Year 6 Transition

Each Tutor is the first port of call for pupils on a daily basis and the first person that we ask Parents to contact. As your child will have approximately 20 teachers over a 2 week timetable, it’s important that the relationship between Tutor and home is forged at an early stage. Tutor groups are created following the completion of our information gathering process with Primary schools and will be shared in the latter half of the final half term of the year. There will be an opportunity for parents’ to meet the new tutor of their child as part of the induction process at an evening event.

ParentPay is a secure online account linked to your child and is the preferred method of payment for cashless catering accounts, trips, resources, and other one-off school related events.

Your ParentPay activation details will be provided in a letter.  Please log in at www.parentpay.com(opens in new tab) and register your details in ‘My Profile’ before making secure payments.   If you already have a ParentPay account, you will need to log in as usual, enter the activation details provided when prompted and follow the instructions to ‘add a child’.

Please ensure that you have registered to ParentPay and that money has been added to the ParentPay account before your child’s first day of school in August.

Here at Rawlins, our number one priority is to make sure that students are safe, that they have an awareness of the risks in today’s society and they know where to go for support if it is needed.

While students will learn about important and pertinent issues in lessons and through the tutor programme, this page of the website is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can find information on here about out of school support as well as support in school.

Rawlins provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils and students, including those with special education needs and disabilities. The school maintains an additional needs record that is regularly reviewed to ensure staff are aware of pupils’ needs and to help staff to plan accordingly.

We are committed to inclusion, parent partnership, pupil participation and equal access to all areas of the curriculum. Our aim is to help to improve basic literacy and numeracy skills and to develop students’ independent work and life skills.

SEND staff work with subject staff to provide in-class support, to help to adapt materials for pupil use, to team teach in some subject areas, to directly teach basic skills and to deliver intervention programmes.

Further information is available in our SEND Policy.

Lead SENDCo: Mrs Olivia Redston-Lester (oliviaredstonlester@rawlins.embracemat.org)
SENDCo: Mrs Clare Worrall (clareworrall@rawlins.embracemat.org)

Year 6 into Year 7 Specialist Provisions Transition

Your child’s form tutor should be your first point of contact for all queries; families will be notified of their child’s form group by the end of this academic year.

You will also be provided with contact information for the Head of Year 7 and Pastoral Manager for Year 7.

Please contact all staff via main reception on 01509 622800.

We recognise the importance of ICT in education and the needs of students to access the computing facilities available within the school. The school aims to make the ICT facilities it has available for students to use for their studies, both in and out of lesson times. To allow for this, Rawlins requires all students to sign a copy of the acceptable use policy before they receive their username and password. Access to the school’s ICT facilities will only take place once this document has been signed by both the student and parent/carer. A link to electronically sign this form, and others, will be emailed to parents/carers.

The Embrace Multi-Academy Trust privacy notices explain why we collect, and how we use, personal data.

If you are planning to drive your child to school, please be aware of the limited space on the school site for vehicles.  We would ask you to consider dropping your child nearby, so that they walk the last few hundred metres to school.  When collecting your child by car, we would also ask you to consider arriving at school a few minutes after the end of the school day, so that school buses have had the opportunity to depart.  It is less congested and dangerous for students as a consequence.  Please park considerately and avoid blocking driveways and entrances for those who live in close proximity to the school.

Students cycling or scooting to school should ensure that they are dressed appropriately (including bright clothing and a helmet) and that their bike / scooter is regularly maintained to ensure safety. Students must ride sensibly and have regard for other users of roads and pathways. Students are not allowed to ride anywhere on the school site.

Cycle rack spaces are available to students who should ensure that their bike / scooter is locked securely on the school grounds. Please note the school cannot take responsibility for any items left in the cycle rack area.

There are bus stops near to the main entrance of the school. Information can be found here.

Information can be found here.

Safety is extremely important when travelling to and from the school by any means of transport.  If your child is walking or cycling to school, please ensure that they are aware of the pedestrian crossings locally and the safest routes to school.

Your child is representing the school on the way to and from school and our uniform is recognisable.  Therefore, please ensure that your child is aware of their conduct when travelling to and from school.

Please note that even when not in uniform or at weekends and evenings, students involved in misbehaviour or public order offences may also be punished by the school for bringing the school into disrepute.  We take our commitment to the community extremely seriously.

By treating all members of our school and wider community with dignity, respect and value, we model the example that Jesus gave us as he lived his life on earth meeting thousands of people.

Rawlins has a calm, purposeful and disciplined academy environment. There is a clear uniform and dress code which is designed to encourage belonging, pride, safety, security and respect. We believe it is important that parents support the school in insisting upon appropriate school uniform.

Suppliers

Branded uniform items are available to purchase from the suppliers listed below.  Unbranded items may be purchased from any uniform supplier or supermarket.

Every student needs to be prepared for school, with their full set of equipment, ready to learn and meeting our Student Expectations.

Students will need to bring the following items to school each day in their school bag:

• School lanyard
• Pens – black, blue and green
• Pencil – HB
• Eraser
• Clear ruler
• Scientific calculator – the maths department will advise of the best
  scientific calculator to purchase once pupils have started in Year 7
• Glue stick
• Coloured pencils (optional)
• Highlighters (optional)
• A maths set – protractor, compass (optional)

Our mobile phone policy can be found here.

Students are permitted to drink water during lessons, but it must be in a clear, reusable bottle. Any other drinks brought into lessons will be confiscated.

For health and safety reasons, the drinking of water is not allowed in ICT, science or technology lessons. Students are also not permitted to leave lessons to use the water fountain except in extraordinary circumstances.

If a student is late without good reason, they will receive a detention and parents/carers will be informed.

If a student is persistently late, parents/carers will be required t o meet with relevant staff in an attempt to resolve the problem. However, parents/carers can approach the school at any time if they are having problems getting their child to school punctually.

If students are not in lessons, they cannot learn. Good attendance is considered to be 96%+ attendance with no unauthorised absence.

• 90% attendance = ½ day missed every week.
• 1 school year at 90% attendance = 4 whole weeks of lessons missed.
• 90% attendance over 5 years of secondary school = ½ school year missed.
• 17 missed school days a year = one GCSE grade drop in achievement!

More information on attendance can be found here.

If your son or daughter is ill, you are asked to contact the school by telephone, 01509 622800, and follow instructions to leave a message on the dedicated absence line.

Alternatively, you can email attendanceofficer@rawlins.embracemat.org. We routinely check some messages to ensure legitimacy.  Provided that the reason falls within the regulations set down by the Department for Education, the absence will be recorded as authorised.   Absences that fall outside of these regulations will be recorded as unauthorised.

In line with government legislation, Rawlins cannot authorise holidays during term time except in proven exceptional circumstances. Requests for leave of absence will only be granted at the discretion of the Principal, and the threshold for approval is deliberately very high.

Any absence taken without authorisation will be recorded as unauthorised. These cases will be referred to our Attendance Officer, and penalty notices may be issued to both parents or carers of each child concerned.

If you believe there are exceptional circumstances, please write to the Principal in advance, providing full details. Each case will be considered individually, but please note that authorised absence for family holidays is extremely rare.

We ask for your full support in ensuring that your child attends school every day so they can make the most of their education and continue to thrive.

• The School Day starts at 8:30am.
• The normal School Day ends at 15:00pm.

This totals 32.5 hours per week. In addition, some students will have scheduled Period 6 lesson(s), Academic Intervention(s) or Extra-Curricular Activities from 15:00 – 16:00pm

To see our school day schedule, please click here.

Break and lunch are classed as social time. Year 7’s can go to any outdoor can choose to remain in a Year 7 only area.

Our canteen serves hot and cold snacks and drinks. Students are expected to sit and eat in the canteen and we have ample space. Students are also welcome to bring their own food, which we’d encourage to be healthy. This can be eaten in any outdoor space or you can take it to the Old Gym near L block, where there are tables and chairs.

There’s plenty of space in the Year 7 area at break and lunch, and there are clubs and activities each day. Each year group has access to the 3G football pitch on a specific day to play organised games of football.

There are plenty of quiet places away from the crowds and if the weather is nice, there are some great spots to do some reading or a spot of work. Indoor space is limited, but our support staff host an invitational lunchtime club for those who we feel may benefit from support during social time, and our Library hosts a study club on a daily basis.

Rawlins may seem like a bit of a maze, however students soon learn where everything is! Here’s a few top tips to help students to navigate their way around a new school.

1. Learn your timetable. It’s a 2 week timetable, so week 1 and 2 differ. Each room has a letter and a number and as soon as you know where each block is, you won’t be far away from your desired destination.
2. Keep the map that we give you in your first full week. We don’t think you’ll need it for long, but it will be helpful as you start to learn your way around.
3. Follow the people from your tutor group! You’ll get to know your tutor group quickly. They wear the same colour lanyard as you and most of the time they’re going to the same place as you.
4. Ask a member of staff, another pupil or a Sixth Form student if you’re unsure. You can also look at the signs located on all blocks. Not only do they tell you the block, but they tell you the rooms in that block.
5. Don’t panic. We understand that new Year 7’s sometimes arrive late to lessons in the first few days. If this is you, just explain and your teacher will give you grace. Obviously we’d expect this to only happen for a few days, so take the responsibility to learn where you should be and the best route to get there.

The year 7 curriculum has been designed to encourage pupils to be curious about learning and the world around them.

We want pupils to feel awe and wonder in discovery. We also aim to embed those all-important literacy and numeracy skills that are the fundamental building blocks to later success.

Students follow a three-year Key Stage 3 and a two-year Key Stage 4 curriculum.  They choose options in year 9 and then study their GCSEs for two years, in order to allow them to focus on the specific skills and knowledge required to be successful at GCSE.  All students study the core subjects of English, maths and science at GCSE level.

Click here to view the KS3-KS5 Rawlins Curriculum Overview document.

Our Extra-Curricular offer is vast and something we’re very proud of. Activities take place before school, at lunchtime and after school, and include opportunities to represent the school in inter-house, local and national competitions.

Whether its sport, music, dance, theatre, art, gaming, science, gardening….. we have it all! The majority of our activities are led by staff members, but some are hosted by outside agencies (e.g Mayes Academy – freestyle gymnastics) and some by Post 16 students working alongside a
teacher (Rocketry club).

Students are encouraged to get involved in all activities through which their voice can be heard. Pupil voice is a driving force for change and we deeply value the contributions of all members of our community.

More information about clubs and activities can be found here.

Homework is an important part of learning at Rawlins. We have moved away from traditional homework, which is focused on just completing tasks. Instead, we focus on structured recall activities that reinforce what students have already learned. This helps prevent misconceptions from forming and ensures students are engaged in meaningful practice, preparing them for future success.

Details of homework expectations will be shared with students and parents at the start of the school year. We thank you in advance for supporting your child at home.

There are many simple but powerful ways you can help your child to succeed during their time at Rawlins. Here are some key ideas:

• Attendance matters – ensure your child attends school every day, unless genuinely unwell. Excellent attendance is directly linked to high achievement and helps students stay connected with their peers and teachers.

• Be punctual – make sure your child arrives on time and is lined up with their form group by 8.30am each morning. A prompt start sets the tone for a productive day of learning.

• Be prepared – check that your child has the essential equipment they need for lessons each day.

• Keep on top of homework – encourage your child to manage deadlines and complete work on time.

• Read regularly – support your child to read quietly for 10–20 minutes on a regular basis to develop focus, vocabulary and imagination.

• Use everyday maths – find opportunities for your child to use numbers at home, such as working out sums in their head while shopping or cooking.

• Encourage curiosity – talk to your child about their interests and help them to follow them up beyond the classroom.

• Stay engaged – keep up to date with what your child is learning at college and make time for regular conversations about their day.

• Build healthy habits – help your child to get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and begin each day with a good breakfast. Staying hydrated during the day is also important.

• Work with us – share your child’s successes with us, and let us know promptly about any issues or concerns. We will always do our best to help.

By working in partnership, home and school can provide the strongest possible support.

Pupil Premium is funding given to schools so that additional support can be given to students currently eligible for free school meals (FSM) and those who have been eligible at any point in the last six years. Schools also receive funding for children who are looked after, adopted or the children of service personnel.

If you are unsure if you are eligible, please contact us on 01509 622800.