Dear Parent/Carer · 2018-02-13 · Dear Parent/Carer Last autumn you received the Westwood College prospectus which I hope provided you with some useful information. I am very pleased

Dear Parent/Carer

Last autumn you received the Westwood College prospectus which I hope provided you

with some useful information. I am very pleased you have since decided to send your

child to Westwood College. This booklet has a different purpose to the prospectus; it

gives practical advice and information which will help our new students to settle

effectively. Please read it thoroughly so you can get to know the college quickly. You may

know already that the usual contact with the college is via the Head of Year and Tutor. I

am sure you will build a strong partnership with them. Working well with parents and

students has been at the heart of the success of Westwood over many years. Teachers

here will do all they can to make sure that your child’s time here is a successful one.

Mr R Hey

Headteacher

The Grounds and Buildings

The college is situated in Westwood Park, an estate which has been prized by many

wealthy owners through the centuries. It was purchased in1813 by the Davenport family,

who built the present Westwood Hall in 1851, planted many of the large trees and laid

out the formal gardens. Today the students of the college can benefit from the

exceptional beauty of these surroundings and enjoy an environment rare in the state

education system. We place great emphasis on caring for the grounds and so expect

students to keep to the paths and to respect the trees, plants and animals that inhabit

the site.

There are two main buildings at Westwood, a separate teaching block for English and

Drama along with other classroom facilities. The main building Old Hall opened as a

school in 1921 and has had several additions since the 1960's. New Hall which was built

by the Church of England opened in1966, it was initially built as a separate school but

during construction the plans changed and it became a part of the facilities of Westwood.

All students use both buildings for their lessons though subject areas are allocated to

areas of the school staff may teach across the school.

CONTENTS

Useful Information

Curriculum

Teaching Staff

Pastoral Teams

Uniform

Student Progress

Behaviour

Parent information – General

o Access

o Attendance

o College Fund

o Detentions

o Damage to College Property

o Leave of Absence

o Lunch Time

o Medication

o Personal Items

o Students Lost, Hurt or Ill

o Up to date information

Cashless System

Free School Meals

Transport

Data Protection

USEFUL INFORMATION

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE:

Westwood College

Westwood Park

Leek, Staffordshire

ST13 8NP

Telephone Numbers:-

Old Hall 01538 370930 (8.00 am - 4.30 pm)

New Hall 01538 370931 (8.30 am – 4.30 pm)

Fax: Old Hall 01538 370932

Fax: New Hall 01538 370933

Student absence reporting: Extension 116

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.westwoodcollege.coop

Facebook: facebook.com/WestwoodCollegeLeek

VLE: www.vle.westwoodcollege.coop

Start of Term:

The Autumn Term starts at 8.45 am on Wednesday 6th September 2017

THE COLLEGE DAY

08.45 am College Opens

08.55 - 09.00 Registration

09.05 - 10.05 Session 1

10.10 - 11.10 Session 2

11.10 - 11.25 Break

11.25 - 11.55 Enrichment

11.55 - 12.55 Session 3

12.55 - 13.40 Lunch

13.40 - 14.40 Session 4

14.45 - 15.45 Session 5

The Curriculum for students in Year 9

The curriculum which your child will be following in Year 9 is designed to be broad and

balanced and conforms to the National Curriculum requirements. In this we ensure that

students experience a good basic education which builds on what they have learnt at the

Middle Schools and keeps all their options open in preparation for progressing to the full

GCSE courses at the end of Year 9.

We also plan our curriculum so that students are able to access 1 or 2 languages where

appropriate and students of all abilities are involved in the full range of the curriculum as

we believe that every student is entitled to the same opportunities.

Subjects all students follow:

Core

English

Mathematics Science

Physical Education & Dance

Personal, Social, Health

& Citizenship Education

ICT

Languages (1 or 2 of)

French

German

Spanish

Humanities

Geography

History

Religious Education

Creative Arts

Art

Design & Technology

Performing Arts Drama

Performing Arts Music

These subjects form the foundation of GCSE options at the end of Year 9 allowing

students to keep a broad and balanced curriculum throughout their education at

Westwood. A great deal of liaison takes place between Westwood and the Middle Schools

to ensure continuity and progression. A review of student progress will take place in

November, January and April where progress data will be available. The parents evening

will take place in March 2017 with a written report to be published in July 2017.

The Talentum Learning Trust: WESTWOOD COLLEGE 2017 - 2018

Executive Principal: Andrew Shaw

Business Director: Clarissa Williams (WIL)

WESTWOOD TEACHERS

Headteacher: Richard Hey (HEY)

Director of College Performance and Analysis: Stuart Jones (JNS)

Director of Student Progress: Janette Reader (RDR)

Director of Teaching and Learning: Chris Spragg (SPG)

Director of Sixth Westwood Campus: Sam Wallinger (WAL)

HEADS OF YEAR

Head of Year 9: Mark Turnbull (TUR)

Head of Year 10: Dawn McNeil (MCN)

Head of Year 11: David Morgan (MGD)

DEPARTMENT STAFF

Business Studies (and CEIAG)

Subject Leader: Karen Percival (PER)

Paula Hemmings (HEM)

Creative Arts

(Design and Technology + Visual

Arts)

Subject Leader: Brent Rushton (RUS)

Sophie Hilton (HLN)

Janette Reader (RDR)

Jane Rylands (RYL)

Drama

Subject Leader: Sally Hansell (HNS)

English+ Media

Subject Leader: Jacqui Dunn (DUN)

William Baldwin (BLD)

Joanne Beckensall (BCK)

Rakha Begum-Thomas (BMT)

Elora Chakma (CHK)

Tom Edwards (EDW)

Naomi Oakden (OKD)

Geography

Subject Leader: David Lawton (LAW)

Dionne Timony (TMY)

History (and PSCHE)

Subject Leader: David Morgan (MGD)

Sam Wallinger (WAL)

ICT

Subject Leader: Haroon Khan (KHN)

Mathematics

Subject Leader: Tracy Lewis (LWS)

Amanda Halsley (HAL)

Stuart Jones (JNS)

Jayne Kueres (KRS)

Mark Turnbull (TUR)

Laura Williams (WLM)

Languages

Subject Leader: Simon Phillips (PHL)

Caroline Clark (CLK)

Christopher Spragg (SPG)

Mark Warrington (WAR)

Music

Subject Leader: Stephanie Burns (BNS)

Natural Sciences

Subject Leaders: Gill Baker (BAK)

/ Daniel Smith (SMT)

Stephen Brentnall (BRN)

Chris Cottam (COT)

Victoria Hargreaves (HAR)

Richard Hey (HEY)

Kenneth Shotton (STN)

Tim Thackstone (THA)

Physical Education

Subject Leader: Anne Moore (MOR)

Jake Birch-Machin (BRM)

Matthew Ashton (ASH)

Dawn McNeil (MCN)

Social Sciences

Subject Leader: Alexandra Hay (HAY)

Elizabeth Maunders (MND

Gemma Partington (PRT)

Special Educational Needs

Subject Leader: Richard Hey (HEY)

Assistants SENCO: Susan Shea (SHE)

Teaching Assistants:

Debbie Bradburn (BRD)

Julia Dawson (DWS)

Gillian Fernyhough (FRN)

Helen Keeling (KLG)

Clare Randell (RDL)

Please Note: Teachers are listed according to their principal subject; some do contribute to more

than one department

PASTORAL TUTORS 2017/2018

Head of Year 9: Mark Turnbull - Room 212

New Hall Old Hall

9W1 D Timony 216 9W5 C Cottam 154

9W2 L Williams 218 9W6 N Oakden 119

9W3 A Halsley 221 9W7 W Baldwin 402

9W4 J Beckensall 207 9W8 J Birch-Machin 401

Head of Year 10: Dawn McNeil - Room 147

New Hall Old Hall

9W1 T Edwards 209 9W5 S Brentnall 153

9W2 H Khan 217 9W6 A Hay 307

9W3 B Rushton 240 9W7 K Percival 110

9W4 S Hilton 247

Head of Year11: David Morgan - Room 211

New Hall Old Hall

11W1 D Lawton 215 11W2 S Phillips 112

11W3 J Rylands 245 11W5 R Begum-Thomas 403

11W4 M Ashton 246 11W6 C Clarke 137

11W7 K Shotton 121

Head of Sixth - Westwood Campus S Wallinger - Room 133

Westwood Sixth Tutors

Year 12 Year 13

WS1 D Allen 108 WS8 P Hemmings 179

WS2 D Smith 150 WS9 G Baker 120

WS3 A Moore 229 WS10 G Partington 310

WS4 J Kueres 219 WS11 T Thackstone 151

WS5 S Hansell 138 WS12 S Burns 136

WS6 E Maunders 308 WS13 E Chakma 404

WS14 M Warrington

140

College Uniform and Physical Education Kit

Uniform

Red polo shirt with a collar.

Black sweater with the Westwood College embroidered badge (there is a choice of

three styles available)

Black sensible shoes – no training shoes, boots of any type or coloured logos, laces

or coloured soles.

Substantial outdoor coat.

Appropriate black school trousers or skirt.

I would ask you to note that, in order to avoid confusion, the following items are not

permitted:

Cardigans/other coloured tops of any type.

Facial or visible body piercings of any type (including tongue piercing)

Patterned black tights or leggings.

Short stretch skirts, ‘skinny’ tight fitting trousers.

Coats with logos or pictures and words that are inappropriate to wear at the

college.

Shorts of any style, other than those that have been designated for use in PE.

The college has the right to ask students to remove any items of jewellery or accessories

that are not deemed appropriate, such as oversized earrings, bangles, bracelets or

coloured belts. This list cannot be exclusive as fashion trends and styles change

frequently. We do not prescribe the actual items of uniform as it is one that is simple and

accessible for all. However, we do find occasionally that students purchase items that fall

outside our expectation of appropriate style and presentation, we would therefore request

that Parents/Carers ensure that students are only provided with approved items of

uniform. We ask students to adhere to all aspects of our uniform code as the correct

appearance is an essential element in helping the college maintain the high standards we

expect of our young people.

The Items of uniform listed are available from the local suppliers, such as:

Supersport

Kidwise

Hope Silk Mill

Macclesfield Road

Leek

Phone: 01538 386226

13-15 St Edward Street

Leek,

Phone: 01538 399633

Games and Physical Education Equipment

Girls PE Kit Boys PE Kit

(a) Black sweatshirt without logo

(b) Black shorts, tracksuit bottoms

or sports leggings

(d) Red football socks

(e) Black t shirt top without logo

(f) Training shoes

(g) Shin pads

(h) Gum shield

NO HOODED TOPS

(a) Red and black reversible shirt

(b) Black shorts or tracksuit bottoms

(c) Red football socks

(d) Black t shirt top without logo

(e) Football boots

(f) Training shoes

(g) Shin pads

(h) Gum shield

NO HOODED TOPS

Student Progress Check (SPC): For Year 9 10 and 11

Throughout the year you will regularly receive information that tells you how well students

are progressing in their subjects. This information will be published for students to take

home and will be available on the College VLE. This will help students keep track of their

own progress, and inform you as parents. The progress information for each subject will

be presented as follows;

The ‘Going to’ Grade

Staff will record a working at grade. This is a grade that the student would be expected

to be achieved at the end of Y11 (or Y13) provided that the student continues to work in

a similar vein as at the time the report is generated.

The ‘Target Grade’ – For Years 9 to 11 this grade is produced using prior data from KS2.

For Years 12 and 13 target grades are based on prior GCSE data

The ‘Effort Grade’ - The 4 effort grades that can be awarded to students are:

1. ‘Excellent’- For students who participate fully in their learning, both alone and with

other students. Classwork is completed with attention to detail and pride and all

homework’s have been handed in on time. The student displays very high levels of

engagement, courtesy, collaboration & cooperation in lessons. Behaviour is

consistently exemplary.

2. ‘Good’– For students who participate fully in their learning, both alone and with

other students, most of the time. Homework is completed on time and to a good

standard and the student displays good levels of engagement is typically

considerate, respectful and courteous in lessons. Behaviour is consistently

exemplary.

3. ‘Inconsistent’ - For students who can work well but need input from the teacher to

stay on task. The student may answer direct questions but not always be fully

engaged in the lesson. Classwork may be brief with less concern for detail or

presentation. Homework is not always handed in on time or to a good standard.

They regularly forget to bring appropriate equipment to the lesson.

4. ‘Unsatisfactory’ - For students that are not making an acceptable effort to improve

their performance. The student may need regular input from the teacher due to a

lack of concentration. Homework may frequently be late or not completed. The

student is responsible for behaviour that distracts the teacher from teaching and

other students from learning.

Attendance – This will be reported per subject, and as an overall figure.

Behaviour for Learning

Below are the core values that we hold with regard to how our staff and students are

expected to conduct themselves (behave).

Introduction

Behaviour for Learning covers all those aspects of the college that contribute to a positive

learning environment. The core purpose is to establish practice and expectations of both

students and teachers that allows students to learn and teachers to teach, where all

members of the college are expected to develop an environment that supports

outstanding learning. The primary aim of Westwood College is to allow all students access

to an education where their learning leads to independence. Independent learners are

successful and can make informed personal choices about their future.

Students can contribute greatly to outstanding learning if their behaviour supports

learning. Below are our expectations:

Students:-

Be punctual; arrive in college prepared for all lessons.

Follow directions and actively contribute to the lesson.

Where appropriate enter into discussion, ask questions and answer questions.

Arrive to lessons expecting to learn, to work hard and to be challenged.

Meet challenges with determination and perseverance.

Ask for help when it is needed, check your understanding with the teacher.

Avoid behaviour which is likely to distract other students from the lesson.

Others:-

Listen sensitively to others, be polite and show courtesy

Be prepared to support your peers, question them politely and critique their work

sensitively.

Help others to remain focused by reminding them to be on task when their

attention wanes.

Be respectful of others and the college environment.

Teachers will support students Behaviour for Learning by:

Having very high expectations of Behaviour for Learning and will not allow poor

behaviour to affect the learning of other students.

Planning lessons that are structured, relevant, and engaging.

Expecting all students to engage themselves with the tasks presented in the lesson.

Finding ways to build students’ confidence and self-esteem.

Providing regular and useful feedback on the progress made by students.

Recognising the efforts and achievements of each individual.

Parents and Westwood College – General Information

We welcome and encourage your involvement in your child’s education. Good links

between home and college bring positive benefits for all of us. Whenever you wish to

contact the college please use the details found at the front of this booklet to contact

your child’s Form Tutor or the relevant Head of Year.

How can you help your child?

o Make it clear that you want him/her to do his/her best at college

o Take an interest in your son/daughter's work and life at Westwood.

o Look regularly at work and praise good marks.

o Provide a quiet atmosphere at home for homework to be done.

o Support your child in sports and performing arts activities.

o Contact the college if you think there is a problem.

o Attend Parents' Evenings.

o Support college events, especially those involving your children

The "Home/College Contract, a copy of which is in the college Planner, is intended to

emphasise these points. The College Planner is issued at the start of the academic year.

Please read and sign the contract. Your son/daughter’s tutor will sign it on behalf of the

college.

Access to the College

We do regret that for safety reasons we must ask that parents who bring their children to

college by car NOT TO DRIVE INTO THE OLD HALL OR NEW HALL STAFF CAR PARKS

between 8.45 and 9.00 am or between 3.45 and 4.00 pm as it is not possible for vehicles

to turn without delaying or endangering others. Students can be dropped or collected at

convenient points in Westwood Park Avenue or the bus park. An exception will, of course,

be made if a student is temporarily or permanently disabled, but not if he or she is merely

late.

Attendance and Punctuality

A student’s education should have the minimum of interruptions. If your child is ill

PLEASE TELEPHONE THE COLLEGE BY 9.30am ON EACH DAY OF ABSENCE ON EXT

116. If we have not received a message from you by this time, and your child has not

registered at college, we will try and contact you. Our prime concern is safety and if a

student has not arrived at college we feel sure that you would wish to be informed at the

earliest opportunity. Please confirm with your child’s Tutor the reason for their absences

as this allows us to support students on their return and keep accurate records of

attendance.

The College will use the services of external agencies which may involve a visit to the

home to enquire about extended or persistent unexplained absence.

Punctuality to school is a core expectation, students should be on site and in their tutor

room by 8.50 am. This is to ensure we are able to register students and move to lessons

without delay or disruption. We recognise that there are occasions where circumstances

beyond our control can cause difficulties getting to school, however these are usually rare

and will impact on a number of students. Students who are late persistently will be given

a range of sanctions that are deemed appropriate and parents contacted.

College Fund

Every year we ask each family to make a contribution to the College Fund of £5. The

contribution is entirely voluntary and we understand that some families may not be able

to afford to contribute. We also hope that some Parents or Carers will want to make a

larger contribution. The fund is used to support all aspects of college life which are not

provided for by normal funding routes.

Detentions

Occasionally it is necessary to detain students as a punishment, for poor behaviour, to

complete work which ought to have been done or because of lateness to college. This can

take place during the school day or at a specified time as arranged by a teacher. We do

reserve the right to impose a same day detention for students with persistent poor

behaviour or following a significant issue which can be referenced to the College

Behaviour Code. In the rare event this is necessary we will contact you. Parents or Carers

are responsible for making proper travel arrangements for detained students.

Damage to school property

It is our practice to require payment for damage done to college property. If the damage

is accidental, but caused by reckless behaviour, then a contribution to the repair is

required. If the damage is deliberate then the whole cost is charged, unless parents prefer

the police to be involved.

Leave of Absence

Please avoid arranging medical appointments, where possible, during college time as this

is detrimental to your child’s progress. Requests for a leave of absence, for reasons other

than illness, should be made to Mrs Janette Reader, Assistant Headteacher, please note

that we only have discretion to grant leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. In

the event of students taking time away from college they are required to catch up the

work missed and we welcome support from parents for this policy.

Lunch Time

All students are supervised at this time and must remain on the site to have a college

meal or have sandwiches; for reasons of safety and wellbeing they will not be allowed off

the site to visit local shops or amenities. Any parent, who wishes their child to go home

for lunch, as they live within an appropriate walking distance from the college, should

seek permission from the college in writing. Only students who live within a very short

distance of the college, and are able to go home and return within the time available for

lunch will be given permission to leave the site.

If a student needs to leave the site for any other reason, or at any other time of the day,

a letter or contact from a parent or carer is required students then must sign out via

reception.

Medication

For safety reasons should your child need to take medicines during the college day (e.g.

to complete a course of antibiotics) please do not allow your child to bring more

medication to college than they require for the day. All Medicines should be clearly

labelled with your child’s name, the dosage, time and frequency of administration. Where

appropriate we encourage students to be responsible for and to manage their own

medication. If this is not a sensible option we ask that parents/carers discuss this with

their child’s Tutor or Head of Year as soon as possible.

STUDENTS WHO HAVE ASTHMA MUST ENSURE THAT THEY CARRY THEIR INHALER WITH

THEM ATALL TIMES. IN ADDITION, A SPARE INHALER CLEARLY NAMED MUST BE HANDED

INTO BOTH RECEPTIONS. PLEASE COMPLETE THE ASTHMA CARE PLAN DOCUMENT IN THE

NEW ADMISSIONS BOOKLET.

If your child has diabetes, epilepsy or a history of severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis

please ensure that you discuss the appropriate medical action required with their Tutor

or Head of Year and provide this information in writing, in the form of a Care Plan. May

we reassure you that all medical information regarding your child will be treated with

sensitivity and only disclosed to members of staff who would need to know the medical

history of your child, so as to be able to take the appropriate action in the event of an

emergency.

Personal Items

The college accepts no responsibility for loss/damage to personal items brought onto the

college’s premises.

Cycles

Students coming to college on bicycles should enter by the New Hall entrance and leave

them in the available area opposite the front of the building. Please note we do not have

any lockable bicycle sheds. We advise that Bicycles be locked and accessories removed.

The college accepts no responsibility for bicycles left on the premises. For safety reasons

students must not ride around the site on their bicycles.

Students who are Lost, Hurt or Unwell

Anyone who is lost - go to the reception office of the Hall that you are in (anyone can help

you to find it). The receptionist will deal with your difficulty.

If a student feels unwell or has an injury that needs attention they need to report to either

Old Hall or New Hall reception. Once in reception the staff can look to support the student,

this may involve first-aid and or a discussion with a senior member of staff who will

make the decision as to what action is required and whether parents/careers should

be contacted

We are aware that as the vast majority of students have mobile phones students do

occasionally contact relatives themselves without any discussion with the staff at the

college. Should this happen can we ask that you a contact the college to discuss what is

required before making any arrangements for a student to be collect

Up-to-date information

Information about the college can be found through the following routes

The College website: www.westwoodcollege.coop, Facebook: WestwoodCollegeLeek or

the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): www.vle.westwoodcollege.coop.

These are regularly updated with news and forthcoming events. As a Parent or Carer you

will be issued with a unique username and password for the VLE early in October which

will enable you to view the specific information regarding your child’s attendance and

progress.

Cashless System

Westwood College has a fully cashless system. All financial interactions – paying for food

at lunch times, contributions for school trips and visits, purchasing subject revision

guides etc. are made through The ‘Trust-e Cashless Solution’ this allows us to provide a

robust, efficient and secure service both in how the canteen facilities operate in school

and in the receiving of payments.

The cashless system incorporates the latest technology and can eliminate the need for

students to carry cash at all. It is a very convenient way for parents/carers to transfer

funds to pay for their child’s lunch school trips etc.

We use a Biometric method of identifying an individual person. Biometric is simply an

algorithm based scan, which reads between 50 & 130 points on the finger/thumb. All new

students are given training on how to use the system.

A daily ‘spend limit’ of £10 in the canteen which is programmed into the system. This

can be increased or decreased for an individual student by making a written request to

the college’s finance office. A minimum deposit of £11 is required when adding money

into a student’s account and any money spent on food and drink or other purchases will

be deducted on a daily basis. There are two payment options available to you:-

Online payments through the Web based ParentPay portal

PayPoint which is available at nearby locations in the town (list enclosed).

ParentPay

ParentPay offers you the freedom to make secure payments online using your credit or

debit card whenever and wherever you like - safe in the knowledge that the technology

used has the highest internet security available.

You may already have an account, you will be able to continue to use this account when

your child joins Westwood College as the account details are linked to the unique

reference number that follows a student through their education. If you need to open a

new account when you join Westwood College we will provide you with the information

to set up your online account which is activated using a unique username and password;

you will be prompted to change these, and to keep them safe and secure. If you have

more than one child at college, or children at other ParentPay schools, you can create a

single account login for all your children.

Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay holds a payment history for you to

view at a later date; no card details are stored in any part of the system. Once you have

activated your account you can make online payments straight away. Monthly or termly

payments are helpful as they keep down costs.

For further information on ParentPay, please visit www.parentpay.com.

PayPoint

Parents/Carers who need to continue making payments by cash may do so using the

PayPoint network at local convenience stores. PayPoint payments are recorded by

ParentPay and can be seen by logging into your ParentPay account and viewing your

payment history online.

The nearest PayPoint stores to the college are given on the enclosed list. Please notify the

Finance Office if you wish to use the PayPoint facility. A plastic card will be issued to you

to make cash payments for school meals at local PayPoint stores. The first card is free of

charge; however, any lost or damaged cards will be charged at £2.00 each. Payment cards

take about two weeks to arrive but we can issue a barcode letter as an interim measure.

As per current legislation we operate an ‘Opt In’ policy for the cashless system with our

canteen facilities and therefore require you to give your permission. The permission

request is part of the ‘admissions booklet’ already distributed (If you have not received a

booklet please contact the College). If you choose not to have your child registered on

the Biometric System a 4 digit PIN Code will be allocated. Please note that PIN codes do

not have the same level of security and it will be your child’s responsibility to remember

the code and keep it secure at all times.

How do ‘free meal’ entitlements work?

All Free School Meal Entitlements are entered on to the system automatically. The

Cashless Catering System will, on a daily basis, automatically allocate the appropriate

accounts with the free meal amounts. Students with Free School Meal Entitlements remain

anonymous at all times, as all account types are accessed in the exact same manner

regardless as to whether paid for or not. Please note any monies not spent from the daily

free meal allocation will not be carried over to the next day.

ParentPay

Once you have received your activation letter from the college, with your activation login

details you will be able to activate your account and start making payments. This letter

will be sent to you soon by the college. ParentPay accepts MasterCard and Visa credit

cards, and Maestro, Switch, Delta, Electron, Solo and Visa debit cards. Some schools may

limit the use of credit cards for some transactions; you will be informed by the college

directly of any such restrictions. ParentPay holds a very limited amount of information

about you and your son/daughter solely for the purpose of administering your account;

however ParentPay does not use your personal information other than for supporting the

college. We do not share or give information to any other organisations. We operate under

strict guidelines set out by the Data Protection Act 1998.

ParentPay will NEVER contact you by phone, email or mail and ask you to divulge

confidential information like passwords or card numbers. If you are ever contacted by

someone claiming to be from ParentPay, please contact immediately on 0845 257 5540.

For more information please visit www.parentpay.com

PayPoint Locations in Leek.

A & G Lyford Ltd

37 Derby Street

Leek

Staffordshire

ST13 6HU

Co-op West Street

West Street

Leek

Bargain Booze

2 The Avenue

Cheddleton

Staffordshire

ST13 7JB

Thoroughgoods

69-71 Queens Drive

Leek

Staffordshire

ST13 6QF

Staffordshire

ST13 8AX

ASDA Supermarket

Springfield Road

Leek

Staffordshire

ST13 6EN

News Market

82 Broad Street

Leek

Staffordshire

ST13 5NS

One Stop

173 Cheadle Road

Cheddleton

Staffordshire

ST13 7HN

Financial Difficulties

From time-to-time families can face acute financial difficulties. Where possible we are

willing to help in such circumstances. Assistance is available through contact with the

Head of Year with the cost of, specified resources (such as revision guides) educational

visits and, in some circumstances, uniform and P.E. kit. With the assurance that any help

remains confidential.

Free School Meals

Parents claiming some benefits can claim Free School Meals for their child if they are

registered at a Staffordshire school. School meals are a good way to ensure that your

child eats well at lunchtime, and you can save yourself time and money. Even if you do

not want your child to have the meals, claiming them helps the college. The more eligible

parents who claim Free School Meals, the more funding the college receives.

Who can get Free School Meals?

You can claim Free School Meals for your child if you are in receipt of any of the following

benefits:

Income Support

Income based Job Seekers Allowance

Income based Employment and Support Allowance

Child Tax Credit and no Working Tax Credit and the household income of less

than £16,190.

The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Apply online

This is the quickest and easiest way to apply at:-

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/educationalawardsbenefits/FreeSchoolMeals/home.aspx

It’s really easy and quick to apply – an online application can be made through the

website. You will need to have your date of birth and national insurance number

or national asylum support service number, along with your address and the

children’s details with you when you apply – you can apply for several children at

a time on one application even if they are all at different schools. They will check

your information and give you an immediate answer and the chance to print a

confirmation if you want to start taking meals as soon as possible, if you are

entitled. They will also make regular checks using the same information you have

provided to confirm your ongoing entitlement – you need do nothing further apart

from notify them and the school if any details change (for example you move

address or no longer receive the qualifying benefit).

Apply by post

You should complete the form, filling in the names of all the children that you wish to

claim for. You only need to fill in one form even if your children go to different schools.

The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

If you are receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, please

contact us, and we will give you more details of how to claim free meals for your child.

Further Information

If you would like to apply for Free School Meals please contact us at the address above or

telephone 01785 854990 or email [email protected]

Free School Transport for Under 16

The details provided in this section only applies to Staffordshire residents; if you do not

live in Staffordshire, you should approach your own council for transport assistance.

If you are looking for information for students to travel in Year 12 and above please visit

www.staffordshire.gov.uk post 16 transport pages.

What type of transport assistance will be offered? The organisation of school

transport is the responsibility of The Local Authority.

Transport assistance will normally take the form of either:-

A place on a contracted vehicle hired by the Authority

A travel pass for public transport

The payment of travelling expenses (this might include the reimbursement of bus

or train fares, or a petrol or cycling allowance at a rate determined by the Local

Authority)

Staffordshire County Council may change the type of assistance offered to make

the best use of resources

Generally, students may be required to walk (or be accompanied if a parent feels it is

appropriate) up to one mile to or from a designated pick up/drop off point. It is for

Parents/Carers to decide if a child needs to be accompanied and make any arrangements

they feel are necessary. The Local Authority will determine which type of transport

assistance will be offered, and may change the type of transport provided from a seat on

a hired school bus, to a seat on a public service bus or train, or vice versa.

Who is entitled?

Statutory age college students (up to and including Year group 11) are normally entitled

to free home to college transport if they:

Reside in Staffordshire, and

Live beyond the walking distance from the college that they attend which is also

their registered base, and Live within the designated catchment area of the college

or are attending the nearest suitable school, as determined by the Local Authority.

To check the catchment school for your address please use the localview website.

Walking distance is defined as up to three miles for students over eleven years of age at

the start of the college year. The distance is measured using the shortest available walking

route from the students’ address, to the nearest open gate to the college site, using the

Geographic Information System (GIS) held within School Organisation, Admissions and

Transport, and is calculated based upon the road and pathway network held at that time.

This may change over time as the network is updated and new roads and paths are added.

The location of the home address is calculated using the property seed point as defined

by the National Land and Property Gazetteer.

Other reasons transport assistance is considered

You can also apply for transport assistance under any of the following categories if you

are eligible.

Low income families - income assessed transport

Low income groups are defined as those who are entitled to, and registered for, Free

School Meals or are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.

Moving address

When moving address Parents/Carers should give consideration to the transport

arrangements for their child. If your child already receives transport, and you move

address, please return the travel pass to the Integrated Transport and Planning Unit,

Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH. If your child will still be attending

the correct catchment or closest school for your new address, please make a new

application. If a student moves address and no longer attends the catchment or closest

school for their new address, the student is no longer entitled to free transport. However,

if your new address is within Staffordshire, your move was due to exceptional

circumstances and the student was attending the catchment or closest school for your

last address, the Local Authority may consider offering transport assistance - an

application should be made and you must attach evidence of your exceptional

circumstances.

Medical reasons

Transport assistance may be provided if your child is attending their correct catchment

or closest school and is unable to walk to school due to a medical reason. You will need

to provide supporting written medical evidence from your GP or hospital that they

are unable to walk to school and the likely period of incapacity, transport assistance may

be provided. Where transport is provided on medical grounds the case will be reviewed

on a regular basis and continued supporting medical evidence will be requested.

Special circumstances

Individual consideration will be given to students who do not meet the criteria set out

above. You must provide written details of any special circumstances that you want to be

considered. Please note individual family work commitments are not normally taken into

account when considering eligibility for transport assistance.

Walking route unavailable

If you feel that transport should be provided, as you consider that the walking route is

unavailable, please be aware that a route is assessed on the basis that the student will be

accompanied by an adult as necessary. You will find below the walking route assessment

criteria which is used by the Local Authority when considering if a route is available. If

you consider that a walking route is unavailable then you must provide full details of the

particular sections of the route that you feel are unavailable and the reasons why. The

Local Authority will only consider eligibility for free transport on the basis of an

unavailable route if it is your closest or catchment area school.

Privacy Notice - Data Protection Act 1998

Westwood College is the Data Controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act. We

collect information from you, and may receive information about you from your previous

school and the Learning Records Service. We hold this personal data and use it to:

Support your teaching and learning

Monitor and report on your progress

Provide appropriate pastoral care

Assess how well you are doing

This information includes your contact details, National Curriculum assessment results,

attendance information and personal characteristics such as your ethnic group, any

special educational needs and relevant medical information. If you are enrolling for post

14 qualifications we will be provided with your unique learner number (ULN) by the

Learning Records Service and may also obtain from them details of any learning or

qualifications you have undertaken.

We will not give information about you to anyone outside the college without your

consent unless the law and our rules allow us to.

We are required by law to pass some information about you to the Local Authority and

the Department for Education (DfE). Where appropriate we will send to relevant National

Health Service personnel (e.g. school nurses, the NHS Health Informatics Team)

information on individual students changing school (or address) to ensure continuity of

health care. If you want to see a copy of the information about you that we hold and/or

share, please contact Mrs C Williams, Business Director and CFO Clerk to the Board, at

the college.

If you require more information about how Westwood College, The Local Authority (LA)

and/or DfE store and use your information, then please go to the following websites:

www.westwoodcollege.coop

http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/health/childrenandfamilycare/yourdata/Yourdata.aspx

http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/datatdatam/privacynotices/b002123

37/datause

If you are unable to access these websites you can receive a hard copy of this information.

Please contact the LA or DfE as follows:

Information Governance Unit

Staffordshire County Council

St Chad’s Place

Stafford

ST16 2LR

e-mail: [email protected]

Public Communications Unit

Department for Education

Sanctuary Buildings

Great Smith Street

London

SW1P 3BT

Website: www.education.gov.uk

email:

http://www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus

Telephone: 0370 000 2288

Once you are aged 13 or over, we are required by law to pass on certain information to

providers of youth support services in this area. This is the Local Authority support service

for young people aged 13 to 19 in England. We must provide both your name and address

and your parent/carer’s name(s) and address, and any further information relevant to the

support services’ role. However, if you are over 16, you (or your parent(s) can ask that no

information beyond names, address and your date of birth be passed to the support

service. Please inform Julia Shenton, HR Manager and PA to the Headteacher if you wish

to opt-out of this arrangement.

For more information about young peoples’ services, please go to the Directgov Young

People page at: www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/index.htm or the LA website shown

above.