Year 10

Year 10 Information

Year 10 is an important year where we expect pupils to build on the foundations from Key Stage 3 and focus on the demands of GCSEs. It is essential students continue to show resilience and adaptability to learning to ensure they are ready for the challenges of Year 11 and GCSE exams. Pupils need to become independent learners and develop their skills of extended background reading in order to support the topic they are learning.

All students take part in enrichment days, which include a variety of topics relating to life, such as mental health awareness, contraception and pregnancy, ‘sextexting’ and Human rights. Please do not hesitate to contact the school should you have any queries about this aspect of PSHE/enrichment day.

Registration and form time is compulsory for all students and this takes place from 8.40-9.00am four mornings a week with the fifth being devoted to a year group assembly. During form time students carry out many activities, for example, there is always a news quiz; reading is encouraged on a weekly basis and discussions about news items watched in the morning. Students have their planners signed once a week and this enables form tutors to check for any issues that might be concerning you. During this time, students can seek advice, support and guidance from their form tutor and receive a positive start the new school day.

Throughout the year, students have opportunities to begin thinking about their future once they leave Stanley High School, building on the work they have begun in year9. During the summer term there will be visits to local colleges and post-16 providers offering taster sessions and advice about apprenticeships and careers choices. Our aim is to ensure every student finds the right learning pathway and is able to access outstanding personalised careers guidance.

Wellbeing and Safeguarding

At Stanley High School, we expect students to have a minimum of 95% attendance, the government guidelines suggest this as a minimum and research shows that attendance below 95% will affect attainment and progress. Falling below this will then see Form tutor intervention and should there be no improvement then the head of year and pastoral staff will intervene.

Punctuality is also extremely important as this reflects the real-life work scenario and students are expected to arrive at school before the school gates close at 8.40am. If a student arrives late to school, they are expected to attend lunchtime detention. If they chose not to attend that detention then an hour detention will be issued for that night after school. You will be invited into school for a meeting with the head of year should attendance and punctuality be causing concern.

We value the wellbeing of our students and actively encourage parents and students to contact their form tutor in the first instance should a problem arise. There are staff in school who have a varied and innumerate number of years support experience and it is our aim to provide support and intervention when required. A significant number of staff have been trained as Young Minds counsellors.

Behaviour and attitude

Every student is valued and encouraged to have high expectations of themselves, this not only includes how they behave in the school day but before and after school when students represent us in the local community. We expect students to treat local residents and the surroundings with the same high level of respect afforded to Stanley High school staff and its environment.

To praise great attitude and behaviour students are awarded merits both in and out of lessons, they are then presented with bronze, silver or gold badges in assemblies. At the end of each full term, there is a praise assembly where students are publically praised and rewarded for their punctuality, attendance, fabulous work and kindness and consideration throughout the term.

If behaviour is not as we would expect then there would be contact from the subject teacher and behaviour points recorded on sims, along with a sanction. We would expect that this should be sufficient to resolve the issue. If the inappropriate behaviour continues or escalates to other subject areas then a student would be placed onto report for two weeks, initially with their form tutor. Should this two week period not see an improvement in behaviour then the student reports to the head of year for another two weeks. The head of year will also contact you to set up a meeting so that the issues can be discussed and resolved. Your child may be isolated for a short period of time. Work will be set, with the isolation helping the student to think about their behaviour.

If behaviour problems continue then the Leadership Team will become involved. You will be invited into school for a discussion. There may be further spells of isolation and, possibly, exclusions.

Stanley High School has a zero tolerance towards bullying: we believe that every child has the right to feel safe within school and on their way to and from school. Bullying is an extremely rare occurrence at our school.

Extended Opportunities

We believe that school should set students up for life. At Stanley High School, students are encouraged to take part in a variety of opportunities offered to them. There are a range of extra- curricular clubs that students can join, from Tech Tuesday to Eco club. Students will continue to develop their leadership skills by supporting the work with primary schools, through leading sports sessions and support in the classroom. Year 10 students are offered the continuation of Duke of Edinburgh award with the opportunity to complete their silver level. The array of trips and visits continues and have a focus on post 16 provision. There are subject opportunities to attend revision and review sessions so that students can consolidate prior learning, along with subject specific trips to enhance the learning experience.