CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Poplar Grove School

Poplar Grove

Wembley

Middlesex HA9 9DB

Head Teacher:

Janis Mahony

Tel: 020 8937 3773/4

Email:

Website:

How to find us

We are based at the Chalkhill Youth and Community Centre in Poplar Grove. We have excellent facilitates, with purpose built classrooms, sports hall and outside sports area. The building is managed by the Youth Service and also houses an under 5s nursery. The Youth Service run youth clubs and other provisions for young people in the evening and on school holidays.

Buses: 182, 245, 297, 302, N98

There is a bike stand at Poplar Grove but we accept no responsibility for students’ bikes, they should bring in a bike lock.

Welcome

Welcome to Poplar Grove School.

Poplar Grove is a Key Stage 4 Student Referral Unit. We work with young people who live in Brent and who have been permanently excluded from mainstream education. We provide full time education and an opportunity to gain the skills and qualifications our students need to become successful members of their communities and to continue with education or move into work.

We work closely with other organisations such as the College of North West London, the Youth Offending Team, Education and Welfare Service and mainstream schools to ensure that students who attend this provision have as wide a variety of opportunities as possible.

We have a firm commitment to providing education of the highest quality, believing that excellent teaching is the key to learning. In addition to this commitment we also believe, that it is essential that our students take responsibility for their actions, build positive relationships, and learn from their experiences.

With thanks

Janis Mahony

Janis Mahony

Head Teacher

The School Day

Breakfast Club / 9:10 am to 9:30 am
Tutorial and Registration / 9:30 am to 9:45 am
Lesson 1 / 9:45 am to 10:30 am
Lesson 2 / 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Break / 11:15 am to 11:30 am
Lesson 3 / 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Lesson 4 / 12:15 pm to 1:00 pm
Lunch / 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Lesson 5 / 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Lesson 6 / 2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Timetable

Class / 9:10-9:30 / 9:30-9:45 / 9:45-10:30 / 10:30-11:15 / 11:15-11:30 / 11:30-12:15 / 12:15-1:00 / 1:00-1:30 / 1:30-2:15 / 2:15-3:00 / 3:00-3:15
Monday / 10.1 / breakfast club / Tutorial / English / Maths / break / Science / PSHE / lunch / ICT / art / individual coaching sessions for students with form tutors
10.2 / Maths / English / ICT / Science / art / PSHE
11.1 / Science / ICT / English / Maths / PE and enrichment
11.2 / ICT / Science / Maths / English
Tuesday / 10.1 / breakfast club / Tutorial / Science / ICT / break / Maths / English / lunch / PE Btec
10.2 / English / Science / ICT / Maths / Media BTEC
11.1 / Maths / English / Science / ICT / Business BTEC
11.2 / ICT / Maths / English / Science / Academic
Wednesday / 10.1 / breakfast club / Tutorial / Lifeskills / art / break / English / Maths / lunch / PE Btec
10.2 / art / Lifeskills / Maths / English / Media BTEC
11.1 / English / Maths / Lifeskills / art / Business BTEC
11.2 / Maths / English / art / Lifeskills / Academic
Thursday / 10.1 / breakfast club / Tutorial / Maths / Lifeskills / break / Science / English / lunch / PE and enrichment
10.2 / Lifeskills / Maths / English / Science
11.1 / Science / English / Maths / PSHE / Lifeskills / art
11.2 / English / Science / Lifeskills / Maths / art / PSHE
Friday / 10.1 / breakfast club / Tutorial / English / ICT / break / Science / Maths / lunch / PE Btec
10.2 / Maths / English / ICT / Science / Media BTEC
11.1 / Science / Maths / English / ICT / Business BTEC
11.2 / ICT / Science / Maths / English / Academic

Values and Aims

Core Values

The way that we work together, with students and with their families is based on our core values of:

Responsibility, Respect, Equality, Trust and Achievement

We aim to meet our students’ need for

Empathy, Trust, Respect, Cooperation and Safety

Aims

We are committed to:-

  • Providing our students with a fresh start
  • Developing a positive approach to learning in a safe and supportive environment.
  • Increasing self-esteem and independence in learning.
  • Raising attainment levels.
  • Providing students with the support and advice they need to learn from their experiences and do things differently
  • Offering meaningful education and vocational opportunities to all students.
  • Reintegrating students into further education.

We believe in:-

  • The use of Restorative Practices to create an environment where all members of the learning community work together to create a safe environment where learning can flourish
  • A zero- tolerance approach to behaviour which harms individuals or the community
  • Clear boundaries and high levels of care
  • The need for a broad and balanced curriculum and a range of learning opportunities, both formal and informal
  • Carefully agreed challenging goals and expectations with regular monitoring and review.
  • Working withstudents and their families
  • Helping students and their families to access support from other agencies
  • Providing inclusive teaching and learning that inspires and is based on the principles of assessment for learning, and maximizes learning opportunities
  • The importance of working for a purpose and having achievement recognised through accreditation
  • Developing a community of learners ,that supports the concept of life-long learning for staff, students and their families

What are Restorative Approaches and how can they help?

Restorative Approaches are a way of managing behaviour by working together to restore and repair relationships when there has been a break-down in communication.

Restorative language and mediation encourages young people to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to understand the feelings of of others.

Used in the home it can help improve communication between parent/carer and child. Everybody is able to communicate their needs and work together to move forward.

To Punish or not to Punish?

Traditionally if someone does something wrong, we focus on ‘what they did wrong?’ followed by ‘how will they pay?’ We think that someone must be punished, or else they ‘got away with it.’ But... this can lead to children keeping secrets so they don’t get in trouble, and feeling angry about punishments that may not connect to what actually happened.

Instead, try asking the 5 Restorative Questions. These are questions that you can ask your child, other family members and yourself when an issue arises.

The 5 Restorative Questions

1.What’s happened?

2.What were your thoughts and feelings at the time?

3.Who has been affected?

4.What do you need to move on?

5.What needs to happen to put things right?

Using these 5 questions helps to make sure everyone’s feelings are heard. It also encourages cooperation so that dealing with a problem is not up to you alone…… it is the responsibility of the whole family to work things out together.

Instead of that, try this…
  • Instead of giving orders, try describing the problem.
  • Instead of blaming, try giving information.
  • Instead of shouting, try describing what you feel.
  • Instead of long lectures, try just a few words.
  • Instead of threats or orders, try offering a choice.
  • Instead of nagging, try putting it in writing.
  • Instead of reacting, acknowledge their feelings.

Staffing

Senior Leadership Team

Head Teacher / Janis Mahony
Deputy Head Teacher and SENCO / Victoria Collinge
Behaviour and Attendance Manager / George Georgiou

Subject Leaders

Teacher / Subject
Mr Joel Russell / English
Mr Ashley Anderson / Maths
Mr Lukasz Michalski and Mr Asim Mahmood / Science and PE
Ms Monique Schutte / ICT and BTEC Business
Ms Victoria Collinge / French and History
Ms Nina Knowles / Art
Mr Tony Newland / Music
Ms Abby Sonko / Sociology/Citizenship
Ms Reanu Bahal and Patricia Allen (Brent Centre for Young People and Adolescents) / PSHE

Support Staff

Ms Valerie Brooks / Offsite Manager
Ms Reanu Bahal / Learning Mentor
Mr Steven Burrowes / Teaching Assistant
Ms Dorette Stewart-Marshall / Teaching Assistant
Mr Brandon Palmer / Teaching Assistant
Ms Emma Begil / Teaching Assistant
Ms Una Jackson / Administration Assistant
MrHarry / Cook

Support and Advice

TBA / Connexions (career advice)
Jenna Connack / Addaction and SHOC
Wendy Noel / Connexions (intensive support)
Patricia Allen / Brent Centre for Young People and Adolescents

Curriculum and Qualifications

Core Offer and Options at Poplar Grove

All students will take the core subjects, all subjects (apart from PE and PSHE), are accredited through GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. In addition each student will be able to take one of the options shown.

Assessment and Reporting

All students are assessed on entry, this information is used by teachers to ensure that work is set at the right level and students are helped to reach their full potential.

Students’ achievement and learning are recorded daily and assessed using PRI points, which record attendance, achievement, and attitude.

Targets are set and shared with Students and their Parents/Carers at Student Progress Review (SPR) days, these are every term

We provide a report on progress each term, which includes targets set during the SPR days.

Homework

As our students are in KS4 and working towards GCSEs Homework is essential. Homework is given at the end of lessons and is available on Fronter. We ask that parents support their child’s learning by ensuring that they complete homework regularly.

Teaching Groups

Students are taught in small groups of up to 9. All teachers are qualified and committed professionals, in most lessons there are Teaching Assistants or other teachers who support student’s learning

Each group has a form tutor who keep parents and carers informed of progress and whoare the first point of contact.Students are expected to attend a morning registration and tutorial session between 9:30-9:45 every day, and tutors will arrange a weekly individual meeting for each student at 3pm. Parents may also be asked to attend these meetings.

Form tutors / Tutor / Teaching Assistant
11.1 / Joel Russell / Emma Begil
11.2 / Nina Gadd / Brandon Palmer
10.1 / Abby Sonko/Asim Mahmood / Dorrette Stewart Marshall
10.2 / Monique Schutte / Steven Burrowes

Attendance

There is a morning and afternoon registration

Please let us know by 9:30 if a student is unable to attend school.

Students will be sent a text every morning if they have not arrived on time.

We will contact parents and carers is a student is not in school by 10:30.

Absence letters are sent out if we have been unable to confirm the reason for an absence.

The Behaviour and Attendance Manager and a Student’s Form Tutor can provide help and advice

  • Students who arrive after registration will be marked late
  • Students who arrive after 10:30 will be given an unauthorised late mark
  • Students who have persistent lateness and absence will be referred to the Education Welfare Service
  • Students with consistent good attendance and punctuality will be rewarded.

Our expectation is that all students should achieve 95% attendance, and 99% punctuality

Attendance and Punctuality is important

  • Colleges and Employers ask for attendance and punctuality figures
  • 90% attendance still means that one half day a week is being missed, 20 days in one year.
  • 17 missed school days a year equates to a half drop in GCSE grades
  • Absence = Missed learning.

Working with Parents

We seek to work closely with parents and carers. All parents are expected to attend a meeting as part of induction with the learning mentor and BCYP worker.

Form Tutors will be in regular contact, and we encourage parents and carers to share any concerns.

The Head Teacher will always be ready to meet with parents, if possible please do this by appointment.

We will contact parents if we have any concerns, but do not see this as a sanction and would ask parents not to treat it as such but to work with us to overcome any difficulties.

We will ask parents to come in for meetings to discuss concerns and appreciate their support in this.

We will on occassions provide opportunites for parents to meet together to provide us with their thoughts and opinions.

We offer support to parents and carers through regular meetings and occasional events.

Each term there is a SPR day where there is an opportunity to meet with all staff

Safety

All students have a responsibility to behave safely, and to ensure the safety of themselves and others

All students are wanded on entry to the building

We prefer students to remain onsite during the school day

We do not allow any weapons, drugs or alcohol onsite and will inform parents/carers and the police if any student brings them in

We have the right to search students or their posessions

We encourage safe use of the internet

If we are concerned that a student is being harmed we will follow child protection procedures and contact social care.

If a student is likely to harm themselves or others we have a duty to protect them and sometimes this may involve restraint. This will always be the last resort and use the minimum amount of force necessary

Mobile Phones/MP3 etc

We allow students to bring in electronic equipment, but this should not be used during lesson times. If a student is consistently disrupting lessons by use of a mobile phone etc this will be dealt with through the code of conduct.

We do not accept any liability for students’ personal possessions

School Code of Conduct
You Should….. / You must ….. / If you choose to…..
  • Respect yourself and take responsibility for your behaviour and be honest
  • Respect each other’s race, culture, religion, gender & sexual orientation
  • Respect the environment
  • Respect the adults who work in the school
  • Respect other people’s opinion
  • Respect, books and equipment in all lessons
  • Attend school regularly
  • Arrive on time and sit where the teacher asks you to
  • Be aware of others in the corridor
  • Keep the school tidy and put litter in bins
  • Talk to a member of staff to help resolve conflicts
  • Take support offered to you
/
  • Be wanded each morning
  • Meet behaviour expectations and respond to warnings
  • Not use phones, MP3 players, iPods or any other electrical equipment during lesson times
  • Leave a room when directed to
  • Leave site when directed to
/
  • Bring in, or use anything that is dangerous or illegal
  • Threaten, bully, fight, or be violent to others
  • Damage school property or steal
This is behaviour of serious concern
Consequences
If you are not following the Code of Conduct and responding to support offered the following will happen:
Stage 1 – Verbal Warning
Stage 2 -Yellow Card Warning
Stage 3 – Withdrawal – recorded on SIMS
Warnings are written on the board – and if behaviour improves and the teacher’s request followed they can be “worked off”.
If you are withdrawn more than twice in one day you will spend the rest of the day out of lessons and your parents/carers will be informed.
If this happens twice in a week a meeting with your parents/carers will be arranged
Behaviour of Serious Concern – Damage to building, or property; Stealing; Bullying; Verbal threats or aggression; Physical Assault ;Fighting; Gambling: Racist, Sexist or homophobic incidents/language; Use or sale of alcohol or other mood changing drugs; possession of a weapon; refusal to leave room or site
You must meet with BAM/SLT, and will be placed in withdrawal room or sent home and excluded. An Incident slip will be completed and recorded on SIMS and your parents will be informed. The police may be informed. You will be expected to take part in a restorative meeting
If you refuse to leave a classroom you will be directed to leave the premises and receive an exclusion

Rewards

Students are rewarded for achievement, attendance and behaviour. This is daily through phone calls or post cards home; weekly through certificates and termly through vouchers. Once a year we will arrange trips as a reward.

We also take part in the Jack Petchey scheme where students nominate each other to receive a reward.

Daily / PRis – in each lesson you can earn up to 6 PRi points, A, P, GW, SE, PR and BH.
Tokens – special rewards are given for behaviour or achievement that is out of the ordinary – you will be given a token and explained why it was given to you
Positive phone calls; postcards and letters home
Weekly / Certificates from form tutors:
95% attendance
95% punctuality
Highest number of PRis in each form
Highest number of rewards in each form
Every half term / Certificates and a voucher from form tutors:
95% attendance
95% punctuality
Highest number of PRis in each form
Highest number of rewards in each form
Every term / Certificates and a voucher from form tutors:
95% attendance
95% punctuality
Highest number of PRis in each form
Highest number of rewards in each form
From all staff:
Student of the term
Every year / A form trip:
95% attendance
95% punctuality
Highest number of PRis in each form
Highest number of rewards in each form
From all staff:
Student of the year

Food

We have a Breakfast Club every day, from 9:10-9:30

Students are able to buy snacks at break time in the canteen

Lunch is free for all students and is a balanced and healthy meal

Students are able to bring in packed lunches

We do not allow food purchased offsite to be eaten onsite

Food is not allowed in lessons

Counselling and other Advice

We are lucky to have access to a range of counsellors and other support. Students are advised to take this help.

Where Students need this support we will offer a chance this may be help from a psychologist from the Brent Centre for Adolescents or a counsellor from Connexions. We also have an advisor from Addaction.

We also provide Sexual Health Advice through SHOC.

Advice on Careers is given through Connexions

If you would like your child to receíve support please contact Mr George Georgiou

Who do I see first if.....

Remember your first point of contact is always your Form Tutor.

You can see them about anything......

I am being bullied / Your Form Tutor or Tutor Support
I am upset/angry/ need to talk / Your Form Tutor/Tutor Support
Ms Bahal
A Staff Member who you trust
I am having worries about life at Poplar Grove / Your Form Tutor or Tutor Support
I have attendance issues / Your Form Tutor or Mr Georgiou
I want to ask questions about my lunch orders / Ms Buchanan
Staff on lunch duty
I have concerns about College / Ms Brooks
I have concerns about my curriculum / Ms Collinge
I have questions about exams / Mr Anderson
I have concerns about my subject including homework / The Subject Leader
I am worried about my literacy / Mr Russell
I am worried about my numeracy / Mr Anderson
Fronter / Ms Schutte
I want to change something about school or I am unhappy/happy about the school / Mr Mahmood/Ms Sonko
I am feeling unwell / Mr Mahmood
Ms Brooks
Ms Buchanan
I’d like to see a counsellor or get advice on drugs or sexual health / Mr Georgiou

Useful Contacts