Communication

We hope your son will be very happy at school and his well-being is extremely important to us. Please let us know if you think something is concerning him or however trivial it may seem and whether the source of his worry is at school or at home. We will then be able to work with you to give him the right kind of support and encouragement.

We have a lot of practical experience to draw on, so please do not be reluctant or embarrassed to tell us anything that concerns you. It is important to let us know of any changes, large or small, in family circumstances, for instance: illness or bereavement; separation, divorce or remarriage; births; or moving house. We are used to keeping such information confidential to the person you told or only to other staff who need to know, with your consent. Do also let us know about things which might not seem worth mentioning at first, but which might still be unsettling, for example if one parent is away overseas or changes their job, or perhaps important events affecting older/younger siblings.

Please make sure we always have up-to-date contact information for you (e.g. mobile phone numbers or changes in e-mail addresses) and ensure you tell us if you are away and, for example your children are staying with their grandparents or being looked after by a family friend, so we know the right person to contact should we need to.

If you or your son is worried, please talk to us as early as possible.

The teaching staff in School are very experienced at helping young people, and we will, of course, discuss fully with you the best course of action to take. We may wish to encourage your son to deal with the situation independently, with quiet support from his Form Tutor/Class Teacher, Head of Pastoral Care or someone else, or we may wish to intervene in a more direct way.

We view the partnership between home and school as integral to the happy and successful career we trust your son will enjoy at Newcastle School for Boys.

In addition to the formal methods of communication between home and school, detailed elsewhere in this handbook, we value being able to pick up the telephone to you or to have a word as you collect your son from school. A list of who to contact with various concerns can be found on pages 7 and 8.

 

Absence Requests and Illness

A request for a routine absence from school for half a day or so, such as for a dentist appointment, should be made through your son’s form tutor. Requests for longer periods of absence should be made to the Deputy Head or Head of Junior School, at least fourteen days in advance if at all possible. Since the School holidays are longer than those of the state sector parents are asked not to book family holidays in term time.

In the event of sickness, or unplanned absence for other reasons, parents are asked to telephone the school office before 9:30am, giving the reason for absence. Should the absence last for more than three days, an interim letter of explanation should be written to the Deputy Head or Head of Junior School. Written confirmation of the dates of absence and the reason should accompany the pupil on his return to school and be given to the form tutor/class teacher.

 

Confidentiality

We regard the privacy of the pupil and their parents as extremely important. We will always endeavour to treat information you give us sensitively, and discuss with you how widely to circulate it. This means that although we will always listen to your views, we cannot comment to you in detail on the behaviour or circumstances of boys other than your own son. We will not disclose your personal details to other parents or other organisations without your permission. The school confidentiality policy is included at the back of this handbook.

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