health zone

If you carry a mobile phone, it is your responsibility and you must notify your Head of Year. Phones must not be used in school and should be switched off during the school day. If you do bring a phone it is for emergency use only on your journey to and from the school. If a phone is used irresponsibly during the school day, it will be confiscated and returned directly to your parents. There is a payphone near the Entrance Hall, which you may use in emergency, but you must ask permission from a member of staff.

The aim of using the Internet is to further educational goals and objectives. However, it is possible that a determined student may try to access unsuitable material. Unacceptable areas of the Internet are those that lead to obscene, racist, extremist or violent material. St. Aidan's uses North Yorkshire County Council filtering software package that should prevent students accidentally viewing any such materals. This package will identify those students who attempt to access unsuitable sites; a record is monitored and kept of all sites visited by each individual user, these records are stored on an Internet Server. Using the software on this machine the Network Administrator will be able to show who accessed which Internet site, from which machine and when it was accessed.

It is forbidden to use the school facilities for the following:

• trespassing into other users' folders, work or files;
• plagiarising others' work ie. copying or pasting without noting the source;
• use a username or password other than your own
• accessing chat rooms or lines (entering into direct dialogue);
• accessing sites that the school would regard as unacceptable (if in doubt ask a member of staff for advice);
• downloading or accessing games or installing software onto school machines;
• transmitting obscene material;
• using vulgarities, swearing or other inappropriate language;
• accessing the Internet outside recognised hours (8.00am to 5.00pm)

We would also expect you to avoid:

• downloading large files, which would slow down Internet access;
• printing unnecessary material - printing is costly. Excessive printing will be monitored.

We believe that the benefits to students in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration exceed any disadvantages. In school teachers will monitor and guide pupils towards appropriate materials. Outside school families bear the same responsibility for such guidance.

Pupils who do not follow these simple rules may have their bus pass removed:

Drugs Policy

The purpose of this policy is to inform all members of the school community about how drug education and drug-related incidents are dealt with.

Why do we need a policy about drugs ?

As a school we have the interests and well being of all pupils at heart and we recognise that the use of many drugs, including medicine, tobacco, and alcohol is commonplace and that an increasing number of young people are being exposed to the availability and hype surrounding illegal drugs.

We are strongly opposed to the misuse of all kinds of drugs by any member of the school community.

The school will not tolerate under any circumstances the use of, or the supply of illegal substances wherever it has a remit.

We are committed to the health, safety and welfare of our pupils and staff of the school community and will take action to promote and safeguard their well being. We will seek to achieve this by our programme of drug education and prevention and by the stringent manner all drug-related incidents will be dealt with. The use of illegal substances and drug abuse of all kinds is a negation of all that St Aidan's Church of England High School stands for.

Drug education/prevention

We recognise that, along with parents and others, the school can enable young people to understand how drugs can benefit and harm individuals and communities. Our school programme of health education, in which work about drugs is included, will seek:

To enable young people to make responsible, healthy, informed choices about the role drugs might play in their lifestyle, by acquiring sound information, exploring attitudes and values and by developing effective decision-making and communication skills.

To promote the self esteem and sense of self worth of every individual pupil irrespective of their academic abilities.

To increase awareness and understanding of possible legal, social, economic and health consequences arising from the use and misuse of drugs.

To enable pupils to identify sources of appropriate support.

These aims will be met through the programmes of study within the taught curriculum, especially with Science, PE, RE and Personal and Social Education, through the informal curriculum and through extra-curricular activities. The work is delivered mainly by teachers who have received additional training and support to take on this role. Where anyone from outside the school contributes to the programme of work they will do so in accordance with this policy and in line with the LEA Guidelines for Outside Providers.

Roles and responsibilities

Headteacher - ultimately responsible for policy, content and implementation; liaison with governors, parents, teachers, LEA and other bodies including the media. Responsibility for deciding how drug-related incidents will eventually be dealt with.

Governors - general responsibility for the curricular, pastoral and disciplinary aspects of the school. Support for drug-related in-service training and resources. Every effort will be made to enable governors to raise their own level of awareness and understanding of drug issues.

Health Education Co-ordinator - co-ordinating and planning the delivery of the programme of drug education within the context of health education and the whole school curriculum.

Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral) - responsible for investigating drug related incidents and liaising with Headteacher, other staff, parents, police, drug agencies and other appropriate individuals. Responsible for reviewing policy.

Dealing with drug related incidents

Any drug related incident will be considered on its merits with due regard to balancing the interests of any individual involved with those of the wider school community.

In dealing with incidents the following will be taken into account:

Confidentiality - any school cannot offer total confidentiality to pupils but as far as is possible we will ensure that information provided is treated carefully and sensitively. The provider of any information will always be told what use is being made of it and their consent sought - see separate Confidentiality Statement.

Police contact - there is no legal obligation on a school to contact the police. However in any case of an alleged supply of a controlled drug the police will be informed. In other cases the school will determine whether to involve the police. It is a matter for the police if further action follows. Police on school premises without either a parent knowing or being present will not normally interview pupils. In the event of them so doing then a senior member of the school staff will be present.

Parents - although there is no legal obligation on the school to inform parents if their son/daughter is involved in a drug related incident, the school will normally contact parents as soon as is reasonably practicable. We would expect to work with parents and the individual pupil to resolve any problems.

Drugs on premises/persons - if drugs are found on premises or on individuals the drugs should be seized and secured by the teacher or other adult member of staff finding them. The incident should be reported to the Senior Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral) who may inform the police and request them to remove the drugs.

General

This policy applies to all staff, student teachers, governors, volunteers and students, when they are involved with any aspect of school life for which they are assuming a duty of care for pupils. It therefore extends beyond the classroom into extra curricular activities .