Dear Parents and Carers, the following detail outlining the expected protocols regarding student communication with school staff has and will continue to be shared with all students across school during this week. Our intention in doing so is to both encourage and support correct and appropriate communication between our students with school staff whilst protecting the work life balance of colleagues at school.
It is also hoped that it will allow for the speedy and effective delivery of the detail communicated and a clear and helpful response so that all concerned will feel supported and in receipt of a successful outcome.
- Students may communicate with their teaching/support staff using staff email addresses.
- This should be used to communicate work related queries only eg seeking clarity on a task, the dates of an assessment, payment for a trip or the times of an after school extra-curricular event.
- Queries should be submitted by students prior to and no later than 5.00 pm.
- As school staff may be engaged with staff inset, extra-curricular events, interventions or a range of other appointments, students should be aware that school staff may not be able to reply prior to 5.00 pm.
- Whilst individual school staff may choose to reply after 5.00 pm, in support of our work/life balance there should be no expectation by students that school staff will respond after 5.00 pm. Furthermore, there is no expectation nor direction on my behalf that any colleague must respond after 5.00 pm.
- Students are asked that they do not email school staff over the weekend about work related matters as this is the time we spend with our families and as such is a particularly personal time for us.
- Should a student have a more personal concern that they wish to seek advice/guidance or support with, they are asked to speak with either their Form Tutor first thing in the morning or another teacher/member of school staff of their choice at any point across the day. Alternatively, they may use our Sharp system. This is a confidential help line which is monitored on a continuous basis by school staff. Queries submitted are responded to swiftly and with urgency.
We appreciate that as Parents and Carers you may also wish to or have need to communicate with school about a range of matters. To support a swift, supportive and successful outcome to your queries or request for support we would respectfully ask that you:
- Communicate with your child’s Form Tutor in the first instance.
- Should it be necessary, your concerns or queries will be relayed elsewhere eg the relevant class teacher and/or Head of Department if an academic concern or the relevant Pastoral Lead if greater experience or support is required to address your concerns.
- Colleagues involved will communicate with you regularly with regards to any updates relating to your original query.
- Again, as Parents/Carers you are invited to utilise our Sharp System to refer any pastoral, emotional, social or safeguarding concerns you may have. Again, school staff monitor this referral system continuously and a colleague will communicate with you following your referral. However, to facilitate a more speedy response we would ask that the relevant contact details are included in your referral. All details are and will be treated with the up most discretion and sensitivity.
It is hoped that as Parents and Carers you will appreciate both the need to clarify the detail outlined and would call upon your support in embedding these protocols as accepted practices across our school community.
Please do not hesitate to contact school should you wish to further discuss any of the detail enclosed.
Mrs Bowen
