Travel
How will my child get to school?
This is down to parental choice. We would recommend that you complete a few practice runs with your child during the summer holidays to ensure that they know the route and are confident that they will reach school on time and be able to travel home safely.
Is there a school bus?
No. Children travel to school on public buses. Please ensure that your child knows which bus they need to take to reach school on time and to be able to travel home safely.
Is there a Jesmond Park Academy bus pass?
Children who travel to/from school by bus will be issued with a Jesmond Park Academy bus pass. THIS DOES NOT ENTITLE THE CHILD TO ANY FORM OF DISCOUNTED/FREE TRAVEL ON THE BUS. The pass is checked by staff at the bus stop and any student without a pass will not be allowed to board the bus. Passes are removed from children if they are identified as behaving badly on any bus to/from school.
Is my child entitled to free/discounted travel?
Jesmond Park Academy does not offer any free/discount travel options. Parents who believe that they may be eligible for free/discount travel must contact the relevant travel company.
Can my child cycle to school?
Yes, we have bike sheds on site. Please ensure that your child is confident riding ‘in traffic’ and that the bike is equipped with lights (when necessary) and a bike lock. As with previous travel advice it is recommended that you complete a few practice runs so your child is confident of their route to and from school.
Meals
Can you provide details of the food available?
Our restaurant provides a wide variety of food options including sandwiches, pasta, pizza and a ‘meal of the day’. Please refer to the transition booklet for more information.
How much does a meal cost?
This is impossible to answer due to the large variety of food/meals available in our restaurant.
How do I pay for school meals?
Our restaurant operates a cashless system. Children pay for their food using either their fingerprint or a four digit code. There are machines outside of the restaurant where students can deposit money and details of online payments are available in the transition booklet.
Does my child have to have school meals?
No. Children can change between school meals and packed lunch on a daily basis. Children simply pay for what they buy from the restaurant on each day.
Is the food halal?
No.
Homework
How much homework will my child get?
There is no simple answer to this question as the volume of homework will depend on numerous factors. It is not unreasonable to expect homework to be set every week for subjects which have multiple lessons per week (for example English, Maths and Science), whilst subjects that are only studied once a week may only set homework once every half term. The volume and type of activity will vary throughout the year and with each subject.
How do I know if my child has homework?
Students will be given time in lessons to record any homework in their planners. Staff are also encouraged to record homework on the schools VLE so children and parents can keep up to date.
What if a piece of homework requires a piece of equipment we don’t have?
Homework should be able to be completed outside of the classroom so children should not be set homework that requires ‘specialised’ equipment. Children have access to computers/printers via the library before/after school and during break/lunchtime. Many departments also offer homework clubs where further support is available.
General questions
What equipment/stationery should I bring?
One thing that you can help us and your child with is to provide additional stationery/equipment as the handing out and sharing of things like glue sticks, pencil colours and the like will probably not be possible in the short term.
As a guide a pencil case would contain the following
- Pens (Blue, black, and red)
- Pencil (an additional 2b is useful for art)
- Ruler
- Sharpener
- Glue Stick
- Scissors (preferably round ended safety scissors)
- Protractor
- Compass
- Scientific Calculator
Handy extras
- Coloured pencils
- Felt pens
- Highlighters
- A large pencil case!
I am having problems with the uniform/equipment. What should I do?
Full details of our uniform can be found in the uniform brochure. For any issues with ‘branded’ uniform items you should contact our uniform supplier, Emblematic, directly. Full details are in the uniform section of the school website.
Are these shoes OK for school?
Full details of our uniform can be found in the uniform brochure with further useful information in our Wynsors shoes brochure. Staff cannot give further guidance about shoes beyond what has already been provided. If your child is not wearing shoes that are in line with our uniform policy when they attend school they will be informed and a sensible timescale will be given for this issue to be resolved. If this issue is not resolved within this timescale the PRAISE code will be followed.
Will my child get lost?
Our school is relatively easy to navigate. The planner contains a map and there are always plenty of staff around the corridors to ask for assistance. In our experience the children get to know the school layout very quickly.
Will my child get late marks if they get lost?
Year 7 students are given a TWO week period to find their way around school – during this time they should not receive comments for being late to lessons. CHILDREN MAY RECEIVE LATE COMMENTS FOR BEING LATE TO SCHOOL. All other comments (behaviour, equipment, homework etc) can be issued by any member of staff during.
What happens if my child is ill during the day?
If your child feels ill they should visit our Wellbeing area. A trained member of staff will take appropriate action and contact you if necessary.
What happens if my child has/develops a medical condition?
Please provide as much information as possible and, if necessary, someone from the Wellbeing team will be in touch.
I can’t access the VLE, what should I do?
Please contact the school via the admin email address, providing as much information as you can about the issue. Your query will be forwarded to the relevant member of staff who will resolve the issue as soon as possible.
How does the detention system work?
Please refer to the information about the PRAISE code in the information packs. Staff decision is final regarding the issuing of planner comments.
How will I know if my child has a detention?
The most effective way to monitor detentions is by regularly checking the planner. If your child has 3 or more comments then they will have a detention on the following Friday. By checking the planner, you can support your child to avoid detentions as the planner will inform you of the reasons for the planner comments – please refer to the information on the PRAISE code for more information about the comment codes and how the number of comments relates to the length of the detention. We will also aim to send out a letter to inform you that your child is on detention.
My child needs to attend an appointment. What should I do?
There shouldn’t be a great deal of difference from the procedures in your child’s primary school. We encourage all appointments to be made outside of school times. Please contact school as soon as possible and speak to the attendance team.
What are the rules about mobile phones?
Children are not allowed to use their mobile phones in the school building at any time. If your child is seen using their mobile phone inside the school building the phone will be confiscated and taken to student reception. Children will not be able to collect their phones until 14:40 on Friday afternoon. Parents can collect the phone from student reception at the end of any school day.
Will my child get a locker?
We do have lockers available in school, but not enough for every student. If you feel your child requires a locker they will need to put their name on the waiting list (which can be very lengthy). They can do this via their form tutor or by visiting reception. A refundable deposit of £10 is required when the locker becomes available.
What time does school close?
Lessons finish at 14:40 and students are expected to be off site as soon as possible. Children are expected to have left the general school area by 15:00. Please be aware that staff are not able to supervise children after 14:40 unless this is part of a period 7 activity.
Can I collect my child from school at the end of the day?
Yes. Please be aware that the school gates are closed so there is no access to the school carpark. Please wait for your child outside of the school grounds and ensure that they know where to meet you. As with the previous question staff cannot supervise children after 14:40 unless this is part of a period 7 activity.
What is Period 7?
Our staff are able to offer a range of after school activities. Generally these do not start until after October half term. Details of our ‘period 7’ programme will be made available as soon as possible. Staff may announce a ‘period 7’ activity before October half term.