Policy on Drug Education:
To be read in conjunction with Health Education Policy
Rationale
In the light of current evidence that young people's drug use is
increasing, and shared concerns at local and national level, we wish to
state that as part of its care for the welfare of its students, the
School believes it has a duty to inform and educate young people on the
consequences of drug use and misuse.
The School takes a pro-active stance on this matter, believing that
health education is a vital part of the personal and social education of
every student.
The School condones neither the misuse of drugs, including alcohol, by
members of the School nor the possession or supply of other
dangerous/illegal substances.
Fundamental to our School's values and practice is the principle of
sharing the responsibility for the education of young people with
parents, by keeping them informed and involved at all times. Effective
communication and co-operation is essential to the successful
implementation of this policy.
Whilst we acknowledge the numbers of people who use and misuse
substances is rising, it is seen as important to recognize that larger
numbers of young people are choosing not to use or misuse substances. We
will continue to support their differing needs.
- It is backed up with access to advice or help for students with Policy
of Assessment, Recording, Reporting and Marking (Draft)
At Social Model Senior Secondary School we believe that effective
marking and assessment is an essential element of high quality teaching
and learning. Informative marking and assessment provides students with
useful feedback on their progress and advice on how work can be further
improved.
A good assessment structure should be clearly understood by teachers,
students and parents, thus encouraging regular reflection on, and
monitoring of, progress. This in turn ensures that learning
opportunities for individuals are maximized.
Assessment of progress and performance is ongoing and takes place across
many strands, which can be summarized as follows:
Whole School Assessment
Assessment is an essential element in high-quality teaching and
effective learning. It should encourage and support both the student and
teacher in the learning process, enabling a correct match between the
demands of the task set and the student’s ability.
Whole School Assessment must:
1. Improve the teachers’ awareness of the work of each student and their
progress on a regular basis, and to develop the student’s confidence and
motivation
2. Ensure students’ understanding of, and involvement in, the assessment
process.
3. Ensure consistency in assessment, both within departments and across
the curriculum, including termly assessments and reports.
4. Ensure that reports of assessment results are understood by student,
teacher, parents and other stakeholders, and will lead to good student
progress and improved performance.
5. Ensure that outcomes of assessment inform practice and modify
teaching methods where appropriate.
Marking and Recording
Marking is at the heart of all good teaching and assessment and it aims
to assist and promote the learning process. It is important that there
is consistency of practice across departments and across the school and
that teachers, students and their parents have a clear understanding of
what is being assessed, how and why.
Must:
1. Improve teacher awareness of student’s work and progress, allowing
the teacher and student to take action in response to the student’s
successes and difficulties so that potential is fulfilled.
2. Offer positive guidance to each student through the use of
high-quality comments (see statement Whole School Assessment).
3. Enable the student and his / her parents/carers to judge progress.
4. Increase student motivation.
5. Encourage students to assess themselves and to reflect upon their
progress in the light of teacher levels/ grades awarded and comment
added.
6. Share with students the expected outcomes of each piece of work.
7. Ensure that details of work set and results of assessment are readily
and clearly available in school.
8. Establish consistent practice in the setting of work, marking and
recording of levels / grades across the curriculum.
9. Standardize practice across the school in the marking of grammar and
spelling.
Guidelines and Responsibilities:
1. Work should be marked by the teacher and in most cases include a
comment. Comments could contain: a reference to the standard of work;
positive comments on success; a comment on what to do to improve / a
specific point for future action highlighting errors and appropriate
corrections and a reference to effort.
2. Teachers should use the common attainment and effort grades as set
out in the policy statement Reporting.
3. Teachers should record all levels / grades awarded clearly in their
mark book and collate sufficient evidence to make termly judgments on
student progress.
4. Spelling and punctuation errors should be taken into account when
marking student written work. The Spelling policy for the school
outlines strategies for improving student spelling.
5. Curricular Leaders have the responsibility to monitor the quality of
marking within the department and to ensure that it meets the Whole
School Assessment framework.
Internal/External Examinations
Examinations are a formal method of assessment that enable teachers to
measure attainment (how well students are performing compared with norms
for the age group) and achievement (how well students are performing in
relation to their individual capacities and potential).
