Year 11 – HOY End of Spring Term ltr 1.4.2022 (1)

1 April 2022
Dear Parents/Carers
Year 11 – End of Spring Term
‘Simply the Best’ was the student’s ethos at the March Pre Public Exams (PPE’s), with the majority of them
achieving their potential and some beyond their target grade. This tells me that the majority of Year 11’s in
common with other Year 11’s across the country have now started to incorporate regular revision to support
their studies. If they have not, now is the time to ensure regular and additional work is being done as
examinations will be taking place this summer for this cohort.
Careers support for the whole year group has been offered in support of their next steps and those choosing
to continue their journey in our increasingly popular Sixth Form (EPCS6) know what they have to do to be
successful.
Easter holidays have now arrived which is time for students to reflect on their next steps and use some of the
Easter break to support their final preparations for their GCSE’s which commence on the 5 May until 29
June 2022.
The Year 11 Tutors and I look forward to welcoming them back with face to face assemblies and supporting
them making the most of every lesson available until they have taken that final exam.
Equipment
The Easter break provides an excellent opportunity to replace and restock your child’s equipment. A student
that is not equipped, causes significant disruption to the learning environment and valuable learning time is
lost as they are not organised. It also means they cannot be successful across the school day. We ask for
your support with this, making sure you have agreed upon and purchased items to support your child. A
personal reading book, their own water bottle and a fully stocked pencil case to fully engage with their
learning are the minimum required. Upon their return to school, students will be provided with a student
handbook and a place to write their timetable in. Stationery equipment can be purchased from school via
your ParentPay account.
Uniform
When we return in April, Summer uniform will apply and students who wish to, may wear an EPCS logo polo
shirt (light blue in colour), no other polo shirts may be substituted. Please note this is an optional uniform
item. If students have outgrown their school shoes, please ensure that these are replaced in time. If students
are without the correct uniform then we ask that you provide them with a dated and signed note and that the
issue is rectified within three days. Students attending school without the correct uniform and without a
qualifying note will have break and lunch time removed until the issue has been resolved.
Mobile Phones
All students in Year 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 must hand in their mobile phone during morning tutor (Roll Call) as
they are not permitted to have mobile phones in their possession. The phone should be silenced and
notifications turned off. Students arriving late (after Roll Call) will be expected to hand their phone into
Raising Standards for safekeeping. The phone will be collected by the late team when they enter via
reception. If a student is late without a valid reason they will incur a 20 minute late detention to be served the
same day after school.
Parents have agreed to these arrangements as part of the home school agreement so please do not make
any other arrangement with your child. The only exception is made for students who for medical reasons
have a medical monitoring device on their phone (currently 2 students in school). Students experiencing
anxiety are advised to take regular breaks from their phone to support their health and well
being. This is not therefore a reason for them to be keeping a phone on their person. If they need support we
have adults in school to support them. Parents wanting to communicate with their child during the school day
should do so via the school office.
Students who have a planned appointment, for example, the dentist must let their tutor know. They can
collect their phone from the Raising Standards office when they sign out at the Welfare office. When students
arrive late to school after having attended an appointment, they should hand their phone in when signing in at
the Welfare office.
Parents and students should be clear that the misuse of mobile phones will not be tolerated and failure to
hand in their phone will be treated seriously by the school as it is in clear breach of our rules. Misuse of their
mobile phone will be dealt with using the principle of “see it, hear it, and take it”. If a student is found in
possession of a mobile phone between 8.50am and the end of the school day, communication will be made
home and the parent/carer will be responsible for visiting the school to collect the mobile phone by
appointment.
We ask for your support with this and to explain our clear expectations to your child to avoid any conflict with
staff. Full details of the school’s Mobile Phone Policy can be found on the school website. Thank you for
working with us to make sure the rule is applied equitably and fairly to all students and incidents involving
students misuse of phones are minimised.
Medical issues
Please update the school regarding any changes in your child’s medical history that will impact on our duty of
care or compliance with standard school rules. Please email welfare@epschool.org with any details. Our
welfare team will be happy to discuss with you any changes to ongoing conditions or medication and you
should make sure any out of date medicines are replaced if still needed. Epipens and asthma inhalers need
to be checked.
Communications
Please inform the school of any changes in your named contacts (two are needed for legal reasons) or if
any other details have changed, for example your email, mobile phone number or address as it ensures you
receive communications from the school. Please email info@epschool.org. If we need to get hold of you for
any reason it is very important we can do so.
Attendance
We will continue working in partnership with WPA Education Welfare Services in promoting a positive
approach to attendance. Could I please remind parents to contact the school before 8.00am if your child is
unable to attend for any reason. The telephone number of our student absence line is 01344 304567 option
1 or 01344 390824 (direct line) and the e-mail address is attendance@epschool.org. It is likely that you will
receive a telephone call or text message from the school if your child does not arrive and you have not
informed us of the reason. Please respond to this so that records can be kept accurately.
Please note the school is unable to authorise holidays in term time following the DfE criteria even if the
change of date is linked to COVID.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the support you have given over the last term and we
look forward to working with you into the Summer term. We wish you a restful Easter break and we look
forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday 19 April, at 8.40am (Week A).
Yours faithfully
Mr S Puttick
Head of Year 11