £16040.

will be entitled to the remission of charges to:

• Music tuition
• Board and Lodging costs during residential Academy trips if the trip is part of a prescribed Academy/examination syllabus.

It is very unlikely that the Academy will ever have to close and parents and students should assume that the Academy remains open unless they hear otherwise from the Academy.

Our priority is to remain open for all students.  If this is not possible then:-

• stay open with restricted year groups i.e. Y7 and Y11

if that is not possible

• stay open to staff, so that the time could be used for planning or other organisation.

However, in the event of severe weather conditions eg very heavy snow or flooding, causing the school to be closed, the Academy will report to parents via:

a) Parent Call
b) The Academy Website
c) Local Radio Stations; Key 103, Radio Manchester

Should heavy snow or extreme weather conditions during the Academy day necessitate an early finish, students will be allowed to make their own way home, if possible.

Should bad weather be forecast for the next day whilst we are at Academy.

a) Every attempt will be made to make and communicate a decision before pupils leave school at the end of the day.

b) This decision will be one of the following:
The School will definitely close. In which case, nobody should come in on the next day and, for subsequent days, families should check the website or local radio stations.
They School may close. In this case, families will need to check the website or local radio stations from 6.30am the next day.

Should bad weather begin overnight or be forecast for the next day whilst we are at Home, eg at the start of a term/ after a weekend.

a) If the weather takes a turn for the worse the day/ night before, the Principal will make a decision by 7.00 am on the day on which the bad weather occurs.
b) If the Academy is due to close, this will be announced on the website and local radio stations and a message via parent call will be sent out to parents and staff.
c) The message on the answer machine and the absence line will be updated if appropriate.