Expectations

Fitzharrys students are expected to come in each day with a positive approach to learning. They should be keen to participate in lessons and set challenging goals for growth, as well as taking responsibility for their behaviour in class and around school.

Fitzharrys is a positive school with high expectations and standards. We place great importance on celebrating and rewarding achievement to encourage students to make the right choices and invest in their learning, and we use an effective system to ensure good behaviour for learning and address any issues. Our behaviour system, the ‘ABC levels’, is used consistently across every classroom, making rewards and consequences very clear to every student. We work on the principle of doing ‘the right thing, in the right place, at the right time’, and our pupils respond to these clear expectations.  

Ready to Learn: the 3Rs

As Ofsted recognised, “The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils enjoy each other’s company at social times and value the good friendships they make here. They are respectful to each other, staff and visitors and enjoy the pleasant and secure environment the school offers.”

Full details on Fitzharrys’ behaviour expectations are set out in our school policies.  

Achievement

At Fitzharrys, we look for every opportunity to praise progress and reward achievement, not only academically but across every area of learning and personal development.  This is of vital importance in growing every student’s confidence in their own abilities and encouraging further success.

Students in years 7-11 are awarded House points for their effort and achievement in and out of class, as well as their contribution to the community and participation in events. Students achieve bronze, silver, gold and platinum certificates as individuals. They work in teams for many different competitions and at Sports Day, where the healthy House rivalry and support cheers everyone along.

We are proud of our students and proud of our special achievement assemblies at the end of each full term. We celebrate all the great things that have happened, recognise everyone who has received subject award nominations and hand out many special achievement award certificates to those who have made excellent progress or produced exceptional work. Many students will receive their 100% attendance awards alongside a prize to reward their commitment.

Students also work towards Fitzharrys awards. These consist of Community, Cultural, School and Sport awards where students earn a special badge for completing a series of challenges. When a student achieves all four awards they are then awarded the special Full School Colours tie and earn their place on our Honour Boards in the Main Hall.

Our subject awards are given out once a year at our annual Presentation Evening and reward exceptional performance in a subject area or an area of school life. The Headteacher’s commendations are given out throughout the year for exceptional contribution to any aspect of school life.

Follow Fitzharrys on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for regular updates celebrating all student success happening across our school. We really love to hear about achievements happening outside of school too; please keep us up-to-date so we can support your child in every challenge and celebrate every success.

Attendance

Attendance at Fitzharrys is at record levels because students enjoy coming to school. We want to encourage students to aim for 100% attendance as research shows there is a clear link between excellent attendance and high achievement, and good attendance will be a basic expectation for all our students in their future careers. The school’s Attendance Diamond and weekly monitoring help each student to aspire to their very best attendance.

Attendance Diamond

We work hard to recognise good attendance, with rewards given to students at the end of each full term to celebrate the commitment and determination that comes with 100% attendance.

All absences will detract from a student's 100% attendance record but we do understand that occasionally students must have time away from school in cases such as illness, medical appointments or bereavement. We recognise 100% attendance at achievement assemblies not only at the end of the year, but after each full term; winter, spring and summer.

Further guidance can be found on our Absence & Illness and Policies pages. 

Equipment

Students should have the following essential equipment at school each day so they are prepared and ready for the day's learning activities:

  • School Planner (issued by the school in September)
  • Mathematics set - including ruler, protractor, compass
  • 30cm ruler
  • Pencils
  • Eraser
  • Pencil Sharpener
  • Black, blue & green pens
  • A dry-wipe pen
  • Coloured pencils (these are more useful than felt tips)
  • Scientific calculator – (recommended: CASIO FX-83GTX, 85GTX, or FX-991EX)
  • Large, strong bag/rucksack to carry school books and equipment (strictly no handbags)


It would also be useful if students have the following items to support their learning: 

  • Glue stick (i.e. Pritt stick or similar)
  • A separate bag for P.E. kit on required days
     

Please ensure all items are named for ease of returning to owners if lost. 

Valuable items should not be brought into school and we would discourage students from bringing in expensive electronic devices; Fitzharrys cannot accept any responsibility for any belongings that are damaged or go missing.  On unavoidable occasions, valuable items or large sums of money brought in to school must never be left unguarded in coats or bags; instead, they should be passed directly to Reception at the start of the day for safe-keeping.

We appreciate that some parents and carers would like their child to bring a mobile phone to school for reasons of personal safety.  Please read our Mobile Phone Policy for guidance. 

Students are advised to make use of school lockers to safely store belongings. They are available for £25 for a student’s school career. £2.50 will be paid on return of the locker key at the end of Year 11. Refunds are available if students leave Fitzharrys School before this time.

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Uniform Absence & Illness Mobile Phone Policy Policies School Life