Line up is used to ensure that students are prepared for the day ahead. During line up, tutors check students' uniform, equipment and overall readiness for the day. If a student lacks the correct uniform or necessary equipment, they may be assigned Academic Preparation and provided with the missing items. This included being provided spare uniform if needed. Line up academic preparation may also be issued if a student is on time to school but is late to line up or if a student talks or misbehaves during line up. 

Resources such as new planners, question booklets, folders and knowledge organisers can be purchased from the equipment station in the hall before the start of the school day. 

Our Heads of Year are also teaching members of staff with timetabled lessons. This means that they are not always available to return your calls. Heads of Year will make contact with you within the 48 working hours following a phone message. 

OSP (On Site Provision) is issued to students who fail to follow our expectations in lessons and around school. 

In lessons we expect students to: 

• Arrive to lessons on time

• Line up quietly outside the classroom prior to the start of the lesson with learning equipment already in hand

• Enter, stand silently behind their desks and be seated when invited to by the member of staff leading the lesson

• Sit/work silently whilst the register is taken

• Listen in silence when the member of staff leading the lesson speaks

• Raise their hand to ask a question without calling out

• Treat each other with respect at all times

• Follow all instructions the first time asked

• Work exceptionally hard to the best of their ability without disrupting any other students learning

• Students will not be given permission to access toilet facilities during any lesson (dispensations on medical grounds will be made on an individual needs basis)

If a student fails to meet any of these expectations their name will be written on the whiteboard by way of a formal warning. The member of staff leading the lesson will briefly explain to the student why their name has been written on the board. The second time during a lesson that a student fails to meet these expectations they will be sent to OSP for a period of one working day.

OSP can also be issued for poor behaviour during social time and for failure to follow school rules. More information can be on our website under the policies https://www.hphigh.co.uk/school/policies 

We will endeavour to keep you informed if your child has been placed in OSP. You will receive an automated message if your child is sent to OSP. In addition: 

•  A member of the Behaviour Support Team will email the teacher concerned to remind them to attend the restorative conversation and contact home 

• The teacher will have a restorative conversation with the student. 

• The teacher will then contact home to explain/discuss the incident.

You can find out what your child has purchased from the school canteen or pod through MCAS. Upon signing in you will see on the left hand side a grey menu, one of these options is ‘Dinners’. Within this section you can select the dates you wish to look at. There will be 3 columns that show the date, meal details and cost. At the bottom of the screen you can see when any top up payments have been made and processed. For more information on how to use MCAS, please see below.

We process all school payments conveniently through MCAS. These can be found under the ‘Dinner Money’ section. For more information on how to use MCAS, please see below. 

At the start of the school day (8.20am), after school and, during break and lunch times, students have the option to seek support from their Head of Year (HOY) and Deputy Head of Year (DHOY).

Importantly, students are welcome to talk to any teacher they feel comfortable with outside of regular lesson hours as our dedicated staff is committed to promoting the well-being of our students.

Furthermore, parents should be aware that Miss James, our in-house Early Help Coordinator, is available in the Safeguarding department during break and lunch for additional support.

The School Nurse also offers a drop-in session every Thursday at lunchtime in the downstairs counselling room located near A4. This provides another avenue for students to receive assistance when needed.

HP High provides the food ingredients for the food lessons however we do ask for a £20 contribution to ingredients which is payable through MCAS.  We do not provide containers to take food home in so students must provide their own. This needs to be ovenproof and have their name on it.

Our PE curriculum overview provides a guide to what students will cover in PE each term. A copy of this can be found on our school website here.

As a school, we run a system of whole school after school Academic Preparation from 15:00- 15:55 Monday – Friday (Years 7-10, 12) and 16:00-16:55 (Years 11 & 13). This will be centrally supervised by a rota of staff. Academic Preparation will be issued for either missed or insufficient homework, poor behaviour outside of lessons, for being late to school in the mornings or arriving late to lessons, for failing to have the necessary equipment for learning, and incorrect uniform. 

The purpose of Academic Preparation is to give any student, who has been set Academic Preparation, the opportunity to have a fresh start and be fully prepared ahead of the next day. In Academic Preparation, students will be provided with all the resources needed to complete homework and purchase any missing equipment, before the next day. Academic Preparation will mean that those students are better prepared and ready for a successful next day at Holmleigh Park. 

Where possible, parents / guardians will be given at least 2 hours’ notice of an after school Academic Preparation so that transport arrangements can be made. 

Students who fail to attend their after school Academic Preparation will be referred to OSP. Please note that Academic Preparation is not negotiable. Any after school Academic Preparation sessions must be completed before a student is able to return to lessons. Any student who misses Academic Preparation and is placed in OSP will still need to sit Academic Preparation at the end of their OSP day, therefore remaining at school until 16:00. 

Repeated refusal to attend Academic Preparation will result in a period of Internal Reflection (IR) and return at Level 1 on the intervention pathway. 

Where a student receives three Academic Preparations in a seven-day period, they will be referred to OSP.

Academic Preparation will be issued for either missed or insufficient homework, poor behaviour outside of lessons, being late to school in the mornings or arriving late to lessons, failing to have the necessary equipment for learning and incorrect uniform. 

The purpose of Academic Preparation is to give any student, who has been set Academic Preparation, the opportunity to have a fresh start and be fully prepared ahead of the next day. In Academic Preparation, students will be provided with all the resources needed to complete homework and purchase any missing equipment, before the next day. Academic Preparation will mean that those students are better prepared and ready for a successful next day at Holmleigh Park.

You can find out why Academic Preparation has been set on MCAS. This will appear after 2pm on the day the Academic Preparation is set. 

Each Faculty sets Academic Preparation for homework on a different day. This means that while a student might have been in school when homework was checked and Academic Preparation was issued, they may be absent on the day the Faculty Academic Preparation is due to take place. 

If they are absent from school on the day Academic Preparation is due to happen, it will carry over to the next day that they are in school. 

You can find out why Academic Preparation has been set on MCAS. This will appear after 2pm on the day it is set.

As a policy we do not move academic preparation unless a student needs to attend a medical appointment. Evidence of the appointment will need to be shared with the Head of Year in this instance. 

Academic preparation will only be removed if they have been issued in error. Failure to attend Academic Preparation will result in OSP the following day. 

Homework expectations for each year group can be found on the homework section of our website.

Log onto Bedrock learning https://app.bedrocklearning.org/. Students can log in to the Bedrock site by selecting 'Google' and using their school login details. Alternatively, students can use their individual Bedrock log in given to each student and shared with parents at the start of the year. 

Students are expected to gain at least 20 points during the week. The Bedrock week runs from Monday morning to Sunday at 11.59pm. 

In order to access Sparx, students will need to go to the following website: http://www.sparxmaths.uk/student?s=hp-high , Use the “Log in to Sparx using Google”, here you will then have to put your school details and this will then successfully sign you into Sparx. 

To access KayScience, students will need to go to the following website: https://www.kayscience.com/auth/google , You then sign in with school credentials and you will then be taken to the KayScience homepage.

You can find the clubs HP has on offer on the Clubs section of our website. These are updated termly. 

They simply need to turn up to the room named on the extra-curricular clubs programme. There is no sign up needed.

No, all our clubs are totally free!

As a school we value education and firmly believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to learn in a calm, safe and supportive environment. We believe it is our responsibility to create a culture that promotes excellent behaviour and maintains high standards so that learning can take place.

This School Behaviour Policy and Procedure and any associated school rules and approaches will ensure that:

• We have a consistent approach to behaviour management that is applied consistently and fairly to all pupils.

• Every pupil understands they have the right to feel safe, valued and respected, and to be able to learn free from the disruption of others.

• All pupils, staff and visitors are free from any form of discrimination.

• Staff and volunteers set an excellent example to pupils at all times.

• Rewards, sanctions and reasonable force are used consistently by staff, in line with the Behaviour Policy.

• The school will work to create an environment where removal from class and exclusion from school is not necessary because pupil behaviour does not require it.

• Removal from class, suspensions and permanent exclusions will only be used in response to serious or persistent breaches of this policy.

• Exclusions will only be used as a last resort.

• The Behaviour Policy and Procedure are understood by pupils and staff.

• Pupils are helped to take responsibility for their actions.

• When pupils are involved in behaviour incidents, their families are engaged to foster good relationships between the school and pupils’ home life.

You can check your eligibility for Free School Meals here https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims-greenshawlearningtrust

If you are in receipt of one of the following benefits,  you are eligible to apply for your child’s Free School Meal

• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• The guarantee element of Pension Credit

• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190

You may be aware that students from families who meet certain criteria may be eligible for Free School Meals and/or Pupil Premium funding. 

Whether your child decides to take these meals or not, the school also receives additional funding for each student. At a time when school budgets are very tight, this funding makes a real difference to the school – and all the funding is required to be spent on supporting disadvantaged students. 

We have invested in an online platform to make this process as simple as possible. All that you will need is the following:

• Your own name and date of birth

• Contact details

• National Insurance Number (or National Asylum Seekers Number)

• Child's name and date of birth

• School your child is attending/will attend.

If you fill in your details on this form, even if you have applied unsuccessfully in the past, or if you believe you are not entitled to additional funding, the system will re-check details every term and will automatically update our records if your status changes. 

If you would like help with applying, you are very welcome to come into school and we would be happy to assist you with an application.  

If you wish to continue using the paper-based system please collect a form from the school office.

We launched our new parent app, MCAS in the April 2023

MCAS allows you to report absences, view key information like your child's timetable, attendance. We also use the app for most communication and alerts. 

Parents have received emails with details on how to activate your account. If you have not, please see the information below. 

Why use MCAS?

Here are some compelling reasons to log in to the app:

1. Information Updates: Easily update your personal and contact information, including addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses. The office team will review and approve these changes within MCAS.

2. Behaviour: Keep track of behaviour events, both positive and negative, including House Points and the reasons for academic preparation.

3. Timetable Access: Conveniently view your child's timetable, including lesson times and teachers.

4. Attendance Monitoring: Monitor your child's attendance for morning and afternoon sessions.

5. Lesson Attendance Marks: Access your child's lesson attendance marks.

6. Exam Timetables (for Exam Year Groups): Stay informed about your child's exam schedule.

7. Trips: Easily book and make payments for school trips.

8. Clubs: Receive updates on the clubs your child is attending and their schedules.

9. Parental Consent: Update the school with your consent for various matters (please note that this area is currently being updated).

10. Convenient Payments: Process all school activity payments conveniently through MCAS.

11. Important Documents: Access essential documents, including the Privacy Notice, Trips and Events Parental Agreement, and Term Dates, to stay informed and up-to-date

You can find guides on how to use MCAS and frequently asked questions on our website. 

We process all school activity payments conveniently through MCAS. These can be found under the ‘Products’ section.

After a trip reaches its maximum capacity, there may be a waiting list available depending on the specific trip. If you're interested, you can join the waiting list to indicate your interest. Keep in mind that doing so will take the trip off your immediate view.

We hold lost property in the lower flow entrance, near the courtyard by the Sixth Form Centre. This is sorted on a regular basis so please check a few times if you have mislaid something.

We have a wealth of advice on our website 

You may also find these websites useful:

• Mental Health

• Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust

• Children and Young People’s Multi-Agency Navigation Hub

• BTEC - Business and Technology Education Council: BTECs are vocational qualifications that provide practical, work-related learning in various subjects.

• CPD - Continuing Professional Development: CPD involves ongoing training and education for school staff to enhance their professional skills and knowledge.

• DfE - Department for Education: The DfE is the government department responsible for education and children’s services in England.

• DHOY - Deputy Head of Year : The Deputy Head of Year assists the Head of Year in supporting and managing the students within a specific year group.

• DSL - Designated Safeguarding Lead: The DSL is responsible for leading safeguarding efforts within the school, ensuring the well-being and safety of all students.

• EBacc - English Baccalaureate: The EBacc is a performance measure that includes a set of core subjects (English, mathematics, sciences, a language, and a humanities subject) for students at Key Stage 4 in England.

• G&T - Gifted and Talented: G&T programs aim to provide additional challenges and opportunities for students who are identified as gifted or talented in specific areas.

• HOY - Head of Year : The Head of Year oversees and supports students in a specific year group, addressing their academic and pastoral needs.

• HLTA - Higher Level Teaching Assistant: HLTAs have a higher level of responsibility than regular TAs and may take on more specialised tasks in the classroom.

• OFSTED - Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills: OFSTED is the government agency responsible for inspecting and regulating schools in England.

• PGCE - Postgraduate Certificate in Education: The PGCE is a postgraduate qualification that individuals often pursue to become qualified teachers.

• Pupil Premium: Pupil Premium (PP) is additional funding provided to schools in the UK to support the education of disadvantaged students.

• SATs - Standardised Assessment Tests: SATs are national assessments in primary schools, typically taken by students in Year 2 and Year 6.

• SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: This term encompasses support and accommodations for students with special educational needs or disabilities.

• SLT - Senior Leadership Team: The SLT consists of senior leaders such as the headteacher and deputy headteachers, who play a crucial role in decision-making and overall school management.

• STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEM education emphasises these disciplines to prepare students for careers in these fields.

• TA - Teaching Assistant: Teaching Assistants support teachers in delivering lessons and provide additional help to students who may require it.

• UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service: UCAS is the central organisation that processes applications for undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the UK.