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6. STUDENT PROGRESS AND ATTENDANCE
10. EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
17, SCHOOL INFORMATION AND CONCERNS
Nursery 8:00 - 13:30
Other Classes 8:00 - 13:40
Children MUST be collected promptly at the end of the day and the school takes no responsibility for students who are not collected by 2.00 p.m.
There are two breaks of 20 minutes each during the day.
After-school activities take place as appropriate and as announced.
Sometimes excursions outside the school will take place and parents will be duly informed. Upon registration, all parents sign an indemnity which a) gives permission for their children to go out on excursions as necessary b) allows teachers to take whatever immediate action may be judged necessary in the case of an emergency and c) releases the school from blame in any incident where due care and attention has been exercised by the supervisors.
ü Good knowledge of English for Years One to Six
ü Good spoken and written knowledge of English by at least one parent.
ü Enrolment interview with the Head Teacher.
ü Enrolment interview with the Class Teacher for assessment.
ü Foreign ties or plans to live abroad.
ü Completion of a standard medical questionnaire by parents.
Additionally, parents must inform the school in writing of any new medical conditions.
Waiting list: Prospective parents should note that the school is generally full and that there are often waiting lists. Therefore applications should be completed at the earliest opportunity.
Returning Students: There is no guarantee of places for children who leave and then return after a period of time from another school. They must be assessed once again to ensure that they are at the required standard.
- Nursery 3 years by September 1st
- Reception 4 years by September 1st
- Year One 5 years by September 1st (and so on)
*Note: There is some flexibility for placement of students based on their level of
maturity and knowledge of English.
- Admission and health forms duly completed
- Three passport size photographs
- Photocopy of the passport or birth certificate
- Photocopies of the parents' passports
- Copy of vaccination certificates
- Original transfer certificate from the previous school (Years Two and above)
- Nursery 750 Euros and 750 LD per term (i.e. x by 3)
- Reception to Year Six 950 Euros and 970 LD per term.
For the third child and subsequent children there is a reduction of 20%.
REGISTRATION: At this time there is no registration fee. However, in order to reserve a place, new families must pay a non-refundable deposit of the first term's fees in Libyan Dinars (i.e. 750LD for Nursery and 970LD for other years, in 2009-2010).
Note: Fees are payable within two weeks of each term starting, to the school secretary.
There is a fine for late payments (15%).
If fees (including fines) are unpaid by the penultimate week of term, the student will not be registered for the new term and his/her place will be offered at that time to a student on the waiting list. No reports or other documents will be made available if fees remain unpaid.
Attendance for two weeks will mean that the full term's fees are payable.
Absence for one term will mean that the place is not saved unless full fees are paid in advance of the absence. On return, however, the student must be assessed in order to decide whether the place may be taken up once again.
During the month of June, parents are requested to inform the school if they do not require registration for their children for the coming academic year.
6. STUDENT PROGRESS AND ASSESSMENT
In Nursery, Reception and Year One an informed assessment of student progress is made by the class teacher through observation, supported by anecdotal records and samples of student work.
Assessment of students in Years Two through Six will be based on results of teacher-made tests, standardized tests, project work and performance in class. In addition, towards the end of Year Two and Year Six, students will sit the Key Stages 1 and 2 Standardized Achievement Tests (SATs).
A comprehensive written report is issued at the end of terms one and three; formal parent-teacher consultation is scheduled in term two.
At any time, if a student’s progress or behaviour is a cause for concern, the teacher or parent may request additional meetings.
If a student is deemed not to be making satisfactory progress, it may be made a condition of continued registration that he/she receive extra tuition outside of school.
Failure to have reached the required standard by the end of the academic year may result in a child being required to repeat a year.
At the British School of Benghazi, we aim to create and maintain a positive ethos within the school in which children and adults cooperate in order to foster:
- consideration and respect for each individual
- the welfare and safety of all
- a caring community with shared values conducive to the best possible quality of life and education of each child
Behavioural Expectations of Students
The code of conduct is ruled by three principles:
- being safe
- respecting other people
- respecting property
At the beginning of the school year, and as and when required during the rest of the year, children should be reminded of these three principles. Teachers will brainstorm examples of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in each category with their students. From the students’ ideas, lists of positive behaviours can be generated to form their own ‘class rules’ or ‘playground rules’. Giving students ownership of these ideas encourages appropriate behaviour.
When a child misbehaves the first line of the teacher would be able to say, “Are you being safe?” or “Are you respecting other people?” The child should recognise what they have done wrong and respond accordingly. The next step is to ask the child what they should be doing differently. The idea is to continue to make the children responsible for their own behaviours and to encourage self-discipline. This approach works for most, but not all, students.
Highlighting and praising students for doing the right thing (catch them being good!) is often a more effective strategy than drawing attention to the misbehaving students.
Consequences for Serious Breaches
Staff supervising students who commit minor cases of misbehaviour deal with the student on the spot. However, in cases where children continue to offend despite teachers efforts, or where the students’ misbehaviour is deemed to be serious (bullying, racial remarks, blatant disobedience, swearing at a teacher, deliberate damage to people or property) the Head Teacher must be informed.
The following steps will be followed:
- First offence: Student will be reprimanded by the Head Teacher and warned of future consequences if the behaviour is repeated. The behaviour will be recorded in the Incident Report Book.
- Second offence: Student will suffer appropriate penalty as discussed during earlier reprimand. Possible punishments include : playtime detentions, written assignments related to misbehaviour, put on daily report. The behaviour and punishment will be recorded.
- Third offence: Parents will be called and student may be subjected to ‘in-school’ suspension, or full suspension depending on severity of the behaviour.
It is important that students maintain regular attendance. Irregular attendance or long periods of absences are a detriment to a student’s academic growth. However, when a student becomes ill and cannot attend school the class teacher or secretary should be notified as soon as possible through a note or phone call. Under no circumstances should a student attend school with any kind of infectious disease.
Along with regular attendance, punctuality is equally important. Students should arrive at school 10 to 15 minutes before the start of the school day. Late students miss out on an essential part of the day. The beginning of the day is a time when students and teachers set the day and perform morning routines. Students entering the classroom after classes have begun interrupt the lesson and are a disruption to other students. It is recognised that it is sometimes the fault of parents that a student is late but, nevertheless, late students will lose their breaktimes.
To be effective homework should be part of the partnership between the child, the parents and the school. The school’s role is to set appropriate tasks and to ensure that the students and the parents are clear about what is expected. The student’s role is to complete these tasks to the best of his/her ability. The parents’ task is to offer support by ensuring the student has a quiet and comfortable place to work, and by showing an interest in what the child is doing.
The ‘Homework Guidelines’ as issued in Britain as part of the National Curriculum states, “homework should support the work that children do in the classroom but should not get in the way of other activities such as sports, music and clubs of all kinds”. Non-academic pursuits are equally important to the overall development of the child.
An important aspect of our homework policy is that children will be asked to practise or extend skills, but they will not be expected to tackle unknown concepts, or to develop completely new skills at home.
Written work should always be the personal work of the student, not an elder brother, sister, or parent. The student may ask for advice and we actively encourage parents to get involved in discussions with the child. However, the final answers and the completed tasks should be the work of the child. In the case of our younger students practising their reading, we need parent involvement. Parents should listen, encourage, praise and discuss the books being read by their children.
The following is a guide to the maximum time students at each year level should be spending on daily homework assignments.
Reception: Daily reading / sounds activity (10 minutes)
Assigned Homework (10 minutes) 20minutes
Year 1: Daily reading activity (10 minutes)
Assigned homework (15 minutes) 25 minutes
Year 2: Daily reading activity (15)
Assigned homework (20) 35 minutes
Year 3: Daily reading (15 minutes)
Assigned homework 25 minutes) 40 minutes
Year 4 Daily reading (15 minutes)
Assigned homework (40 minutes) 55 minutes
Year 5/6 Daily reading (30 minutes to 1 hour)
Assigned Homework (1 hour) 75 minutes +
Note: Students in Years Three to Six may have additional homework for project work.
Please note that establishing a daily reading habit is of the utmost importance to all students. As well as reading for enjoyment, we learn to read in order to read to learn. Children should be encouraged to read as part of their daily homework whether a specific reading task has been assigned by the teacher or not. The best readers are invariably the best students.
From year 3 onwards some homework assignments will be given a few days in advance to train students in budgeting their time to suit themselves.
10. EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Depending on staff availability, students are frequently able to choose from a variety of sporting, artistic or musical activities as well as other events requiring after-school participation. After-school activities and clubs take place twice a week during the first term and swimming is also offered at this time. Whenever possible the students are able to put forward first and second choices for activities in the first term and we try to ensure that those who wish to participate get one of their first choices. In the second term, Junior students find they spend a large amount of time preparing the school play in after-school rehearsals, (although some other activities are possible), but a full programme of activities is still offered to Years One and Two students one afternoon a week. In the third term many other (and generally different) activities take place, and the Infant production is prepared. The school newspaper appears three times a year, there is now a school orchestra, and tennis and basketball take place at various times.
11. HOME-SCHOOL COMMUNICATION:
Regular communications are sent home by the school and parents are encouraged to read these with care and to contact us at any time.
Newspaper: To keep parents informed of school activities and events a newspaper is published three times a year.
Open House: Parents are invited to an open house in September. This event provides the opportunity for teachers and parents to meet at the beginning of the school year, initiating home-school communication.
Complaints Procedure: Any concerns expressed by parents regarding discipline or curriculum should be addressed to the Head Teacher either verbally or in writing.
At the British School we operate a “house system”. All students are members of a house and brothers and sisters are put into the same house. There are four houses represented by colours. Each staff member is also a member of a house and each house has a Year Six representative as a “House Captain”.
Students can be awarded “merits” for work in the classroom or for aspects of behaviour that is thought to be beneficial to the school community. These merits are awarded by members of staff.
Sporting events, competitions and other activities can also gain merits for individual students or teams. Each week merits are counted and the results announced at the weekly school assembly.
The “house system” encourages competitiveness in a sensitive way where individual and group achievement is recognized and rewarded.
At school: While in the school building, at least one staff member will be with students during all lessons and activities. During the two break times each day, a minimum of two staff will be on duty outside the school to ensure sufficient supervision and children are not allowed inside the building except with permission.
Away from school: Groups of students leaving the school for school-related activities will be escorted by at least one adult or staff member per 10 students. The safest transportation possible will be sought to deliver students from the school to their destination and back again. Parental permission is given for this and for other activities (including a waiver) once only on the child's admission to the school. For swimming, the venue will be chosen considering all safety conditions including lifeguard and appropriate lifesaving equipment.
Child care: The British School is obliged to record the names and addresses of all people who are parents or legal guardians of each enrolled student. Matters relating to the student’s day to day life at the school are the responsibility of the person with whom the student lives. It is the responsibility of the adult concerned to inform the school of any changes in to parental responsibility arrangements for the child.
Emergencies: An alternate contact telephone number and address should be provided to the school and updated if there is a change. We require such contact should you child become ill and you cannot be reached. Parents accept that we will take an immediate decision without consulting them should this be deemed necessary in an emergency.
Collecting your child from school: Your child should be informed as to who will be collecting him/her from school. This will ease any confusion or stress for your child when arrangements must be changed. Please inform your child’s classroom teacher of any changes in your child’s transportation arrangements. Students must be collected promptly at the completion of the school day. The school cannot ensure adequate supervision after the official school hours.
The street at the side of the school is one-way to allow for easier flow of traffic. This is a narrow street and parking in front of the gate causes traffic congestion and cannot be permitted. Please park carefully and unselfishly and walk to the gate to collect your child. For safety reasons, children will not be permitted to leave to school premises on their own.
Because the British School does not provide bus service to transport students to school, it is the parents’ responsibility to arrange transport for their children. Children should not be brought to school more than 15 minutes before the start of school and should be collected 15 minutes from the close of school. Adequate supervision for students outside of official school hours cannot be guaranteed, therefore the school cannot be held responsible for the safety of children outside these times. It is important that the class teacher be informed if a child’s normal going home arrangements are changed on a particular day.
15. SCHOOL BOOKS AND THE COMPUTER LABORATORY
BOOKS are provided on loan only. It must be clearly understood that all text books and library books are school property. They may be taken home only with the teacher’s permission and must be returned in the condition in which they were borrowed. All lost or damaged books must be paid for (including the cost of postage) and there are fines for late returns.
COMPUTERS are used within the school general policy for procedure in the laboratory and some permissions may be given for work on computers outside of class time where it is thought appropriate. Any abuses of the privilege to use computers would result in a student not being allowed to use them for a period of time. Under no circumstances whatsoever are students allowed to take food or drink into the computer room.
It is important that ALL items of clothing and personal property be clearly marked. Lost property will be held in the school for a reasonable length of time and then will be either donated to a charitable organization or discarded.
17. SCHOOL INFORMATION AND CONCERNS
Additional information regarding the school curriculum and our teaching methods is available from teachers and on this web site.
Please click this link to see how you can help your children by what you give them to eat when they come to school:
Food in School and Children’s Diet
And here is some more useful health information: