Home > General Information >
General Information & School Policies



Home work

Homework is set regularly to encourage pupils to learn to work and study in their own time. It promotes good working habits and enables classwork to concentrate on activities requiring the teacher's presence. It enhances work done in class and improves understanding and knowledge.

All pupils are issued with a homework timetable and are expected to maintain a homework diary.

We ask you to support us by encouraging good study habits and by checking that homework is done and handed in on time.

Assessment

The partnership between pupil, parent and school relies upon progress being monitored and recorded and the information fed back to parents. We monitor progress by examination and assessment and regularly report to parents.

Examinations - pupils normally sit one internal examination during the year.

Assessments - pupils will receive classroom tests and assessments on a regular basis through out the year. In reporting to parents we state our judgement of a pupil’s ability and our assessment of attainment relative to that ability. At the end of Key Stage 3 we report on levels attained in National Curriculum subjects.

Effort - is recorded on a scale of A to D and reflects the individual pupil's attitude to classwork and homework. Reports require pupils to make a self-assessment of performance and set targets for improvement.

We aim to report to parents on progress three times each year. In one term you will receive a full report, in a second term a summary report, and in the remaining term you will be invited to a consultation evening.

A timetable for issue of reports will be provided to parents in September.

During years 11 and 13 the Year Managers collate progress reports regularly and informs parents of any concerns. Mock examinations for years 11 are held in December. Parents are welcome to contact the school at any time to discuss progress.

Positive Attitudes

Our generous staffing allows us to offer a wide choice of subjects and, in many subject areas, small teaching groups The pastoral organisation enables us to monitor closely pupil’s academic progress and personal development.

We care for our pupils as individuals who will achieve most when working in a purposeful and orderly atmosphere. We expect self-discipline and high standards of conduct.

We aim to :

• Promote the achievement and self-fulfilment of each student
• Encourage students to take responsibility for themselves and one another so that they grow in personal and social maturity, develop a sense of their own and others' worth, a respect for moral standards and a concern for the environment.
• Provide a happy and caring community of pupils, parents and staff closely linked to the wider community we serve.

To support these aims we believe we should :

• Provide a well-ordered and supportive environment
• Work in partnership with parents, recognising their vital role in ensuring the welfare and success of their children and encouraging their active participation in the life of the school.
• Encourage an ethos of continuous improvement.

We encourage positive attitudes by rewarding:

• Hard work
• High standards of behaviour
• Consideration to others
• Respect for property
• Self-discipline
• Good attendance

We discourage negative attitudes and bad practice by using a range of sanctions:

• Pupils are warned by, the teacher, form tutor or Head of School
• Extra work is set
• Lunch time detention
• Letter home to parents
• Pupil referral slips (after five slips, parents are asked in)*
• Special Report (a complete check on a pupil's progress, attendance, punctuality and behaviour).
• After school detention
• Parent interview with senior member of staff
• Internal exclusion
• Fixed term exclusion
• Permanent exclusion 

  * It is very rare that we need to use sanctions beyond this and parents are always involved.

Extra Curricular Activities.

We offer a wide range of activities outside lesson time. There is an extensive exchange programme and over recent years our pupils have been involved in visits and exchanges with schools in Australia , Finland , France , Germany , Japan and the United States . Providing our pupils with an opportunity to live with families and to develop awareness and sensitivity to other cultures.

There are regular ski trips and orchestral exchanges. We have a well-deserved reputation for musical concerts. The school orchestra, musicians and singers regularly provide a varied programme of high quality entertainment.

Some other activities available to our pupils are during the After School Clubs which include ICT, Art, Dance, Yoga, Drama, Badminton, Hockey, Cricket, Tennis.

Duke of Edinburgh ’s Award Scheme

 This is a balanced progressive programme of leisure activities available to all young people between the ages of 14 and 25 years. it gives opportunities for personal achievement, community and social involvement, adventure and the discovery of new talents and interests. By taking part young people encouraged to develop responsibility, self reliance, self reliance, self awareness and perseverance.

Pupils can start work towards their Bronze award at the end of Year 9. They can start work towards Silver after their 15th birthday and Gold after their 16th birthday. The award will require commitment and must be completed in pupil’s leisure time i.e. lunchtimes, after school and occasionally at weekends.

Sport

 The school aims to provide access to a wide variety of sports at inter schoollevel. These include athletics, basketball, cricket, cross country, hockey, netball, rounders, rugby, soccer and tennis. Opportunities for competition exist within school e.g. interform matches and in competition with other schools as a member of a school team.

We aim to encourage all pupils to participate, to enhance their creative abilities and to develop further their physical skills and knowledge. We aim to develop an appreciation of the value of life long involvement in sport and a desire to develop their talents to a higher level. Pupils are encouraged to strive to achieve county or higher standards and to join local clubs.

Sex Education Policy

This involves the whole social, emotional and moral aspects of relationships and as such is an integral part of a basic Health Education programme. This is not included in the curriculum as a separate entity but is promoted within Science, Home Economics and Personal and Social Education. In the lower school Science lessons will cover topics including sexual reproduction and embryo development. In Home Economics and Child Care aspects of human development are part of the syllabus content. Ethical and moral issues may arise, and be dealt with, in subjects such as Religious Studies and English. Sex education demands careful and sensitive treatment, within a moral framework and in the context of family life, loving relationships and respect for one another.

Within PSE we use the APAUSE programme endorsed by the DFES, National Assembly for Wales and Powys County Council.

The Added Power And Understanding in Sex Education (APAUSE) programme promotes the positive aspects of relationships, both emotional and physical. It aims to increase tolerance, respect and mutual understanding, enhances knowledge of risks and counteracts myths, improves effective contraceptive use by teenagers already sexually active and provides effective skills to those who wish to resist unwelcome pressure.

Partnerships

Gwernyfed believes that it should be at the heart of its community and has become involved with it in many ways.

Our links with our feeder Primary Schools continue to develop and primary school pupils visit Gwernyfed for school functions, inter school sports, orchestra practices, science projects and computer lessons.

Likewise, Gwernyfed staff and pupils visit the primary schools for joint curricular projects and environmental initiatives

To ease transfer prospective pupils spend one day in school in the autumn term attached to a year seven group and following its normal timetable. A further day is spent at the school in the summer term.

Environmental concern is a major issue at our school with a continuing programme of projects, undertaken in conjunction with the National Parks Authority or conservation and wildlife bodies.

The school has established valuable contacts with local businesses and industries. This partnership works for the benefit of both the school and industry and all pupils undertake a minimum of one week's work experience.

Local businesses and employers have freely given their time for Industry Days and Mock Interview Programmes. In return we have encouraged many community groups to use our facilities to fund raise for local causes.

Every year a small number of the staff spend time in industry and commerce, so bringing a fresh approach and added reality to lessons.

Our fund raising and support of local, national and international causes, is well known. We encourage our pupils to care for others, especially those in need.

In any school, the most important partnership is between the pupils, the staff and the parents. In all our efforts, we are supported by the Gwernyfed High School Association, a very hard working group of parents, friends of the school and teachers.

Gwernyfed encourages parents to visit or contact the school as often as they wish and to attend the Parent Evenings, which are held on a regular basis. Parents of new pupils will have the opportunity to visit the school on two evenings before their child starts.

School Attendance

It is important that pupils attend school on a regular basis. The only reason for absence from school should be that of pupil illness or family bereavement. Parents are expected to notify the school on the first day of absence, by telephone or sending a note to explain the reason for the absence.

Prolonged absence or a regular pattern of absence will result in a visit from the School Education Welfare Officer. During prolonged absences you should contact the school to arrange for work to be sent home.

Complaints, Concerns & Request Policy

Gwernyfed follows the Complaints, Concerns and Requests Policy set out by Powys Education Committee. A copy is available from the school office by request.

Bullying

This probably occurs in all schools, although the incidence here is significantly below average.

We believe that each pupil has the right to attend school without fear of discrimination, bullying or oppressive behaviour from others. Therefore when we meet a case of bullying we bring it into the open and deal with it severely. The parents of bullies will be notified and may be asked into school to help resolve the problem.

Year 12 pupils are trained by Childline as mentors for younger pupils and are available to help pupils with bullying problems. Pupils are encouraged to report to a teacher any cases of bullying they come across.

Property

No personal property should be left in the school overnight. All clothes and personal equipment should be marked clearly with the owner's name. Parents are reminded that the Local Authority and the school cannot accept responsibility for the loss or theft of personal belongings. It is for this reason that pupils should not bring hi-fi equipment or games machines to school at any times.

Accidents and Illness

First Aid is given for accidents. In cases of suspected serious injury or illness, local doctors are contacted. When necessary, parents are informed. It is important that you provide a contact number for emergencies.

Charging Policy

The full charging policy is available from school. A feature of the policy is that no child will be disadvantaged by a failure to contribute to the cost of activities.

Contributions are asked for the full cost for lodging of residential visits in the UK or abroad. The school will charge the full cost for trips that take place wholly or mainly outside school hours and which are not essential for coverage of examination syllabuses or the national curriculum. Where such activities are a necessary part of the curriculum and or take place wholly or mainly in school hours, a voluntary contribution is requested. The school reserves the right to cancel any visit or activity if it feels that it cannot adequately cover its costs.

The school will charge a fee for individual music tuition. This fee will be reviewed each year by the Governing body.

Remission may be given for costs arising from LEA sponsored activities arising from the curriculum, to pupils whose parents receive income support or family credit.

No charges will be made for entry to public examinations except where a pupil who has fails to produce adequate coursework or otherwise misses an examination component. Resits of GCSE and A level modules will be charged for. The school reserves the right to ask for contributions towards the replacement of books or equipment damaged or lost wilfully or negligently.

Mobile Phones

School rules prohibit bringing in to school radios, personal stereos and games machines. The same rule applies to mobile telephones and pagers. They should not be brought into school.

On the rare occasion when a parent feels that a child may need a mobile telephone for use after school, the telephone should be brought to the school office at the beginning of the day, handed in for safe keeping and collected at the end of the school day.

Any child caught in the possession of a mobile telephone or pager during the school day is liable to have it confiscated and returned at the end of the school day. A child in possession of a telephone or pager during an examination would be considered cheating and the matter would have to be reported to the relevant examination board.

It is vital that when a child needs to contact parents during the day because of illness that this is done through the school office. The key word above is “rare”.

There is no need for pupils to have routine access to mobile phones during the school day. Abuse of the rules regarding phones by some pupils is leading to the possibility of the concession to possess phones in school being withdrawn for all pupils.

Admissions Policy

Gwernyfed High School follows the admission policy laid down by Powys Education Committee document entitled, “Secondary Schools and Admissions Arrangements”, (a copy of which is obtainable from the Education Department, Powys County Hall, Llandrindod Wells). In accordance with Section 33 of Education (No 2) Act, 1986, the Governing Body have fixed the Year 7 admission limit to 110 pupils.

Where applicants for admission exceed 110, the policy will be first applied to those who have designated Gwernyfed as their first choice of school. This policy indicates:

• Transfer to secondary school takes place at 11+ years of age.

Children normally attend the secondary school that has traditionally taken children from the area where parents are now living but parents can obtain information about alternative schools and places at such schools will be offered unless demands for admission at any particular school exceeds the number of places available.

Arrangements for admission to secondary school are normally made between the primary school attended by the child, the secondary school and the Authority in the Autumn term preceding the date of transfer.

Parents wishing to transfer their child to a secondary school other than that which normally serves the school in which they live should apply to the Director of Education as early as possible in the school year preceding transfer. If a pupil attends a secondary school other than their normal catchment school transport is not provided.

Admissions other than year 7

All applications for admission should initially be made to the Headteacher, subject to the school having vacancies, who will make arrangements to interview the prospective pupil and parent(s), will complete an Admissions Form and liaise with the appropriate Year Manager who will then interview the pupil prior to admission to decide upon a suitable tutor group. (It should be noted that the interview should not be perceived as a selection process).

The Year Manager will request a transfer report from previous school and will inform staff. The Year Manager will liaise with co-ordinators to determine the appropriate teaching groups for the pupil, and where appropriate liaise with the Special Needs Co-ordinator.

School Lunches

Space is provided for pupils to eat their own packed lunches. Parents may request that pupils who live within walking distance, may return home for lunch. All other pupils in Years 7 – 11 are expected to remain on the premises throughout the lunchbreak.

Powys Catering provides a self-service cafeteria system that offers a variety of hot and cold food at good value.

Application forms for free meals are available from the Education Department, Neuadd Brycheiniog, Cambrian Way , Brecon, Powys or the school office.